Lane Cove News Week in Review 24th February to 2 March 2022

It’s been a big news week in Lane Cove (and a very wet one).

Heavy Rainfall

As of 2 March 2022, the Bureau of Meteorology still has in place a severe weather warning for HEAVY RAINFALL and DAMAGING WINDS For people in Metropolitan, Illawarra and parts of Mid North Coast, Hunter, South Coast, Central Tablelands and Southern Tablelands Forecast Districts.

Stay up to date with the latest warnings: http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/.

If you need emergency help, SES is the lead agency and can be contacted on 132 500.

For any life-threatening emergencies, please call Triple Zero (000). Also, keep checking their Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/NSW.SES/

The Lane Cove Council has set an excellent page listing organisations you should contact for emergencies.  They also have details on what to do if you see a fallen tree or branches. Details here.

Resilience NSW also has information and links which may assist you. Details here.

Blackman Park Sinkhole

Last week we reported on the Blackman Park Sinkhole.  Major work is now underway at Blackman Park to ensure the area is safe. The carpark has been closed near Puppy Tail Cafe. See our cover photo.

A Lane Cove Spokesperson told us the following:

We’ve been checking the sinkhole every day this week and have put together a timeline pictorial of the sinkhole – read more here.

Flood Donations

Thank you to everyone who has contacted In the Cove and asked how they can help the flood victims.

GIVIT has been working with state governments to be the leading donation site. They ask you not to send donations directly to the flooded areas. GIVIT allows you to donate a specific amount for a particular item such as fuel, pet food, groceries, sanitary products, underwear, towels etc. Once you’ve donated, GIVIT purchases that product in or near the town affected by the disaster and then distributes it directly to the people who require it.

Below are links to registered charities that have set up targeted initiatives to provide people impacted by flooding with what they need right now.

GIVIT NSW:  https://www.givit.org.au/…/givit-together/nsw-flood-appeal

GIVIT Queensland: https://www.givit.org.au/storms-and-flooding

Foodbank: https://foodbank.raisely.com/helpnswfloodvictims

Australian Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org.au/floodsappeal/

Salvation Army: https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/

SES: https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/get-involved/donations/

Willoughby- Lane Cove SES Working Hard to Assist Residents

We have noticed a significant increase in people asking for local roofers and gutter cleaners. Willoughby- Lane Cove SES  advised their volunteers have been inundated with requests for assistance from the heavy rains coming into their houses. They posted the following on their Facebook page:

Willoughby- Lane Cove SES 

“Our volunteers in Willoughby and Lane Cove have been inundated with requests for assistance from the heavy rain coming into houses.

The most common causes are blocked gutters resulting in rainwater flowing back into the house, broken / cracked tiles and leaking skylights.

If you notice even a tiny damp patch on your ceiling or wall, it’s worth checking it out immediately.

1. Step back from your house and inspect the roof – can you see broken tiles, lifting colourbond or leaves everywhere? Call an expert or do what you can safely do yourself if you’re good on ladders.
2. Go up into your loft – if you can see broken tiles, you may be able to do something from the inside or at least put down buckets. Call a roofer.
3. If you have a leak into the house, move what you can out of the way and use bins, buckets or large containers to catch the water.

In an emergency, call the SES on 132 500.”

Lane Cove Council Extraordinary General Meeting Multi Sports and Rec Facility

Lane Cove Council held an extraordinary general meeting on Monday, 28 February 2022, to discuss withdrawing the Development Application for the Multi-Sports and Rec Facility. The Sydney North Planning Panel was scheduled to meet on 2 March 2022 to decide on the DA.

Councillors Southwood, Bryla and Flood supported the motion. The motion acknowledged that the Council should consider all available options to meet the demand for indoor sporting facilities in the Lane Cove area.

Council resolved by 6:2 (Cllrs Mort and Bennison voted against) to

1. Advise the Sydney North Planning Panel that it formally withdraws DA 64/2021 for the Lane Cove Sport and Recreation Facility at 180 River Road Lane Cove;
2. Confirms that the two workshops from resolution 37/2022 will proceed as planned; and
3. Reaffirms Council’s intent to consider all available options to meet the demand for indoor sporting facilities in the Lane Cove area.
4. A project timeline be prepared and presented back to LCC by March 2022 in relation to other options in Lane Cove.

Rochelle Flood, who moved the motion, acknowledged the need for indoor sporting facilities in Lane Cove. However, she noted that councillors were concerned that they could not undertake due diligence properly due to LCC only releasing the business case last week.

The Lane Cove and St. Michaels Netball clubs both spoke at the meeting. They asked councillors to undertake steps to ensure local netball players have a place to train in Lane Cove.  Netballers have lost access to the two courts located in the Lane Cove Public School.  The new Lane Cove Public School Hall is being built over the areas where the netball courts used to be.  They were very passionate about the need for a multi-sports centre and also for training facilities in Lane Cove both short term and long term.

Missing Person – Lane Cove

Have you seen Hayden? If you have any information, please call Chatswood Police on (02) 9414 8499

Update on Lane Cove Council COVID19 Impacted Services

On ITC Lane Cove Chat, a member mentioned they were experiencing difficulties in obtaining a replacement rubbish bin for a damaged bin. Several other members noted they had been experiencing the same issue.

Lane Cove Council advised the following:

“We are aware of delays in processing new bin orders with the most recent deliveries scheduled to occur on Friday 25 February and Monday 28 February. Council is following up with its contractor to provide an update on this page on the estimated time and process for any outstanding orders. In the interim, if you have not yet received your bin at this time, please contact our Waste Solutions Hotline on 1300 655 006.

Reduced staffing capacity of our contractor has also meant that there are now longer wait periods for Household Clean-up bookings as daily waste and recycling collections are being prioritised.”

In good news, the Lane Cove Library has now returned to pre covid opening times.

The Library is open from:

Mondays – Thursdays: 9:30 am – 9:00 pm

Fridays and Saturdays: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm

Sundays: 9:30am – 2:00pm

Business Alert

Hummerston’s Gourmet Meats said farewell and happy retirement to Mark McKinnon on Saturday, 26 February 2022. After 20 years at Hummerstons (14 years as co-owner), Mark has hung up his blue and white striped apron. Best of luck, Mark. Thanks for your support of local charities, including your big donation to ITC’s Gold for Gunnedah when we raised money for drought-impacted residents.

Vandalism

Vandalism and Graffiti are on the rise again in Lane Cove.

What a shame someone decided to tag the beautiful artwork on the back of the Commonwealth Bank Building on Birdwood Lane. Lane Cove Council did a great job making a plain wall into a fabulous piece of Public Art. The Graffiti won’t stay long as Lane Cove Council ensured the artwork was protected by applying Graffiti Proofing. If you see any graffiti, please report to Lane Cove Council.

Leeches Are Back With A Vengence (cats seem to be very popular with Leeches)

We have seen many people searching our website www.inthecove.com.au using the keyword “leeches” – yes, this wet weather is bringing the leeches out. Don’t be surprised if you see them climbing walls. It seems that cats are prone to be attacked by leeches (see our picture below). You can read the comments about leeches on our Facebook page here.

One person noted they had removed 38 leeches from their cat.  Another person shared the photo below where a leech attached itself to their cat’s nose and lips.

Read our article here on leeches and where you can find out more information.

Clean Up Australia Day This Weekend

Clean Up Australia Day is on 6 March 2022. It’s not too late to register to get involved with clean up events at Manns Park, Burns Bay Reserve, Blackman Park (wow, they could spend hours getting the rubbish out of the sinkhole – only joking), Batten Reserve and more.

Get Involved, and this time, Clean Up Australia wants you to count all those paper masks lying around.

Find out where you can join a Lane Cove Clean Up Australia Day event here.

Watercraft Registration – Must Register by 31 March 2022

Lane Cove Council released the following statement:

“Dinghy numbers are increasing across the local government area and are sometimes stored on sensitive bushland areas or other inappropriate locations. Any dinghy stored along any of Council’s public foreshore areas must be registered with Council or risk being impounded. Registration is free – owners simply need to complete the Dinghy Tag Application Form at www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/boating. Registered dinghies will receive a tag to place on their vessel.

Dinghies must be registered by 31 March 2022 – Council may impound any untagged dinghies found after this time. If you require further assistance, please call Council’s Open Space and Urban Services team on 9911 3555.”

We spotted these unloved kayaks below at Burns Bay Reserve. An ITC reader noted the following on In the Cove’s Facebook page.

“As a heads up, too, I’ve seen people checking out which kayaks don’t have a registration tag, and quite a few have disappeared. You might want to register sooner rather than later.”

Incidents/Accidents

Wet weather always means an accident on Mowbray Road Lane Cove North at the notorious bend (see map below). This week a driver crossed the road and crashed into a fence. Police attended and the driver appeared to be okay. This is one of the spots that Lane Cove Council needs to fix urgently. The latest update on making that bend safer is here.

Longueville Road Traffic Light Wiped Out

During Peak Hour on 24 February 2022, a vehicle took out the middle traffic light on the corner of Longueville Road and Epping Road (although technically, Epping Road does not start until after the lights).

The road crew was quickly in attendance to remove most of the light pole (see our photo below)

Witnesses Needed

An ITC reader has asked us to publish the following:

“I was hit by a car while crossing the road at the Longueville Road zebra crossing (outside Westpac) at about midday on Friday.

I’m wondering if anyone witnessed the incident or took a note of the vehicle’s license plate.

It was essentially a hit and run because the driver gave me a fake phone number and no other details.

I’ve filled a police report already, but the officer is asking for any witnesses.”

If you did witness the accident, you could email us with your details, and we will pass those details on.

Apple Dental is Our Week in Review Sponsor

Thank you to Apple Dental who have sponsored ITC since we first launched our website.  In 2015 they told us they thought ITC was a valuable community resource and they wanted to support ITC and in 2022 they have continued to support ITC.  Thank you Apple Dental   We saw this post on their Instagram page and it did make us chuckle (it also made us think about making an appointment as COVID19 lockdowns meant ITC missed some of our regular checkups).

Their post saie:

“Is the universe trying to tell you something?

Don’t worry if you’re behind on your dental appointments. Most of Australia missed a few in the past 2 years.

Book an appointment online in a few easy clicks!”

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