Annual President's Report- Suzanne Pritchard

The print friendly report can be downloaded here.

A Commendable & committed Committee

The Progress Association Committee met 11 times throughout the year to discuss the business of the association and progress projects.

The committee is

• Suzanne Pritchard - President-Secretary, Public Officer
• John Gill - Treasurer
• Robyn Gill- Committee - Landcare
• Tony Dynon- Committee - Hall
• Ian Dennison- Committee

Awesome Achievements

On 11/10/15 the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission officially registered the CPPA as a charity for advancing the natural environment and purposes beneficial to the general public and analogous to other charitable purpose. This milestone has reinstated the charitable status of the Association that had lapsed. Charitable status will enable the CPPA to pursue additional avenues for funding the association’s activities.

Several grant applications were written to undertake projects at Progress Hall, a community owned asset. The CPPA successfully secured $19,993 funding from the Community Building Partnership Program for the project ‘Safe & Sustainable solutions to ensure Progress Hall’s survival’. Solar panels, rainwater tanks, roof renewal and WHS friendly chairs and trolleys will refurbish Progress Hall and minimise the costs associated with maintaining the hall.

The CPPA entered the NSW Regional Achievement & Community Awards under the

Peabody Energy Environment & Landcare category and won the award. The recognition of the local landcare effort was celebrated in the same week as the 20 years of local’s landcaring was commemorated. The award provided $2500 towards the Association’s activities.

The Progress Association made formal submissions on The Lake Macquarie Squirrel Glider Planning and Management Guidelines and The Draft Hunter Regional Plan.

Correspondence with LMCC focussed on seeking clarification on the recreational uses on the Pony Club-Hampton Street Reserve and the removal of trees under the 10/50 code.

Community communication

There were eight editions of the Coal Point Chronicle produced in the past year distributed to 1500 local residences and emailed to a distribution list of 219 members, supporters, media, local councillors, State and Federal representatives. The Chronicle continues to be well received and makes a significant contribution to sharing local events and maintaining community connectedness. The monthly summary of development applications, DA’s in Play, provides a valuable community service in alerting locals to changes in the community that they can comment upon.

The Progress Association’s Facebook page has 49 likes, up from 30 at this time last year. A dedicated social media strategy and regular postings of local activities will be needed if this communication channel is to be a success.

The Chronicle also makes a significant contribution to the Associations’ finances through the sponsorship of spaces promoting local businesses. Sincere thanks are given to our long term sponsors, many who have been supporters for over 10 years: Just Jude Hair Salon, Matthew Cook Plumbing, Ross McGrath Electrical, Westlakes Trophies, Framing & Engraving, Carey Bay Cellars, Lake Mac Print, RA Mackay Yacht Brokerage and The Jetty Man. Over the past few years regular sponsorship has been appreciated from Triggs Motors, Toronto Dry Cleaners, Harris Wheeler Lawyers, Shields Auto Repairs and Burrells Landscape supplies. Sincere thanks are also given to those sponsors who have short-term spaces that provide them with a vehicle to promote their services in the local community.

This year over 202 hours went in to the production and distribution of the Chronicle through the considerable volunteer efforts of many. Many thanks to the Chronicle Crew, Chris Marcar, Clare Whittaker, Dianne Onslow, Heather McRae, Hetty Fedley, Ian Dennison, Jenell Heslop, John Gill, John Johnson, John Smith, John Whittaker, Lois Simpson, Nico Marcar, Nicole Haigh, Pamela Amos, Robyn Gill, Robyn Steiner, Roly James, Steve Dewar, Sue Burrough, Suzanne Pritchard, Tony Dynon and Wendy Cheek.

Activities of the Association

The past year has provided multiple opportunities to support local interest in the community and share the Progress Association’s achievements. Following is a summary of the activities undertaken

• 17/4/16 - National Tree Day community planting at Carey Bay Wetlands saw 260 Dianella planted by 9 people.
• 6/4/16 - Asset protection burn at Stansfield Close Reserve undertaken by Fire & Rescue NSW and the RFS. CPPA support in monitoring the effects of the burn will provide useful data on the impact of medium-high intensity burns.
• April 2016 - Support provided to the Residents for Responsible Lakeside Development to advocate for a more appropriate development than that proposed by DA410/2016 at 2 Brighton Av to 131-133 Excelsior Pd.
• 20/11/15 - The 20 Years On Trivia Tournament attracted 50 people and $1500 of prizes from sponsors.A great social community event.
• 12/11/15 - BBQ to celebrate 20th Anniversary of locals landcaring in the community. A well deserved commemoration of years of perspiration.
• November - 2015- Community input sought for a name for the Pony club/Hampton St Reserve at Carey Bay
• 14/11/15 - Award Ceremony NSW Regional Achievement and Community Awards-
  
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• Stalls were staffed at local community events and presentation given to interested groups:
• 19/9/15 Toronto Garden club-1hr presentation about the project
• 17/10/15 Greater Toronto Spring Fair-Display stall shared by Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group- Hairy Clairy sales
• 7/11/15- Coal Point Public School fete- display stall including plants for sale
• 9/2/16 - Hollows for Habitat Forum- 20 minute presentation on nestbox installation
  
• 5/3/16- Presentation to Central Coast landcare-Bushcare forum on the Progress Association’s landcare efforts of the past 20 years.
• 26/3/16 - The Lake Mac Heritage Festival –display and native plants for sale shared by Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group

The Threatened Species Last Stand on the Coal Point Peninsula project also provided multiple opportunities for locals to be active. These are reported on separately in the project report.

The CPPA continues to develop a strong partnership with the Toronto Area Sustainable Group (TASNG) through supporting and promoting their activities and assisting with membership renewals and collaborating on funding applications such as the Tossers Can Be Binners and Community Building Partnerships Pedestrian Paving options projects.

Thankyou to our Members and Volunteers

The Progress Association is indebted to all the volunteers who give their time and talents for the greater community welfare and the members whose support is vital for the organisation to be able to represent community views.

Sincere thanks to all the volunteers who provide support for the Association in managing hall bookings, hall maintenance, newsletter distribution, social events, catering, photography, excel spread sheet mastery, data collection and collation, providing local insights, professional expertise and landcaring.

A special vote of thanks goes to Robyn Gill for her sterling effort in coordinating the landcare program and maintaining the reserve folders over the past decade and enabling the transition to the role being shared.