Pittwater Life May 2024 Issue

4.55(2) modification, given the extent of changes requested. Council
understands that the applicant is now in the process of obtaining
the necessary information. We remain confident this matter can
be resolved with a positive outcome for the venue and the community.”
We’ll update you next month.
* * *
Don’t get too excited yet, but Council says it is currently
finalising the terms of a lease with a prospective tenant for
the restaurant and café space at Avalon Surf Life Saving Club.
The deal is being handled by Upstate Real Estate. Also heard –
Council has knocked back prospective tenders for the Flying
Fox Café at Bayview and will “seek submissions from suitably
qualified agents with a track record of comparable leasing
deals in the local area” to help find the iconic local cafe a new
operator.
ABSURD…
Still focusing on the poor maintenance of Pittwater green
spaces… Pittwater Life has been keeping tabs on the new
Yarning Circle at Mona Vale Hospital since its opening around
two years ago. The space occupies a central position on the
campus, with gardens, paths, trees and a covered children’s
playground. Our eyebrows were first raised when the trees
were left unwatered over several months. They died. (They’re
still there… see? The feeble stick things.) Over time, weeds
became the dominant species in the gardens. On occasions we
saw a worker tending the space – but the extent of his care was
to whipper-snip the weeds to ground level (pictured). Could
not have done less! So when we revisited again last month we
were surprised to observe a Bushlink crew – supervisor, two
paid workers and
participants – pulling
up the Yarning
Circle’s weeds. The
supervisor told us
Bushlink – which assists
individuals with
disabilities to participate
in work programs – had won a tender by the hospital to
deliver eight sessions to clean up the space. Hmm. Outsourcing
maintenance to fix a problem created by an employee/contractor?
Surely not. We reached out to Northern Sydney Local
Health District; a spokesperson told us: “Mona Vale Hospital
directly employs a gardener to maintain the hospital grounds
and is currently recruiting a new gardener following a recent
resignation. While the recruitment
process continues, the
hospital has contracted a local
landscaping company, which
assists people living with a disability,
to attend to the gardens
of the hospital’s Yarning Circle.
The Mona Vale Hospital site
has a large campus to maintain,
and at times an external
landscaping contractor does
assist the hospital gardener
with the maintenance. Once the
gardener position is filled, they
can continue to attend to the
requirements of the garden.”
Wow. No wonder the State
Government is struggling for
money everywhere.
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MAY 2024 41