Central Coast Council will kick off National Reconciliation Week celebrations tomorrow with the official opening of the Maliga Indigenous Art Showcase.Maliga, which means ‘shine’ in Darkinjung, is a School Based Art Showcase promoting local Indigenous students multimedia art and craft, reflecting their identity and cultural connection to the Central Coast.The launch will take place on Wednesday 25 May from 10am-12pm at The Entrance Community Centre and includes the presentation of the Awards and morning tea.The Maliga showcase will be on display each day from 10am-4pm until Thursday 2 June.In other celebrations, Council’s Gosford Regional Gallery will be hosting the 14th annual Reconciliation exhibition in conjunction with NSW Fair Trading.This exhibition – which opens on Saturday 28 May and runs until Sunday 17 July –  showcases local Indigenous and non-Indigenous work about Reconciliation and gives artists the opportunity to be recognised for their endeavours.The Reconciliation award ceremony is being held at the Gallery on Sunday 29 May at 11am. It will include an Indigenous art and craft market as well as children’s activities, live music and a bush tucker BBQ.National Reconciliation Week is held annually from May 27 to June 3.

Central Coast Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, will hold a media conference detailing decisions of the inaugural Central Coast Council Meeting.When:

Central Coast Council welcomes the announcement for $2 million to improve EDSACC South sports facility.The amenities block was destroyed by an arson attack last year leaving a number of sporting groups without storage and canteen facilities.Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said this funding would be of great assistance to the community.“This $2 million promise from the Federal Government would go a long way to benefit the users and wider community,” Mr Reynolds said.EDSACC South sportsfield is used all year round by a number of groups such as rugby league, touch football, oztag, cricket and school carnivals.These upgrades will add to the amenity of the EDSACC sporting precinct which will soon be home to the region’s biggest skate place, Bato Yard.

Central Coast Council Libraries are encouraging residents to ‘Discover More’, as they launch into Library and Information Week from 23 – 29 May 2016.To help celebrate a number of events and activities have been organised, bringing awareness to the varied range of free resources and services offered.Council’s Director of Community Growth, Ms Judy Jaeger, said libraries are an integral part of the cultural fabric of the local community and are about much more than just borrowing books.“Libraries have evolved over the last decade to meet the changing needs of the community operating as research facilities, meeting places, education and training spaces as well as entertainment venues,” Ms Jaeger said.“We now have 12 library branches located across the Coast that act as community hubs for people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds.“Libraries offer a vast range of services both in house and online from room hire to homework help, book clubs, language resources as well as adult colouring classes, family history and local heritage collections, to name just a few.“It’s great to see all our libraries already working so well.

Central Coast Council is celebrating the announcement today by Education Minister Simon Birmingham and Member for Robertson Lucy Wicks MP, pledging $32.5 million for a world-class medical school and research institute at Gosford Hospital.Modelled on facilities at leading American and English universities, the $72.5 million Central Coast Medical School and Research Institute will become a landmark project for the Central Coast, after the University of Newcastle and the NSW Government previously each pledged $20 million for the facility.Central Coast Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said a state-of-the-art facility such as this will be a major catalyst for the further revitalisation of the Gosford CBD and deliver enormous benefits for the entire region.“This is a real win-win for our community – it will create more local jobs and deliver better health services across the Coast,” Mr.

Central Coast Council is calling on residents to take the pledge to drive safely on Friday 27 May by signing a giant inflatable car as part of the National Fatality Free Friday campaign.The aim of Fatality Free Friday is to achieve zero deaths on Australian roads for just one day.The inflatable car will be set up at Council’s Wyong office this Friday 20 May for the public to come along and sign in person.Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, will be signing the car and is urging other drivers to take the pledge too.“I can’t stress enough how important it is to keep safety at the front of your mind at all times while driving,” Mr Reynolds said.“Sending a text message or speeding because you’re running late is just not worth your life.“I think a Fatality Free Friday is a realistic target and I encourage everyone on the Coast to take the pledge to drive safely next Friday and every other day.“We are asking people to consciously think about their driving behaviour and stay safe on our roads.”Council’s Road Safety Officer, Ms Kate Keogh, said Fatality Free Friday is about raising awareness of road safety.“The number of lives lost on NSW is already much higher than last year with 154 fatalities on NSW roads compared to this time last year when it was 119,” Ms Keogh said“The blow-up car always creates a lot of interest in the community and gets people thinking more about safety to help better decision making on the road.“Distractions like texting seem so ordinary but illegal phone use is now a significant contributor to car crashes.“Other behaviours that lead to fatal and serious injury crashes are speeding, drink driving, not wearing a seatbelt and fatigue.“Just like this year’s theme says, the keys to road safety are in your hands.”If residents can’t get along to sign the car in person they can sign the pledge online at www.fatalityfreefriday.com

One of the Central Coast’s premier entertainment venues, Laycock Street Community Theatre, is proudly hosting the Melbourne Ballet Company (MBC)’s esteemed production of Archè for a one night only event on Thursday 26 May at 7.30pm.Archè is a Greek word which indicates the beginning;

First Climate Change Policy for the Coast to build community resilience and zero emissions by 2050A draft Climate Change Policy aiming for zero emissions by 2050 has been developed by Council and will be exhibited for community feedback.Read separate media release in full hereCouncil to investigate community survey and election poll on continuation of amalgamationCouncil tonight formally acknowledged the worthy efforts of staff in amalgamating the former Gosford City Council and Wyong Shire Council and called for community input in the future of Central Coast Council.Council staff and the CEO will now bring forward a number of reports for Council consideration including:community questionnaires and surveys conducted by the former Gosford City and Wyong Shire Councils prior to amalgamationrealistic estimate of the costs involved in amalgamating the two Councils and timeline for completionprogress on various aspects of amalgamationconducting a community survey to assess current community views of the amalgamationestimate of cost and process regarding a proposal for a poll to be held at an upcoming election (either Federal or State) to gauge community support or rejection of the continuation, or the reversal of, the amalgamation.“We need to understand the full cost of amalgamation and whether it is what the community really want so we can move forward in the best interests of the Central Coast.” “Staff have done an incredible job delivering services and infrastructure for our community and they should be commended.”Council has endorsed a report by staff to the Hunter Central Coast Regional Joint Planning Panel (JRPP) recommending refusal of the application for development of a 63 bed integrated seniors living facility, new registered club and retail tenancies at The Sporties, Woy Woy valued at over $30 million.The development is incompatible with the principles of ecologically sustainable development, and flood hazards of the land.  Lack of on-site parking is also highlighted with a shortfall of 188 spaces needed for residential and club uses.  “The report is very clear on the extensive issues with this proposed development and with 94 community objections received, it is also clear how the community feel about it.” Mayor Smith said.“The community’s voice has been heard and they can also be confident that we have planning controls in place to support sustainable development and ensure only those developments that meet current planning controls and guidelines will be supported.” DAs with 15 or more objections to be automatically reported to CouncilThis replaces the previous threshold of 50 objections for a development application to be automatically reported to Council.