CPPA Committee September update

Your CPPA committee has been busy keeping the community connected and the bush cared for.

On the money front, our rates rebate came through thanks to LMCC and some tireless advocacy, a real relief for our finances. Insurance with Landcare NSW has also been renewed, giving us peace of mind while we get on with the work. A grant writing workshop added fresh skills to our toolkit so we can chase more funding for projects.

At Progress Hall, improvements are on the way. Plans are forming for better disability access and bathroom renovations. The gutters are cleared, and some sagging insulation removed, though not before a ringtail possum moved in. A new nest box has been installed to give it a proper home.

Landcare continues to shine, with several sunny days and the Origin grant supporting Stansfield Reserve’s recovery. Rabbits have been identified as a challenge at Threlkeld Reserve, and the eastern part of Coal Point, while Cath’s tawny frogmouths were spotted again, albeit with-out chicks this season.

Ideas are bubbling for future gatherings, 80th Anniversary celebrations with music and dance, holiday programs, with grants to help bring in the right people to run them.

If you've got some thoughts on any of the above get in touch cppasecretary@gmail.com

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

Locals doing local things very locally and CPPA AGM

The Coal Point Progress Association (CPPA) has been around since 1946 and built our community-owned hall in 1951 as a community space. Throughout these 77 years, local volunteer members of the community have been moving and shaking to ensure services are delivered and that our area receives an equitable share of of expenditure on Council rates.

Volunteers have hosted events to create social connection such as Art & Flower Shows, Trash & Treasure Sales, and a Science Week event. Landcarers have been contributing efforts every week to protect the integrity of our unique local environment, home to several threatened species. Members have been maintaining our hall with regular working bees and undertaking sustainability-inspired renovations. All of this to support the cohesion of and maintain character of our bushland community.

On Monday 19th June, 7-8pm, the Annual General Meeting of the CPPA is being held online. The time and format have been chosen to better enable any community members who would like to be involved in the organisation but who have been prevented from participating previously, to attend. If there is interest in the later meeting time the new committee can discuss a suitable time to meet. The AGM Agenda was publicised in the May Chronicle and can be viewed here and below.

The nature of volunteering has changed over the years of the CPPA’s existence. As gender no longer defines work options, and work becomes more flexible people’s interest in volunteering has also changed. The CPPA is keen to enhance opportunities for community members to volunteer.

Whilst the majority of the current committee have expressed interest in renominating, new faces and new ideas would be very welcome. On our committee wish list are people to assist in organising social events that utilise the hall and a hall maintenance coordinator. The latter role has been carried out by Ian Dennison who is standing down from the committee. We’re also on the lookout for a volunteer auditor to review our annual accounts.

To attend the AGM please register via zoom

Agenda of Annual General Meeting of the CPPA

Monday 19th June , 7pm via Zoom

1. Acknowledgement of Country
2. Attendance & Apologies
3. Confirmation of minutes of Annual General Meeting held 26/6/22
4. Review of actions from previous AGM
5. Motion: To amend the Constitution Part 2- Membership, Section 8 to read: 
   A member of the association must pay to the association an annual membership fee. The amount of the fee will be determined by the committee from time to time.
   For existing members, the fee for each financial year is due by 31 March of that year. For new applicants the fee is due on application to join the association, but where an application is approved after 1 October the fee paid will cover the balance of the current year plus the full following year.
6. President’s Report
7. Treasurer’s Report
8. Questions to the Committee/Motions
9. Appointment of Auditor
10. Nomination of Returning Officer
11. Election of Office Bearers and up to 6 other Committee members
12. Confirmation of Public Officer
13. Close of meeting

A nomination form is available for financial members to join the Committee

So what does the Coal Point Progress Association do? 

Here are some excerpts from the annual report which will be formally presented at the AGM.

Thank you to our Members and Volunteers

The Progress Association is indebted to all the volunteers who give their time and skills to undertake community projects and to the members, whose support is vital for the organisation to be able to represent community views.

To all the volunteers who are the backbone of the CPPA thank you for managing hall bookings, undertaking hall maintenance, distributing newsletters, supporting social events, sharing photographs, massaging data, providing local insights, proffering professional expertise and landcaring our biodiverse bushland.

Thank you to the members of the community who have donated dollars to support our various activities; the Toronto Lions for their support of our kitchen repairs, the donors who give regularly to ensure the Chronicle can continue to be more widely distributed, and those that add a few extra dollars with their membership, it is very much appreciated.

Progress Hall

The Hall bookings are coordinated by Cath Fairs who has made the job her own and added promotional flair to the position.

We have had a number of new one-off hires, including a wedding. We have also had some success with the hall being used for workshop-based activities such as Yoga/mindfulness, whole day sessions and a TAFE group.

We have lost two long-term hirers for a variety of reasons. One was due to an increase in business, requiring them to access a larger hall. The positive feedback from the hirer was that the hall is a great location to trial or set up an emerging based group or activity. The other was because the hall did not meet their needs. The hirer felt that a regular cleaning service for the hall is needed, which does not fit within our current budget and is likely to be more expensive than the revenue-generated from hiring.

Minimal advertising for hall hire has occurred during the second half of the financial year, due to repairs being undertaken in the hall, which runs the risk of impacting on the usability of the hall for some hirers. An advertising campaign to promote hall usage will be undertaken once hall renovations have been finalised or plans formalised.

Though our application for a Community Building Partnerships grant to improve storage, renovate the bathrooms to improve accessibility and address the discovery of a rather significant termite infestation was unsuccessful, we were successful in applying for a smaller $8000 donation from the Eraring Site Community Support program using the fully-scoped proposal we had prepared.

Ian Dennison and a trusty band of volunteers, identified the scope of the termite damage in the kitchen and have prepared the area for the professionals to perform their magic.

The landcare team have recently planted the roadside bank in front of the hall with natives -Lomandra, pigface and a prostrate Banksia - to reduce the need for maintenance mowing on steep slopes, next to Skye Point Road.

The CPPA changed energy providers from Powershop (which had been taken over by Shell) to Diamond Energy which has the best ‘green credentials’ and aligns with the CPPA’s sustainability objectives.

Communication & Advocacy

Development Applications

Updates for current development applications were listed on the back page of each edition of the Chronicle. Submissions by the CPPA were lodged for

• DA 2075/2021 44-46 Brighton Avenue
• and DA1651/2022 114-120 Cary St Toronto

Submissions lodged by the CPPA:

• Follow up naming of two unnamed public reserves to ‘Tiirabeynba’ and ‘Nikinba’
• LMCC Dogs in Open Space Strategy
• Gurranba Reserve - ongoing erosion due to informal car movements, seeking a solution and an update on the plans for the reserve
• Nominations for Blue Plaques NSW- submitted and successful.

Advocacy

• Signatory to Open letter to Hon Dr Jim Chalmers on the sale of Vales Point Power station

The Chronicle

There were nine editions (322-330) of The Chronicle produced in the past year. These were hand delivered to 2370 households in Coal Point, Carey Bay, Kilaben Bay and sections of Toronto by21 volunteers. A donation drive has been running to support the expanded distribution with the $1000 raised covering much of the printing costs for the Kilaben Bay -Toronto areas.

Suzanne Pritchard produces the newsletter from articles sourced from members of TASNG, TAG, local groups, and members of the community. It is formatted for print and web along with an e-newsletter version emailed to the CPPA members and network. The social media outlets are the CPPA, TAG and TASNG Facebook pages.

The topics which attracted the most interest according to the website analytics included the new Flight paths over Toronto (23/7/22), the DA at 114-120 Cary Street (23/7/22) and The Toronto Foreshore Town Green update (24/9/23). Regular updates were provided on the activities of TAG, TASNG, Landcare, Neighbours Noticing Nature, Council’s Plans, and their strategies that were open for community comment and DAs In Play.

The website had 4134 users, 4070 of whom were new and 7692 views, providing an opportunity to share local information beyond the reach of the printed newsletter.

The Progress Association’s Facebook page has 604 followers (up from 562 last year) and 538 likes (up from 495 last year). Facebook users are 73% women and 27% men. Most of the posts are articles posted from the Chronicle website, it is another avenue to connect with the community when immediacy and reach is required.

A sample of posts from the past three months saw the early morning ANZAC day post reach 912 people, the ‘hall all dressed up for a wedding’ reaching 384 people, Landcare posts proving popular and reaching 150+ people, and posts with links to the bushland gardening resources (184) along our local wildlife carer’s details (247) also demonstrated interest among the community for our local environmental pursuits.

The sponsorship spaces were well subscribed throughout the year with only one space in the eight additions not being sponsored and complimentarily filled by Catherine Wroe, our local wildlife carer.

Sincere thanks to our enduring and regular Chronicle sponsors: Matthew Cook Plumbing, Ross McGrath Electrical, Westlakes Trophies & Engraving, Carey Bay Cellars, RA Mackay Yacht Brokerage, The Jetty Man, Triggs Motors, Shields Auto Repairs, Burrell’s Landscape Supplies, Altitude Real Estate, Toronto Electrical Contractors, Ozone Sails & Rails, Shane’s Seafood, The Boulevarde Denture Clinic, Kevin Edden Building, Latina body by Julz, Carey Bay Servo, Anne Davies, The Goods Café, Carey Bay Laundry & Ironing and Carey Bay Servo.

Thanks are also given to the Chronicle Crew. Tony and Barbara Dynon, Harvey Mitchell and Nico Marcar for coordinating the delivery and the deliverers, Robyn & John Gill, Nicole Haigh, Dianne Onslow, Jenell & Noel Heslop, Heather McRae, Tony & Bernie Lowther, Ian Dennison, Nico & Chris Marcar, Sue Burrough, Lois Simpson, Steve Dewar, Rod Mellor, Howard Dick, Robyn & Roy Garrett, Andrea Gill, Jennifer Wood, Maryanne & Lindsay Cartwright and Bob & Linda Ireland.

Activities of the Association

Toronto Area Sustainable Group (TASNG)

The CPPA’s collaborative relationship with the TASNG continues by supporting and promoting our shared values via the Chronicle, collaborating on funding applications and projects and extending the Chronicle distribution to cover the TASNG boundaries.

A major collaboration this past year was the Community Car Boot sale which saw 40 car boot sellers set up in October on the first sunny weekend for a while. The numbers of community members present were fewer than anticipated, possibly due to a clash on the weekend with the Coal Point School fete. The concept was seen as a good one and the logistics and site capacity proved to be suitable for such an event in the future.

Toronto Action Group

The CPPA continues to be an active member of the Toronto Action Group, a coalition of local community groups and residents that emerged to champion a community-focussed outcome for the Toronto foreshore.

There have not been regular meetings this past year as the Toronto Foreshore masterplan rolls out.

Landcare

The Landcare crew of 4-8 regulars gathered every Thursday when it wasn’t raining, 8am-noon, to enjoy the company of like-minded locals, engage in physical activity, and regenerate our biodiverse bushland.

The committed landcare crew consists of Lois Simpson, Rod Mellor, Wendy Davidson, Harvey Mitchell, Kath Gall, Nico Marcar, Roslyn Cornish, Nicole Haigh, Suzanne Pritchard, Craig Dewick, Jenny Rome, with several other semi-regular visitors.

Several of our team were recognised for their efforts at the Lake Macquarie Landcare Environmental Excellence in Landcare Awards.

Local Legend Awards for a Landcarer who has made a regular and colossal contribution for more than two years were bestowed upon Rod Mellor and Nico Marcar.

Wendy Davidson was honoured with the Carl Fulton Memorial Community Education Award for spreading the Landcare ethic within the community.

Our local landcare leader, the amazing Lois Simpson, was awarded with the John Hughson ‘Soaring with the Eagles’ Award for a Landcarer who has made a regionally significant contribution but also is a local champion, educator and has been around for 20 years.

During the 2022 calendar year, only 250 plants were planted, a tribute to the natural resilience of many of the sites where once the weed threats are removed the natives re-emerge.

During 2022, despite a lot of rain, 42 landcaring sessions garnered 935 hours (859 hours last year) of on-ground endeavours by the dedicated team.

Our Landcare Team cares for 10 local reserves with ‘a guardian’ allocated to plan and coordinate the activities for the landcare session, and generally keep an eye of the reserve.

The approximate percentage of time spent at each reserve during 2022 was

• 2% at Ambrose St
• 16% at Burnage Reserve
• 25% at Puntei Creek Reserve
• 15% at Gurranba Reserve
• 14% at Hampton St Link
• 5% Kilibinbin- (Laycock St South)
• 9% at Stansfield Reserve
• 2% at Threlkeld Reserve
• 8% at the West Ridges
• 2% at Yarul Reserve

Treasurer's Report

The Financial report will be presented at the AGM and the complete Annual Report is available to download.

AGM Outcomes

On the 26th June our Hall looked amazing with vibrant artwork on display, conversations-a-plenty and locals dropping by to become members of the CPPA and TASNG. The Annual General Meeting was held and a full Committee was elected effortlessly.

Welcome to the new committee members Helen English and Cath Fairs and thanks for the enduring commitment of Tony Dynon (21 years), Ian Dennison (10 years), Harvey Mitchell (5 years), Suzanne Pritchard (27 years), Prue Bedford, Selma Barry and Nico Marcar, who keep the Coal Point Progress Association moving forward.

The Annual Report is available to read online and has been circulated to members. Some of the highlights from the past year include:

The Members

The Progress Association is indebted to all the volunteers who give their time and skills to undertake community projects and the 141 members whose support is vital for the organisation to be able to represent community views.

Sincere thanks to all the volunteers who are the backbone of the CPPA, managing hall bookings, undertaking hall maintenance, distributing newsletters, supporting social events, sharing photographs, analysing data, providing local insights, proffering professional expertise, auditing our accounts and land caring our biodiverse bushland.
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The Committee

The Progress Association Committee met every two months (six times) between July 2021 and June 2022, in a mix of face to face and video conferencing. The expanded Committee benefited from additional voices in discussions and new perspectives. A mission statement was agreed on: “Sustaining our environment, connecting community”.

Progress Hall

The Hall bookings have surged as we’ve emerged from COVID. Our long-term hall users include The Coal Point Art Collective, Trash Bags, Tai chi- Sword and Yoga Circle. New users include Zumba-Latina Body by Jules and Pilates. The Coal Point Jammers gathered for several months but COVID and group capacity eventually led them to shut up shop.

The CPPA also applied for a grant to improve storage, renovate the bathrooms to improve accessibility and address the discovery of a rather significant termite infestation.

Development Applications & Submissions

Updates of current development applications were listed on the back page of each edition of the Chronicle and included Kilaben Bay and Toronto, east of Carey Street, in an effort to better represent the expanded distribution of the Chronicle.

Five submissions were lodged to LMCC on various plans and strategies. Comments were lodged on two DA Applications.

The Chronicle

There were eight editions of The Chronicle produced in the past year (Issues 314-321) which 28 volunteers hand delivered to 2370 residences in the Coal Point, Carey Bay, Kilaben Bay and Toronto.

The Progress Association’s Facebook page has 562 followers (up from 432 last year) and 495 likes (up from 381 last year). The majority of the posts are articles posted from the Chronicle website, making it is another avenue to connect with the community when immediacy and reach is required. The most popular posts throughout the year reflected the community’s interests in wildlife, the Toronto foreshore, local developments and the CPPA, with the most popular post being the sighting of a spotted quoll which reached almost 5000 people.

Sincere thanks to our long term and new Chronicle sponsors who provide support to the CPPA and enable the Chronicle to be produced.

Activities of the Association

Landcare

The Landcare crew numbered 5 to 10 every Thursday and gathered between 8am and noon when it wasn’t COVID-prohibited or raining, to enjoy the company of like-minded locals, engage in physical activity, and regenerate our biodiverse bushland.

During 2021, in spite of COVID, over 38 landcaring sessions with 859 hours (1367hr last year) of on-ground endeavours were provided by the dedicated team of 19 volunteers.

Toronto Area Sustainable Group (TASNG)

The CPPA’s collaborative relationship with the TASNG continues by supporting and promoting our shared values via the Chronicle, collaborating on funding applications and projects and extending the Chronicle distribution to cover most of the TASNG boundaries. A major collaboration will be the Community Car Boot sale event at the end of October.

Toronto Action Group

The CPPA continues to be an active member of the Toronto Action Group (formerly Toronto Foreshore Protection Group), a coalition of local community groups that emerged to champion a community-focussed outcome for the Toronto foreshore.

CPPA’s contribution to the group includes attending regular meetings, provision of Zoom, sharing the group’s activities via the Chronicle, overseeing the Facebook page, assisting with media releases and providing a facility for receiving donations via Give Now’s portal, with the 2022 fundraising campaign contributing $648 towards the expanded Chronicle distribution. The TAG Facebook page has 307 followers and 275 likes and a reach of thousands.

Events

The Local Government Councillors Forum (23/11/21): There were five Councillors and 111 community attendees at the online event and 184 views of the recording.

General feedback was “Thank you TAG for hosting this Forum”. The community was greatly appreciative of having the opportunity to view these potential councillors and hear their views on local issues.

National Tree Day: We did manage to celebrate coming out of COVID with a National Tree Day planting and BBQ at Gurranba Reserve, attended by the Mayor Kay Fraser and 22 locals. A path border planting of Lomandra was created to protect the native foreshore vegetation from exotic grasses spread by mowers.

Financial Report

The CPPA is extremely fortunate to own Progress Hall which greatly enhances the Balance Sheet, but also requires a level of financial and project management to ensure the property is maintained and optimised for community use.

The CPPA is very grateful to have Ian Dennison’s expertise in project and financial management on hand as an active committee member. Ian has clocked up 10 years of service to the CPPA, including five years as Treasurer. Ian has coordinated several grants which have seen both the sustainability and comfort levels of Progress Hall greatly enhanced. He was nominated for Life Membership this year and has accepted.

Hall hire income has bounced back from the COVID slump of $1015 to $3418 in 2021, exceeding 2019 (pre-COVID) hall hire of $2774.

Sponsor’s income has also significantly increased, almost doubling from last year, a result of a full suite of sponsors for each addition of the Chronicle and the ceasing of the COVID subsidies. The production of only 8 of 11 editions however has meant that the full potential of sponsorship income was not realised.

Art & An AGM 26/6/22

The Annual General Meeting of the Coal Point Progress Association is almost upon us, 26th June. Historically, these are very swift affairs with an annual report providing the highlights of the past 12 months, a Treasurer’s report outlining the finances of our group and an election of office bearers. The agenda was outlined in the May Chronicle. 

This AGM is no exception, with enough nominations already received to form a committee for another year, the financial statements passing the auditor’s eagle eyes and an annual report rolling off the press.

What is always welcome at the AGM is catching up with some of the CPPA members and you are warmly invited to come along from 2-3pm, for the AGM and then a social catch up afterwards… or you can do your socialising beforehand!

This year the Coal Point Art Collective (CPAC) is having an Open Studio from 11am-2pm, prior to the AGM. They’ll be creating, as they do every week when they meet at the hall, and also showcasing their artwork. Some items will be for sale from $30, cash only or by arrangement. The CPAC are a talented bunch and there are samples of their work below.

If you’re heading out for a Sunday stroll on the 26th June why not head in the direction of the hall for something a little different. There’ll be tea and coffee and snacks available by donation, also the opportunity to become members of the CPPA or TASNG, our local community organisations. Becoming a member seems to be one of those things lots of people mean to do but don’t get around to it, so this might be the day?

Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Suzanne Pritchard
President- Secretary

The Coal Point Art Collective includes:

Garth Anderson, Cheryl Ormiston, Stephanie Sullivan, Suzanne Pritchard, Moira Sullivan, Wendy Welch, Susan Ryman, Dianne Taylor, Christine Stewart, Harvey Mitchell, Annie Hayes and Kerrie Marshall.

Moira Sullivan

Annie Hayes

Christine Stewart

Dianne Taylor

Harvey Mitchell

Kerrie Marshall

Susan Ryman

Wendy Welch

Stephanie Sullivan

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.

An expanded Committee for the CPPA

The CPPA Annual General Meeting was a resounding success with three new brains - Selma Barry, Nico Marcar and Prue Bedford - joining the governance board of the Association. Along with the returning stalwarts, Harvey Mitchell, Ian Dennison, Tony Dynon and Suzanne Pritchard, this collection of committed community enthusiasts will endeavour to determine a positive direction for the CPPA, ensure best use of its assets and implement its objectives.

The CPPA committee meets every odd month, 3:30-5:30pm at the hall. Interested members are always welcome to join us.

An annual report was compiled for the AGM and circulated to members prior to the AGM. The complete report is available online for your perusal.

President’s Thoughts-Suzanne Pritchard

The 2020-21 Progress year certainly created food for thought. The constraints and opportunities that COVID created have moved the goal posts for what a community requires to be connected, sustainable, nurturing and caring.

It was a time to really appreciate the open spaces we have in our bigger backyard. So many people got the opportunity to explore our bushland tracks. The Coal Point School Naturespace project is now providing access off the West Ridge (Tirrabenbah), guaranteeing increased usage and therefore appreciation of some picture-perfect bushland. The well attended Walk Safely to School Day provided locals with access knowledge of the bushland track and will hopefully be an ongoing option for students to travel to school in the future.

The Bush Blocks project kicked off after the last AGM and provided lots of opportunities to consider what collaborative housing could look like in our community. The Bush Blocks Collaborative Housing project is an exciting opportunity to create the community we want, providing options to value-add on bushland blocks with creative, smart and sustainable housing that connects and unites the residents with the surrounding community while protecting and enhancing biodiversity for future generations. “Collaborative living is about building stronger communities by emphasising social connection and looking for beneficial ways to share resources and pool skills. The sharing economy is one example of collaborative living, collaborative housing is another”. https://www.collaborativehousing.org.au/

Interestingly LMCC is looking to expand the concept of a Circular Economy to include Circular Communities. The aspirations of the Bush Blocks project align tightly with circular economy principles, and it is hoped that the CPPA will be able to seize an opportunity to facilitate the reshaping of the Carey Bay shopping precinct as a circular community precinct.

Communicating with the community on the Toronto Foreshore Masterplan also dominated the past year with an expanded Chronicle distribution to counter the collapse of local newspapers and the limited regard Council and Councillors show for community concerns. Ultimately the masterplan was adopted on 24 May with significant issues remaining unattended to, such as boating access, parking, and the rezoning of the land to ‘community’.

Thank you to our Members and Volunteers

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

Sincere thanks to all the volunteers who are the backbone of the CPPA, managing hall bookings, undertaking hall maintenance, distributing newsletters, supporting social events, sharing photographs, massaging data, providing local insights, proffering professional expertise, auditing our accounts and landcaring our biodiverse bushland.

Treasurer’s Report- Ian Dennison

Overall, CPPA financial position remains very healthy.

CPPA membership consists of 10 life members plus 124 financial members (i.e. expiring 31/12/2021)

Hall hire income reduced due to Covid restrictions, which led to reduced hall usage, and further reduction due to CPPA halving hirers' bills for a period, to help their businesses recover.

Sponsor income down year on year, mainly due to:

• introduction of multi-month payment options, under which several sponsors paid all or most of 2020 sponsorship in the 2019 year (making 2019 abnormally high, and 2020 abnormally low)
• reduced number of Chronicles in 2020 (8 for the year)?
• Membership subs and donations income down markedly year on year, mainly due to introduction of multi-year payment option, under which many members pre-paid their 2020 subs (plus 2021,22 and 23) in the 2019 year (making 2019 abnormally high, and 2020 abnormally low)
• The CPPA continues to support the Toronto Foreshore Protection Group and Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group by facilitating membership and a wider Chronicle distribution, which will be reviewed to determine if the membership grows in these expanded distribution areas.

Sincere thanks are once again given to Veronica Lund who reviews our accounts each year with efficiency and enthusiasm.

CPPA AGM & Social

The 75th Annual General Meeting of the Coal Point Progress Association will be celebrated with a social afternoon tea on June 20th, 2-4pm at Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd. Everyone is welcome, especially our long term and new members. There’s 108 members in our community. It would be great to catch up face to face.

This momentous milestone for our community group will be complete with election of office bearers, reflections on the year that was (and wasn’t it a doozey!), along with plans for the future.

The CPPA has played the role of community glue for ¾ of a century with ebbs and flows of activity and enthusiasm dependent on the energy, activation and incentives of the time.

One of the hopes for the year ahead is to revive using the hall for more social activities such music and entertainment. The stage, sprung floor, acoustics and air-con make it a very useful space for gregarious gatherings of locals. To put together a social calendar a small group of friendly, motivated people are needed to get on board the CPPA bus to help steer the course and the AGM is the time to get your ticket.

Another topic of casual conversation will be the role and upkeep of the Progress Hall. As one of the few community groups in the City that actually owns its hall and covers all of the upkeep and maintenance costs, it would be good to reflect on how we can make better use of this valuable community asset.

The formal proceedings of the AGM will be 2-3pm.

The celebratory social will be 3-4pm.

The AGM agenda for the 20/6/21 is:

1. Welcome
2. Attendance & Apologies
3. Confirmation of minutes of previous Annual General Meeting held 17/5/20
4. President’s Report
5. Treasurer’s Report
6. Nomination of Returning Officer
7. Election of Office Bearers and up to six other Committee members
8. Confirmation of Public Officer- Suzanne Pritchard
9. Nomination of Auditor- Veronica Lund
10. Plans for the Future
11. Close of AGM
12. Social celebration of 75th Anniversary of CPPA

An RSVP will greatly assist in setting up the hall and getting the appropriately sized cake.

New Hall Coordinator

The CPPA has a new Hall Coordinator and Caretaker, who is taking good care of the hall and keeping on top of the bookings. 

If you’d like to book our quaint and warm space for a community conclave, the rates are reasonable; 

• $8/hr for social gatherings
• $12.50/hr for groups
• $14/hr commercial offerings
• $75/small function and 
• $150/large function.

Hall coordinator contacts - 

mob: 0425 766 887 email: cppa.hall.bookings@gmail.com

CPPA AGM rescheduled to 20/6/21

 

Mothers Day was not a great choice of day to hold our AGM and so it's being rescheduled to Sunday 20th June 2-4pm at Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point, Coal Point.

This has provided a wonderful opportunity to include a 75th Anniversary celebration for the CPPA as part of the afternoon. 

A warm and hearty invitation is cast to all members past and present to get together and have a social catch up. 

If you have any ideas you'd like incorporated in celebrating this community milestone or would like to be involved in making it happen please get in touch. Email: coalpointprogress@gmail.com   

The formal proceeding of the AGM will be 2-3pm 

A celebratory social will be 3-4pm. 

The AGM agenda for the 20/6/21 is:

1. Welcome 

2. Attendance & Apologies 

3. Confirmation of minutes of previous Annual General Meeting held 17/5/20 

4. President's Report 

5. Treasurer’s Report 

6. Nomination of Returning Officer 

7. Election of Office Bearers and up to six other Committee members 

8. Confirmation of Public Officer- Suzanne Pritchard 

9. Nomination of Auditor- Veronica Lund 

10. Close of AGM 

11. Plans for the Future- a conversation 

12. Social celebration of 75th Anniversary of CPPA

CPPA membership & AGM

A dedicated committee and 154 members support the activities of our local Progress Association. The majority of members are silent supporters as a show of endorsement for our community endeavours. Whether it be landcaring our reserves, sharing information and creating community conservations via The Chronicle or maintaining our hall as a space for members to meet, your support is greatly appreciated.

Membership renewals are due by 31/3/20. After this date you will be unfinancial until 30/6/20 at which point you cease to be a member.

Here is a membership form or contact the committee and we can join you up.

Our community is one thing we all have in coming, it is our home, our place of memories. The CPPA has been a part of the community since 1946 and is committed to helping shape our future so that the values of our community can be retained. Your support is greatly appreciated.

AGM 17/5/20

The AGM of the CPPA will be a little different this year and be held on a Sunday afternoon, 17th May. The CPPA Committee is looking for willing locals to assist with the deliberations and running of the CPPA as the organisation evolves to address the needs of the community in challenging times. Feel free to contact any of the committee to find out more.

Community comments for Council’s consultations

The start of the year has been shoulder to the wheel and nose to the grindstone for the CPPA and TASNG brains-trust, with many hours spent reviewing council documentation, deliberating over surveys and developing comments on strategies that are shaping the future of our town, the City and the environment.

LMCC Housing Strategy 2019

The ‘Let’s Thrive Housing Strategy 2019’ explored how we’ll live, where we’ll live and how much land was going to be clear felled or infilled for this purpose. Some excerpts from the CPPA submission are:

The Carey Bay Medium density zoning and the Excelsior Pde/Brighton Ave corridor area offer a strategic opportunity to diversify the housing mix within the community and support the downsizing of the ageing population within the context of an engaged community that values its bushland assets.

The connection to our local bushland through bushland corridors and parklands gives our peninsula community a unique point of difference. The bushland aesthetic accompanied by the proximity to the lake is highly valued and makes our community ‘highly liveable’. Maintaining the community aesthetic and values, retains and builds on the fabric of the community.

Our community offers an opportunity to ‘Facilitate innovative design and delivery mechanisms’ to provide for the mix of social and cultural diversity. The identified action within the strategy to amend planning controls, to encourage, smaller dwellings, secondary dwellings and small-scale infill and compact alternative housing types provides opportunities to reimagine community that will be resilient in a climate changing world. Sustainable settlements with design options that are community focused, share community assets and reinforce communal spaces are acknowledged as important in redefining our communities of the future and planning controls need to facilitate these options.

Within the context of Carey Bay precinct, any changes to the LEP/DCP need to be commensurate with the scale of the B1 zoned ‘shopping centre’ and the surrounding low-density zone. The small shopping complex has been used to justify the medium density zoning around Carey Bay and is increasingly referenced as justification for excessive development. This centre is constrained by its location and surrounded by both low and medium density. Low density zoning still dominates our community and any increase in density needs “To maintain and enhance the residential amenity and character of the surrounding area.”

Blanket decisions to “Increase height limit for the R3 Medium Residential zone and B1 Local Centre zone to better accommodate residential flat buildings” will not reflect the scale or context of these zonings within our community and this action is not supported.

The predominant zoning within our community is low density. Any review of setbacks, width and lot size needs incorporation of transition zones between low and medium density zonings, to protect existing residents’ “scenic, aesthetic and cultural heritage qualities of the built and natural environment” and retain the bushland connections and corridors.

The facilitation of community discussion within the Carey Bay medium density zoning and surrounds would be a welcome action to arise from this strategy. Providing residents with the opportunity to partner in the transition of the community would provide opportunities to explore and masterplan the transition to increased density instead of piecemeal development proposals. Engaging with the community in this manner would provide a new methodology to achieve infill requirements with a community consensus, additionally providing opportunities for existing property owners to consider infill options on their land. Global megatrends that are predicting an increase in cooperative structures and enhanced democracy would align well with this approach.

The Coal Point Progress Association looks forward to discussing with Council an innovative and collaborative locality-based approach to the delivery of diverse housing supply within our community, which protects our local environment and ensures that our residents continue to be able to have options to live amongst our community with their family and friends.

You can read the CPPA’s complete Housing Strategy submission here.

Draft Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2027(ESSAP) 

The Draft Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2027(ESSAP) also received local scrutiny. The CPPA was involved in the development of the response submitted by Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group, whole-heartedly endorsing their submission. The following comments were made in addition to the TASNG submission, both of which are available on the CPPA website.

The ESSAP is a crucial document to ensure the long-term health and maintenance of the unique environmental assets of our City. The connected bushland that still spans the City provides a point of difference to other urbanised centres and a considerable head-start on meeting UN Sustainability Development Goals. This sets our City apart from our urban neighbours, Newcastle, Central Coast and Sydney.

A Strategy that values the biodiversity, connectivity and environmental services provided by native vegetation would endeavour to reverse the loss of native vegetation cover which is currently embedded in the ESSAP at 57.5% and strive for 60% cover, a point at which the integrity of the ecosystem function and environmental services are sustainable and providing an economic contribution.

The projected loss of 70ha/year of native vegetation cover is not sustainable. At a point, below 60% vegetation cover, the integrity of the ecosystem function and environmental services provided becomes compromised and increasingly additional resources are needed to be expended to furnish the services that vegetation cover supplies by virtue of its existence. It is a false economy to deplete a resource in the short term without any regard for intergenerational equity and the escalating climate change impacts that are being experienced.

Within this context an economic model that is driven by value adding to the existing vegetation assets, using them to connect communities and encourage recreational endeavours through appropriate infrastructure, would proffer opportunities to drive an eco-tourism market that supports retention and protection of native vegetation for the social and economic health of the City.

The next document for consideration is the Coastal Management Program https://shape.lakemac.com.au/coastal exploring issues to ‘identify new opportunities to improve the health of our lake, waterways and coastline while maintaining community access and recreation in these areas.’ Ideas on the future management of the lake are being sought. This plan will resonate with the protection of the foreshore and may provide guidance on how the Toronto Foreshore Masterplan rolls out.

Making a World of Difference through volunteering

Every month CPPA volunteers are making a difference locally. There are meetings to mull

over, a newsletter to write and distribute, our own hall to maintain and our landcare group average 177hr/month in our local reserves. There are lots of reasons why volunteers do what they do and Volunteering Australia has managed to summarise a few of them :

• 93% of volunteers saw positive outcomes as a direct result of their voluntary

  

  Landcare volunteers
  repairing steps and erosion at
  Ambrose St Reserve

  participation
• Volunteering plays a vital role in the development of social cohesion and social connection – both of which help alleviate loneliness.
• Volunteering provides pathways towards employment through the development of skills, networks and values which are increasingly sought after in professional environments.
• Volunteering provides an outlet for the exploration and development of personal interests outside the workplace.
• Volunteering extends across all areas of Australian society, from the arts, education, emergency services, sports and environment to health, community welfare, aged care and disability services.
• Volunteering Australia defines volunteering as “time willingly given for the common good and without financial gain”.
• Australian volunteers contribute an estimated $290 billion to the national economy annually, yielding a 450% return for every dollar invested.

The CPPA is looking for a couple more active volunteers to participate in the committee, the group that coordinates the activities of the Association. If you’d like to find out a bit more come along to the meeting on May 13th at Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd, 3:30-5:30pm.

11/3/19 AGM & 10/3/19 Hall working Bee

AGM Approaching

The 73rd Annual General Meeting of the CPPA will be held on Monday 11th March from 5-6pm at Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd, with an opportunity to socialise afterwards.

Not only is it a time to give ourselves a pat-on-the-back for the amazing year that’s been it’s also time to renew our commitment to the community by electing some good people to guide the good ship CPPA.

New Committee members are always welcome and committee roles are varied and fulfilling providing opportunities to utilise or expand your skills or give a pet project the space and support to take shape and fly.

The CPPA has ongoing local commitments to maintaining our hall and landcaring in our reserves whilst supporting the broader community in projects that affect the greater Toronto Area.

If you’d like to join us, we’d like to welcome you.

One-off volunteering event - Hall Working Bee

The biannual Progress Hall working bee is set for Sunday 10th March 9:30am till noon with a break for morning tea. This twice a year event is planned to coincide with the council clean up and is a great way to volunteer for a short, sharp burst of community spirit.

There are regular maintenance tasks to undertake, fixing things and considering what things need to be fixed, a bit of work around the grounds, gutters to declutter and cleaning inside and outside.

Progress Hall belongs to the CPPA (not council) and as such all of the maintenance, repairs and upkeep is the responsibility of the CPPA. If you’re a member or hall user your helping hands would be most welcome for a few hours a year to help keep the hall as you’d like to have it.

Helping hands are happy hands- Hall working Bee 9/9/18

The biannual Progress Hall working bee is planned for September 9th from 9am till noon, with a BBQ lunch (we’ll be very experienced BBQers by then having mastered the Bunnings BBQ on 26/8/18).

The Hall is our community’s asset, it is owned by the Progress Association (not council) and as such the CPPA covers all of the costs of the upkeep and undertakes the maintenance, which is why we have working bees.

The 9/9/18 working bee will involve some spring cleaning, labelling of cupboards, sorting of storage areas under the hall and defining the backyard boundary.

The working bee is timed to take advantage of the Council clean up, there will be items to be put out at the roadside.

Ian is coordinating the event and rest assured busy hands will be happy hands. Whatever amount of time you’d like to offer, there’ll be a job to fit. The working bees are fun and social events and an opportunity to meet the CPPA Committee or pop in and renew your membership fees.

The hall is at 197 Skye Point Rd, Coal Point