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ISSUE 84 FEBRUARY - MARCH 2024 Caring for older residents Sports centre opening Annual Community GrantsInside this issue Community Grants.........p4 Tree growth.....................p6 Go electric.......................p7 Aged Care........................p8 FriYays...........................p11 Ellen José......................p14 Cover: Ron Lowe is a resident who has been utilising Bayside Care and Support’s services for the past year. Beckett Ward Ebden Ward Ivison Ward Boyd Ward Castlefield Ward Bleazby Ward Dendy Ward Marriage Rd Fewster Rd Willis St Hampton St Railway Cummins Rd Bluff Rd Dendy St Bay Rd Weatherall Rd Reserve Rd Keating St Balcome Rd Glen Huntly Rd Head St S a n d r i n g h a m R a i l w a y L i n e Edward St Red Bluff St North Rd Charman Rd Thomas St Nepean Hwy Frankston Railway Line Your Councillors Councillors have a role in ensuring responsible and accountable governance. As elected community representatives, our councillors are involved in determining priorities and policies and establishing the strategic direction of the city. Mayor Cr Fiona Stitfold Boyd Ward fstitfold@bayside.vic.gov.au 0409 608 419 Deputy Mayor Cr Alex del Porto Bleazby Ward adelporto@bayside.vic.gov.au 0417 390 641 Cr Sonia Castelli Ivison Ward scastelli@bayside.vic.gov.au 0466 356 794 Cr Hanna El Mouallem Dendy Ward helmouallem@bayside.vic.gov.au 0437 859 978 Cr Laurence Evans OAM Ebden Ward levans@bayside.vic.gov.au 0407 735 993 Cr Clarke Martin Beckett Ward cmartin@bayside.vic.gov.au 0466 356 805 Cr Jo Samuel-King MBBS Castlefield Ward jsamuel-king@bayside.vic.gov.au 0419 772 291 bayside.vic.gov.au (03) 9599 4444 76 Royal Avenue, Sandringham enquiries@bayside.vic.gov.au /BaysideCityCouncil @BaysideCouncil @BaysideCityCouncil Customer service commitment We are committed to being easy to deal with, empathetic, effective and trusted. For more information on any of the items in this magazine, please call us on 9599 4444. Making a complaint or compliment Complaints can be made by phone, in person at our Corporate Centre or online at bayside.vic.gov.au/feedback Bayside City Council proudly acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. How to contact us Look up your ward Enter your address to see your ward and Councillor. bayside.vic.gov.au/ councilwardsLet’s Talk Bayside 3 The players will be able to play safely and for more typical game lengths of junior netball A win for community sport INFRASTRUCTURE Local netballers are taking the court at the brand new Bayside Community Sports Centre in Sandringham, realising Council’s largest investment in community sport to date. Located at Sandringham College’s Holloway Road campus, the purpose- built facility provides additional courts for Bayside’s growing local netball association including two indoor courts, nine outdoor courts, as well as on-site parking and amenities. Netball is the most popular female team sport across Australia. Participation in Bayside has more than doubled since 2010, with over 2,500 players from 12 clubs involved in the Bayside District Netball Association’s (BDNA) competition. Almost 12 years in the making, the opening of the Bayside Community Sports Centre is “fantastic for the whole community”, said BDNA representative Graham Scull. “The benefits it is going to provide to the community will be huge,” Graham said. “The players will be able to play safely and for more typical game lengths of junior netball.” On a wider community level, Graham said having the junior netballers becoming well-rounded citizens will ultimately benefit everyone in Bayside. “We have a large complement of coaches, referees, mentors and youth clubs who are helping to develop leadership among the junior netball contingent,” Graham said. With the new, larger and well lit facility, games no longer need to be shortened and can be played according to the national regulation time standard. Restrictions on club memberships can also be lifted, giving more players the opportunity to get active and involved. The project also delivered a new sportsground for local junior cricketers, who will have the opportunity to increase their participation level, match duration and frequency of competition play. The new centre represents Council’s largest investment in community sport to date, with $18 million complemented by $4.7 million Australian Government funding and collaboration with the Victorian School Building Authority. Find out more bayside.vic.gov.au/netball NETBALL GOALS Our netball community will now be able to showcase their skills on brand new courts.4 Let’s Talk Bayside Funding opportunities for great community outcomes GRANTS Local not-for-profit groups that contribute to making Bayside a better place can now apply for one of our Annual Community Grants. The program supports initiatives proposed by community groups that strengthen and enrich community life through the provision of an improved range of leisure, cultural, community development, environmental, health, education, sporting and welfare programs and activities. Eligible community groups can apply for grants of up to $7,500 each for initiatives that meet the objectives of Council’s Grants Policy and the Annual Community Grants Guidelines. Bayside Playhouse and Occasional Care in Sandringham and Marine Mammal Foundation in East Hampton are two former grant recipients. Ellie Ross, a Volunteer Grants Officer at Bayside Playhouse, said the grant has helped to foster an education and incursion program, which benefits 71 Bayside preschool children. “We are so grateful to have had the amazing opportunity to have two incredible incursions for the children, thanks to the Bayside Community Grant. “They were by far the two best incursions we have had for the Playhouse children, and they absolutely loved them both,” Ellie said. Ellie believes the benefits of the grants/incursions will have far-reaching effects throughout the community as the children take their learnings back to their families. “Even now, each day the children still talk about their reptile friends that came to visit. Their families continue to come in, saying how their child still talks about the incursion and what they had learnt about Australian animals and reptiles.” GRANTING KNOWLEDGE The Beaumaris Life Saving Club have been learning about reducing litter on the foreshore. The program supports initiatives proposed by community groups that strengthen and enrich community lifeLet’s Talk Bayside 5 Important education The Marine Mammal Foundation received funding to bring the ‘Marine Litter Project’ education and community-engagement program to Bayside. Matt Montemurro (pictured above), the Director of Education And Outreach at the Marine Mammal Foundation, said that as a registered non-profit organisation, the foundation relies solely on grants, donations and sponsorship for its programs and core work. “The grant helped us to develop and grow our Marine Litter Project in the Bayside community, with particular input from Life Saving Victoria clubs.” Matt said the grant application process was easy to follow. “Bayside City Council has a range of information about how to apply and the community grants officers are wonderful in their support, if you do encounter any issues,” Matt said. New applicants are encouraged to apply for this year’s Annual Community Grants and attend an information session to help you go through the application process with ease. Those new to grant writing or wanting to improve their skills are also encouraged to attend one of two free effective grant writing workshops, hosted by Bayside City Council. Annual Community Grants 2024/25 round opens at 9am on Wednesday 27 March. Find out more bayside.vic.gov.au/grants Key dates for 2024 grant applicants: •Tuesday 5 March 9:30am - 12:00pm Effective Grant Writing Workshop at Bayside City Council Corporate Centre •Tuesday 12 March 6:00 - 8:30pm Effective Grant Writing Workshop– online via Zoom •Tuesday 21 March 1:30 - 2:30pm Annual Community Grant Information session at Bayside City Council Corporate Centre •Wednesday 27 March 9:00am Annual Community Grants round opens FOSSILTASTIC Matt from the Marine Mammal Foundation explaining the structure of a dolphin head skeleton. PLAY AND LEARNING Ellie and the Bayside Playhouse kids have enjoyed their education and incursion programs.6 Let’s Talk Bayside Win-win for ecology and community PLANNING Tree canopy cover across Bayside has grown from 16.5 to 20.8% since 2018 thanks to efforts to boost our urban forest. Throughout 2022–23, Council planted 2,847 trees across public parks and within road reserves. This included 1,588 indigenous species, 841 native and 418 exotic species. We’re planting more than 2,000 trees a year to create a cooler, greener and more wildlife-friendly Bayside. Bayside Mayor, Cr Fiona Stitfold said increasing tree and vegetation coverage can provide health benefits, improve habitat diversity and connectivity, and conserve our biodiversity. “Trees and vegetation make an important contribution to the liveability of our suburbs, encouraging outdoor activity and interaction — and playing a crucial role in creating a healthy environment,” said Cr Stitfold. Trees also improve the look of our streets and provide shade, helping reduce the urban heat island effect. This is caused by the loss of vegetation in urban areas, resulting in these places having significantly warmer air and land surface temperatures than rural areas. Planting additional trees and vegetation is an initiative of the Urban Forest Strategy which is a key action identified in the Bayside Climate Emergency Action Plan 2000-25.. Find out more bayside.vic.gov.au/urbanforest GREEN GROWTH Planting more trees and vegetation in Bayside will help us maintain a healthy and vibrant environment.Make the switch to electric SUSTAINABILITY Powering your home and vehicles with electricity can provide a cleaner and healthier environment as well as benefiting your hip pocket. Our Electrify Everything program aims to assist Bayside residents to make the switch. Bayside residents can register for the Electrify Everything installation program, which connects you to induction cooktops, reverse cycle air conditioning and hot water heat pumps installed by our accredited and reputable provider. The program includes support to create a Go Electric house plan, which helps you to choose, prioritise and upgrade your appliances and vehicles with efficient, electric alternatives when they’re due for replacement. Bayside resident Tracy Ekeberg (below right) said she and her husband were long overdue for a heat pump replacement for their home’s 30-year- old system. Timing was everything after dodging “pushy” cold callers, Tracy was alerted to Council’s social media post about the Electrify Everything campaign. “It was easy”, Tracy said. “(The campaign) came up on my Facebook feed and my husband and I had been talking about switching from gas for a while. He did the research and it all added up.” This led to the installation of a new highly efficient hot water heat pump through the Electrify Everything program. The couple have noticed a vast improvement in hot water speed, quality and water flow since installing the heat pump. There are other low-cost ideas to make your home more energy efficient, such as draft proofing, installing insulation or using your current appliances more effectively. You can register for a quote to upgrade your appliances and by downloading your Go Electric house plan, you will be entered into a draw to win a home energy audit and induction friendly cookware. Find out more bayside.vic.gov.au/ electrifyeverything LIGHT THE SPARK Kris and Tracy are all smiles after using our Electrify Everything program. POWER-FULL The efficient Apricus system is powering the Ekeberg’s hot water.Expanding assistance for older residents COMMUNITY Bayside residents can live independently and safely at home as they age with assistance from Council’s trusted aged care services - Bayside Care and Support. Our services are not only about helping; they are about empowering our residents to live confidently in their own homes. Barbara Laidlaw’s story is a testament to our services empowering our residents. After her husband Evan faced a critical health challenge, they decided to move to Bayside. “A big part of moving to Bayside for retirement was not only the lifestyle appeal of the region but also the fact that Bayside offers at- home aged care services,” she explains. For Barbara, the transition was as much about embracing a new community as it was about finding reliable support. She highlights the proficiency and responsiveness of the team, “nothing is ever too much trouble.” Council has expanded its range of services, providing ongoing personalised, trusted and quality assistance to our residents. As Barbara notes, “I really appreciate the level of organisation by Bayside Care and Support staff. The people are so experienced.” Providing dependable support Ron Lowe (pictured on the magazine cover), a resident who has been utilising Bayside Care and Support’s services for the past year, remarks on the quality of care he’s received. ENRICHING LIVES Barbara and Evan have been delighted with the services provided by Bayside Care and Support. 8 Let’s Talk BaysideHow to access in home aged care services through Bayside Care and Support I look forward to the days when I know the aged care staff are coming. Not only are they all very pleasant, but they also do a fantastic job. 1. Check your eligibility and apply for assistance Contact myagedcare for an assessment on 1800 200 422 or visitwww.myagedcare.gov.au 2.Choosing Bayside Care and Support For new clients: if you are approvedfor entry level assistance or greater levels of support through a Home Care Package contact Bayside Care and Support directly or request a referral to us. Sw itching providers Unhappy with your current provider and want to give us a go? Contact Bayside Care and Support for guidance and have an easy transition. Find out more Contact Bayside Care and Support on 03 9599 4632 to talk about the services we can provide or find out more about other support available. You can also visit bayside.vic.gov.au/myagedcare for moreinformation. “Every one of the Bayside Care and Support staff have been absolutely fantastic. I look forward to the days when I know the aged care staff are coming. Not only are they all very pleasant, but they also do a fantastic job,” he said. Bayside Care and Support’s range of services caters to the changing needs of our residents. We provide routine help around the house through to more comprehensive care through our Home Care Packages. We are equipped to support you to remain at home in the community for as long as you wish and are able. The first step to accessing Council’s Commonwealth Government funded aged care service is by calling 9599 4632 or visiting bayside.vic. gov.au/myagedcare. Once your initial eligibility is determined a more detailed conversation will allow a greater understanding of your needs to be undertaken. Ron’s experience with the application process was positive and unproblematic, “I did that myself and encountered no problems.” Bayside Care and Support offers not just services, but a pathway to maintain independence and a fulfilling lifestyle at home for our senior residents. Find out more bayside.vic.gov.au/ myagedcare Let’s Talk Bayside 9Next >