Council is helping to improve the community’s health and wellbeing by bringing free talks and Buddhist mediation sessions to the local Library.Central Coast Libraries regularly host meditation sessions facilitated by a local Khedruje Kadampa Buddhist teacher.These sessions give the community an opportunity to experience mediation and learn about the Buddhist way of life firsthand.Council’s Library Services Manager, Ms Andrea Edwards said, the Buddhist sessions have proven to be extremely popular with local residents and shows there is a strong need for this type of event in the region.“Meditation has been proven to lessen worry, reduce stress and improve optimism and that is certainly what we want for our community,” said Ms Edwards.“If you are looking for ways to destress, improve your quality of life and develop inner peace meditation just might be what you need.“The next two sessions will talk about overcoming stress and solving life’s problems in this modern world we live in,” Ms Edwards added.“Meditation can be practiced by any member of the community, no matter what race, culture, gender or age so come and join us to experience a new way of life as everyone is welcome.“The next Khedruje Kadampa sessions are on 9 November at 2.30pm at Tuggerah Library and 6 December at 10.30am at Lake Haven Library.Booking for these sessions are essential and can be made by calling the library branches directly.

Resealing of 59 kilometres of Central Coast local roads has kicked off this week beginning at Chain Valley Bay.A number of streets will be resealed as part of Council’s Capital Works Program this year providing safer roads for motorists.Central Coast Council’s Construction Manager, Mr Stuart Baverstock said, this resealing program reflects part of Council’s commitment to maintain and improve local roads for the community.“Resealing roads will extend the life of the road and result in less long term road maintenance,” Mr Baverstock said.“The benefits the community can experience because of this resealing work is safer roads and money saved over the life of the road.“Council is responsible for over 2000 kilometres of sealed road pavement across our region and will continue to prioritise this work to meet the needs of our community and help reduce accidents.”Short term disruptions can take place while this work is being carried out and all updates for the program can be found at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.A selection of the 59 kilometres of road to be resealed in the coming months include;Alan Avenue, CharmhavenAllambee Crescent, Blue HavenBlood Tree Road, Mangrove MountainBrandon Close, BudgewoiBridge Avenue, Chain Valley BayBuff Point Avenue, Buff PointCams Boulevard, Summerland PointCarpenter Street, Umina BeachCarters Road, Lake MunmorahCatalina Road, San RemoChisholm Avenue, Lake MunmorahCogra Road, Woy WoyDog Trap Road, SomersbyKurrawa Avenue, Point ClareMalkana Avenue, Forresters BeachMelba Road, Woy WoyThe Ridgeway, LisarowWards Hill Road, Empire BayWatkin Avenue, Woy Woy.For information on upcoming road work, visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.

Central Coast Council will place the draft Norah Head Village Centre Masterplan on Public Exhibition from Wednesday 9 November to Friday 9 December 2016.“This plan has been developed with great input from over 60 residents and stakeholders at two community workshops held in May and June this year,” said Mr Scott Cox, Group Leader, Environment and Planning.“Now the plan is ready for Public Exhibition and we encourage anyone interested to view the plan and provide feedback by the due date,” Mr Cox said.“This Masterplan is all about Council investing in the Norah Head community over the next 20 years to retain its distinct character whilst improving public facilities and linkages.”Some of the key features of the plan are provision for public domain improvements within the Village Centre.The plan considers car parking, shared pathways and cycleways, street furniture, lighting, signage and landscaping, public amenities and recreational facilities.Following the Public Exhibition the draft masterplan will be refined to incorporate any changes required as a result of feedback received during the exhibition period.The draft Masterplan will then be reported to Council seeking its adoption and commencement of the first stage of implementation of the Masterplan, and to gain inclusion of short to medium term recommended actions within Council’s four year delivery plan.The draft masterplan can be viewed at Toukley Library or at Central Coast Council Chambers, 2 Hely Street, Wyong or online at www.haveyoursaycentralcoast.com.au/norah-head-master-planWe welcome public feedback via email ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au, the Have Your Say webpage or PO Box 20, Wyong NSW 2259.

The award-winning Wyong Lakes Festival will kick off its nine day program on Saturday and it is guaranteed to entertain, delight and educate.Once again, Tuggerah Lakes will take centre stage when more than 30 events make a splash from Saturday 12 to Sunday 20 November.The festival program is varied so it doesn’t matter whether your interest is sport or cultural experiences, family or educational activities or just getting out and enjoying the magnificent lakes and catchments, this festival is for you.Light up the Lake will launch the festival with a five hour lakeside event at Memorial Park, and will be jam-packed with great food, entertainment and lots of free activities.

Lead Instructor of The Hub Erina’s Rising Stars Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) program, Noah Magnus, will compete and captain the Australian team in the World Pankration Championships in Italy from 11-14 November.Pankration means ‘all powers’.

Three of Central Coast Council’s projects have been recognised as the best in New South Wales for their engineering excellence.The winners were announced at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) state conference last night in the Hunter Valley.The Wyong CBD drainage upgrade received top honours taking out the award for Design and/or Construction of a Local Government/Public Works Project.The multi-million dollar project was split into six stages and saw drainage three times bigger than previous installed through the Wyong Central Business District (CBD) to reduce the impact of flooding in the area and support future growth and development.In the same category, Council received a Highly Commended for the upgrade of high voltage assets at Mooney Mooney Water Pump Station.Council also took out the Excellence in Road Safety Engineering for its proactive work in making our local roads safer.Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Rob Noble, said the awards highlighted the quality of essential services Council provides to the community.“They are a testament to the hard work of our staff,” Mr Noble said.“These awards recognise our outstanding performance while carrying out some of our core services – water supply, planning and drainage.”

Central Coast Council has announced the first round of funding as part of the Stronger Communities Fund Community Grants Program.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 Central Coast Council annual Short Story Competition, who were announced at a well-attended awards ceremony on the weekend.This is the fifth consecutive year the competition has been held, but the first time the competition has been held across the whole Central Coast region.This year entries were invited from four categories and the theme was open, with a 1500 word limit.The competition aims to boost the profile of creative writing on the Coast while providing a platform for hopeful authors to be discovered and celebrated.Council’s Section Manager of Library Services, Ms Andrea Edwards, said she was delighted with the response from the community.“We received a record number of 224 entries.

Residents are encouraged to make their homes and gardens more sustainable by learning about permaculture, composting, worm farming and keeping chickens at a new eco education garden at Buttonderry Waste Management Facility.The garden is being used for eight free community workshops during Wyong Lakes Festival, and bookings are essential.It contains raised garden beds, tepee display posts, gardening table, brick area for functions, foot bridge, children’s garden and play area, training amphitheatre and edible and native gardens.Council’s Senior Project Officer, Ms Narelle Peterson, said the garden had been specifically designed to facilitate community workshops where residents could learn to reduce waste and their use of household chemicals.“The garden was developed as part of Council’s Waste Less Recycle More program and the workshops are designed to teach the community how they can reuse and recycle,” Ms Peterson said.“Permaculture workshops will teach people how to harvest and maximise water, sun and other natural resources such as leaves, bird droppings and dust.”“Simple things such as planting seedlings in newspaper pots that can then be planted straight into the soil help minimise the amount of work needed in the garden and it’s environmentally friendly.”Some workshops include free starter packs which are limited to one per household.

A whale calf found caught in a shark net at Shelly Beach this morning has now freed itself.Council Lifeguard’s spotted the whale on their daily patrol this morning and called in ORRCA.A jet ski inspection by Lifeguards and ORRCA have confirmed the whale calf is no longer trapped in the nets and has been reunited with its mother.National Parks and Wildlife were notified and had launched a rescue boat from Sydney which has since turned back.A Channel Nine helicopter also confirmed to Council lifeguards the whale was definitely free.Hundreds of whales have been spotted along the Central Coast coastline over the last few days as they make their way south after their winter solstice.