Temporary signs have been installed on Moruben Road for a six-week trial road safety project to encourage drivers to slow down on local roads.

The Council Slow Down initiative includes education via social media and speed surveys as well as the installation of the reusable signage, made from recyclable plastic, along the length of Moruben Road.

With speed the highest contributing factor in car crashes in Mosman, the project aims to remind motorists to stay below the urban limit of 50 km/h.

Speed-related fatalities contribute to about 40 per cent of road deaths each year, while even small reductions in vehicle speed, as little as 5 km/h, can reduce the number of deaths and the severity of injuries caused by crashes.

If the trial and public consultation indicate that the slow down project is successful and supported, it may be rotated on a temporary basis through other streets.

If you would like to have a say on this project then please fill out the online survey.

Entries are now open for this year’s Mosman Youth Awards in Literature and will close on 31 May 2020.

The Mosman Youth Awards in Literature is an annual prose and poetry competition which attracts budding poets and authors from primary and secondary schools across the State, all of whom compete for a share in the $2,000 prize pool.

The annual contest is run by Mosman Library Service, with prizes sponsored by Lions Club of Mosman, Rotary Club of Mosman, Northern Beaches & Mosman College and Oracle Books Mosman.

Winners will be announced at a Presentation Function on Wednesday 26 August at 6.30pm at Barry O’Keefe Library, 605 Military Road, Mosman.

For more information and to enter visit: mosman.nsw.gov.au/youthawards.

The Traffic Committee Meeting scheduled for 3 March has been postponed to May 2020.

On Tuesday 11 February Mosman Library Service launched an exciting new early literacy program, ‘1000 Books Before School’.

Reading to, and with, young children regularly makes an important contribution to the development of their early literacy skills, and the program encourages preschoolers to read 1000 books before they start school.

Once they have completed their first 100 books they will receive a special carry bag as a reward, and for every 100 books read after that will receive a milestone patch to add to the bag, until the goal of 1000 books is achieved.

Books can be read anywhere, including at home, preschool, and the library, and if children average three books a day they will complete the goal in less than a year. There are regular activities at Mosman’s Barry O’Keefe Library to assist parents and carers to develop their child’s early literacy skills, including Babytime and Storytime sessions.

Parents and carers can register for the program at the Library or by contacting 9978 4092.

A library card is required, and provides free library membership and access to thousands of children’s books.

Mosman Council is seeking input from residents aged 55 years or over and other interested community members to help identify the best ways to support older residents in leading active, healthy, and engaged lives.

Council is encouraging older adults and other interested people to share valuable views and opinions around ageing and contribute to its plans to cater for ageing in Mosman.

As part of the future planning, older residents, their family members, friends and neighbours are being encouraged to fill in a short survey based on a framework developed by the World Health Organisation on Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.

The consultation is available online at yourvoicemosman.com.au and in a printed version from Mosman Square Seniors Centre and Barry O’Keefe Library until Friday 3 April 2020.

Residents aged 55 years or over, and other interested members of the community, are also invited to participate in a consultation workshop, including a light lunch, from 11.30am-2pm on Thursday 5 March at Mosman Square Seniors Centre. Bookings can be made via the online consultation page or calling 9978 4128.

Council will cover costs for storm-affected residents to take excess vegetation above the standard 300kg per day limit to Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre free of charge until 23 February. Residents need to carry their rates notice in order to access this opportunity.

Residents unable to self-haul to Kimbriki can use Council’s monthly vegetation collection service via their green bin or book a prepaid collection service. Additional material, which is no more than 1m long, can be bundled and tied together with a natural fibre, such as hessian string, and placed next to the green bin so that it can be collected with it.

Council staff and contractors have been kept busy cleaning up Mosman roads, footpaths, parks and beaches following the storm.

Fallen trees on private property should be reported to the SES while those in public spaces and across resident driveways should be reported to Council on 9978 4000.

Residents are also reminded:

• to watch out for electrical hazards hidden in storm debris. Fallen trees and flood waters can hide fallen powerlines
• that fallen powerlines are very dangerous. Do not touch fallen powerlines & always assume they are live
• that if you see a fallen powerline, stay at least 8 metres away from it and anything it may be touching. Call triple zero (000)

Mosman Council has resolved to donate $10,000 for bushfire relief and recovery from its Emergency Services Levy Account to support the nation’s recovery from the “overwhelming” crisis.

At its meeting on 4 February, the Council resolved to allocate $5,000 each to the Country Women’s Association Disaster Relief Fund and the Taronga Conservation Society Wildlife Crisis Appeal.

In a Mayoral Minute, Mosman Mayor Carolyn Corrigan said that many fundraising initiatives had been undertaken in Mosman and many residents had donated generously.

“I also encourage Mosman residents and businesses to donate whatever amount they can to help this important cause supporting our regional neighbours during this devastating time,” Cr Corrigan said.

“Our recent Christmas Gift Appeal, in partnership with Selina Win Pe’s Will of Courage foundation, saw more than 850 gifts distributed to drought-affected areas and now we can provide much-needed support to communities afflicted by bushfires.”

Local councils are promoting support for the GIVIT platform which is providing a coordinated online service to help direct donations of goods and services to where they are needed most.

Requests are vetted by charities and support organisations on behalf of those impacted and all funds received by GIVIT for NSW bushfires will be used to buy essential items, purchased from local businesses wherever possible, to assist in the economic recovery of affected communities.

Gift cards and vouchers as well as goods and services are also needed. To support those impacted by bushfires, go to GIVIT and select Give Money to donate funds or select NSW Fires and click search to donate items.

• Taronga Zoo Wildlife Crisis Appeal
• Country Women’s Association Disaster Relief Fund
• Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery
• St Vincent de Paul Society
• Salvation Army Disaster Appeal
• New South Wales Rural Fire Service
• Foodbank NSW Natural Disaster Relief (for the donation of goods and services)
• RSPCA NSW Bushfire Appeal
• WIRES NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service

Mosman residents are being invited to have their say on proposed changes to local ferry services which would result in a reduction in frequency of services at Mosman Bay during peak periods and longer travel times, but more frequent services, on other routes.

The changes to the F2 Taronga Zoo and F6 Mosman Bay ferry services are being proposed by Sydney Ferries operator Transdev which, if endorsed by Transport for NSW, would be introduced in 2021.

Mosman Council has resolved to submit a report presented to the Council Meeting held on 4 February to Transdev, which details concerns that the proposed changes would result in some disadvantage to Mosman commuters and therefore cannot be supported by Council. A meeting with NSW Member for North Shore Felicity Wilson MP and NSW Minister for Transport and Roads the Hon. Andrew Constance MP will also be sought to discuss the ferry service and alternatives which would not disadvantage Mosman commuters to the extent proposed.

Mosman residents are being encouraged to find out more about the proposed changes and have their say via yoursay.transdev.com.au before the consultation concludes on 14 February 2020.

There is an exciting program of events taking place in Mosman for the Seniors Festival from 12 February to 28 February.

For information on events in the Library and across Council please click Senior Festival.

To improve safety for playground users Council will be installing a fence between Allan Border Oval and Memorial Park playground. The fence will be permanent and is designed to prevent balls entering the playground area during cricket matches. The fence will be 30 metres wide and 6 metres high. The fence will be located on the top of the embankment between the existing picket fence and row of Cypress trees. Please see image below.

Council‘s Heritage Advisor raised no objection on heritage grounds and the safety fence is Exempt Development pursuant to provisions of clause 66(1)(a)(vi) of State Environmental Planning Policy (Infrastructure) 2007.

The visual impact has been minimised by the use of black mesh and its location directly adjacent to the row of cypress trees. If you require any further information please don’t hesitate to contact Greg Keys on 9978 4033.