Waverley Council trials street garden at Wayside

26 February 2019

Waverley Council street garden trial with Wayside

Waverley Council will install a temporary street garden outside the Wayside Chapel Op Shop in Warners Avenue, North Bondi, as part of a trial to reduce illegal dumping.

There will be several opportunities for residents to provide feedback about the garden or to volunteer to help Wayside maintain the garden if it becomes permanent.

Council has been working with Wayside for several months to develop solutions to deter the frequent and substantial dumping at the op shop.

On 5 to 7 March, Council, in partnership with Wayside, will install two raised garden beds on the grass verge in Niblick Street as well as some smaller planter boxes along the shop’s brick fence.

Council’s Local Connections Coordinator said the garden beds and planters will be in place during the duration of the eight-week project. The project is a NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy.

“Our trial will look at whether a street garden can prevent or reduce illegal dumping by providing a physical barrier, whilst enhancing and beautifying the neighbourhood,” the coordinator said.

“If there is support for a more permanent garden, this could be approved through our Street Garden Guidelines which is the same process as for residents wanting to have a street garden outside their property.

“If there is no interest in maintaining a permanent garden, then the garden beds and planters will be relocated at the end of the trial.”

Wayside Chapel was established in 1964 to provide care and support to people on and around the streets. Every dollar spent at the op shop goes back into Wayside’s programs and services to help marginalised members of our community.

To provide feedback on the trial, residents can:

• Fill out an engagement postcard at the garden and leave it in the letterbox
• Contact Dianne Moy on Dianne.Moy@waverley.nsw.gov.au or 9083 8916.
• Attend a meeting with Council staff at the site on 11am to 12 noon, Wednesday, 20 March and 10am to 11am, Saturday, 6 April (Saturday meeting will only proceed if there is demand. Please contact Dianne Moy to rsvp).

Council offers collection of unwanted bulky household items as a strategy to reduce the cost and pollution associated with illegal dumping.  Waverley residents are entitled to two free ‘Your Call’ clean-up collections and one free scheduled collection each calendar year.

These items end up in landfill, so please be sure that you have looked at all other options for reuse, donation and recycling prior to booking a clean-up collection. To book your clean-up, call Customer Service on 9083 8000.

To learn more about our waste and recycling services, visit http://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/residents/waste_and_recycling.

For more about Wayside, visit: https://www.waysidechapel.org.au.