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ISSUE 65 NOVEMBER 2020-JANUARY 2021 Rediscover Bayside Celebrate locally this festive season Introducing Your new CouncilFeeling festive. Baysiders enjoy a festive lunch at Ammos Greek Tavern, Sandringham. Inside this issue New age of learning COVID meets resilienceTransformation begins Safe summer fun Our green world online v How to contact us o bayside.vic.gov.au (03) 9599 4444 76 Royal Ave, Sandringham enquiries@bayside.vic.gov.au facebook.com/BaysideCityCouncil twitter.com/BaysideCouncil Customer service commitment We are committed to being easy to deal with, empathetic, effective and trusted. Our website makes it easier to contact us, make an enquiry, request a service or provide feedback at a time that is convenient to you. Feedback and complaints Complaints should be put in writing and can be lodged via Council’s website. You can expect to receive a response within 10 working days. The information in this publication is correct as of time of print. Where possible we have provided links to the most up to date information. Given the ever-changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, information in this publication is subject to change. Under CHO guidelines, masks are able to be removed for professional photography. At the time of print, many of Council's services are starting or preparing to re-open. Visit our website for a full list of services including library opening times, immunisation and maternal child health appointments, community centres, sharps collection and more. For the most up to date information on Council services o bayside.vic.gov.au (03) 9599 4444 11 7 1314 8 ‘Tis time to rediscover 5 • For the most up to date information on the COVID-19 pandemic visit: o dhhs.com/coronavirus. • For the most up to date information on Council news and services visit: o bayside.vic.gov.au Council services update Editor’s noteYour new Council COUNCIL Four returning and three first-time councillors have been sworn in after being elected to a four-year term in this year’s Local Government election. Councillor Laurence Evans OAM has been elected as Mayor of the City of Bayside. Cr Evans is a fourth-generation Bayside resident with a strong commitment to the community and long held passion for Bayside’s foreshore and natural environment. A retired architect, Cr Evans is also a strong advocate for protecting Bayside’s built environment and village character to sympathetically accommodate population growth. Married to Jenny, Cr Evans has three children and seven grandchildren. At the same meeting, Cr Sonia Castelli was elected Deputy Mayor and Cr Alex del Porto Chair of the Planning and Amenity Committee. Cr Evans who represents Ebden Ward said that the new seven member Council was inspired by the community’s spirit and resilience throughout this challenging year. “Bayside is a kind and connected community and I’m dedicated to working to protect and improve the wonderful place we all love. “As Mayor, I will ensure we continue to support our municipality through the impacts of COVID-19, foster economic and social recovery and continue to invest in infrastructure that will enhance the lives of our residents,” Cr Evans said. Cr Evans was elected to Bayside City Council in November 2012 and was Mayor in 2013/14. He was re-elected in November 2017/18. Cr Evans was also previously Mayor of the City of Sandringham (1990–91). Cr Evans acknowledged the contribution of outgoing Mayor, Cr Clarke Martin in leading Council over the past year during a truly unprecedented time. “Cr Martin had an exceptional term as Mayor and I commend him for this,” Cr Evans said. “I’m looking forward to working alongside all my fellow Councillors building a collegial Council to continue making Bayside better.” To see Councillor profiles and contact details visit o bayside.vic.gov.au/Councillors Beckett Ward - Clarke Martin Bleazby Ward - Alex del Porto Boyd Ward - Fiona Stitfold Castlefield Ward - Jo Samuel-King MD Dendy Ward – Hanna El Mouallem Ebden Ward - Laurence Evans OAM Ivison Ward - Sonia Castelli Your new Council is “As Mayor, I will ensure we continue to support our municipality through the impacts of COVID-19.” BAYSIDE’S COUNCILLORS L- R, Clarke Martin, Fiona Stitfold, Sonia Castelli, Laurence Evans OAM, Jo Samuel-King MD, Hanna El Mouallem and Alex del Porto. Let’s Talk Bayside 3Howzat! Cricket’s back COMMUNITY Summer sports are coming back with COVIDSafe plans in place to ensure games can continue in a cautious way. After significant impacts to community sports and clubs this year, it’s exciting to see teams returning to the sportsgrounds across the municipality. Brighton Cricket Club is back on the field and Club President Bernard Mutimer said there is even joy in training. “Usually the younger kids in particular don’t always enjoy training as much as games so that’s been amazing,” he said. “They’re just thrilled to be playing sport and spending time with their mates. “The new nets and wicket are a big hit too so thanks to Council for the great new facility.” While there are challenges ahead, Mr Mutimer said it is worth it all to see community sport back. “It’s certainly different this year. We have this great new facility that can’t be used at its full capacity yet, and who knew we would be dipping into our cash reserves to buy things like antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser,” he said. Local charity, Team Sports 4 All, has also welcomed the return of community sport with requests for financial assistance in high demand to help children get involved. President Fi Gathercole said she received five requests from schools and support services in the week community sport was cleared to re-start for financial help that would enable a child to join a team. “We can cover registration fees or uniform costs for children who may not participate otherwise because of financial hardship,” she said. “Team sport is really valuable for teaching young people life skills like respect, responsibility, accountability, being a team player and of course social development.” Families supported by the organisation are paired with a volunteer family who provide mentorship. “This part of our program continued during COVID so while there hasn’t been any sport the families stayed connected, showing the depth of how valuable team sport is in the community,” she said. Find out more at o teamsports4 all.com.au and stay up to date with Brighton Cricket Club’s fixtures at o bcc1842.com.au “They’re just thrilled to be playing sport and spending time with their mates.” BACK IN ACTION Brighton Cricket Club’s Under 14s are back at training. READY, STEADY, BAT New cricket nets are being broken in. 4 Let’s Talk Bayside‘Tis time to rediscover COMMUNITY It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and with COVID-19 restrictions easing Bayside's road to recovery is being rolled out. Council initiatives that reconnect residents to everything we love about Bayside and each other will also help reinvigorate our activity centres. The Rediscover Bayside campaign encourages residents to visit people and places they haven’t seen for months. Outdoor signage, decorations and social, digital and print media invite residents to “rediscover” Bayside. Expanded outdoor dining and shopping facilities will help to boost the local economy while encouraging COVID-safe gatherings. “We are supporting these businesses by waiving permits and fees that would usually be associated with this type of trading,” Bayside Mayor Cr Laurence Evans OAM said. Other programs are aimed at rebuilding social connections and promoting volunteering and engagement with groups and clubs, particularly those that could not operate during the pandemic. Bayside Christmas Carols in the Park is not able to proceed this year due to gathering restrictions. “It is very disappointing that our main Christmas event cannot go ahead,” Cr Evans OAM said. “However, the $190,000 budgeted for this event will be diverted to create new experiences and activations in shopping villages and open spaces where our community can come together safely once COVID-19 restrictions ease further.” o bayside.vic.gov.au/rediscover “We are supporting these businesses by waiving permits and fees that would usually be associated with this type of trading.” Wear a fitted face mask unless you have a lawful reason not to. Maintain physical distancing. Practise good hand hygiene. If you feel unwell, get tested at once and isolate from others until you get your results. Do not travel if you are unwell. Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Choose outdoor activities where possible. Stay COVID-19 safe AL FRESCO Keep an eye out for outdoor dining expansions along Church St, Bay St, Melrose St and more. Let’s Talk Bayside 5Good ole fashioned chat COMMUNITY Businesses across Bayside are signing up to become a Chatty Café to re-establish social connections and tackle the loneliness that has grown during COVID -19. Chatty Café is a global scheme where cafes, bars and restaurants become the setting for new friendships. Council provided a Community Grant to the Australian arm of Chatty Café, which will fund membership fees for around 150 local venues and provide a starter pack of window stickers, signs and posters. “We are looking for volunteers to assist venues with training and to introduce participants to each other and kick start the conversation,” President of Chatty Café Glenys Reid said. The premise of Chatty Café is to break down feelings of loneliness and social fashioned chat. “COVID-19 is still present, and some people are still uneasy about going out,” Glenys said. “Chatty Café groups are also online via Zoom or can be done over the phone” Volunteers for venue tables, virtual chats or phone COFFEE CATCH-UP Bay Road Café is one of the first Bayside venues for the Chatty Café program. Hard waste collection service closed over Christmas/New Year period Bookings close 5pm Wednesday 16 December - all bookings made before this time will be collected before Christmas. Online bookings re-open 5pm Thursday 31 December 2020 Phone bookings re-open Monday 4 January 2021. Hard waste takes a break 6 Let’s Talk BaysideSafe summer fun COMMUNITY The number one thing on everyone’s mind after being cooped up at home for most of this year is getting out and about. Ensure the health and safety of your family and vulnerable people living in our community by following these precautions. Be COVID safe in the sun. Check conditions before you go, follow current restrictions, wear a mask, stay 1.5m apart and pop some hand sanitiser into your beach bag. If the beach or park looks crowded try a quieter spot. Swimming Pools Backyard swimming pools are fun but also the leading cause of accidental death in Australia for children aged under five. Ensure safety barriers and fences are in perfect working order. All pools and spas should now be registered with Council. Heatwaves Heatwaves are not uncommon in Melbourne. Keep up the fluids, ensure pets are safe with plenty of water, and check on elderly relatives and neighbours. If you need to shop, go early and stay indoors during the hottest part of the day. Never leave a child in a car in any temperature. Wildlife If you come across a snake, leave it alone. If it bites you stay calm, call triple zero (000), apply a pressure immobilisation bandage to the wound and remain still until the ambulance arrives. Do not wash, suck, cut or tourniquet the bite area. Stingrays like to hang out in the bay too. If you are stung, seek medical attention. Fire Season Last summer was another devastating fire season and it can happen anywhere. Keep an eye on the fire danger warning and adhere to all rules. “Check before you go and if a beach or park looks crowded, be COVID safe and try another spot.” If you are travelling this summer season, make sure you download the VicEmergency app or equivalent interstate. Check local restrictions before you go, follow local social media accounts to stay up to date with alerts and check restrictions while away. If you're staying in Bayside be sure to follow our social media to stay up to date. BaysideCityCouncil BEACH ETIQUETTE Be safe when visiting the beach this summer. Happy travels Summer restrictions for dog beaches are now in place. Check before you visit. Let’s Talk Bayside 7New age of learning COMMUNITY COVID-19’s lockdown opened a virtual door to an extensive range of online programs and despite Seniors Centres being closed for some time, many community groups continued to offer a range of great activities. At the University of the Third Age (U3A) a learning organisation for retired or semi-retired adults, membership numbers are at an all-time high. Past President, current committee member and session host David Hone said his modern history classes have never been so popular. “We moved to Zoom early in the pandemic and have seen the benefit of moving online particularly from an accessibility point of view,” he said. “While we are looking forward to returning to face-to-face conversations, it has certainly given us new perspective on growing U3A even further.” As restrictions ease and community and senior centres start to re-open, community members have the option to begin re-connecting safely in-person and online with some great programs and clubs on offer in the municipality. Bayside City Council strives for an age friendly city that is welcoming, inclusive and accessible for people of all ages with our Healthy Ageing team focusing on keeping older people connected within their local community. For a full list of activities and courses from U3A visit baysideu3a.org If you need support to get online, contact our Healthy Ageing team on 9599 4373 or email healthyageing@bayside.vic.gov.au More than 800 participants enjoyed a broad range of online events over October in the 2020 Bayside Seniors Festival including many first time iPad and Zoom users. If you need support to get online, contact our Healthy Ageing team healthyageing@bayside.vic.gov.au 9599 4373 “While we are looking forward to face-to-face conversations, it has certainly given us new perspective.” LOGGED ON U3A committee member and session host David Hone teaches his online class. Online seniors’ success Council can support you get started with the latest technology. Council can support you get started with the latest technology. LOGGED ON U3A committee member and session host David Hone teaches his online class. LOGGED ON U3A committee member and session host David Hone teaches his online class. 8 Let’s Talk BaysideFresh approach on the menu SERVICES A new range of delicious healthy meals are on the menu for Bayside’s delivered meals clients. The delivered meals service provides eligible residents with nutritious, affordable pre-prepared meals that are delivered to their home. The service supports older people and those living with a disability to remain living at home when they are no longer able to manage cooking. Some people require meals every day while others receive a few meals a week. Manager Community Services Joan Andrews said a new supplier with a strong connection to Bayside, Choice Fresh Meals was selected after a recent competitive tender process. “Choice Fresh Meals started in Brighton 25 years ago,” she said. “Their meals are as visually appealing as they are tasty and the varied menu selection is vast with many choices available every day.” Delivered meals client John said the meals are delicious. “There is a good variety of choices and I’m enjoying trying some new dishes,” John said. Choice Fresh Meals also deliver the meals which has allowed Council to explore new opportunities for volunteering in 2021. “The pandemic had shone a light on vulnerable and ageing residents feeling isolated like never before,” Ms Andrews said. “We know that the part most of our volunteers loved about the delivered meals program was the interaction with clients. “However, delivering meals doesn’t allow volunteers to spend much time talking as they need get to their next client. “We are looking at a new range of interest based activities where volunteers will be able to spend quality time with clients.” “We thank all of our volunteers who have delivered meals, some for up to 10 years, and hope they will enjoy being part of our new program,” Ms Andrews said. For more information about volunteering with Aged and Disability Services contact our Healthy Ageing team 9599 4776 healthyageing@bayside.vic.gov.au SUPPER’S UP Delivered meal client John is ready to tuck in. The service supports older people and those living with a disability to remain living at home when they are no longer able to manage cooking. Let’s Talk Bayside 9Next >