Lane Cove News Week in Review 16th to 23rd May 2020

After a few weeks of only COVID19 related news, it was a big news week in Lane Cove.

St Ignatius College Riverview COVID19 Case

SIC Riverview was closed after a boy tested positive on Wednesday.

No details have been released as to the source of the infection. No other Riverview boy has tested positive. It’s highly unlikely the Riverview boy lives in 2066 or 2065 as NSW Health figures showed no new cases in Lane Cove Council Area.  Read more here.

COVID19 Restrictions

It will be a big day on June 1 2020 as restrictions are eased.

From June 1 2020 (and just in time for the long weekend in June) NSW residents can now travel anywhere within NSW.

The NSW Government is working with ski resorts to put in place COVID Safe procedures. However, the Ski Season will not open on the long weekend.

Libraries and Art Galleries will be re-open. There will be some conditions attached to their re-opening, such as special hours for the elderly and vulnerable. There will also be a mandatory 24 hours disinfection protocol for borrowed books.

Pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to serve up to 50 people at a time from June 1, 2020.

All hospitality venues must adhere to strict guidelines to operate, which would include the four-square-metre per patron rule.

There will also be a limit of 10 people per booking, and all patrons must be seated at a table, even in pubs and clubs.

When announcing the new rules, the NSW Premier stated

“There is no mingling, no standing around. Nobody will be able to stand up in these venues. Even something as simple as having joint cutlery on a table won’t be able to exist anymore”.

The Premier also said she would not direct police to count the number of patrons at each location.

The NSW Health Minister announced today that beauty salons, tanning parlours and nail salons would be able to open from June 1 2020.  He also said they were still working with the Fitness industry to put in place appropriate measures.

Lane Cove Pubs and Restaurants

The Alcott Lane Cove announced they would be opening soon (but did not specify a date). Not only is The Alcot a great place to eat and have a sip or two, but they are fabulous supporters of In The Cove and hopefully it will not be too long until we can start planning community fundraising nights again with The Alcott. Before COVID19 ITC and the Alcott were planning monthly fundraisers to benefit local community groups. Obviously, they will not happen until we can have more people in a venue, but it is great to know The Alcott is back. Last year The Alcott and ITC raised over $10 000 to help drought-impacted rural areas.

Little Red Robin Restaurant re-opened last week and we love a good review for a local business!!!!

“The team at AscendCorp Strata had dinner at Little Red Robin Restaurant and had this to say “We enjoyed an amazing dinner at Little Red Robin Restaurant last night after they opened back up for their first night. The food was amazing, service superb and they were adhering to COVID restrictions at all times. Highly recommend a visit!”

NSW Planning Approves Rezoning of Northwood Shops

The Department of Planning has approved the Northwood Rezoning, which means an aged care facility is now permitted in Northwood right near the dangerous Longueville Road/Kenneth St/River Road intersection.  Read more here.

Lane Cove Council’s Newest Park is Close to Completion

Lane Cove Council’s new park is nearly completed. It’s called Cameraygal Park and is on the corner of Longueville Road and Epping Road. It is right next to the bike path – so you can stop and rest and it has a bike fixing station.  The Lane Cove Council has done a great job of using sandstone in the new council parks and playgrounds. This will be a lovely place to grab a coffee and have a chat with your friends (appropriately social distancing).

The Canopy is getting closer to opening. Thank you to our roving reporters for sending us these photos.

Lane Cove Footpath Pedestrian Hazards

Footpaths are currently being repaired throughout the Lane Cove Council area. They are being repaired as a result of the NBN cabling installation.

The NBN paid the Lane Cove Council to fix up the footpaths.  ITC received numerous complaints and photos of the works being undertaken.  Residents were concerned that sections of the footpath had been removed (on both sides) and they were not well marked or visible at night creating trip and fall hazards.

One person posted the following on ITC Lane Cove Chat:

“Footpath blocked along the Eastern side of Longueville Road near LCPS without an alternative protected path. Yesterday afternoon I found and helped an elderly woman unable to find a way through and trying to push her sit walker onto the road. She was stuck at the top of the kerb, unable to come down to the road level, and looking like she was about to lose her balance. Today I see no workers and the footpath is still blocked. This is a safety hazard. Who is responsible for these works (no signage) and how are these allowed to proceed without following minimum Health & Safety standards?”

ITC sent photos to the council for their review.

A spokesperson for the Lane Cove Council said:

“First and foremost Council has ensured that the new contractor responsible for the works at the locations provided have rectified these areas and made them pedestrian safe. Council staff used this opportunity to reiterate our expectations on alternate path access and safety for path users.

Over the past three weeks, approximately 300 locations were provided for footpath repairs following the NBN works. While there are some additional locations still coming through as the NBN works start to wrap up, the bulk of the work is underway or completed. As the work typically involves a single segment of footpath and usually has a 48-hour window for completion, we would not normally notify as alternate pedestrian access should be clearly marked. Our expectation is that the remaining works will be completed to Council’s standards and include an appropriate alternate route for the day of the works.”

Possum Warning

This week, NSW Health issued a warning advising residents not to touch possums following a case where a female contracted a rare disease after being bitten and scratched by a ringtail possum in northern Sydney.  The disease is named Tularaemia. Symptoms include chills, fever, swollen lymph glands, fatigue and a sore throat. Tularemia is treatable with antibiotics.

The disease is very rare and can only be transmitted from infected animals to humans, not human to human.  Before this case, there had only been two recorded cases in Australia.

Northcott Gardens Not For Sale

Northcott Gardens is located at 92 Burns Bay Road, Lane Cove. There are 57 self-contained one-bedroom units. They are operated by Vasey Communities NSW. There was a story on A Current Affair about Vasey selling their villages. Vasey Communities NSW has released the following statement.

“An edition of A Current Affair broadcast on Channel 9 on Saturday, May 16 included a story whereby Vasey RSL Care’s aged care homes and independent villages have been directed to be sold before 2023 by the Victorian Sub-Branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia (RSL Clubs) — a situation causing concern for a significant number of returned services people and their families.

In direct response to this, as a not-for-profit organisation, Vasey Communities NSW (previously known as Vasey Housing Association) wish to immediately and absolutely reassure all Vasey Communities’ retirement village residents, families and the broader community that – Vasey RSL Care is, in no way, connected with Vasey Communities in NSW.

Vasey Communities’ residences include our retirement village communities in Epping, Maroubra, Lane Cove and Hunters Hill as well as Kokoda Residences, Waitara.
Further to this, Vasey Communities categorically states it has no plans to sell any, or any part, of these highly valued retirement village communities.”

Delvena Women’s Refuge – Playground Appeal

Delvena is a women’s refuge located in Lane Cove. They also have houses in Lane Cove where families go after they leave the refuge. Their services are really needed at the moment.

For many families, their only outdoor time is in Delvena’s backyard which is mainly concrete and a few plants. Delvena wants to make their outdoor space more family-friendly and have spaces where families have an area to sit in as a family group. They have set up a Go Fund Me page and they would love it if you could donate towards this garden (no donation is too small or too big). You can donate here.

They have a landscape plan drawn up but if anyone has any contacts with companies that provide landscaping supplies, timber, seating, lighting, etc and they would be willing to help out Delvena please email us at [email protected]

 

Crime and Incident Report

Mail Box Theft

A roving reporter told ITC that early Sunday morning last week, they saw two men going through apartment letterboxes in Lane Cove (a street not far from Lane Cove Village). The roving reporter notified police. Read our tips on how to reduce mailbox theft here.

Blackman Park 

Now that the restrictions have eased a bit, Blackman Park has become a popular place for gatherings after dark.  Unfortunately, the people at the gatherings are leaving a trail of litter, and broken glass.  These two incidents were reported to ITC this week.

“Unfortunately it appears some individuals made some poor choices down at Blackman park last night. The northeastern corner near the scout hall toilets has empty bottles, cans, cases and most disappointingly a whole lot of broken glass scattered around the footpath and on the synthetic grass.”

Another person reported this at the playground end.

“Someone’s had a party at Blackman Park. As well as general rubbish in the playground area, they’ve left a lot of smashed beer bottles lying all over the paths. Well done whoever did this, your lack of consideration and complete disregard for the safety of the children who play here is truly remarkable.”

Hunters Hill Drug Raid

NSW Police raided a unit in Hunters Hill and found a clandestine drug lab.

More than a tonne of Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL) has now been seized following further warrants related to a vehicle stop in Sydney’s CBD.

Just after 4.30 pm on Friday (May 15 2020), detectives attached to Sydney City Police Area Command were patrolling the CBD when they stopped a hire car on Yurong Street, Darlinghurst.

Following a conversation with the 37-year-old driver, officers searched him, locating and seizing cash and drugs believed to be methylamphetamine (ice).

During a subsequent search of the Toyota Corolla, detectives seized approximately 27kgs of GBL, $20,000 cash, and various electronic devices and documents allegedly linked to the supply of prohibited drugs.

The man was arrested and taken to Day Street Police Station, where he was charged with supply large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, supply prohibited drug and two counts of dealing with proceeds of crime.

He appeared before Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday (May 16 2020), where he was formally refused bail. The man is set to re-appear before Central Local Court on Tuesday July 7 2020.

As a result of follow-up inquiries, detectives executed a search warrant at a Regents Park factory on Monday (May 18 2020), where they seized 724kgs of GBL.

A further 56kgs of GBL was seized during a search warrant at a unit in Hunters Hill yesterday (Tuesday May 19 2020), with officers also dismantling the laboratory set up within the home.

About 1.15 pm today officers executed a crime scene warrant at a storage facility on Wellington Street, Granville, where a further 252 kilograms of GBL was discovered.

A crime scene has been established and inquiries are continuing.

The total amount of GBL seized by investigators to date is approximately 1,059 kilograms, with an estimated potential street value of almost $8.5 million.

NSW Police are liaising with interstate agencies as inquiries continue. Anyone with information is urged to come forward via Crimestoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au