From the Mayor - 29 April 2020

Whilst change, disruption and sacrifice have been our constant companions over the past months, I believe there have been some positive consequences as we have all adjusted and adapted to our new living environment.

The space and time has provided emphasis to the importance of connection and community. What I have noticed as I walk around the naturally beautiful walking bush and beach trails in Mosman is fitter and happier canine companions walking with their owners, a plethora of gorgeous new puppies and the daily challenge of keeping children active and engaged as they enjoy a lot more time for playmaking.

At Council we continue working to keep the community safe by maintaining essential services and I encourage all residents to prioritise their mental health and well being. Council is also pushing ahead with a number of exciting community projects as we prepare for a pandemic-free future. The projects include the multi-purpose basketball court at Balmoral Oval, the fully accessible toilet facilities at Raglan Street West Carpark and the long awaited accessible ramp into the water at Clifton Gardens Reserve.

Allan Border Oval is currently temporarily closed for a planned upgrade of its drainage and irrigation systems in preparation for a 2020/2021 summer season. Our other sporting ovals – Rawson, Middle Head, Georges Heights and Balmoral – have all been sustainably managed by Council to provide the best available playing surfaces and ground conditions for the eventual recommencement of team sports events. The three new netball courts at Spit West Reserve will hopefully soon see training regimes resume once a potential start date for the 2020 netball competition is finalised.

In other news, the Woolworths metro store DA attracted over 500 submissions and will be referred to the Independent Mosman Local Planning Panel for determination. This significant degree of community interest validates what we all know – that Mosman residents love their village and want to protect and preserve it for now and for future generations.

A major adjustment for many will be not reading this Mayoral Column in the print version of the Mosman Daily. In 2017, the paper celebrated its 100-year anniversary of continuous local news service and although the Mosman Daily has now been moved to an online digital format, reading the printed version is a long-standing tradition that will be missed.