PUCC News January 2012

 Fab Chrizzie Party

 The Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce Christmas Party, co-hosted by the Glebe Chamber of Commerce, was a rousing holiday success, with live music, canapés and flowing beverages. Members of both chambers turned out in force and cheered speeches from Glebe CoC president Sofi Lidgren and her PUCC counterpart, Lawrence Gibbons. The venue, The Studio in Glebe, provided a stylish backdrop for twinkly lights and revellers, and raffle prizes from local merchants (wine, fruit, sweets) added to the festive atmospheres. The chambers look forward to collaborating in 2012.
 

 Calling all members

Also in 2012, PUCC is encouraging existing members to send in snippets about their businesses to keep us all in the loop about developments. New key staff member? Retail expansion? Innovative promotion? Just want to let us know what’s going on? Send in your news to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we’ll try and circulate the news in the monthly newsletter. If possible, include a relevant image. We want to know what’s going on! Start typing!

 

 

Floor space survey

The City of Sydney is preparing to undertake the 2011/12 Floor Space and Employment Survey. The survey collects vital information on land use patterns, employment numbers and floor area for all buildings and businesses within the Local Government Area, including Pyrmont and Ultimo. The survey will complement the data gathered in the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Census of Population and Housing and is used for long-term strategic planning, including council’s Sustainable Sydney 2030 strategy.
 
SGS Planning & Economics Pty Ltd and the University of NSW have been commissioned to assist in the collection of field survey data for the Survey. Beginning in January 2012, a team of field surveyors will be visiting all business establishments across the LGA.  Surveying is being staged over a period of approximately six months.
 
Information relating to individual businesses considered to be sensitive will be treated with confidentiality. For more information on how the data is used, visit the council website to view the results from the 2006 survey: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. For further inquiries email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 
 

 Member artist soaring

   Long-time PUCC member Jane Bennet is going from strength to strength. Her painting, “Closing the Gap,” featured at the State Library of NSW, in promotional material and is in its permanent collection (among several other works). In the latest issue of Signals, the journal for the Australian Maritime Museum, the same work and plenty of others, are used to illustrate a history program for secondary students exploring Pyrmont’s vanishing industrial past. The program, which includes a historical walk, focusses on the changes undergone in the area from pre-colonial times to the present.  To learn more about the artist, visit janebennettartist.blogspot.com.

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 Powerhouse changes

In early 2011, the Powerhouse Museum asked local residents, school children, businesses and organisations to offer feedback on what they would like to see in a museum garden, at the site of the disused carpark (part of which is owned by the Sydney Foreshore Authority). Of the nearly 100 respondents, most agreed that shading, water elements and the opportunity to learn art and gardening skills were vital.
In October, the City of Sydney announced a plan to investigate the feasibility of a City Farm, one at the Museum site, which would focus on food production through education and public programs. The City has approved funds to develop a plan for the development of the City Farm but is still to advise on the detailed terms. Several authorities are working together to complete the project, which has overlapping consultative levels and the plans are yet to be finalised.  

PUCC News December 2011

December Newsletter

The Star set to celebrate its first New Year's Eve with spectacular views and great music

Sydney’s one-of-a-kind leisure and entertainment venue, The Star, will celebrate its first New Year’s Eve since launching in September, with a number of parties across its new restaurants and bars. 
The Star’s recent redevelopment has seen the reorientation of the building to face the harbour and city skyline with a new floor to ceiling glass façade. With multiple vantage points, The Star now offers what is possibly the largest harbour facing space in Sydney in which to take in the fireworks display.
Thousands of people are expected to see in 2012 at The Star this year, enjoying entertainment by the likes of DJ duo Flight Facilities plus Melbourne rock band Little Red.
There are numerous restaurant and bar packages available. To book one of The Star’s New Year’s Eve restaurant packages, please contact 1800 700 700 or for more details visit www.star.com.au/nye

 

REMINDER: The Chrizzy party returns! Dec 6 at The Photo Studio ... RSVP today!

   

A joint celebration of the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce and the Glebe Chamber of Commerce to welcome the Silly Season in style. Meet old and new friends, have a nibble and a drink (or two) and toast the season!

When: 6th December, from 6 to 8pm
Where: The Photo Studio, 5 Franklyn St, Broadway (Glebe)
Parking at Broadway Shopping Centre (3 hours free parking)

 

RSVP: Essential, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NOTE: This event is members only. You can apply for membership at the event.

 

 

Princess Mary in Pyrmont

  

Royalty popped in to Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf in Pyrmont 21 Nov when Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attended a black tie gala dinner hosted by the Danish Embassy.
 Guests including Master of Ceremonies Matt Preston and NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, dined from a menu designed by Rasmus Kofoed. 
 This is the second visit to Doltone House Jones Bay Wharf for Crown Prince Frederik, having attended a gala dinner in 2009 for the World Masters Games.
Managing Director and owner of Doltone House, Mr Paul Signorelli, greeted the royal couple.  “What an honour to host the Prince and Princess of Denmark at our venue.  We've enjoyed working with the events team to the lead up of this special event',” said Mr Signorelli.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Year's Eve app for revellers: Art and dreams

 The City of Sydney has launched a new iPhone App for snappers to capture a 12-second video from their 2011 New Year's Eve celebrations to be part of a short film about Sydney’s biggest party of the year. The short film will be distributed online within hours. People are also encouraged to share their dreams for 2012 in eight words or less.
The App includes an interactive map of the best vantage points for the 9fireworks, information about events happening around the city, tips on how to plan the night and easy entry to a NYE photo competition.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the City recognised it was important to provide quick and easy ways for people to access information. "Our App gives users real time notifications of vantage points, road closures and events. People can also find out about crowd capacities, ensuring a safe and great night out."
 The City is also hosting a photo competition and people can enter by uploading photos from the night via the App or the City's website. The winner will receive a camera, JB HiFi voucher, music cds and two VIP tickets to the 2012 New Year’s Dawe’s Point viewing area.

 

Marathon hours at Fish Markets

The Fish Markets adds to the festive season with its annual holiday marathon, 36 hours of fishy delights. Shoppers can enjoy a midnight prawns or oysters and make the most of round the clock trading hours for Christmas feast supplies.
The best way to get to SFM during this period is via public transport. Catch the Metro Light Rail, Bus, park and ride or walk to Sydney Fish Market.
Alternatively parking will be available at Sydney Fish Market, and at another nearby location.
The Metro Light Rail will operate continuously to the Sydney Fish Market stop throughout the 36-Hour trade.
Don’t forget to bring an esky!
5am Friday, 23 December right through to 5pm Saturday, 24 December (Christmas Eve)

  

 

Bank St developments

The Pyrmont community has called for the introduction of the Bays Precinct Taskforce following developments at Bank St. Community leaders have called for the taskforce to be implemented immediately to stop ad-hoc development plans.
The taskforce was announced back in November of 2007 but no word has been uttered since then as to when the instrument will be operational.
Local community members said the reason they haven’t objected the proposal for the Sydney Heritage Fleet is because it would compromise other desired developments in the area.
The Sydney Heritage Fleet development application is expected to finalise the director general’s requirements and undergo exhibition in due course.

 

TAFE celebrates 120 year with gala

   

An evening of fashion, music, carpentry, and animation provided the finale to TAFE NSW – Sydney Institute’s 120th anniversary year.
More than 800 people attended the 120 Gala Dinner and Showcase in Sydney Town Hall, with the talents of more than 300 students and staff from across the Institute’s seven colleges raising the roof.
Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli MP addressed an audience including more than 480 VIP industry guests and 120 Ambassadors.
A silent auction raised about $10,000 for the charity Groundswell, which was set up by teachers and staff in 2009 to provide help in the reconstruction of Samoa after the tsunami that year.

 

 

White Bay cruise terminal under fire

Two hundred residents packed into Balmain Town Hall last month to voice their opposition to the Sydney Ports Authority development, which would create a cruise ship terminal and function centre at the mouth of White Bay.
Among residents’ concerns are the impact of the terminal on traffic flow, decreased visibility, and noise from the function centre, which will operate until midnight. Not all members of the community are against the proposal. After decades of inaction many simply want the area to be utilised again.
Residents at White Bay and Pyrmont could also benefit from a ferry service to Circular Quay. However, at this stage that remains outside the parameters of the proposal.
Although the terminal is certain to go ahead, the community leaders will continue to engage with the Premier and will distribute flyers to residents within coming weeks. 

 

PUCC News November 2011

November Newsletter

The Chrizzy party returns! Dec 6 at The Photo Studio

   

A joint celebration of the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce and the Glebe Chamber of Commerce to welcome the Silly Season in style. Meet old and new friends, have a nibble and a drink (or two) and toast the season!

When: 6th December, from 6 to 8pm
Where: The Photo Studio, 5 Franklyn St, Broadway (Glebe)
Parking at Broadway Shopping Centre (3 hours free parking)

 

RSVP: Essential, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NOTE: This event is members only. You can apply for membership at the event or download the form and bring it with you.

 

Annual General Meeting Oct. 25

  The Annual General Meeting on Oct 25 was at the lovely Doltone House, with spectacular views of the harbour and bridge. In his President’s Report, Lawrence Gibbons detailed the chamber’s accomplishments over the past year, including the Mudgee Food, Wine and Art Festival, placement of Shop Local banners in Pyrmont, the publication and distribution of 50,000 Shop Local magazines and growing the membership and database.
Sherryl Ryan was elected Vice President, with Rob McCourt (Secretary), Bruce Napthali (Treasurer) and Gibbons retaining their roles for the next two years. At next year’s AGM non-executive members will be elected.
After the formalities, guests enjoyed delicious morsels and a generous array of beverages. To top it off, there was a draw for Melissa Schneider’s Doris Day CD two free tickets to her Doris Day show, So Much More than the Girl Next Door, playing at the Lyric Theatre until 13 Nov.

 

 

The Darling opens at The Star

 Also on Oct 25, in an event to rival the AGM, The Star celebrated its opening with Stevie Wonder performing for 800 VIP guests. In a once in a lifetime moment, Wonder was welcomed on stage by long-time fan Leonardo DiCaprio. Held in the lobby of The Star’s new five-star The Darling Hotel and Spa, the party was a star studded affair, with DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Russell Crowe, Entourage actor Adrian Grenier, Elle McPherson, Joel Edgerton and Sacha Baron Cohen attending.

Four DJ’s and 30 performance artists entertained guests, while 500 bottles of champagne and 8,000 crystal glasses kept the crowd celebrating the opening until the small hours of the morning.

The Star’s $870 million refurbishment and expansion now boasts 20 new restaurants and bars, including the new Japanese restaurant Sokyo, which is located in The Darling.

The Star is also home to David Chang’s Momfuku Seiobo, Teage Ezard’s BLACK by ezard, Stefano Manfredi’s Balla as well as Adriano Zumbo’s new patisserie, Flying Fish & Chips and coming soon, Golden Century.

It also includes a retail collection featuring leading brands such as G Star Raw, Calvin Klein Jeans, IM lingerie, Chanel Fragrance and Beauty Boutique, Salvatore Ferragamo , LK Jewellery, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Moda Emporio.

 

Sydney shakes its money-maker

New research from the City of Sydney shows night time visitors to Sydney inject more than $15 billion dollars a year into the local economy and account for almost one third of jobs across the city. The research also concluded that more than five times as much is spent on food and entertainment than spent on alcohol.

"We've always known that Sydney's night life is a major part of the city's economy. But until now we'd no idea how significant a boost it provides to the local economy," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

One trend is that more restaurants and food options are in demand, while the number of drink-related businesses has declined. Between 2006 and 2009, the number of pubs and bottle shops fell from 311 to 287 while restaurants, cafes and take-away food venues increased from 1,943 to 2,141.

"This confirms what Sydneysiders have told us in our community consultations- people want more restaurants and outdoor eateries, more movie festivals and concerts and museums and art galleries opening late,” said Moore.

 

 

New cafe coming to Victoria Park

The historic Gardener's Lodge in Victoria Park will be turned into a new café where locals can enjoy a hidden corner of the park.
The City last month called for tenders for major restoration and refurbishment works to the heritage-listed lodge, which has been vacant for years.
Proposed works to the 1880s stone lodge include stonemason repairs, a new kitchen and other facilities, a café/restaurant with seating for 48 people and an outdoor seating area and features such as a rainwater tank and solar hot water system.
"Not only will this restoration and refurbishment give our 125 year old cottage a new lease of life, it will bring new visitors to Victoria Park and add to the impressive range of community facilities nearby, including the Olympic swimming pool and new children's playground," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP. Nine-hectare Victoria Park was originally known as Grose Farm. The farm was chosen as the site for Australia's first higher education institution, the University of Sydney, in 1855.
The City expects the restoration works to commence in early 2012, and hopes to be able to lease the space to a café/restaurant operator from the middle of next year.

 Wentworth Park Games celebrate history

  Last month Wentworth Park presented a game day with the hallowed Wenty Park Mongrel Cup, where local dog owners pitted their household pets, regardless of athletic ability of size, against one another on the Wentworth racetrack.
“It is hilarious to see dogs flying off in all directions, closely followed by their owners,” said Elizabeth Elenius, member of the Blackwattle Cove Coalition (BCC) who helped start the event.
This year also featured the return of the epic contest of wine-racing, which dates back to a jousting tournament in 14th Century France. 
The Blackwattle Cove Coalition aims to pursue rejuvenation of this area and make it a significant asset to the surrounding communities by improving public access and community facilities in the Blackwattle Bay/Wentworth Park precinct.

 

 

Upgrades for Pyrmont Community Centre

 The Pyrmont Community Centre will kickstart a series of revamps with a community mural on its lower level, with hopes that after years of attempts this is the first step in a series of upgrades for the underused community centre.

Member of Friends of the Pyrmont Community Centre Mary Mortimer said the changes will shift the focus of the space from fitness to wider community interests.
“We’re rapt, we’re very excited. It will broaden the attraction to the wider community,” she said.
The City of Sydney grant will fund a community painted mural within the downstairs ‘link’, a passageway between the centre’s halls.
“There will be 10 free workshops open to all members of our community. They will encourage young, older, male and female members of the community to come together and develop creative ideas for the mural, a colourful hanging mobile and a special mosaic window.
The workshops for the mural will run on Thursdays at 6:30pm and Saturdays at 1:30pm for five weeks from November 3 at the Community Centre.

 

Local reflections, past and present

More than 100 personal pictures of the Pyrmont Ultimo peninsula will be on display at Our Neighbourhood, Our Friends, showing in the Harris Centre, Quarry Green and other sites in the future. The project gathers photographs from more than 50 local photographers who have extracted their personal take on their home and its surroundings. Charlie Crone, a resident of Bulwara Street for decades said the exhibition would give him a chance to show his long dialogue with the area.
The exhibition is in its second year running and at later dates the photos will be shown at the Wentworth Park Games, The Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, The Powerhouse Museum and other community venues.

  

PUCC News October 2011

October Newsletter

   Annual General Meeting Oct. 25

  

WHAT: Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting

Members are invited to discuss reports from the past year’s activities, committee elections and general business. For the full invitation, and AGM documents, please go to the PUCC home page and click on AGM Documents.  

Note: There will be a draw for Doris – So Much More Than the Girl Next Door (two free tickets and a Doris Day souvenir).

WHEN: Tuesday, 25 Oct. from 6 pm to 8 pm.

WHERE: Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Pyrmont.

RSVP: Essential, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NOTE: This event is members only. To apply for membership, download the form at www.pucc.com.au and bring it, with payment, to the event.

 

 

Pyrmont on tourist website map

  One of Sydney’s premier tourist websites, Sydney.com, has added Pyrmont to its celebrated destinations on the website. Here’s what it has to say about this special suburb:

Pyrmont was once a thriving part of colonial Sydney and its beautiful yellow block sandstone was used in some of Sydney's most well-known buildings around the city including the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Town Hall and Sydney University.

Today, it is once again a bustling neighbourhood with great restaurants, upmarket delis and cafes, parks and gardens. Historic Union Square, the focal point of the village, is surrounded by sandstone heritage cottages housing exquisite boutique shops. The Powerhouse Museum located behind Darling Harbour is one of Australia's largest and most diverse museums with exhibits of decorative arts and design, science, technology and transport. The interactive exhibits for kids are particularly good. Pyrmont is a short walk from Darling Harbour.

For more, visit www.sydney.com/destinations/sydney/sydney-city/pyrmont

 

Development Applications 101

 The City of Sydney is hosting a workshop for local business to help navigate the development consent process. The workshop will:

• Demystify the development application process

• Explain when you need to make an application to Council

• Give an overview of the different Late Night Trading areas and how they work

• Provide case studies from businesses that have been through the process

• Outline the Council’s compliance and assessment process

WHEN: Tuesday November 15, 7pm – 9pm

WHERE: Barnet Long Room, Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Circular Quay

Bookings are essential. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for reservations or more information

 

 

Sydney Rides Festival

 Art, films, family fun and some of the most spectacular bike rides Sydney has to offer - the first-ever Sydney Rides Festival has something for everyone.

The Festival takes place from October 8 to 16 and is expected to attract tens of thousands of bike riders and non-bike riders of all ages.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said: "The inaugural Sydney Rides Festival will celebrate Sydney's cycling boom with a fantastic range of events to suit everyone.

"The Festival includes some well-established events on the cycling calendar such as the City's hugely popular Ride to Work Day Breakfast, Bicycle NSW's Spring Cycle - now in its 28th year - and the Bicycle Film Festival Sydney (BFF).

"And if you'd like to take part in the Sydney Rides Challenge but don't have your own bike, why not take advantage of one of the 'try-a-bike' sessions being held around the city."

Pyrmont-Ultimo events:

Oct 14: Sydney Rides Challenge 'try-a-bike' event - Pyrmont Bay Park, noon to 2 pm.

Oct 15 and 16: Craft Punk: Bike Bespoke! - Powerhouse Museum, Harris St, Ultimo.

Oct 16: Bicycle NSW Spring Cycle City Ride - North Sydney to Pirrama Park, Pyrmont, 7 am to 2 pm.

Oct 16: Pirrama Park Family Bike Day - Pirrama Park, Pyrmont, 9.30 am to 2 pm.

Full details of all the events in the Sydney Rides Festival, including start times, venues, costs and contact details can be found at www.sydneyridesfestival.net

To find out more about the Sydney Rides Challenge, and to register to take part, visit www.sydneyrideschallenge.net

 

 Less red tape good for tourism

  The Australian Tourism Export Council has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement to remove the burden on restaurants and cafes to provide separate menus on weekends and public holidays incorporating service surcharges.

Managing Director, Felicia Mariani, said the requirement to provide separate menus had created an additional burden on small businesses, and in particular cafes, many of whom were failing to meet the requirement.

“It is a longstanding practice for restaurants and cafe’s to add a weekend or public holiday surcharge and I believe most Australians are familiar with the idea,” Ms Mariani said, adding that it is “excessive” to require separate menus.

“The fact that many operators are still not aware of the requirements shows that the system just doesn’t work.”

Mariani said while the Federal Government had accepted the proposals, recommended following a Productivity Commission review, states and territories would still need to agree to the legislative changes.

“ATEC would urge the states to embrace this change and clear the way for some sensibility in this area,” Mariani said.

 

New look restaurant at Maritime Museum

The Australian National Maritime Museum has opened Yots, its revamped waterside functions venue. It will play host to corporate functions, weddings and social events and will become the museum's café bar.

"The Australian National Maritime Museum is delighted to open Yots. With a new venue, new menu and new ideas we look forward to creating unforgettable events in our waterfront setting," said museum director Mary-Louise Williams.

Yots, which accomodates 190 people seated or 300 people for cocktails, is now available to hire. The venue has undergone months of remodeling, creating a roof top terrace and adding floor to ceiling, retractable glass doors to make an indoor/outdoor space.

To celebrate the launch of the new venue, the museum is offering a spring special. For every booking received for dinners from now to November guests can enjoy a complimentary champagne package on HMAS Vampire, the museum's former Navy Daring class destroyer.

For all enquiries about the museum's venue spaces phone 9298 3625 or visit www.anmm.gov.au/venues.

 

Pyrmont-Ultimo winners in Sydney Business Awards

More than 600 guests attended the 2011 Sydney Business Awards Sep. 13 at the Westin, and three Pyrmont businesses won awards.
“I would like to congratulate all the winners of this year's Business Awards along with the hundreds of nominees, and thank them for their incredible contribution to the life of our fantastic city," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.

"It's really exciting to see such a diversity of successful small businesses celebrated in this year's program.”

Local entrepreneur Israel Lichterman of Bike Brain in Pyrmont won the Bicycle Business award.

"Bike riding is booming in Sydney and it's great to see so many businesses taking advantage of these new opportunities and growing their businesses in the city centre. "Bike Brain is a fantastic example of how a passion and an idea can be turned into a thriving small business."

Other local winners were Mark Tovbis, Randem Group, Marketing and Communications award and Dean Taylor, Cracks Wines for the Food and Beverage Retail award.
Local finalists included:

PYRMONT
Cabelo Culture- Sue Caires
CCORP- Fleur Maxwell-Garrett
Cracka Wines- Dean Taylor
Pyrmont Dental Health- Lisa Le
Pyrmont Point Hotel- Alex Lind
St.Frock- Nicole Dora

ULTIMO
AVS Networks- Nigel Burke
Best Buddies australia- Horatio O'Shea
Kabuku Public Relations- Belinda Dyer
Show Pony- Jane Lu
SiteSuite- Australasia- Grant Goodger

  

PUCC News September 2011

September Newsletter

   The Star prepares to shine

 

Sydney’s newest entertainment venue – The Star (formerly Star City) – will be opening on Thursday the 15^th of September will officially be open to the public from Friday 16 September.

Sydney’s one-of-a-kind entertainment redevelopment, The Star (formerly Star City), will officially open on Thursday 15 September from 6.30pm with a spectacular light and visual arts show.

 The Star will throw open the doors to its gleaming new expansion, that will include 20 new restaurants and bars, and a sophisticated retail area including a collection of leading luxury brands. The entire façade of The Star has been re-orientated to face the harbour and is set on an open promenade lining Sydney’s waterfront. 

The first restaurants set to open are Chef Stefano Manfredi’s Balla and chef Teage Ezard’s BLACK by ezard which opens to the public from Friday 16 September, as well as a new harbour facing cocktail bar, Cherry.  From mid-October 2011, The Star will also become home to David Chang’s Momofuku Seiōbo, Chase Kojima’s Sokyo, Sydney’s Cantonese institution Golden Century, Adriano Zumbo’s new patisserie and takeaway eatery Flying Fish and Chips.

Completing the $860 million redevelopment will be a new five-star lifestyle hotel The Darling, opening in late October, the first new build hotel since the Sydney Olympics. This imaginative hotel will offer 171 rooms and suites, panoramic views of Sydney, a day spa and a swimming pool with cabanas and outdoor bar.

 Performing to kick-start the celebrations are chart-toppers The Potbelleez on 15 September and Grinspoon on 16 September in The Star’s new live music bar, Rock Lily. 

 

 Pirrama Park finish for Spring Cycle 

Bicycle NSW is once again putting on the Spring Cycle event on Sunday 16 October. The event is now in its 28^th year and this year is part of the City of Sydney’s Sydney Rides Festival.

This year’s event will see the addition of a new, shorter City Ride designed to attract many more lifestyle and recreational bike riders as well as more families and kids. This 16km City Ride will feature many of the highlights of the traditional 55km City Ride including riding over the Harbour Bridge and through the Royal Botanic Gardens, before finishing at Pirrama Park, Pyrmont.

The Finish Site, Pirrama Park, will become a day-long community festival: the Pirrama Park Family Fun Bike Day http://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/11001-pirrama-park-family-bike-fun-day and will feature live entertainment, roving performers, interactive attractions for both kids and adults, food and refreshments and a market place. The event is open to the whole community – not simply to those who have ridden in the bike ride, and we are actively encouraging the whole community to come down and enjoy a great day out.

Businesses, organisations and community groups who would like to have a stand at the site are still sought, whether it be for sales, promotion, or running activities.

 

IGA Stores raise more than $10,000 for charity

IGA stores in Pyrmont, Waterloo and Haymarket and their customers have raised an impressive $10,700 for cancer research, aged care and a youth centre as part of the IGA Community Chest program this year.

Supa IGA Pyrmont raised $4,000 for the St Nicholas Home of The Age, while IGA X-Press Thaikee in Haymarket donated $3,300 to the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. Another $3,400 was given to PCYC South Sydney from IGA Waterloo’s Community Chest efforts.

The program sees a guaranteed percentage from every purchase of products displaying the Community Chest ticket collected by the stores.

At the end of each annual program, the accumulated funds are donated by the IGA stores back to their local communities – with local charities, sporting clubs and society’s to be the major beneficiaries of this year’s collections from IGA and their customers.

Commenting on the success of the program, IGA’s Retail Consultant for Sydney’s South CBD, Andrew Buik said “We are delighted with this year’s amazing result with the IGA Community Chest. Community groups and charities are facing difficult times and we are pleased to be able to continue to provide critical donations to give them extra assistance.”

 

An uplift for the Ultimo Community Centre

The Ultimo Community Centre will be more easily accessible for all when a faster, more energy efficient elevator is installed later this year.The existing lift, which has been in place for 15 years, is energy inefficient and has reached the end of its useful life.

 Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the City is committed to ensuring facilities are accessible for everyone and has a rigorous lift maintenance and renewals program.
"We want this important facility for the Ultimo community to remain safe and accessible to all, and so we have committed to replacing the lift and providing a new one," Ms Moore said.
"The City has received a number of service calls or reports of breakdown in the past 12 months from the Ultimo Community Centre so we decided it was time for change."
City of Sydney Director of City Projects Duncan Mitchell said the new elevator will be constructed off site and the existing lift will be removed to make way for the new one in December 2011. 
The new lift is expected to be fully operational by the end of January 2012.

 

Sydney's art to inspire first City Poet Laureate

Leading artists who were inspired by Sydney will in turn provide inspiration for Sydney's first City Poet, Kate Middleton.

The Canberra-born poet and musician was selected from 70 applications for the inaugural 12-month appointment, which is supported by Arts NSW in partnership with the UTS Centre for New Writing.

During her term as Sydney City Poet, Middleton will produce six "ekphrastic" poems based on iconic artworks and artists of Sydney, including work by Brett Whitely, Margaret Olley, Grace Cossington-Smith and Martin Sharp.

The term ekphrastic comes from the ancient Greek and specifically refers to a written representation of a visual artwork."Working in this tradition allows me to both render pictures into words and to reflect upon the ways artists have viewed the city they painted, said Middleton.

During her term as Sydney City Poet she will be based part time in the Creative Practices Area of the UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and will receive a stipend of $20,000 for the year, provided by Arts NSW .

Her role will also include delivering workshops and seminars to interested students, poets and the general public and providing mentoring to less experienced poets locally, regionally and nationally.

The Sydney City Poet is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW.

 

Sustainable Sydney community grants

To help realise Sustainable Sydney 2030, the City of Sydney is seeking applications for its Local Community Grants Program and Environmental Grants Program.

Non-profit organisations are invited to apply for one-off grants up to $5,000 for the Local Community Grants Program, and up to $10,000 for the Environmental Grants Program. Grants are given to provide support for community based projects, events, activities, services and resources occurring within the City of Sydney Local Government Area between 1 January and 30 September 2012.

The closing date for applications is 6pm Monday 19 September 2011. For guidelines, application forms or more information:

visit the City’s website www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/grants;

visit the City’s One Stop Shop at Town Hall House or any Neighbourhood Service Centre;

email This e-mail address is being