Dates For doing Feb Update

 

 Visit the calendar for updates

https://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html

CPPA Monthly Meeting 
Monday 9 Feb, 9 March 

3-4:30 pm Progress Hall, 197 Skye Pt Rd, Coal Point
contact cppasecretary@gmail.com

TASNG Meeting
Wednesday 11 Feb, 11 March 

5-6:30 The Hub,
97 The Boulevarde, Toronto

Progress Hall Open Day
Saturday 14 March

• Grow Me Instead weed display
• Native plants for sale
• Meet the members, join up
• Community conversations
• Cafe-style beverages and bites

Locals Landcaring -
Every Thursday 8am-11ish 

Check the Calendar for locations

Tools & training provided
Morning tea is always at 10am

• 29/1 Burnage
• 5/2 Gurranba
• 12/2 Stansfield- neet behind the hall
• 19/2 Puntei Creek 
• 26/2 Threlkeld
• 5/3 Kilibinbin
• 12/3 Hampton St link- Jabiru Street end
• 19/3 West Ridge
• 26/3 Burnage
• 2/4 Gurranba

Crocodile Point (TASNG)
1st &3rd Wed
8:30-10am. Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

Want to join Us?
Receive weekly emails about landcaring and what we will be doing, send a request to Ros cppalandcare@gmail.com

End-of-Year CPPA Volunteers, Members and Sponsors Lunch - Dec 18

Before the year winds down, we’re gathering to say thank you, to our Landcarers, Chronicle deliverers, members and sponsors who’ve all helped make our community a little more connected.

Join us for a friendly End-of-Year Lunch at Progress Hall, Thursday 18 December, 11am–12:30pm.

This year, the invitation is extended to all members and sponsors, a wonderful chance to catch up, see the new kitchen in action, share stories and enjoy local camaraderie.

It will be catered, with a $10 contribution towards the catering. 

Join in the $5 secret santa which always provides a laugh and plenty of festive spirit.

If you’ve been meaning to join the CPPA, drop by and fill out a form while you’re there, new faces are always welcome.

Please book your spot for the lunch by Monday 15 December to help with catering numbers. 

As we wrap up the year, we offer heartfelt thanks to every volunteer, neighbour and friend who’s helped nurture our bushland, brighten our hall and strengthen our community spirit. We couldn’t do it without you.

Dates for Doing

Visit the CPPA calendar to see what's happening at the Hall and where we are landcaring


CPPA Monthly Meeting 10 Aug
3:30-5pm Progress Hall 197 Skye Pt Rd- Members welcome

TASNG AGM
Wednesday 13 Aug
5-6:30 The Hub, 97 The Boulevarde.
All Welcome.

An Intro to Ethics Wedesday 27 Aug @ Progress Hall



Landcaring around the Reserves

Tools & techniques provided
Morning tea at 10am

• 31/7 Stansfield
• 7/8 Puntei Creek
• 14/8 Stansfield
• 21/8 Puntei Creek
• 28/8 Hampton St Link
• 2/9 West Ridge

Crocodile Point (TASNG)
1st &3rd Wed
8:30-10am. Meet under the Fennel Bay bridge

Want to join Us?
If you would like to receive weekly emails about where we are landcaring and what we will be doing? Email Ros cppalandcare@gmail.com

Catching Up with the Community

It’s been five months since the last Chronicle, the largest hiatus in the 29-year record of almost monthly production by this editor, and quite a bit has happened during the break. 

 Annual General Meetings were held by both Coal Point Progress Association (CPPA) and Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG), returning largely unchanged committees to continue undertaking community projects within the greater Toronto area. 

The Progress Hall kitchen renovation has been moving ahead at a pace dictated by availability and capacity of trades. The kitchen has arrived and is awaiting installation until the walls get gyprocked and painted and the uneven floor levelled and resurfaced.

I am once again thankful for the support and trust the CPPA Committee has shown in endorsing my long-term residency in presidency of the CPPA. I’ve been very fortunate indeed to have found a community cause that allows me to fulfil my “Why’, acting locally while thinking globally, being a part of a group which is endeavouring to protect what’s left of our beautiful and biodiverse bushland, and attempting to prevent the local extinction of threatened and familiar species, whilst supporting the community in their capacity to care for the bush and each other, by living smart and sustainably. 

Thirty years ago, climate change was ‘global warming’ and the impacts were unknown. Now we live with extreme weather events that are both visible and visceral. We are now also having to address another equally challenging existential threat, the loss of biodiversity. I believe that the CPPA, alongside TASNG, can support the community to navigate the changes needed so that our community and the local biodiversity can survive and thrive into the future.

If you’re new to the area, a big welcome, and if you’re wondering what this yellow paper in your letterbox is, a visit to the website will provide some historical context. There’s a little bit of recent CPPA and TASNG history over the page to save the searching. 

Congratulation to our newly elected councillors.

CPPA AGM outcomes

The CPPA AGM was held on 30/6/24 and the Committee was returned with the exception of Tony Dynon who retired from the CPPA committee.

It is with heartfelt thanks that Tony’s contribution is acknowledged and his support for the community through the CPPA recognised.

Tony has been an amazing contributor to the CPPA for 24 years. He was Treasurer 2001-2005, and 2009, Vice President 2006-2008, and an active committee member since 2011, taking on the newsletter coordination from 2018-2022.

Tony has a voice of calm reason with a problem-solving mind, a willingness to be where he was needed and do what he could do, and always supportive of community projects.

The CPPA thanks Tony for being at the meetings, the working bees, the art shows, the trash n treasures, all the social events and for keeping the books balanced, the newsletters delivered and the fire safety checks delivered on time.

Petition- pedestrian

Local resident Matt Hutchinson has started a petition “Implement Footpaths in Coal Point, Carey Bay, and Kilaben Bay for Safer Commuting”

The request is simple - we need footpaths. They are not just a convenience but a necessity for safety, accessibility and promoting a healthy lifestyle within our community.

https://www.change.org/p/implement-footpaths-in-coal-point-carey-bay-and-kilaben-bay-for-safer-commuting

Walkers – ½ to ¾ Hr a month

Do you like to walk around the neighbourhood? Got a pet pooch that likes to take you for a walk?

Do you have 30-45 minutes once a month or so to help letterbox ‘The yellow Chronicle’ locally?

The CPPA needs a few community-minded people to assist in distributing our wholly & solely locally produced, non-chatGPT written Chronicle.

A few of our very regular, long-time walkers have retired, we need a few extra walkers to help share the load from those that do multiple routes, and we need some standbys when folks go on holidays.

If you have the capacity and inclination Nico would enjoy talking with you about which areas need assistance. Nico cppavicepresident@gmail.com, 0418 967 158

CPPA Annual General Meeting 30/6/24 ,Online 2-3pm,

 

The Coal Point Progress Association(CPPA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) is being held on Sunday 30 June, 2-3pm online via zoom.

Please register to attend by clicking on the registration link.

If you would like to volunteer and be a part of the committee and are a financial member of the CPPA please complete a nomination form  and send to cppasecretary@gmail.com by 23/6/24.

The AGM will be as efficient as possible with core business being the receipt of the  annual reports, financial report and election of the committee for the upcoming year.

The Agenda

1. Acknowledgement of Country
2. Attendance & Apologies
3. Confirmation of minutes of previous meeting held 19/6/23
1. Motion that the minutes of the meeting held 19/6/23 are a true and accurate record.
4. Annual Reports
• President
• Landcare
• Hall
1. Questions about reports
2. Motion: That the annual reports be accepted.  
5. Treasurer's Report
1. Questions to the Treasurer
2. Motion: That the Treasurer's report be accepted
6. Nomination of Returning Officer to conduct election
7. Election of Office Bearers and upto 6 other Committee members
1. President
2. Vice President
3. Treasurer
4. Secretary
5. upto 6 committee members
8. Confirmation of Suzanne Pritchard as Public Officer
9. Committee meeting times
10. Meeting close

Membership renewal and an invitation to Join

As the end of the year approaches, it is the time that we ask members to renew their membership for the new year. The Progress Association presently has over 170 members. It is to serve our members that keeps the Association going. Membership subscriptions, our newsletter sponsor’s support and donations help keep the Association alive.

Our current major expense centres around repairing considerable termite damage at our hall. The repairs have provided the opportunity to significantly upgrade kitchen facilities, which will make the hall a valuable community resource, not only for small group activities but also increasing our capacity to effectively host community socials and utilise the hall as a cool space during extreme weather.

For new members, an application form is also available on our website. Our membership fees are $8 per year for an individual, or $13 for a household (defined as people living at the same address, whether a family or not). Five-year memberships are $32 and $52. The fees can easily be paid by a bank transfer to our account with Newcastle Permanent Building Society.

If you’re a member and would like to support the Association an easy thing to do is invite your neighbour to join up. And thanks to those members who have already renewed their membership.

Here's a CPPA Membership form 

CPPA Treasurer – Harvey Mitchell

Progress Patter

Another event stymied

It was with excitement that the registrations for the Simtable session seem to fill in record time and then there was a flash of deja-vu.

The last time such enthusiasm for a CPPA event was seen was for the collaborative housing workshop in 2020. Alas both these events were sabotaged. All the tickets snapped up in under 24 hours so that those with an interest couldn’t express interest.

Both events ended with some disappointment from the organisers and special guests who had invested their time to prepare and attend.

The sessions went ahead with considerably reduced numbers. It is indeed disappointing that the ‘anti-progress avenger’ is undermining attempts to provide our community with opportunities to explore options for our future in a climate changing world.

The image is what accompanied the bogus bookings.

Progress Hall maintenance coordinator wanted

Are you a handy-person with an eye for what needs to be done to keep a building in tip top condition for community use? The CPPA is looking for a volunteer to guide the maintenance program for our Hall. The job involves working out what jobs need to be done and together we work out how they’ll get done. Get in touch with Suzanne for more info.

Car Boot Catch Up Wrap Up

It was a glorious sunny day, the 40 car-booters rolled onto Puntei Park and seamlessly set up their displays, the sausages sizzled and the coffee van brewed. There were bargains to be had, conversations a plenty and it was indeed a community catchup.

Thank you to all who participated and visited.

Feedback from the day was it would have been nice to have more people attend the event and the location was hard to find, but overall a great event worth doing again, and TASNG and CPPA are indeed thinking about that prospect.

 

The Car Boot Catch-Up has more than 30 car boots and..

Registrations close noon  28/10/22   more information is here

There are lots of parking options around Puntei park perimeter,  and the grounds are dry enough and big enough to accommodate the car-booter's vehicles. Council has mown the grass and cleaned the toilets too. The landcare crew have weeded the Excelsior Parade entrance...all set for a super Sunday.

TASNG with the support of funding from LMCC are providing entertainment from Party Chameleon who’ll have their brushes and paints at the ready from 9-12 to transform anyone who is prepared to sit down long enough. Earthen Rhythms who love Drum, Dance & Rhythm will be offering a fully interactive hands-on Djembe event from 10:30 to 11:30.

The Toronto Men’s Shed have been wonderful supporters of the CPPA. They’ve built us some very large cutlery and many a nest box for our local threatened population of Squirrel Gliders, they’ve also repurposed a cupboard for our community library at the hall. The Men’s Shed is open on Tuesday and Thursday 8:30am- 2:30pm and is safe place where men of all ages are able to meet for fellowship, social interaction and manual pursuits.

 

The Lions have been serving Australians for 75 years and this milestone was recently celebrated with a wonderful planting day at Gurranba Reserve, which is looking very spiffy after a month of attention preparing for the planting. Lions are ordinary people doing extraordinary things - supporting people with a disability, community greening, fundraising for worthwhile causes. The celebratory planting event was capped off with a BBQ that has become synonymous with the Lions. You can acquaint yourself with the Lions crew at the Car Boot Catch-Up. 

The Toronto Community Centenary Hub, 97 The Boulevade, is supported by Lions and offers a range of community activities that includes computer, phone and tablet tutoring, Tai Chi, Seniors Social Group, a thriving Community Garden as well as CatholicCare Community kitchen, where a free hot meal and refreshments are provided each Thursday to those in need. Community Garden members will be growing interest at the Car Boot Catch-up. 

The Classic Boatworks Crew (aka Lake Macquarie Classic Boat Association) are interested in building and restoring small boats, particularly those made of timber. They undertake their craftsmanship at their boatshed in Rathmines on a site on the historic Catalina base. They will be very happy to share their restorative enthusiasm at the car Boot Catch-up. 

Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie are a team of highly trained volunteers, whose time is spent manning the radio base at Swansea Heads on a 24 hour schedule, every day of the year. Their rescue vessels, berthed at Pelican, are manned during daylight hours with night-time rescues arranged by the radio crews on a call-out basis. Two rescue boats and one jetski are currently in their fleet to help our Lake users, and the boat will be on display. You can have a chat and thank them for keeping us all safe on the Lake at the Car Boot Catch-Up. 

What’s a tiny forest and where is it? Who are ReLeaf Lake Mac and what do they do? Answers to all these questions will be shared by the Five Bays Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (SNG), the group’s area encompasses the suburbs surrounding Cockle Bay, Awaba Bay, Kooroora Bay, Fennell Bay and Edmunds Bay. The Five Bay SNG are also the driving force behind the PamperCare project that accepts donations of personal care and pantry products for locals who are doing it tough or sleeping rough. You can donate toiletries or canned food at the Car Boot Catch-Up

The Car Boot Catch-Up Crew will also be supporting Survivor’s R Us, a not-for-profit charity and benevolent institution that supports the fight against domestic violence, homelessness and unemployment. They are based at Cardif. You can make a donation towards Christmas hampers for those in need at the Car Boot Catch-Up.

At the Car Boot Catch-up you’ll get the chance to discuss what climate change resilience in our area might look like. LMCC’s Climate Crusaders Neale Farmer and John Gilbert are currently conducting community conversations from Toronto to Teralba.

Do you think sea level rise will be a local issue? What will happen on the Carey Bay floodplain when it floods? What about bushfire management in our reserves? Will threatened species survive in our diminishing increasingly fragmented bushland? Will it be important to grow food locally? So many questions and still time to nut out some solutions.

As the impacts of our changing climate are becoming ever present planning for our local future starts with local conversations.

St Joseph’s Primary School, Kilaben Bay have booked a space to share their school’s unique character and charm. You can catch up with members of the St Joseph’s community and find out what makes their school tick. 

The Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group will be collecting fabric at the Car Boot Catch-Up to support the Make & Mend Space at the Toronto Library. This sewing initiative is about reducing the amount of fabric going to landfill and will kick off in a dedicated space at the library on Saturday mornings in 2023. 

TASNG volunteers will assist with the set up and pack up and the sewing people will be making up bags, and anything else that reuses fabric. If you can’t wait till next year to get sewing, every Tuesday morning there is a Sew Together group that meets socially 9:30-11:30 at the Library; contact Keiran at the library to find out more.

The local Landcare crew will be lolling about at the Car Boot Catch-up with a Treasure Hunt handout for the young and interested to encourage exploration of the Endangered Ecological Community – Swamp Oak forest Flood plain Forest. The team are very happy to talk about any of the local reserves, and assist in identifying any plants you’d like to bring along. 

TASNG has successfully applied to establish a new Landcare site in Toronto, called Crocodile Point (at Fennel Bay bridge, on the western side of Cary St, opposite the Lions' Park). 

This new project is based on the need for us all to play a part in keeping our beautiful lake healthy. Caring for the shoreline of our lake is an integral part of that exercise, and to that end we will be working every first and third Wednesday of the month between 8:30 and 10:00. 

We will be getting rid of rubbish and weeds, encouraging native vegetation and generally maintaining ‘The Point’ so that birdlife thrives (especially our shore birds), fish nurseries flourish, and a living wetland can be sustained. 

If you would like to do some Landcare, regularly or just casually; or visit Crocodile Point and have a quick tour, you will be most welcome - call Lois on 49595863.
And finally, "why Crocodile Point?", I hear you ask. Well, I don't know - why not?

The Great Southern Bioblitz is happening over the weekend of the Car Boot Catch-Up 28-31 October and we’ll be trying to capture as much of the local biodiversity across Puntei Creek Reserve and our other bushland reserves as we can. This information provides a snapshot of spring across three continents.

The Lake Mac BioBlitz coordinators have a couple of additional suggestions to assist in finding more species.

• 5 on Friday -document five species on Friday 28 October
• moth night- set up a white sheet one evening and record moth species
• shake a tree -put a sheet under a tree and give it a shake and record what insects fall off
• listen and see - upload an audio, something you have never seen before and something you have

The iNaturalist website and phone app connect you to expert scientists and other naturalists from around the world, and lets you collect observations that contribute to biodiversity science. You can explore observations from Lake Macquarie and the world and get help to identify plants and animals.To participate sign up to iNaturalist and join the Great Southern Bioblitz 2022 Lake Mac City project.

Give your spring clean out collection another life!

 

All the details of the Car Boot Catch-Up are here.

You can register to secure your spot here.

Car Boot Catch-up Registration Open

As plans and details get firmed up the information will be updated on the Car Boot Catch-Up page.

On Sunday 30 October, between 8am and noon, the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG) and Coal Point Progress Association (CPPA) are hosting the Car Boot Catch-Up, a community event to meet your neighbours, have fun and put into practice some of TASNG’s aims, to recycle and reuse unwanted household items (This is not a market for new items).

The Car Boot Catch-Up also aims to support local community groups and businesses to showcase their activities and services. There will be face painting and a drumming workshop, plenty of room to fly a kite and have a picnic.

LOCATION

The venue will be Puntei Park (The Old Pony Club) at Carey Bay, bounded by Excelsior Parade and Hampton Street, a great expanse of parkland with some special bushland bits to explore with a Landcare Treasure Hunt

COST

If you are already a member of TASNG the $5 fee secures your spot.

If you are not a member of TASNG the registration fee provides you with membership to TASNG which includes Public Liability Insurance coverage for this event. You will be required to sign the membership form on the day.

REGISTRATION

To book your spot visit the registration page.

By paying the registration fee you are agreeing to the Terms & Conditions of the Car Boot Catch-Up

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

If you would like to volunteer to assist on the day or with the planning please get in touch with Nico via TASNG, torontoareasng@gmail.com.

Progress Patter

We’ve got a new hall coordinator!

Welcome and thank you to Cath Fairs for stepping up and into the role of the Progress Hall Coordinator, who looks after the Hall bookings and oversees the needs of the Hall.

The role is a perfect fit for Cath. She has lived in Coal Point for the past 12 years and introduced herself as having “a small business located in Toronto, as a Social worker, providing counselling. My professional and personal values mean that connection with the community is important to me, as is access to spaces that bring people together.”

 
We’re super excited to have Cath join the CPPA team. To celebrate we have set up a page on our website so you can see what the hall looks like, the fees and the hall hire conditions, in case you’re looking for a local venue to gather in.  

Many thanks to Judy, our retiring hall coordinator, who has been doing an outstanding job over the past 12 months, setting up systems and keeping the hall hirers happy. We wish you well in your next adventure.

Groups currently use the hall for yoga, music, art, Tai Chi, Zumba, Pilates and sewing. The online calendar has details. 

Expanded Chronicle distribution

Sincere thanks to the wonderful locals and ACF who have together provided $600 of generous donations to allow us to keep distributing the Chronicle to Kilaben Bay and more of Toronto. At $120/edition for the extras we’ve now got a few more months of expanded distribution up our sleeve.

You can support the ongoing distribution by becoming a member of CPPA or TASNG, give us a ring, or donate at https://www.givenow.com.au/toronto-foreshore-protection

Art & an AGM - Sunday 26 June

If you’re going to attend an Annual General Meeting (AGM) you may as well have beautiful Art to admire while contemplating the annual report.

This year’s AGM to be held on Sunday 26 June will not only provide an opportunity to reflect on the happenings of the Coal Point Progress Association but also an occasion to view and purchase some of the painted ponderings of the Coal Point Art Collective, a local group of artists who gather weekly at the hall for artistic fellowship.

The art work will be on display throughout the day, so you can come along and look at the art, maybe join the CPPA and hang around for the AGM from 2-3pm, then enjoy a social afternoon tea. There will be more details in the June Chronicle.

The agenda for the AGM will be

1. Welcome- Traditional custodians acknowledged
2. Attendance & Apologies
3. Review of Actions from Previous minutes
4. Confirmation of minutes of previous Annual General Meeting held 20/6/21
5. President’s Report 
6. Treasurer’s Report
7. Questions to the Committee/Motions
8. Appointment of Auditor
9. Nomination of Returning Officer
10. Election of Office Bearers and up to 6 other Committee members
11. Confirmation of Public Officer
12. Close of meeting.

If you would like to nominate to be on the Committee, please get in touch with one of the Committee for a chat or lodge a nomination form. You can use the Get In Touch form on the right hand side of the webpage, or email cppasecretary @gmail.com.

Sustaining our environment and connecting community…the CPPA’s mission

It’s time to join the CPPA. With all the new and long-term members in the
community it would be wonderful to have your support for our local organisation which has been woven into the community fabric since its establishment in 1946.

The CPPA exists to sustain our local bushland and keep our community connected. The former is achieved through a long-standing and very active Landcare group undertaking environmental projects and the latter by encouraging community spirit through community education and engagement, hosting events (when possible) and producing the Chronicle.

In addition, the CPPA maintains the upkeep of our hall at 197 Skye Point Road which the founding members built in 1951 after purchasing the land. Over the past decade there have been many grant-funded renovations to improve sustainability and all-season comfort in the community space - such as underfloor insulation, rainwater harvesting for toilets, solar panels and air-con - to the point where electricity costs are now minimal. The hall, which includes a kitchen, stage and sprung floor, is available for hire at very reasonable rates. The Hall coordinator has the details.

The CPPA collaborates with like-minded organisations within the broader Toronto area and has a close working relationship with the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG), with which our core values are intimately aligned. In the past we have had a joint membership process. However, memberships will now be managed separately. This is because any person who wishes to join TASNG must now complete a once-off membership form, the TASNG membership year is based on the financial year (whereas the CPPA’s is a calendar year) and membership categories are different.

Now is a time to make a small investment in our local community to help us keep connected and care for our local bushland which is doing a great job in providing us with a calming and nurturing backdrop to our daily lives as well as a space to recreate.

Committee members are available to endorse any applications to join the CPPA which are $8/individual and $13/household and have 1 and 5 year renewal options.

CPPA Membership Application & Renewal forms 

Form to download or Online form with payment
(we need a few details when you are joining)

or 

if you are renewing, we already have your details

Individual renewal      Household renewal

TASNG Membership Application

TASNG membership form- $5/individual 

Best wishes from us all

 

TASNG, CPPA, local landcare and the TAG team are all having a well earned break over summer.

2022 Back to Business

17 Jan CPPA Meeting

3:30-5:30 Progress Hall-197 Skye Pt Rd. All Welcome

9 Feb TASNG meeting

5-6:30 The Hub, 97 The Boulevarde

Tools & techniques supplied.

Morning tea at 10am with plant ID advisory session

• 6/1 Hampton St Link (near Carey Bay Cellars)
• 13/1 West Ridge
• 20/1 Hampton St Link
• 27/1 West Ridge
• 3/2 Yarul
• 10/2 Threlkeld
• 17/2 Burnage
• 24/2 Killibinbin

Want to join Us?

If you would like to receive weekly emails about where we are landcaring and what we will be doing contact Lois cppalandcare@gmail.com

There's more information about the local Landcare program here.