Welcome to our week in review.
Another week of school holidays but it will all return to normal when students return to school next week. Monday 24 April 2023 is the official start of the new school term.
A quick reminder that the next double demerit period will be for the ANZAC Day public holiday. ANZAC Day falls on Tuesday, 25 April 2023, and double demerits will be in place over the weekend leading up to ANZAC Day from Friday, 21 April, to Tuesday, 25 April 2023.
Be careful on Monday, 24 April 2023, as school zones will operate during a double demerit period.
Speaking of ANZAC Day, we have released our ANZAC Day 2023 guide, which you can read here.
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ANZ Bank to Close in Lane Cove
A roving reporter sent us a photo of an email they received from ANZ advising they will be closing the Lane Cove branch on 7 June 2023.
This comes after St George recently relocated to the Westpac Lane Cove Branch.
The NAB Lane Cove Branch is closing during the week for several days on a regular basis – we have put in a media request for NAB to come back to us on their plans.
As we all know, not everything can be done online – but the Banks want us to go online or to the larger centres in Chatswood.
We have not been able to confirm if the ANZ ATM machine will stay. Given the huge reduction in cash payments, ANZ may not see a justification. A recent global report by the US-based financial technology company FIS found that Australia’s cash payments represent just 6% of the value of point-of-sale transactions in Australia. Their research also found that Australians are among the least likely in the world to pay with cash.
Longueville Road Upgrades – Tree Planting/Street Furniture Installation Has Started
ITC has had numerous queries about the Longueville Road Works – Lane Cove Village Streetscape Project. Yesterday (20 April 2023), we were told that planter boxes and street furniture are now being installed near the Old Quarter Cafe.
A spokesperson from Lane Cove Council told ITC the following:
“Completion date for the project is late June 2023.
5-6 parking spaces will be unavailable at any time. These will be reopened for parking prior to work continuing down the street.”
LANE COVE COUNCIL NIGHT WORKS NOTICE
Night works will take place at the following locations and dates:
Western side: 109-123 Longueville Road.
All 6 parking spaces (including disabled parking) will be closed during construction.
Tuesday 11 April – Friday 23 June, 9:00 pm – 5:00 am
Eastern side: Little Street intersection to 140 Longueville Road.
Due to RMS requirements, there may be some movement of heavy machinery outside these hours. The works will involve the removal of existing paving, kerb, gutter and road asphalt in parking lanes with machinery, and the replacement of new pavers and kerbs, including the installation of steel bollards.
Business Alerts
Yo-Chi Frozen Yogurt
Yo-Chi Frozen Yogurt is coming to Lane Cove. They will be located in Lane Cove Market Square. They will be located in the old Oliver Brown shop. Roll’d confirmed to a roving reporter they are not opening in Lane Cove. Another Roving Reporter spotted the announcement below on the Yo-Chi Website.
Gazman Renovations
Earlier this week, a roving reporter mentioned that Gazman Lane Cove looked empty, and all the racks had been removed. We were asked if Gazman was closing down. This request immediately sent Mr ITC into a meltdown – where would he go? Would he have to leave Lane Cove?
We investigated, and PHEW – Gazman Lane Cove is NOT closing down. The building is being renovated, and they will reopen around 23 May 2023.
Mowbrew Cafe
A new cafe is coming to Lane Cove North, it’s located where the old chicken shop used to be on Mowbray Road near Mowbray Cellars.
Trek for Yvette
Some Lane Cove locals have organised a fundraiser on 6 May 2023 to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. The event is in honour of Lane Cove Local Yvette Brumley, who passed away late last year.
Yvette was much loved by the locals who crossed her path, and the organisers are working hard to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer research in her memory.
Yvette (and her husband Nick) are known to many Lane Cove locals as they were the powerhouse couple who helped to convert the St Micheals Junior AFL club into the Lane Cove Cats AFL Club and then took the club onto bigger things!!
You can get involved by:
Grabbing some friends and booking the Trek For Yvette Coronation Fundraiser- event details below. Just book via this Try Booking link.
Buy a Raffle ticket to win a luxurious 5-night stay at Yangaro, Funnel Bay (Whitsundays) valued at $12,000 – 1 ticket for $50 or 3 tickets for $120 – use this Try Booking link and if you are not attending the event, only choose the buy raffle tickets option.
Bid on a silent auction item. Attendance at the event is not necessary to bid on a silent auction item. The link is here.
If you would prefer to simply make a donation – the link is here.
Articles Published by ITC This Week
Lane Cove Council April Meeting 2023
The Lane Cove Council April Meeting will be held Thursday, 20 April 2023. It is a PACKED agenda with items that impact all local residents (including Village Parking Times Changes, Rates Increase, Sport and Rec Facility, Blackman Park Skate Park and the Council’s Plans on what they will do in the 23/24 financial year.)
If you only read one ITC Lane Cove Council agenda meeting article this year, this is the ONE to read. We have summarised the agenda items and given you some background information. Read our article here.
Be part of our local democratic process and have your say on next year’s council priorities by reading the Council’s budget papers and providing comments when they are on public display.
Some of the items that are set to be funded next year include the following:
- Construction of a new Sport and Recreation Facility
- Bob Campbell Oval Masterplan Implementation Works
- New Multifunction Theatre Space
- New Skate Park at Blackman Park
- Lane Cove Aquatic Centre Energy Efficiency Improvement Program
- Village Streetscape Improvement Works (Stage 2) along Burns Bay Road
- Traffic signal works at Mowbray Road and Centennial Avenues
- Completion of new cycleway along Burns Bay Road, Linley Point
- Bus shelter upgrade works
- Amenities upgrade works at Pottery Green
- Playground upgrades at Nichols Reserve and Woodford Bay Reserve
- Drainage and irrigation works at Tantallon Oval
In addition, there is a range of New Operating Initiatives contained in Lane Cove’s Draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan, including:
- Implement a watercraft hire arrangement to support the expansion of kayaking on Lane Cove River
- Introduce a Community Renewable Energy Program, including a Rebates Program
- Develop an Affordable/Key Worker Housing Statement
- Introduce a ‘Car Free Sunday’ event
- Introduce a ‘Car Boot Community Market’
- Introduce a Problem Waste Collection Point within The Canopy Carpark
- Full implementation of new Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee
- Implement a Council Resolution Tracker.
- Commence planning for the refurbishment of the Civic Centre
- Introduce a dedicated Call Centre to improve customer experience
- Launch new Council Website and Engagement
Our article also includes a summary of the Lane Cove Council Traffic Committee’s last meeting. Changes to either parking signs or traffic calming devices were recommended for the following streets:
- Dorritt St Lane Cove
- Murray St Lane Cove North
- Oxley and Nicholson Street St Leonards
NSW Fire and Rescue Open Day 13 May 2023
Kids love the NSW Fire and Rescue Open Day – make sure you go along so the kids can see the fire trucks in action and they usually have a BBQ (so you know there will be a fire blanket near the BBQ).
The Lane Cove Fire Station is actually in Artarmon but it does not have an outdoor area so the nearest open day fire station (and it is very cute) is the Fire Station located at Crows Nest.
Indian Myna Birds Control Program
On 31 March 2023 a Lane Cove Chat member posted a picture of an Indian Myna bird in a trap located on top of one of The Canopy’s Restaurants. The Lane Cove Chat member was not sure who had placed the trap on the roof and why traps were being used to control Indian Myna birds in The Canopy.
The Canopy is owned and operated by Lane Cove Council, and they make all the decisions about where and how they undertake a targeted Indian Myna control program.
Questions were raised on Lane Cove Chat by ITC about animal welfare and if the Indian Myna bird was suffering. A concerned resident told ITC they contacted WIRES to report the trap and made direct contact with a local wildlife animal rescuer.
One local involved in animal rescue advised ITC she visited The Canopy to inspect the bird’s welfare. She then contacted Lane Cove Council and gave her feedback on the trap.
ITC contacted the Lane Cove Council and asked them to explain the rationale behind the Indian Myna Bird Targeted Control Programme.
Berrys Creek Pollution Incident
The JQZ development in St Leonards South at 88 Christie Street is a residential/commercial/retail development. Recently Coles St Leonards opened at the site, and Lane Cove Council has opened a new car parking station. Over the Easter Weekend, a generator on the roof started leaking diesel and the overflow was not captured by their onsite retention system.
Residents around Berry Creek Greenwich started to smell a strong diesel odour and noticed Berry Creek was being polluted. NSW Fire and Rescue Hazmat unit was involved, and it took a few days for a contractor to start the clean-up. The clean-up crew left today, 19 April 2023, at around 2.00 pm.
At the same time, there was a sewerage leak in the new Council Car park, and Coles St Leonards (located in the development) has been closed due to a water main burst, and it is expected not to reopen until at least 28 April 2023.
Read our article here.
Term 2 Activities for Local Kids
School holidays may be here, but you also need to be organised and book your kids into Term 2 Activities. Find out about the activities here.
Incidents, Accidents and Crime Watch
On Friday, 14th April 2023, around 8.30 am, a silver Holden driving along River Road West towards Northwood/Greenwich skidded onto the other side of the road and hit a telephone pole. The accident took place between Barina Road and Warraroon Road.
A roving reporter told us that her son (who was driving a Honda and heading from Greenwich towards Lane Cove West) stopped to help the driver and check to see if everyone was okay. His car was parked just in front of the damaged car. A few minutes later, a van also skidded on that patch of road and hit the Honda.
The good news is that no one was hurt. However, it could have been worse if the van hit our good samaritan as he got out of his car. The Honda is probably a write off – the picture below is the Honda at the towing yard.
The drivers were helped by a local resident who lives on Barina Road who said locals have been raising safety issues about this patch of road with the council. They are concerned there are accidents on this patch of road in both wet and dry conditions.
Warning Plant Theif About
From time to time, we receive reports of plants being stolen from houses in the Lane Cove Council Area. This Bonsai plant below (the picture is a few years old, so the plant is much larger and heavier now) was stolen in Northwood.
This was a present for a significant wedding anniversary, and so had great sentimental value.
You might want to rethink where you leave any expensive plants or plants in a nice pot!!
The reports below were posted on Lane Cove Chat by ITC.
“My son came home earlier in the week and found a guy on our drive in tradie gear with high vis vest and a car on the street with a lady in it and the engine running. My son confronted him and he gave a looking for number …. Reply but then went in the wrong direction.
Last night someone was prowling around our house at 1 AM.”
Burley Street Incident
“We live in an apartment block and some choice youths broke into our garage by poking a stick through and pulling the garage door cable to operate the door manually. Then proceeded to break into residents’ storage cages. This was around 12-2 am on Friday night. CCTV can’t identify them but it’s been reported to the police…..sadly not uncommon”
Possible Mail Box Theft
“Awake at 3.15am and have seen a youngish guy (grey hoody with hood up, black fanny pack) going through mail boxes on Mindarie Street. He did units 31-39 Mindarie St and then the block opposite this building.
Now, he could have been posting leaflets but he had the flash light on his phone and was opening the mailboxes vs just posting something in them.
Just more of an FYI in case anyone’s post is missing.”
A member commented on this post as follows:
“I live at this address. Me and my wife went away for holidays over the last week and when came back home this Sunday our mailbox was opened. I’m very sure we locked it when last time checking before the holidays… be careful guys.”
Tips on how to avoid mailbox theft here.
Week in Review Sponsor – Tier 1 Plumbing
This week in review is sponsored by local plumbers Tier 1 Plumbing.
Tier 1 Plumbing is dedicated to providing professional, honest and high-quality plumbing services to all Sydney areas. Tier 1 Plumbing is a 24/7 service and offers plumbing, drainage and gas fitting to all areas of trade, including domestic, commercial, property management and construction.
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