Lane Cove News Week in Review 17th to 24 May 2023

Welcome to our week in review.

Lane Cove Buzzing with Street and Neighbour Parties

Well done, Lane Cove Council, for their Meet Your Neighbour Initiative. They launched a programme that subsidised street and apartment parties so locals could meet new neighbours and catch up with neighbours you might know!!

Below is a party held in Best Street Lane Cove – the Best Street playground has recently been upgraded, and it was a great time to meet the neighbours and enjoy the new playground.

We have seen some wonderful neighbourhood party photos. We would like to put together an article showing the different ways Lane Cove neighbours have celebrated. We would also like to know if you met new neighbours and maybe some funny anecdotes. Please send photos and some information to [email protected]. ITC’s neighbours are getting together this weekend to hold their party (all streets/apartments that received the subsidy must have their party by 31 May 2023).

St Leonards Library to Open on 25 May 2023

The new library in the Lane Cove Council Area will open this week. It’s located at 88 Christie Street, St Leonards, and there are two hours of free parking. Entry to the car park is via Lithgow Street. The library includes a children’s reading area, study spaces, community meeting rooms, a film and sound studio and more.

Lane Cove Council posted a video of Lane Cove Mayor Andrew Zbik, giving a tour of St Leonards Library – click here to watch the video.

Tree Planting

An ITC Roving Reporter noticed new trees had been planted on Burns Bay Road.

Lane Cove Council posted the following on their website about the new trees:

“Works have started to plant 158 trees in Lane Cove before the end of June.

We’re planting Sydney Red Gum along Burns Bay Road and adjoining roads, and 16 trees will be planted in College Road South.

Trees help keep our community cool, reduce dust and pollution and contribute to our commitment to increase the tree canopy.

Want to know more about the trees on your street? Tree Plotter is a comprehensive online tree inventory and database of local street trees. Residents can look up their favourite tree and find out its Eco Benefits such as air quality, carbon stored and stormwater runoff.

The database also allows Council to monitor the age, health and general condition of trees in the area as well as map the distribution of tree species. This vital information will assist Council in its management of trees and in determining locations for future planting sites.

Discover more about trees in Lane Cove.”

Business Alert

New Asian Restaurant

The signs for a new business opening in the old Foogoo restaurant at 94b Longueville Road have gone up. The business is called Joy Chew, and the trading hours are from 10 am to 9.30 pm (so would suggest Yum Cha type of food). We have not found any social media or other information about the new business (a challenge to our roving reporters to find out more for us!!!).

New Co-Working Space with Child Minding

BubbaDesk St Leonards is opening on 5 June 2023. Helping parents with children under 4, BubbaDesk is an innovative new co-working space with onsite childcare. Check them out at the upcoming open day on Saturday, 3 June. To register for the open day, click here.

Not technically located in Lane Cove, but we thought this concept might be interesting for some Lane Cove parents.

Lane Cove Festival

Lane Cove Festival – Expressions of Interest for 2023 Now Open!

The 2023 Festival will be held 1-30 September, with a program launch event on Friday, 25 August, 3:30 pm-5:30 pm in Lane Cove Plaza.

The Lane Cove Festival is organised by a community-based Festival committee and is administered by Lane Cove Council. The Festival aims to support community groups by providing an opportunity to raise their local profile with free listings in the annual Festival program.

Lane Cove Council now invites you to submit your events to be included in the 2023 Lane Cove Festival program. They are looking to have a wide variety of events to encourage people into Lane Cove this Spring.

For this year’s Festival, groups are invited to submit details of event/s in September 2023. Make sure your event reflects the festival theme ‘Celebrate Lane Cove’. This will help to increase the likelihood of your event submission being included.

Complete the Lane Cove Festival 2023 Event Submissions survey if you wish to have your event/s included in the program. Link here 

Please note: The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, 14 June 2023.

Warning Ravens Are STILL attacking Windscreen Wipers in Lane Cove

We have had reports that Raven(s) are still “attacking” windscreen wipers in Lane Cove around Penrose Street, Cope Street and Murralah Place.

The Photo below was taken in Murralah Place.

Find out more in our article here.

Lane Cove Sport

Lane Cove Tigers Junior Rugby League

Well done to Lane Cove Tiger Under 12 player Tim, who kicked a conversion after the siren to win against Berowra! Watch his coolness under pressure here.

 

Articles Published by ITC This Week

18-Year-Old Lane Cove Man Charged 

An 18-year-old Lane Cove man faced court after being charged with seven offences over a crash involving three teenage pedestrians at the Falcon and Pacific Highway Crows Nest Intersection. He has been granted bail.

At about 3.30 pm on Thursday, 18 May 2023, emergency services responded to reports that three boys had been struck by a car at the intersection of Falcon Street and the Pacific Highway, Crows Nest, as they were allegedly crossing the roadway whilst facing a green pedestrian signal. Read more here.

Update on 266 Longueville Road Seniors Living Development

Australian Unity obtained development consent for the development of up to 70 aged care beds and 82 independent dwellings, ancillary facilities, basement car parking and landscaping (DA117/2017) at 266 Longueville Road Lane Cove.

Australian Unity assigned the lease to the Pathways Group.

Pathways Group is building an aged care development at 4 Northwood Road Northwood (around the corner from 266 Longueville Road). This Development has been in the news due to construction hour breaches, construction traffic management breaches and a significant workplace injury accident (read more here).

As Pathways had already started building an aged care development in Lane Cove, they decided that 266 Longueville Road site would be Independent Living Units only. They lodged a development application modification with the Lane Cove Council seeking consent for 92 independent living units and 181 vehicles.

The Sydney North Planning Panel held a public meeting on 17 May 2023. Usually, a few days after a meeting, SNPP publishes a determination. The SNPP has deferred their decision and is asking for more information from Pathways.

Read more here.

Jean Mitchell Lucretia Baths Future – Council Will Rebuild If Funds Available

At its May 2023 meeting, Lane Cove Council discussed the fate of the Jean Mitchell Baths on Woodford Bay. The Baths are also referred to as the Lucretia Baths.

Lane Cove Council resolved (subject to the appropriate funding model) to restore the baths. The intent is to limit the scope of any work to rebuilding the existing structure. No other work will be done, such as landscaping, changing rooms, or further upgrades.

This is good news, but the restoration is subject to Lane Cove Council finding funds to include the restoration works in their 2024/25 Budget. Read more here.

ATO Crack Down on Work From Home Expenses

We know there are still a few Lane Cove locals working from home (or have decided to work from home because their buses are constantly cancelled!).

If you claim work-from-home (WFH) expenses, you are on the Australian Tax Office (ATO) radar. The ATO recently announced a crackdown on Work From Home expenses, rental deductions and undeclared CGT for the 2022/2023 tax year.

ATO Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh said the ATO was continuing to prioritise areas where it often saw mistakes.

“We continue to see shifts in how Aussies are working, and it’s important to consider whether your claims reflect your working arrangements this year,” Mr Loh said.

“There have also been some changes in calculating things like working from home deductions, so don’t be tempted to just copy and paste your prior year’s claims.

“We know a lot more people are working back in the office compared to last year.”

Mr Loh also said the ATO’s income tax returns review of income revealed that nine in 10 rental property owners were getting their returns wrong. It often saw rental income being left out, or mistakes being made with property-related deductions, like over-claiming expenses or claiming for improvements to private properties.

Mr Loh reminded taxpayers to declare all their income, including assets such as shares, crypto, managed investments or properties.

“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking we won’t notice if you sell an asset for a gain and don’t declare it,” he warned.

“Generally, your main residence is exempt from capital gains tax (CGT). However, if you have used your home to produce income, such as renting out all or part of it through the sharing economy, for example, Airbnb or Stayz, or running a business from home, then CGT may apply.”

Lane Cove Events

Car Boot Sale – 30 July 2023

Last year ITC spoke to Councillor Kathy Bryla about ways to encourage locals to reduce the number of items in the Lane Cove Council curbside collection pile (which goes straight to the landfill).

ITC mentioned that years and years ago, ITC sold heaps of items at a Car Boot Sale at Lane Cove West Public School, and it was a great way to sell your unwanted items – particularly if you live in an apartment where it is too hard to hold a garage sale.

Councillor Kathy Bryla raised the idea at a Lane Cove Council Meeting.

Forward to 2023, and Lane Cove Council has asked Lane Cove Rotary to run a community car boot sale. The car boot sale is a fundraiser for Lane Cove Rotary, which will use those funds to support local and international charities. The first car boot sale will be on 30 July 2023.

If you would like to book a stall – the link is here

If you enjoy shopping at car boot sales where one person’s unwanted items are another person’s treasure – put 30 July 2023 in your diary.

Greenhouse by Joost Documentary

Imagine a house that grows its own food. That’s the vision of environmental campaigner Joost Bakker, who was once dubbed the ‘Poster Boy of Zero Waste Living’ by The New York Times.

Lane Cove Council is showing the inspiring documentary film Greenhouse by Joost at The Alcott Lane Cove on 1 June 2023 – BOOKING DETAILS HERE https://bit.ly/41wFl9H

This inspiring feature documentary follows Bakker as he builds a self-sustaining home, an ecosystem that provides its occupants with water, energy, shelter and nourishment. Joined in his work by internationally acclaimed chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett, Bakker faces his fair share of challenges to finish the home. Delays, COVID shutdowns and blackouts all threaten the build. But ultimately, GREENHOUSE BY JOOST is an uplifting look at the teamwork and ingenuity behind a paradigm-shifting project that bursts with life. GREENHOUSE BY JOOST is the winner of the Audience Award at the Melbourne International Film Festival and comes from the award-winning producers of 2040, The Australian Dream and That Sugar Film.

5:00pm – Meet your Neighbours (for both business and residents)

6:00pm – Official Welcome

6:15pm – Movie Starts

7:45pm – Panel Session

9:00 pm – Event Concludes

MC Jo Taranto, founder Good for the Hood, will guide our panel. Speakers include Laura Hamilton O-Hara from the Living Futures Institute, Adam Byrne from Bush to Bowl and John Austin, a Lane Cove local recently featured on Sustainable House Day.

This is a hybrid event. Make sure you select the correct ticket type to attend in-person or online.

In-person ticket includes grazing plates and catering. Proceeds from your ticket will be donated to Australian Conservation Foundation.

Online ticket includes link to the watch party and panel session via zoom.

This event is co-hosted by Lane Cove Council, Ku-ring-gai Council and Willoughby Council. The Lane Cove Chamber of Commerce supports the event.

Biggest Morning TeaNight 25 May 2023 – LAST CHANCE TO BOOK

Support a great cause with a local Cancer Council Event on 25 May 2023 between 5.30 pm and 7.30 pm.

The Boujee Boards & Bern the Chef are hosting a Biggest Morning Tea Night!

Join Lane Cove’s local catering operators, Lily & Bernadette, for a low-key social night—two hours of delicious fare, fun and sharing. Tickets are still available, and ITC is running a fantastic raffle with prizes donated by Jack & Co, The Beautician, Infinity Hair and Iris and Lin!!!!

Book here.

Incidents, Accidents and Crime Watch

Longueville Car Theft

Detectives are appealing for assistance as inquiries continue into multiple alleged break-ins across Sydney earlier this week.

During the evening of Monday, 15 May 2023, a home in Longueville was broken into while the occupants were sleeping.

The alleged intruders stole a 2020 black Audi Q5 from outside the home.

A short time later, the stolen car was driven to Major’s Bay Road at Concord, where the occupants allegedly broke into a corner store.

They allegedly stole cigarettes and vapes before fleeing.

Just before 2.30 am, the Audi was involved in a pursuit with police alone on Majors Bay Road.

The pursuit was cancelled at Five Dock for safety reasons; however, a short time later, the vehicle was found abandoned on Nelson Lane at Annandale.

Officers from the North West Metropolitan Region are investigating the incidents, which are believed to be linked to the break-in of a store at Westmead the same evening.

Between 9 pm on Monday, 15 May, and 5 am on Tuesday, 16 May 2023, a store on Hawkesbury Road at Westmead was broken into.

A sum of cash was stolen.

The owner discovered the break-in the following morning, and police were alerted.

As inquiries continue, detectives are appealing for public assistance and have released CCTV of three males they believe can assist with inquiries.

 

Stolen Bike

The following was posted on Lane Cove Chat by ITC:

“Lesson learnt – lock it even it is only worth a minimum $$ resale!

This is our front [door] footage Saturday at 6 am in Lane Cove North – this guy decided to take a 20-inch kids bike away!”

Week in Review Sponsor – Four Frogs Creperie

Cover Photo