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Pittwater Council Annual Report - Pittwater Council - NSW ...

Pittwater Council Annual Report - Pittwater Council - NSW ...

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Section 2 - Statutory StatementsCommunity Asset Management - cont.Public Open Space and Bushland ReservesIn comparison to other local government areas in Sydney, <strong>Pittwater</strong> contains extensive areas of open spaceand bushland. The area of land zoned open space in <strong>Pittwater</strong> is approximately 629ha, excluding that partof Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park comprising 4,295ha which is within the <strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Council</strong> area.As a result, <strong>Pittwater</strong> is home to abundant native fauna, including over 30 threatened species.An important natural attribute of <strong>Pittwater</strong> is its bushland reserves. During 2008-2009, maintenance andimprovement projects were carried out in bushlands and wetlands, in particular Warriewood Wetlands,Narrabeen Creek, Irrawong and Careel Bay. Over 440ha of bushland including headlands and wetlands aremanaged to conserve the biodiversity of the <strong>Pittwater</strong> area, with over 100km of walking tracks that enablepublic access through reserves. In addition, bushfire hazards and risk were managed at over 40 sites acrossthe local area.Improved pedestrian access has been provided over the last 12 months with the construction of tracks andboardwalks, in particular upgrades along the Bicentennial Coastal Walkway including South Bilgola. The<strong>Council</strong>’s newly upgraded Coastal Environment Centre (CEC) continues to provide environmental educationprograms with over 14,000 visitors this year. The CEC also assists volunteers to promote environmentalawareness and community stewardship of its natural environment.A diverse range of native trees and shrubs has been retained in <strong>Pittwater</strong> despite continued developmentsince the early 1960s. Vegetation retention is predominantly as a result of the community being awareof the importance and value of indigenous vegetation. Over 30 different vegetation communities occur in<strong>Pittwater</strong> including 8 endangered ecological communities. The <strong>Council</strong> has a policy of retaining canopy treeswith over 2,000 planted on public land this year. On private property, there is a problem of the canopy treesageing with few young trees naturally regenerating.<strong>Pittwater</strong> is renowned for its beautiful coastline and extensive beach reserves, which cover an area inexcess of 60ha. Maintenance performed by <strong>Council</strong> at beaches includes cleaning of beaches, toilets,showers and rockpools, grass mowing and pool and carpark maintenance. Landscape improvements arealso undertaken at various locations.<strong>Council</strong> recently developed a number of regional parks such as Winnererremy Bay Reserve, BilarongReserve and Governor Phillip Park. Development of these reserves has created hugely popular communitydestinations for both local residents and visitors alike. As a result, maintenance of these areas has had tobe intensified to cope with the kinds of use and large increases in visitor numbers.<strong>Pittwater</strong> <strong>Council</strong> maintains approximately 40 hectares of sportsgrounds. Broad area turf maintenance,linemarking and the seasonal preparation of playing fields for different sporting codes are some of theactivities undertaken.General reserves maintenance, including the upkeep of public gardens, children’s play areas and picnicgrounds, is a high priority for <strong>Council</strong>.During the financial year, the following upgrades were carried out:• Rowland Reserve - foreshore protection incorporating improved environmental habitat• Bilarong Reserve - biketrack, shade structure over playground plus additional picnic furniture• Dunbar Park - new playground equipment• Avalon Skatepark - upgrade commenced• North Narrabeen Rock Pool - improved access• Waterview Street, Mona Vale - new foreshore reserve• Sportsground irrigation improvement at Porters Reserve and <strong>Pittwater</strong> Rugby Park• New community centre at Spurway Park, Newport• Major streetscape improvements at Newport Village Centre• Bush regeneration and track upgrades at a number of bushland reserves• Ongoing partnership with Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre• New lighting - Warriewood Sports Ground improvements to increase utilisation• Plans of management progressed for Kitchener Park (Mona Vale), Bayview Park, Church Point Reserveand Governor Philip Park (Palm Beach)22

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