Lane Cove News Week in Review 14 to 21st December 2022

Welcome to our last Lane Cove News week in review for 2022.  Thank you to everyone who has supported In The Cove and the lovely messages you send us telling us to keep up the good work – it means so much to the team.  The year started with a rush with ITC trying to keep you up to date on where to get RATS, queues at COVID testing stations and all the changes that were happening with interstate travel.  It did not seem to slow down and continued on a rushed pace.

We then got to September 2022 with four horrendous days when so many Lane Cove residents were without water or any information from Sydney Water.  We have kept up our quest for them to provide more information in a timely manner.

The year ended with ITC putting pressure on Busways to lift their game.!!   ITC wonders what 2023 will bring but be assured that we will be all over it.

Toxic Reaction to Spinach

People are being advised not to consume several baby spinach products following a national recall due to cases of possible food-related toxic reactions.

To Sunday 18 December, as part of the ongoing investigation, 164 people in NSW have reported symptoms after eating baby spinach and at least 42 of these people have sought medical attention.

The full list of affected baby spinach products are listed on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) website and the community is urged to regularly check the website for updates: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/…/Baby-spinach-recall…

NSW Health advises the recalled products are not safe to consume and people who have purchased these recalled products should throw them out or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Anyone who has eaten spinach and is experiencing symptoms, please call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

NSW Health urges anyone who experiences any unusual and severe symptoms to seek immediate medical attention by visiting their nearest emergency department. In the event of an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Reported symptoms can be severe, including:

• Delirium or confusion
• Hallucinations
• Dilated pupils
• Rapid heartbeat
• Flushed face
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth

Frozen Chip Shortage

We don’t want a toilet paper crisis, but we do need to tell you that Coles has introduced a limit of two packs per person on Frozen Chips. A supply shortage due to the wet season has impacted the potato crops.

Coles released the following statement.

“Frozen Potato Chips

15/12/2022

Due to supply issues of Frozen Potato Chips, we have introduced a temporary purchase limit of 2 items per transaction.

This will help to maintain availability for all customers. Thank you for your patience, we apologise for any inconvenience caused”.

Sydeny Water

If you lost water in September 2022 due to the burst water main – check your most recent bill from Sydney Water.  People who lost water are reporting their water bills have increased this quarter.  Do not pay, query it with Sydney Water.  A roving reporter advised:

Business Alert

A new kids’ cafe is coming to The Landmark Building at 500 Pacific Highway St Leonards (which is part of the Lane Cove Council area). It will be near the new park on the over rail plaza.

It will be an indoor recreation facility called ‘VitaLand Kids Café’

The development specifically proposes the following:

• Children’s play area and ancillary food and drink premises
• Operating days: Monday to Sunday
• Operating hours: 9 am-6 pm, Thursday to Saturday, 6pm-10 pm for private party bookings
• Staff: 8
• Total floor area: 809sqm

The team who owns Lillah Middle Eastern has just opened Zeus Street Greek at the Ice Works in Willoughby. The Ice works is located at 183-191 HIGH STREET, WILLOUGHBY NSW 2068

Lane Cove Sport

Lane Cove Rugby Union Club would like you to know about the opportunities in 2023.  They have Senior Rugby, Colts U/21 and Women’s 7’s.

Colts Rugby

The club is rebuilding its colts group with the assistance of The Diddy, playing as the Diddy Colts and benefitting from associated Diddy sponsorship, membership and support.

Women’s Rugby

This season introduces two new programs to encourage new players into rugby and better support the more experienced and those already in rugby. The season commences with the SportsFit program, the free 5-week pre-season fitness program being run by Fitrev on the bottom green of the Diddy for Lan Cove Rugby that also caters for all sports-minded women 17+ probably living on the lower north shore of Sydney simply keen to build their fitness in preparation for their 2023 sporting season.

The season then moves into the special Try Rugby Program catering for both those new to Rugby who may be interested or those with rugby experience SportsFit spots are limited.

Colts and Seniors

The club plans to engage Sam Wykes of Waratah and Sunwolves fame to run his special “ Rugby reconnect “ program of skills based training for all current and former rugby players particularly those not progressing much beyond school or district junior rugby.

Details:   To follow next month January 2023.

Contact: Graeme Priddy 0410 776 082.

Tamborine Bay Toilet

​The public toilet at Tamborine Bay will  be upgraded in December to a fully accessible toilet. The current facility will be temporarily replaced by a portaloo while the works are underway.

Lane Cove power poles will be transformed into EV charging stations

Lane Cove Council is one of 11 councils in NSW to trial electric vehicle chargers on power poles.

Local street side power poles will be turned into electric vehicle (EV) charging stations under an Australian first trial being rolled out across the Sydney and Hunter regions of NSW.

It’s supported by the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency with a $871,000 grant.

The trial will involve 50 street-side locations across all of the LGAs, with each station connected to the overhead electricity from 100% GreenPower.

Smart metering and data intelligence provider Intellihub will lead the project, working with Lane Cove Council to investigate suitable locations for the Schneider 7.4kW EV chargers. EV drivers will be able to pay for their charging through an app, but parking will be free.

Locations being considered include:

• Phoenix St, Lane Cove
• Little Street, Lane Cove
• Longueville Road, Lane Cove
• Greenwich Road, Greenwich
• Oxley Street, St Leonards
• Cnr Oxley and Nicholson Street, St Leonards
• Mindarie Street, Lane Cove North
• Mayor Andrew Zbik said Lane Cove Council’s sustainability ethos supported the uptake of EVs.

“Council leads by example having earlier this year switched to 100% renewable energy in our facilities and street lights.

“Council has one of the largest local government charging networks with 15 free and 2 paid EV charging stations:

8 at The Canopy car park (including 2 paid fast charging)

4 in the Little Street car park

5 at Market Square Car Park

In early 2023, 4 free and 2 paid EV charging stations will open in Council’s new car park at St Leonards.”

“Council’s own fleet of cars includes 3 EVs as a pilot project, with plans to further expand this under development.

“Our Sustainability Lane event on Sunday 4 December is our second event where we have invited our community to meet with EV owners and explore opportunities to be more sustainable.”

“We’re at an important tipping point for the adoption of EVs and Council can support our community through increased access to charging.”

The Lane Cove/St Leonards parking study earlier this year examined current and future parking needs, including the recommendation that an EV parking strategy be developed. See more details here.

2021 census data shows 8,750 people or 56.7% of the Lane Cove LGA are unit dwellers.

Find out more about Sustainability Lane on Sunday 4 December.

See www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/parking for details, costs and parking times.

Find out more about the project.

Lane Cove Christmas Lights Competiton and Map

ITC has launched our Lane Cove Christmas Lights 2022 comp.

Do you think you have the winning Christmas Lights? Then enter now as the fabulous Rebecca Mitchell Raine & Horne has sponsored the competition and there is $1000 worth of prizes for the best house, best street, and best apartment.

Enter the Christmas Lights Competition here.  See ITC’s Interactive Christmas Lights Map here.

You can now vote for the People’s Choice – go to the Facebook Album here and like the photo of the lights you like best.

Best Street Entries

Parkland Avenue Lane Cove North

Lane Cove Christmas

In the Cove Website now has a dedicated Lane Cove Christmas Section.  You can click here to see it.

Summer School Holiday Guide

School Holiday activities are here! Check out our list of local activities that will keep your kids happy and entertained during the long …. long…. long summer break!
Be careful, as these activities will book out fast!

Activities such as:
📌Sailing
📌Multi Sports
📌Disco and Dance
📌Arts and Craft
📌Swim Camps
📌 Tennis
📌Martial Arts
📌School Readiness

There are camps that start in the week before Christmas and then in new year.  For example Sailing starts in December 2022.  Miss ITC did this course twice and loved it!!

Read more here.

Lane Cove Sport and Recreation – Have Your Say on the Development Application

On 29 November 2022, Lane Cove Council lodged a Development Application for the new revised 8-court layout. The Development Application exhibition process commenced on 30 November 2022 and will continue to 13 January 2023.

The proposed development includes the following aspects:

• Demolition and site preparation works;

• Lot consolidation and amalgamation;

• Construction of a two (and part three-storey/mezzanine) multi-purpose sport facility comprising 6,235m2 of GFA apportioned to the following uses:

– 3,215m2 of indoor sports hall;

– 277m2 Bistro (including servery and golf display area);

– 655m2 of multipurpose space shared between 4 rooms; – 118m2 of lounge space and 56m2 of office space;

• Cut, fill, releveling and construction of lower ground parking level with 248 parking spaces, including 6 accessible parking spaces, 10 bicycle parking spaces and 16 motorbike parking spaces;

• Construction of four new outdoor multi-purpose courts (3,665m2 GFA);

• Landscaping works including tree planting.

Mayor Andrew Zbik has noted that the landscaping works include extensive tree planting, which exceeds council’s 2:1 tree replacement commitment. A total of 226 trees are proposed to be planted to compensate for canopy loss (79 trees to be removed) and enhance the biodiversity of the proposed development.

ITC note:  There is an interesting article in The Conversation about Why Saving One Mature Tree is better than planting new ones.  Read more here.

The Development Application will be assessed by The Sydney North Planning Panel.

The development application (DA147/2022) was submitted and is open for your viewing and comments until 13 January, 2023. 

If you would like to comment on the DA your written submission to [email protected] or post to Lane Cove Council, PO Box 20, Lane Cove NSW 1595; quoting DA 147/2022.

Week in Review Sponsor – PSK Private Wealth

Give ITC an End of Year Tip

Many of you have asked how you can support In the Cove.  Why not give us a tip??  Feel free to tip us if you have enjoyed our local news coverage – no amount is too small or too big.

You can support us in three ways:

1. Buy the ITC  team a coffee – this campaign will enable us to buy our staff a coffee but more importantly, pay their wages – buy the ITC team a coffee (or two) here.
2. Become an ITC reader sponsor –  Feel free to be a reader sponsor if you have enjoyed our local news coverage – no amount is too small or too big. Thank you so much to t people who have already supported us via our press Patreon account. Help Us Here.
3. If you own a local business or a Lane Cove resident who owns a business, you can advertise with ITC – our packages start from a $30 monthly fee (for a 12-month commitment). Email us here for our rates card.

Thank you so much to the people who have already supported us this year with one of our campaigns to assist with our running costs.  It is SO appreciated.