31 January 2016

Some upcoming ANZAC commemoration events you might be interested in?

UPCOMING EVENTS

 
 
 
 
Hundreds of community events, activities and projects have been devised by South Australians to mark the Anzac Centenary. Below you will find a selection of events occurring in the coming weeks.

How to create original music?

GarageBand Music Workshops 
Learn to create an original piece of music to play and share. Explore the world of digital composition, songwriting, mixing and editing. Fun and accessible for all ages - for those who played an instrument once upon a time, or for those who always wished they had, these workshops will open up a new and exciting way to embrace music - previous musical experience not required. These three separate hands-on digital music workshops are in partnership with EMU Tree Music. Reboot

Wednesday 3 February, 10.30am - 1pm     
Wednesday 6 April, 10.30am - 1pm
Wednesday 1 June, 10.30am - 1pm
Tech lab, Unley Civic Library
181 Unley Road, Unley
Free, bookings essential, ph 8372 5100 or 8372 5166, or book online.
A basic level of computing skills is required, eg. mouse and keyboard skills. Bring along a USB, all other equipment is provided.

28 January 2016

Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience soon in Adelaide

The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience is a travelling exhibition that tells the story of Australia’s involvement in the First World War, and the ensuing Century of Service of Australia's armed forces in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has been involved. 
The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience follows a chronological timeline spanning the period from pre-First World War Australia to the present day, using a mix of visuals, artefacts, audio and film to engage visitors. 
An important feature of the experience will be the curated ‘local stories’ zone.  These zones will be created with the local communities and will contribute a legacy for each region. The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience is the flagship community event of the Australian Government’s Anzac Centenary national programme. 
This once in a lifetime exhibition commemorates the Anzac centenary and will be at the Adelaide Showgrounds from the 8th to the 20th March. It will be free to attend.
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Where are the good sites for murals in Clarence Park?

Council has provided funding for a number of walls in the city to have murals painted on them. There are a few already in Unley that look great, as an example the one on the corner of Grantley Ave and another on the Aroha Tce corner. I have nominated the Langdon Tce wall on Carnivale, any other suggestions?

What does Australian citizenship mean to you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYE604bm-kA

The images and words of some recently naturalised citizens recorded at the ceremony held in the Town Hall on Australia day. A couple of minutes to view and well worthwhile.

26 January 2016

GET ACTIVE AND SWIM FOR A CAUSE AT UNLEY SWIMMING CENTRE


Unley Swimming Centre will raise much-needed funds for Alzheimer’s Australia SA by trialling a new initiative, Friday for a Cause.
From Friday 5 February until the end of the swimming season (Friday 29 April), casual entry to the Unley Swimming Centre on Friday evenings after 4.30pm will be a gold coin donation with all money raised going directly to the charity.
The initiative will replace the Centre’s previous ‘Free Friday’ offering, which allowed visitors to the Centre free entry on Fridays after 4.30pm.
Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne said Alzheimer’s Australia SA was the chosen charity for the 2016 trial because it aligned closely with the Council’s Active Ageing ethos and recognition as an Age Friendly City.

Full Council meeting Jan 25th 2016

On the Agenda this month:

  • Royal Adelaide Show Traffic Management: additional costs have been incurred due to tighter controls and standards introduced by DPTI. These costs have usually been met by Council but Councillors have directed staff to discuss a cost sharing arrangement. PASSED
  • Temporary closure of the libraries: all  lendable materials in both libraries are currently being tagged to enable more seamless borrowing (Radio Frequency Identification). This will need some changes at each facility that will require temporary closure of both libraries: Godwood will be closed from May 2nd to the 9th and Unley from the 16th to the 29th May, 2016. PASSED
  • Rate Capping: recently Stephen Griffith MP wrote to Council expounding the advantages of rate capping. I put a Motion on Notice to invite Stephen to meet with Councillors and staff so we could discuss this proposal. Rate capping sounds like great idea but historically forced rate capping has led to higher than expected increases in rates in the longer term. PASSED
  • Change of plans for Rugby/Porter St bikepath: Michael hewitson was unhappy with the original motion and asked for additional action along the route. This would give preference to Rugby St over the streets that it currently crosses. While the idea is sound I am fearful that changes in traditional traffic flow may be the cause of accidents that we are trying to prevent. This will need to go to consultation and to DPTI for approval. The final outcome may be  different from what is now proposed. PASSED
  • Unley Central :CONFIDENTIAL
While this sounds short it took well over 3 hours to debate.


25 January 2016

Take the pledge

Tucked in with your most recent account from Council you will have found a leaflet asking you to take the pledge. 58% of materials that currently go to landfill are organics that can be composted and 145 of the material could have been recycled if it had been placed in the yellow lidded bin. Visit http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/waste-recycling/reducing-waste#hash-slide-take-the-pledge-233  to make your pledge to be better at getting the right stuff in the right bin. You will get a great sticker for your bin and have a chance to win a $25 voucher from Mitre 10.

Paid parking along the tramline

This Council initiative has been in the press today although the trial was approved by Unley Council many months ago. Commuters have been choosing to park along the tramline and then catch the tram into the city to enable them to drive almost the entire distance to their work in the city but still have the car convenient to use to pick up the kids from school or childcare after work. In Parkside this has  been an issue for  quite a while with commuters parking as close as possible to Greenhill Rd and then walking into the city. This has been managed by the introducing timed parking in conjunction with residential permits. In this instance Council has chosen to charge commuters a token fee to see if this will change behavior. The results of the trial will be interesting. It does, however, pave the way for paid parking near the train stations and further south along the tramline in Black Forest. Comments online are largely negative, what do you thing? Are the residents being selfish?

23 January 2016

Goodwood Rd underpass floods


Yesterday saw isolated flash flooding in unley. The Goodwood Rd Underpass was closed for sometime. I guess the adage is true that there will always be flooding dependent on the nature and duration of the storm. Nevertheless, let 2016 see some action in the clearing of Brown Hill Creek to allow a better passage of water. Yesterday's storm was of a short duration, imagine the impact if it rained like that for 24 hours?Related image


Unley's Annual Report

This week's article by Andrew Faulkner on the transparency of Unley's Annual Report in his article Reading between Council lines raises may questions of accountability in the way that budgets and spending are reported. To set the record straight:

  • current format of the financial accounts  has been in place for over 10 years and are in accordance with accountings standards and the model set of accounts prescribed by the Regulations. The ‘Other’ classification is used to record expenditure where it does not fit anywhere else.

The article mentioned specifically;
  • $372k contributions. This is our payment to the LGA
  • $135k program expenses. These are for the delivery of services at our Community Centres and through Community Services (most have corresponding income)
  • $720k marketing. This includes support for our 5 Main street Associations, Council Brochures, Community Consultation on DAP’s and SAPN work undertaken last year, publications such as Unley Life, Advertising in the Messenger Press, displays at the Museum and Media monitoring
  • $254k General.  This is spread across the organisation

Other items in the $2.1m include:
  • Committee Sitting Fees $50k
  • Bank Fees and debt collection $130k
  • Payment to Valuer General for rates valuation data $162k
  • FBT $157k
This doesn't mean that the report could not be more transparent, it can be and it should be.


16 January 2016

Parklets moved on KWR


The Parklet from Opey Ave opposite COTTO was transported to its new home opposite Boffa St intersection at MY HOUSE & HOME/BODE HAIRDRESSER/MEDI PEDI – 151-153 King William Road. This was a priority to allow for the installation of a stage at Opey Ave for the Gourmet Gala. The other location at FLOWERS 152 – 152 King William Road will be undertaken at the end of January.

The appearance of the parklet on the road itself (rather than side-street) has created quite a buzz and the new hosts are very excited to have the opportunity to create a new Parklet experience for the community on KWR.  Hope you get a chance to enjoy them?

Spirit of Anzac Centenary Exhibition


Spirit of Anzac Centenary Exhibition 
The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience is the flagship community event of the Anzac Centenary national programme, telling the story of Australia's involvement in the First World War and the ensuing century of service of our armed forces.
 
Presented by the Australian Government, the Australian Defence Force and the Australian War Memorial, and proudly supported by the Commonwealth Bank and Telstra, the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience will tour Australia between September 2015 and April 2017. Adelaide's opportunity will be held at:
Spirit of Anzac Centenary ExhibitionAdelaide Showgrounds
Ridley Centre Goodwood Rd, Wayville, SA 5034
General Admission
 
Highly experiential, with interactive technology employed throughout, the exhibition will allow Australians around the country to see first-hand an extensive collection of military artefacts and interpretive materials spanning all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has been involved.
 
The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience provides an opportunity to respectfully acknowledge and to learn more about our wartime history and the sacrifice of Australia's service personnel, including those men and women from the local community and the surrounding region.
More information is available at www.spiritofanzac.gov.au

The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience needs you!
We are currently seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help welcome visitors to the experience in addition to providing assistance and support on location in Adelaide. All volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. No experience necessary. We are seeking volunteers who are positive, culturally aware, honest, collaborative/team players and flexible.
 
To become part of this once-in-a-lifetime commemorative event in your local area, please register your interest by emailing the volunteer coordinators atvolunteers@spiritofanzac.gov.au .

Need you hearing tested?

Reboot: tech support from the library


Reboot


Tech Help is back
If you would like some help with your device - smart phone, tablet, or laptop - then our Tech Help sessions might be right for you. Each session gives you 45-minutes of one-on-one time with our volunteer tutors. Suitable for all devices, Android, Apple, Windows or Mac. Bookings can be made online or in the library. Classes are free, we simply ask for a gold coin donation if you are willing.
 
Appointments for January, February, March and April are now open on Monday afternoons, Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings at Unley Civic Library, as well as Thursday afternoons at Goodwood Library. We hope to continue these additional appointment times throughout 2016, but times are subject to change, so please keep an eye on our website or chat to our friendly staff for more details.  
 
New Reboot class schedule available now!
Reboot classes
Our incredibly popular, Getting to Know Your Tabletand Getting to Know Your Smart Phone classes are scheduled again for this year. If you would like to bring along your device and learn in a relaxed, small group (3 people maximum per class) environment then these classes may be right for you. Beginners and all levels are welcome - just bring along your questions and be ready to learn! Suitable for Apple or Android devices. Please see our brochure or check out our website for dates and times. All classes are $20 and can be booked and paid at Unley Libraries.
 
Did you know we have free ebooks and audiobooks in our libraries? 
We can teach you how to use Overdrive (ebooks and audiobooks) and Zinio (magazines) in these free small group classes. If you have your own mobile device you are welcome to bring this along, or library tablets and computer are available.
Please note: you will need a basic understanding of how to navigate and use a mobile device or computer for these courses. If you need a little more help for this part, please book in for a Tech Help class, or enrol in one of our smart phone or tablet classes beforehand. Our friendly staff are available to chat to you about the best options.
 
We also have some other brand new offerings for 2016, including Getting Started with Gmail and Creating Photo Books. Please see our brochure or website for all the details on these upcoming courses.
    

14 January 2016

Backyard pool fun about to blow up

You might find the following article of interest?



Eastern Courier Messenger, Dan Jervis-B
LOCAL GOVERNMENT

RESIDENTS are risking $500 fines by setting up blowup pools in their backyards this summer, under a littleknown State Government regulation aimed at preventing children from drowning.



The regulation - included a decade ago in the state's Development Act - applies to any pool that can be filled to a depth of 30cm or has a filter system. Development applications cost a minimum of $354 and take three to six weeks to process.

Prices for blow-up pools requiring council approval range from $55 to $160, according to an Eastern Courier Messenger survey of major retailers.

Local councils, Kid Safe SA and the State Government last week supported the regulation, saying it triggered a requirement for the pools to undergo a council safety inspection. The councils' support came despite only Campbelltown having received any applications in the past two years.

Campbelltown last month posted a notice to its website reminding residents they needed development approval to install inflatable pools.

It came after the council received "several inquiries" from residents about the increasingly popular pools.

Campbelltown acting chief executive Michelle Hammond said the council had received "probably less than 10" applications in that period.

No local council had handed out a $500 fine - which would only be issued if the resident did not comply with a request to remove the pool - in the past two years.

Burnside council community services general manager Louise MillerFrost said the regulation was about ensuring pools were safe for children.

If the council was alerted to breaches, it would encourage the resident to lower the water level in the pool, or deflate it, before issuing a fine.

Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne said it was important parents understood that inflatable swimming pools posed "a very real, lifethreatening risk to young children".

A Planning Department spokesman said the regulation "existed to save lives".

He said it was designed to apply to pools that would be filled with water and used for extended periods.

Independent MLC John Darley, who has long been outspoken on the need to cut government red-tape, labelled the approval requirement "ridiculous".

He called for the minimum $354 development application fee to be brought in line with the cost of the pool.

Kids Safe SA chief executive Holly Fitzgerald called on every council to alert residents about the requirement.

"These pools are so cheap and readily available these days, so it is increasingly important to make sure that they get a safety inspection," Ms Fitzgerald said.

07 January 2016

KING WILLIAM ROAD SET FOR ADELAIDE’S ULTIMATE STREET PARTY



This is always a great event and a chance to catch up with friends and neighbours that you might not have seen for a while. You won't see me there there this year as I'm just about to take tour of Costa Rica. Council is always on a go slow ( for Councillors) at this time of the year and as its school holidays it's a great time to get away. Email still works for communication if you need to contact me.


KING WILLIAM ROAD SET FOR ADELAIDE’S ULTIMATE STREET PARTY
Adelaide’s foodies, fashion-forward, wine lovers andcycling enthusiasts will descend on King William Road for the annual Unley Gourmet Gala on Tuesday, January 19, 2016.
One of Adelaide’s most prestigious community events, the Unley Gourmet Gala is an exciting outdoor gourmet experience showcasing some of South Australia’s finestfood, wine, fashion, music and entertainment.
The event, now in its sixteenth year, will be held on the eve of Unley’s Stage 2 Start of the Santos Tour Down Under and is expected to attract thousands of locals as well as visitors from all over South Australia and interstate.
City of Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne said the eventattracted over 30,000 attendees last year, increasing inpopularity because it catered for diverse interests and all ages.
“The Unley Gourmet Gala is a highlight on Adelaide’sevent calendar and is a wonderful opportunity for retailers and restaurants to showcase their finest gourmet produce, wine and fashion at a lively street party,” Mr Clyne said.
The event also gives us a chance to celebrate the vibrant cycling culture in the City of Unley and beyond.”