Welcome to our week in review.
Wow, what a week in Lane Cove. ITC is exhausted after covering many Christmas Events and functions, PLUS updating our website to ensure we have all the entrants in our Christmas Lights and Merry Mailboxes competition.
It was such a scorcher on Saturday, and the Lane Cove Library was an excellent place to be. The staff went out of their way to assist people and provided water at reception (which is impressive as water and books don’t mix)—well done to the Lane Cove Library Staff.
Celebrating Queen Live at The Canopy
It may have been a scorcher of a day with temperatures over 40 degrees but that did not stop Lane Cove locals enjoying another tribute band concert in The Canopy.
The feedback has again been positive, and Lane Cove is becoming the place for tribute bands to perform to enthusiastic locals.
Put the 27 January 2024 in your diary for the following tribute band, Oils and Oils.
Christmas Carol Season Continues in Lane Cove
On Thursday Night La Voce Choir held their annual Christmas Carols in the Lane Cove Library. La Voce Choirs is an inclusive choir; everyone is welcome to join – no auditions are necessary.
On Sunday Night (which thankfully was MUCH cooler) Lane Cove came out again for the Carols in the Canopy, organised by the combined churches of Lane Cove. The Turrumburra Concert Band performed before the Carols. The crowd enjoyed their performance, and a lineup of little ones danced along to the band.
Some very talented musicians performed during the Carols section of the programme.
In the Cove was at the Carols and managed to snap numerous photos of Lane Cove families and large friendship groups enjoying the night. Check out our Facebook gallery here.
The Greenwich Carols were held on Monday, 11 December and it was a balmy night with snags, Christmas music and good company – what more could you ask for? Well done to the Stone Real Estate Crows Nest and Greenwich team for cooking up a storm and you got two pieces of bread with your snag – got to be happy with that.
Lane Cove Council Meeting December 2023
The last two Lane Cove Council meetings have been long, with extensive debate and numerous questions to the Mayor, General Manager and the Staff. The Mayoral casting vote has been used, and there have been amendments to motions and foreshadowed motions and motions considered “ad seriatim” (which, if a motion has several parts, each part is voted on individually). All of these practices result in lengthy meetings.
On Thursday, 7th December 2023, the last Lane Cove Council meeting of the year was held. The minutes were issued late yesterday afternoon, and the resolution below was made during a closed session where members of the public and the media (that would be In the Cove) are excluded.
As it was a closed meeting, background papers have not been provided. ITC will endeavour to find out more about this resolution and why it was deemed necessary.
| RESOLVED on the motion moved by Councillor Zbik and seconded by Councillor Roenfeldt that Council:
1. Endorse the General Manager’s Performance Agreement 2023/24 2. Notes the General Manager’s Performance Plan 2023/2024 was not considered in October 2023 and November 2023 due to running out of time during these two Council meetings. 3. In accordance with the General Manager’s performance measures, Lane Cove Council’s Code of Conduct, and Safe Work NSW’s Code of Practice (Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work), and in consideration of recent staff resignations, to ensure ongoing compliance with Work Health and Safety requirements, the Council endorses the following actions:- a. All future Councillor requests for information should temporarily be directed solely to the General Manager until further notice. b. Engage the services of a clinical psychologist to provide training to staff and Councillors in identifying, managing, and eliminating (are far as possible) workplace Psychosocial hazards. c. Obtain legal advice and other professional advice if required, to draft policies that complement the training and advice provided by the clinical psychologist to improve Councillor and Staff interactions. d. The cost be funded from Council’s Councillor Education Budget. |
Report Into Northern Sydney Sports Facilities Reveal Significant Shortfall – Councils Call on Federal and State Government to Help Fill the Gap
A new 81-page report – Review of Supply and Demand for Sports Facilities in the NSROC Region (commissioned by the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC) reviewing the supply and demand for sports facilities in the northern Sydney region has revealed a significant and growing shortfall in supply across Local Government Areas in the region. The report was issued today (13 December 2023) – read the report here.
NSROC is comprised of eight councils from the northern Sydney area.
NSROC member councils are Hornsby, Hunter’s Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Ryde and Willoughby.
NSROC facilitates collaboration between their member councils on projects and shared priorities; NSROC develops regional solutions and regional reports and data.
The head office of NSROC is located in Lane Cove Council building.
ITC is in the process of reading the report and will publish an article about the report later this week.
New Planning Announcements
The NSW Government has made two big planning announcements in the last two weeks. The first was the Diverse and Well-Located Housing Reforms. This announcement was made before NSW Planning and Environment had released detailed information.
A Fact sheet is now available on their website, and ITC will soon publish an article clarifying the Lane Cove Council areas where diverse and well-located housing will be permitted.
The second announcement related to a programme called the Tranport Orientated Development Programme – the only issue was that the plans were accidentally published online before a formal announcement. The plans revealed eight major rezoning areas where land will be rezoned within 1200 metres of heavy-use rail and Metro stations. This includes the Crows Nest metro station.
The Sydney Morning Herald published an article identifying the rezoning areas and included maps like the one below.
In the Cove asked the Department of Planning and Environment to provide further details, but they could not respond before our publishing deadline. Please read the article here (it is paywalled).
A 2036 Master Plan for St Leonards and Crows Nest was first exhibited in 2018 and gazetted in 2020. It was promoted as a comprehensive land use and infrastructure package for St Leonards and Crows Nest to guide the area’s development and infrastructure decisions to 2036.
Extensive community consultation was undertaken, and it is noted on the Department of Planning and Environment’s website that “The plan will deliver 6,680 new homes, planning capacity for an extra 119,979 sqm employment floor space and 16,500 new jobs in health, education, professional services and the knowledge sector.”
Just over two years later, will this plan be revoked and replaced with a generic plan?
In the Cove submitted the following two questions to the Department of Planning and Enviornment:
- How do the new rezoning laws relate to the area covered by the 2036 Master Plan? The last paragraph on the web page referred to above notes:
“What happens next?
The 2036 Plan is a strategic document to guide future rezoning proposals in the area and is supported by a section 9.1 Ministerial Direction.
North Sydney, Lane Cove, and Willoughby councils will progress rezoning proposals through amendments to their respective Local Environmental Plans.
We will continue working closely with these councils as part of any future rezoning proposals to ensure they are consistent with the vision and actions of the 2036 Plan.”
2. Has a fact sheet been released for this rezoning scheme?”
Once further information has been provided to ITC, we will publish an article on the zoning plans.
Local Government NSW released the following statement about the new planning proposals:
“The release of higher density housing plans for Sydney and regional centres has forced councils to again seek urgent talks with the State Government on their role and specifics about increased infrastructure.
The government will seize control of planning powers potentially sidelining 23 councils in Greater Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong and possibly firing the starting gun on further unregulated property speculation in these locations.
The President of Local Government NSW, Cr Darriea Turley AM, said if councils are not part of the process parts of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong will face significant increases in density with no community input.
Cr Turley acknowledged that the government intended to spend $520 million on new infrastructure in the affected areas but said communities needed more details about how specific projects are going to be identified, assessed, and funded.
“It’s not acceptable to drastically increase housing supply and suburban populations without the infrastructure to support them and I question whether $520 million will be enough,” she said.
“Our infrastructure and services are already strained. I urge the government to cooperate and include local councils and their communities in any future planning decisions for these sites.”
The government’s plans will see 47,800 new homes to be constructed by 2027, including a new mini city on the site of the Rosehill racecourse.
Cr Turley welcomed moves to retain affordable housing outcomes in perpetuity.
“We look forward to receiving more details about how these properties will be delivered and managed,” she said.
“Councils are the closest level of government to the community and need to be a key voice in the process to build community trust and achieve good planning outcomes.
“We all want liveable communities with high-quality housing.
“Home buyers investing their life savings in these higher density developments have a right to know the homes they buy are long-lasting, quality builds that are well supported by schools, hospitals, libraries and community spaces as well as places for active and passive recreation.
“We need to ensure all these conditions are met to give communities fresh confidence in higher-density housing and our planning system more generally.”
Lloyd Rees Emerging Artist Awards
On Friday, 8 December 2023, Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios held their opening event for the Lloyd Rees Emerging Artist Awards where locals could meet the artists who entered the awards and enjoy some refreshments. The Gallery was packed. Drinks were hosted on the outdoor deck. Just Kids, an emerging musician duo, aka @harryjsellick @declan_haywood, provided music.
The biennial Lloyd Rees Emerging Artist Award (formally the Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Award) is a national prize established in 1981 to promote and support talented emerging artists in Australia. The Lane Cove community initiated it in honour of its long-term resident and acclaimed artist, Dr Lloyd Rees, who was an advocate for getting young artists involved in the arts.
Artists: Kate Belvedere, Lucinda Bird, Shani Black, Sandra Brand, Jack Buckley, Ana Butron, Sadhbha Cockburn, Alexandra Colvin, Bianca Currey, Angus Fisher, Freyja Fristad, Katelyn Geard, Maddison Gibbs, Jesse Heriot, Yiu Lun Heung, Dana Hubraq, Tia Madden, Annabelle McEwen, Jasmine Mowbray, Claire Paul, Rebecca Pidgeon, Emilee Robinson, Ivana Sanfilippo, Douglas Schofield, Alex Slattery, Linda Sok & Alice Xu
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Lloyd Rees Emerging Artist Awards!
2023 Lloyd Rees Emerging Artist Award Winner
Jack Buckley for Palace of the Regents
2023 Lane Cove Art Society Award Winner
Maddison Gibbs for We reap what you sow
2023 Centrehouse Award Winner
Dana Hubraq for Circassian Horseman Takes A Break
You can view these works and the many other fantastic works from the finalists at their current Lloyd Rees Emerging Artist Awards exhibition, which will be on until 23 December 2023 – details here.
Let’s Light Up Lane Cove and Have Merriest Mailboxes
Christmas Lights
The In the Cove Christmas Lights comp is back (thank you Rebecca Mitchell at Raine and Horne, for providing cash prizes)
This year we have prizes for the best home, best apartment and best apartment block.
Our interactive map of Lane Cove Lights is now live here.
Merriest Mailbox
This year we have added a new competition. You don’t need to be Clark Griswold to be part of the competition. Grab the kids and make your mailbox a joy to behold. You don’t need lights (up to you). Residents can enjoy a Merry Mailbox throughout the day and people can take day trips to see the Merry Mailboxes. It also means that you don’t need to break the bank buying heaps of lights – you probably have all you need in your decoration box. So grab the kids this weekend and decorate those mailboxes; four winners can win $100 each.
Check out a Merry Mailbox below.
Entry details here.
“Chain Saw Like Noises”
Last night (12 December 2023), you may have heard “chainsaw-like” noises around Longueville Road and central Lane Cove. Lane Cove Council is carrying out roadworks along Longueville Road (roughly between St. Michaels Church and the School) until 19th December 2023.
The noise carries, and locals were querying if this was another late-night illegal tree removal (see our story about this here https://bit.ly/3Tj0JhZ).
See the notification below – unfortunately, the council only notifies residents near the roadworks. We have been asking Lane Cove Council to include a notification section on their website. Notices in mailboxes are a very outdated way of communicating issues like roadworks.
If you do hear a chainsaw noise, the Lane Cove Council phone number is staffed 24/7.
Reporting Issues to Lane Cove Council and Other Agencies
Locals frequently contact In The Cove asking how to write a local issue – usually, it is when there is some doubt about the authority responsible for actioning the request.
It’s wonderful that people in our community care about safety issues and are proactive.
Just this week, we were asked about water on a road. Should it be reported to Lane Cove Council or Sydney Water; it was Lane Cove Council as the problem related to a stormwater drain.
A few days later, we were contacted again when a local witnessed someone tripping over on the uneven tiles near a Telstra pit cover in the Lane Cove Plaza. ITC has fallen over in that same spot. However, as it is council-owned land, it’s best to contact the council to fix it, and LCC deals with Telstra if they have to.
Over the years, In the Cove has advocated for an easier way to report issues and a new council website. (Check out this article we wrote back in 2016 about passing the buck)
Many of the councillors elected at the last council elections made election promises of a better website and easier ways to contact Lane Cove Council.
Lane Cove Council has a new website, which is now mobile-optimised. It’s much easier to report issues than in the past. The website is easier to navigate, and Lane Cove Council has expanded its customer service team.
The clogged stormwater drain was reported on Monday, and the person who reported it was given an update very quickly.
There are still some issues with people receiving a response to general matters raised or broader compliance issues. The response time to these issues seems to take longer (if at all).
In the Cove has noticed that if a problem can be solved quickly by a depot staff member being deployed or where a ranger can assist, matters are usually resolved relatively quickly. However, if it is a bit more complicated issue, there still tends to be some frustration with the council not getting back to residents. See the Council’s customer service stats below.
Lane Cove Council does not pay to use SNAP SEND SOLVE – so if you report via that system (which is very easy to use), the council receives an email from SNAP SEND SOLVE without photos, and it can take a while to be logged into the council’s CRM.
Bookmark In the Cove’s ultimate guide to reporting local issues, and the next time you see a problem, it may assist you in identifying the correct government agency.
Business Alert
There is a new School Readiness program in Lane Cove – Start To Kindy Refresher Course
Prepare every eager Kindy student for their journey into Primary School.
Delivered by a qualified teacher and educational expert with multi Lit training by Macquarie University specialising in Stage 1 learning, Christine Staniforth (Who many of you may know from Gymbaroo Lane Cove/Greenwich)
Join Christine for a 2-day camp, which will include a focus on all their school readiness needs.
Areas of focus include literacy (sounds and letters), numeracy, social skills, mat time, roll call, meeting new friends, taking turns and much more.
Max: 6 students per session – must book both days. T&C apply.
Hosted at Uber Tutoring on Longueville Road.
18 & 19 January 10:00am – 11:30am
23 & 24 January 10:00am – 11:30am
$199 (incl. GST)
Book via email – [email protected]
Fresh Christmas Trees
We have had a few enquiries about where you can buy fresh Christmas Trees this year – more details here.
If you are going to Bunnings this weekend, you will find the 1st Lane Cove Scouts selling trees.
Lane Cove Sport
Hockey
Lane Cove’s very own Tom Craig has been picked for the 2024 Kookaburras Squad!!
Head Coach Colin Batch has named a strong and experienced 27-player Kookaburras squad for 2024, a stellar year for the sport, starting with season five of the FIH Pro League followed by the much-anticipated Paris Olympic Games.
Batch has stuck with much of the squad named in 2023, following impressive performances by the team, highlighted by their Oceania Cup win against New Zealand in August, which directly qualified the team for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Showcasing the widespread appeal of hockey across Australia, the 2024 squad features players from all over the country, from the bush to the beach, with eight players from NSW (one from Lane Cove), seven from Queensland, four from Western Australia, three from Victoria, three from Tasmania, and one each from the NT and ACT.
Well done Tom Craig!!
Sailing
Lane Cove holds the Festival By The River as there is easy access to Lane Cove River at Greenwich and Longueville and other locations throughout the Lane Cove Council Area. A School Holiday Event that is incredibly popular is the Learn to Sail Programme run by the Greenwich Sailing Club. If you are after something for the kids to do this January, book them into the week-long Learn to Sail Programme. More Details here.
Photo Credit: Greenwich Sailing Club Instagram
Lane Cove Netball
Registrations are now open for the 2024 Season – register now and don’t leave it to the last minute in 2024 (and then miss out on a team).
Lane Cove Cats AFL Club
Lane Cove AFL Registrations for 2024 are Open
Register before 31 January for the chance to win a signed Swans Guernsey – ITC loves a comp.
It is time to register for Season 2024!
The sooner, the better to give the club
plenty of time to organise coaching and team structures for the season ahead.
Click on the link below to register:
Junior & Youth teams (ages 9 – 18)
www.playhq.com/afl/register/af5bff
Auskick (ages 5 – 8)
https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/d7d601
Crime, Incident and Accident Report
Police Report
The North Shore Police Area Command has provided the following report:
Drug Supply – St Leonards – 12/12/2023
A 57-year-old St Leonards woman has been bail refused after she was charged with serious drug offences.
At 7:45 am on Tuesday, 12th of December 2023, police attended the woman’s St Leonards address and executed a search warrant. Upon entering, police will allege that they located a significant amount of drugs within the property, including 88 grams of Heroin, 16 grams of methylamphetamine and 17 individual plastic bags containing methylamphetamine, heroin, and MDMA, totalling 14 grams. Police will also allege that $8,300 cash was located within the unit.
The woman was arrested and conveyed to Chatswood Police Station, where she was charged with 3 x “Supply Prohibited Drug”, “Possess Prohibited Drug” and “Deal with the Proceeds of Crime”.
The woman’s bail was refused, and she is due to face Hornsby Local Court today.
Recruitment Scam – Willoughby – 03/12/2023
A Willoughby woman has lost over $27,000 in an apparent investment scam.
The woman has told police that she was contacted via a messaging application by a “recruiter” about a work-from-home opportunity. The Willoughby woman engaged with the alleged recruiter and was told to download a cryptocurrency application.
Once she downloaded the application, she was directed to deposit money into an account via cryptocurrency. The woman was told that she could access the cash back once she had transferred the money.
The woman transferred more than $27,000 before realising she had been scammed.
This is a timely reminder to the community about the dangers of investment scams. Scammers use convincing marketing and new technology to make their investment sound too good to miss. They promise you big payouts with little or no risk. They often use pressure tactics to get you to act fast so they can steal your money.
Police remind the community to always stop, think, and check before acting. These scams will often pressure you to act quickly. Don’t let them rush you into a wrong decision. More information can be found on the Scam Watch website. In the Cove has also recently published an article on How Not To Be Scammed This Christmas – you can read it here.
Break – Chatswood – 10/12/2023
A 39-year-old Castle Hill man has pled guilty to Break after an incident on Sunday night.
At 10:30 pm on Sunday 10th of December 2023, the male was witnessed by members of the public breaking into a restaurant in the Chatswood Mall. Police attended a short time later and found the male in the kitchen area looking into a cash box.
Police arrested the male and during a search located an amount of cash and a bank card that was not in his name.
The male was conveyed to Chatswood Police Station where he was charged with “Break & Enter House etc Steal <$60,000” and “Goods in Personal Custody Suspected being Stolen”. Police refused the male’s bail, and he fronted Hornsby Local Court the following morning, where he entered a guilty plea.
Mid-Range Drink Driving – Crows Nest – 10/12/2023
A 40-year-old woman has been charged with mid-range drink driving.
At 4:30 am on Sunday, 10th December, police were patrolling Burlington Street and Crows Nest and stopped a yellow Mercedes for breath testing the driver.
Police spoke with the woman and subjected her to a roadside breath test, which allegedly provided a positive result. The woman was arrested and conveyed to Chatswood Police Station, where she underwent a breath analysis that police will allege in court returned a mid-range reading of 0.129 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath.
The woman’s driver’s license was suspended, and she will face court in January.
Stolen Vehicle – Mosman – 10/12/2023
Police are investigating reports that a vehicle was stolen from Wunda Road, Mosman.
Police have been told that the owner parked the Grey Jeep Cherokee on Wunda Road at 8:00 pm on the 9th of December. At 8:00 am on the 10th of December, the owner noticed that the vehicle was no longer parked where it had been left the previous night.
Police have launched an investigation and are asking for anyone with information and dash camera footage from Wunda Road to contact Chatswood Police Station on 9414 8499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Fire in Hunters Hill
Police are appealing for information after two luxury cars were set alight at Hunters Hill.
At about 4.10 am on Wednesday, 11 October 2023, emergency services responded following reports of a fire inside a garage at Durham Street, Hunters Hill.
NSW Fire and Rescue extinguished the fire, finding a Lamborghini Hurrican and Tesla Model 3 inside destroyed.
Officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the incident.
As inquiries continue, investigators have released images of two men who may be able to assist with their inquiries.
Both men were seen wearing gloves, pants, and hoodies, with one of the men’s hoodies displaying a large H on the front.
Police are appealing to anyone with information about the incident or who has dashcam footage to contact police or Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
Gas Leak
Last Friday, 8 December 2023 (at peak hour), a gas leak was reported not from the Mowbray Public School. The gas leak was near a free-standing house. NSW Fire and Rescue crew attended, and police closed the Mowbray Road between Hatfield Street and Willandra Street Lane Cove North. The traffic was heavy, and cars were diverted down Mindarie Street. Unfortunately, this coincided with crane work at a building site, meaning Mindarie Street was down to one lane.
Thank you to our roving reporters who are all over this incident – you are our eyes and ears, and without you, ITC would not be able to provide quick updates on local incidents.
Ambulance and Motor Vehicle Accident
A roving reporter posted the picture below on ITC Lane Cove Chat on Tuesday midnight December 2023. The accident was at the notorious Mowbray Road and Centennial Avenue Intersection. NSW Ambulance Media told ITC that “no-one was conveyed to hospital”.
Photo Source: Jack Pennington
Vandalism
On Friday Night, 8 December 2023, a home in Garthowen Street Lane Cove was vandalised – their pot plants were upended, and some Christmas lights were destroyed.
If you have any information about this vandalism, contact Chatswood Police Station on 9414 8499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Week in Review Sponsor – Lane Cove Cellar
This week we are sponsored by Electrician to the Rescue.
You may not know this but the business was started by a Lane Cove Local and has evolved into a 24/7 business 375 days a year. Check out their website and make an online enquiry now for all those jobs you need doing around the place.
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Help Support Local and Independent News
You can support us in three ways:
- Become an ITC reader sponsor – If you have enjoyed our local news coverage, please consider becoming an ITC reader sponsor. You can sponsor us with a monthly sponsorship fee. We have reader sponsors who support us for $5.00 a month and some who invest $100 a year – no amount is too small or too big. Thank you so much to those who supported us via our press Patreon account. Help Us Here.
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