Electorate's community projects are on the Peninsula
All three projects funded under the My Community Project program in the Gosford electorate are located on the Peninsula.
Decided via public vote, two of the projects were in Umina and the other in Woy Woy.
The successful projects were: a new patrol tractor for Umina Beach Surf Life Saving Club, a new mixed used pathway for the Umina Recreation Precinct and funding for the Peninsula Environment Group's Phoenix Rising project.
Through the program Umina Beach Surf Life Saving Club has received $22,500 to purchase a new beach patrol tractor.
The club had to retire its previous tractor earlier this year.
"A tractor is one of the most valuable items of equipment playing a major role in the safety and wellbeing of members and community providing us the ability to deliver key lifesaving services and functions effectively and efficiently," said club president Mr Stephen Scahill.
"The tractor allows improved time efficiency in water rescue manoeuvres and access to medical treatment and we absolutely needed a replacement for the start of our patrol season."
The tractor will be used in daily operations as well as emergency situations, for training exercises and for the transport of valuable surf club equipment.
"This will make our beaches safer, ultimately contributing to the wellbeing of the entire community," Mr Scahill said.
Central Coast Council was awarded $200,000 to deliver the mixed pathway which will connect Ocean Beach Rd to the precinct and Caravan Park Access Rd.
The new pathway will connect two popular walking destinations and it is hoped that by connecting the pathway to the caravan park tourists will be encouraged to explore more of Umina via the walkway, while simultaneously providing improved infrastructure for residents.
The Peninsula Environment Group was awarded $79,261 for their Phoenix Rising project which will see restorative works take place at the Woy Woy Peninsula Community Garden.
The garden has been the victim of vandalism since October 2018, culminating with a major arson attack in January this year that saw its storage shed burnt out.
The shed contained several key pieces of equipment utilised by garden volunteers in their day to day maintenance of the garden as well as the garden's seed bank.
The majority of its contents were destroyed or damaged beyond repair by the fire.
Since then garden volunteers have been working with the Peninsula Environment Group to raise funds to firstly replace all items lost in the fire and to purchase a new garden shed.
They've also applied for a number of grants to improve security at the garden with plans to erect surveillance cameras and security fencing.
Garden volunteer Ms Tania Haydn said her fellow volunteers were overjoyed to learn Phoenix Rising had been successfully funded.
"Our Project Pheonix Rising can finally begin," she said.
SOURCE:
Website, 11 Sep 2019
Gosford Electorate, My Community Project
Social media, 5 Sep 2019
Stephen Scahill, Umina Beach SLSC
Tania Hadyn, Woy Woy Peninsula Community Garden