Merry Christmas and happy Chanukah from the Mayor

22 December 2022

Merry Christmas and happy Chanukah!

On behalf of Waverley Council and my fellow Waverley Councilors, I would like to wish our community a happy and safe festive season.

2022has been a special year, with Sydney re-opening, activities returning to normal and parties and gatherings filling our calendars.

In Waverley, welcoming the community back to the beautifully restored and reimaged Bondi Pavilion has been a once-in-a generation opportunity for us all. It has been a delight to witness the joy that the spaces and activities now on offer at the Pavilion have brought to the community and I urge everyone to make a moment for themselves at our beloved beachside venue.

There is a range of programming over summer with something for everyone from kid’s activities, to films including our old friends, Flickerfest, community classes, music talks, exhibitions and more. New events are scheduled each week so please head to the What’s On section of the Bondi Pavilion website to keep up to date.

Another wonderful benefit for residents is the Pavilion’s Welcome Centre where you can now pay rates, obtain parking permits and enjoy a range of Council services down at Bondi Beach without the need to visit the Customer Service Centre in Spring Street, Bondi Junction.

In other news, Waverley Council is delighted to be progressing several exciting projects this year including our Float to Survive water safety pilot campaign.

Float to Survive is an evidence-based approach to public safety messaging, with the goal of reducing drownings in our waterways. Working with Randwick Council and UNSW, we are at the vanguard of testing the effectiveness of the message and the technique for reducing drownings in Australia.

Float to Survive promotes floating as the best chance of survival for swimmers who get into trouble in the water. When visiting our beaches, please remember to always swim between the flags and follow instructions from our lifeguards. If you become caught in a rip or encounter difficulties in the water, please signal for help and float to survive. See more on the beaches page of our website.

Our Major Projects continue with the restoration and upgrade of the heritage-listed Boot Factory building in Spring St, Bondi Junction and Mill Hill Community Centre. The Council is transforming the building into our first Innovation and Knowledge Hub where we can nurture ideas to further transform Waverley into a smart city of the future and ensure that neighbouring Waverley Library keeps pace with the knowledge economy.  Restoration works are expected to be completed in autumn so please see the Major Projects page on our website for updates.

We are also continuing to work with businesses and residents in Charing Cross to discuss our proposed streetscape upgrade of Waverley’s oldest village centre. We have very well thought-out and developed concept design for the Charing Cross streetscape upgrade which includes new trees and street furniture, the introduction of a 40km/h area, footpath widening and undergrounding of overhead powerlines.

Our concept design for the Charing Cross streetscape upgrade aims to preserve and celebrate the traditional village look and feel of this much-loved neighbourhood area while making it more sustainable and safer for pedestrians, motorists and those using public transport. The Charing Cross community is passionate about their village which we want to improve for the future.

In the new year we’ll be consulting on lots more exciting projects such as streetscape upgrades, plans and projects. The feedback you provide during our consultations helps inform the decision we make at Council, so head to haveyoursay.waverley.nsw.gov.au to provide your feedback and ensure your voice is heard.

For lots more events and news, look out for your copy of the summer edition of Waverley News, our community magazine celebrating all things Waverley!

Again, from all of us at Waverley, please stay safe this summer and I would like to wish you, your family and friends and enjoyable and relaxing festive season, no matter what your celebrations look like.

Paula Masselos

Mayor of Waverley