Wednesday 25 January 2017GosfordMortimer Lane, part of William Street and the Eliza Street Car Park in and around Gosford’s Kibble Park will be closed from 2pm until 11.30pm.Free parking will be available in the Gosford Town Centre (open until 10.30pm) and Imperial Shopping Centre (open until 10pm) car parks.Thursday 26 January 2017WagstaffeMulhall Street in Wagstaffe (between the Wagstaffe ferry wharf and Wagstaffe Avenue) will be closed from 7am until 12pm.Pearl BeachPearl Parade (between Tourmaline Avenue and Amethyst Avenue) will be closed from 5am until 12pm.The Entrance Marine Parade Car Park will be closed to the public all day.The Entrance Road north bound at Victoria Avenue and Ocean Parade will be closed from 5pm – 10pm along with Marine Parade, Beach Street and Coral Street (east of Duffys Lane).

With the 2017 school year kicking off this week, Central Coast Council is reminding residents to slow down near schools and put the safety of children first.Friday 27 January is a gazetted school day which means 40km zones will be back in force, as will parking zones around schools.Parking zones around schools are in place for the safety of children, but also assist with traffic flow during busy drop off and pick up times – minimising possible sight obstructions.As the school term begins, Council Rangers and Parking Officers will carry out extra patrols to enforce parking restrictions around schools, ensuring a safe start to the new school year.Council is encouraging everyone to take care when driving through school zones, stick to the speed limit, follow directions from crossing supervisors and avoid any dangerous manoeuvres.Double Demerits will also be in force from Wednesday 25 until Sunday 29 January 2017 (inclusive) and will apply if a motorist is caught speeding in a designated school zone on Friday 27 January.For more information on how to park safely around schools, visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Australia Day on the Central Coast is more than just celebrating the great country we live in - it’s also a chance to recognise the unsung heroes.For the first time on the Central Coast, the annual Australia Day Awards were open to entries from across the region, seeing residents nominated for their outstanding dedication to our community.This year’s inaugural Citizen of the Year went to Mr Lester Pearson of Fountaindale - a man who has given countless hours to those less fortunate.Lester has been volunteering for more than 30 years across a range of projects, with his latest passion focused on helping local youth.He is a great example of how volunteering can make a difference in a community and has been instrumental in setting up a number of foundations to support our youth in crisis as well as those overseas.Lester and his wife, Sue, established Coats for Kids through their dry cleaning business collecting and cleaning more than 5000 coats, jackets and jumpers for Youth off the Streets programs to help keep young ones warm in winter.His most recent achievement, the establishment of Save Our Kids (SOKS) has saved more than 190 young lives across the Central Coast since it started in 2013.Lester conceived the idea of SOKS to address the issue of youth suicide on the Coast, through raising funds for Lifeline.

An unwanted Queenslander has been found in the backyard of an observant Summerland Point resident.It was the dreaded Cane Toad.Cane Toads are an introduced invasive species, mainly found in Queensland and northern NSW.Central Coast Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, praised the quick thinking resident for contacting Council.“We rely on the Central Coast community to be our eyes and ears in their local area for things like this,” Mr Reynolds said.“It’s important our community let us know what they see - be it a pot-hole, a broken water main or a Cane Toad well out of its normal range – so we can respond quickly.“Our staff will now conduct a survey, with the help of specialists from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, for any further signs of Cane Toads in the area.”Council is also working with the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to make further investigations on how the Cane Toad came to the Coast.NSW DPI’s Technical Specialist of Vertebrate Pests, Mr Nathan Cutter, said as a result of the detection at Summerland Point, DPI has issued an alert for residents to be aware of Cane Toads in the area.“It is not known how the pest animal arrived on the Central Coast, however they can be accidently transported on vehicles, as well as in goods and materials like landscaping supplies,” Mr Cutter said.“Cane Toads are a major threat to our native animals because they can consume large numbers of wildlife and poison many native animals whose diet includes frogs, tadpoles and frogs' eggs.

Lifeguards from Central Coast Council will compete for the top honours at the annual Lifeguard Challenge at Terrigal Beach tonight.With action commencing at 6.30pm, competitors will contend individually in the Howard Jones Memorial Mission, and in teams to take out the coveted Cook Cup trophy.Beginning in 1982, the annual Lifeguard Challenge was previously a friendly display of sporting rivalry between lifeguards from the former Gosford and Wyong councils.Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said with the formation of the Central Coast Council in May last year, the 2017 event sees a continuation of the 35-year tradition, with a fresh approach.“This year’s event sees a focus on collaboration and camaraderie among all athletes,” said Mr Reynolds.“Creation of teams for the Cook Cup will be through a random selection process, with competitors drawn from a hat.“For the first time in its 35-year history, the Lifeguard Challenge will be conducted with both former local government service areas competing together as one.”Community members are invited to come along and cheer on their favourite competitors.

Tumbi Road, between Bellevue Road and Woodbury Lane Tumbi Umbi will operate under changed traffic conditions from Sunday evening 29 January 2017 to 13 February when upgrades to the road are undertaken.Works are scheduled to start on 29 January and will be completed by 13 February weather permitting.The work will involve pavement strengthening, sealing and asphalting to provide a smoother and longer-lasting road surface.Most of the works will be done at night in order to minimise disruption to this busy road however motorists should still expect some delays and may wish to take alternate routes.Council’s Group Leader, Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Mike Dowling, said works will be staged to ensure that both traffic lanes are open during peak times in order to minimise disruption to motorists.“There will be a gravel road surface in the mornings following the night work with sealing of the gravel road surface taking place during the day between 10 am and 12 pm when the road will be reduced to one lane,” Mr Dowling said.“As part of these works Council is providing a more consistent breakdown lane width, widening a lane used by cyclists to 1.3m, and doing work on existing culverts along this section of road.”The road will be asphalted approximately one week after the pavement strengthening works and sealing have been completed.Council is investing $500,000 in the works and apologises to the travelling public for any inconvenience caused.

Central Coast Council has issued a Request for Proposals seeking organisations to deliver tourism marketing and industry services for the Central Coast.Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said the timing was right for Council to examine its approach to tourism.“Destination NSW’s new regional tourism model and the projected population growth expected on the Central Coast has changed the tourism landscape.

Applications for Round Two of the NSW Government’s Stronger Communities Fund - Community Grants Program are now open, following the successful sharing of more than $250,000 among 14 local not-for-profit groups under round one program funding.The funding is available as part of the $10 million Stronger Communities Fund provided to Central Coast Council as part of the local government amalgamations, with $1 million earmarked for local community group grants over the next three years.Council Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said the Community Grants Program fosters projects that help create a more vibrant, sustainable and inclusive community.“Successful round one recipients have been using their funding towards building community gardens, improving sports facilities and amenities, enhancing community centres and supporting a healthy and happy community through a range of support programs and activities,” said Mr Reynolds.“Council is encouraging as many sporting, cultural, environmental and other not-for-profit organisations to apply for round two funding to continue in their endeavours to make the Central Coast a great place to live, work and play.”Round one recipient and Davistown Progress Association President, Mrs Jenny McCulla, said the Stronger Communities Fund grant has enabled residents to come together to participate in the Davistown Progress Hall Centenary Restoration Project.“The Stronger Communities funding has helped our local community provide a much needed makeover for the historic Davistown Progress Hall,” said Mrs McCulla.“The 100 year anniversary of the hall is approaching in a few years and locals have banded together to reinvigorate this facility as a community focal point and meeting place.“The grant has enabled us to undertake works including replacements and refurbishments, improved drainage and landscaping to help restore the venue.

An awards ceremony for young book worms is being held at Erina Library on 14 February to celebrate the libraries' Summer Reading Competition.All 163 young book lovers who registered for this year’s challenge are invited to attend the event, which falls on Valentine’s and Library Lovers Day, and includes a silent disco.Council’s Group Leader of Connected Communities, Ms Julie Vaughan, said the library children’s team from both ends of the coast are committed to making sure children keep learning by helping them discover the joys of readings.“We like to encourage children to keep developing and learning over the summer holidays by taking part in educational activities such as this one,” Ms Vaughan said.“Council libraries are committed to investing in educational activities for children in order to make sure they are well equipped for the life and the work force.”The competition was open to children aged 5 – 16 years, and has been running nationally for five years.

Explore hidden gems and discover forgotten laneways when the Gallery Precinct 2259 Love Lanes Festival showcases Wyong in a new light.Festivalgoers to the inaugural event will be able to immerse themselves in the abundance of colour, sounds, and smells of this unique outdoor festival on Saturday 11 February 2017.Three laneways in the town centre of Wyong will be transformed for one afternoon — nothing like you’ve ever seen before.There will be live entertainment, aerial circus performances, live art, free kids’ activities, great food, markets stalls and much more including strange creatures set to excite the crowd, as interactive street performers make their way through the festival.See Wyong come to life on Saturday 11 February from 4pm–10pm at:Grand Hotel Lane (Robley’s Lane) will feature aerial circus performances, ‘La Toosh,’ tunes on the stage, a licensed bar area, as well as an outdoor cinema from 8.15pm on the Chapman Building Lawn.Coastwide First National Lane (Alison Road) will offer tastings from Wyong’s local favourites: