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issue 14 christmas 2014
Talk
Connecting the Washington Park community
It’s beginning to look a lot like
Christmas
Carols filled the air as hundreds
gathered in the Riverwood
Wetlands Park to celebrate
the festive season together.
In its fourth consecutive year, the Riverwood
Carols in the Wetlands are fast becoming a
favourite community event. Held this year on
Friday December 12, over 500 people came
together to sing carols and celebrate the festive
season.
“Each year the carols are getting bigger and
better. It is wonderful to see so many families and
friends coming together and singing along”, said
Dominic Sullivan General Manager of PAYCE
Communities. “We are so proud to support these
carols and join together with many of our
community partners who we have worked with
throughout the year”.
On the night music was played by St George
Players, a band of 20 members, with special
performances by Riverwood Public School and St
Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. Jan Thorpe who
runs the St George Players said, “It is just
wonderful to be part of these carols, the spirit at
the event has been amazing”.
Morris Iemma was the MC for the evening
said, “The carols in the Wetlands is an event I
have been part of since the beginning and it is
one of my favourite events of the year. The
Wetlands provide a stunning surrounding”.
The Carols in the Wetlands is supported by
PAYCE Communities, Riverwood Community
Centre, Club Riverwood St George Housing and
NSW Housing.
Riverwood residents
meet their local member.
New MP for Banks David
Coleman, made a visit to
the Residents Organisation
at Riverwood to speak
about local issues.
Thirty residents of Riverwood gathered together
for an intimate conversation with new Federal
Member for Banks, David Coleman, at the
PAYCE Sales office on Friday November 21. For
many residents it was the first time they had met
Mr. Coleman, who won the seat of Banks in last
years election. Riverwood resident Pam Hean
said, “I rather enjoyed it, it gave him an
opportunity to listen to us, to find out what is
going on, and ask what we think is working and
what isn’t so much. It was very interesting”. Gail
Johnson enjoyed meeting Mr. Coleman in person
Village Talk
Issue 14 CHRISTMAS 2014
and was impressed saying “my friend has an
appointment with him next week about an
issue, so that has been a really good result”.
David Coleman visited a Resident’s
Organisation at Riverwood meeting, which
are held on the 1st of every month at the
PAYCE Sales office. However it is not
uncommon for him to sit down with local
residents. Each month he hosts a “Coffee with
David” at local cafes across the electorate. He
said of the community coffee dates “Coffee
with David gives me an opportunity to meet
with residents from Kyle Bay to Riverwood, to
get to know issues as they affect people on
the ground”.
For more information about ROAR
visit the ROAR facebook page.
Safety First:
CCTV Cameras coming to Riverwood.
David Coleman announces
$84,000 grant for CCTV
cameras to be installed
across Riverwood, Narwee,
Penshurst and Mortlake.
Streets across the seat of Banks will be improving
their safety standards with a successful grant of
$84,000, thanks to the Safer Streets Program.
The funding will deliver fourteen new cameras
across Riverwood, Narwee, Penshurst and
Mortlake in the new year. David Coleman
Federal Member for Banks has said “families,
business owners and local community
organisations have all told me that action
needs to be taken to make our streets safer.
“I am proud that we have achieved a good
result in getting this funding”, Mr. Banks
concluded.º
Not Silent:
Canterbury Bulldogs
lead the march on White Ribbon Day.
Locals joined together to
march in the biggest White
Ribbon Day in Sydney.
Players from Canterbury Bulldogs led the march
for White Ribbon Day, the first club to sign
the White Ribbon campaign on as their major
community partner. More than 1200 locals
joined the players to march against violence
against women in Lakemba.
Hosted by Campsie LAC and Canterbury
Council on November 25, this year’s march
proved to be the biggest yet. Campsie LAC
crime manager Paul Albury was amazed by
the huge turnout saying, “We are extremely
humbled by the support and amount of people
who came out”.
Many sectors of the greater Bankstown
community were involved including players from
the Canterbury Bulldogs, the GWS Giants, and
different faith groups across the area. Local
businesses and organisations were present
too including PCYC Bankstown and PAYCE
Communities, who were sponsors.
The march commenced at Gillies Street,
Lakemba and continued onto Parry Park Punchbowl.
Participants took part in an oath ceremony at the
beginning of the march in Lakemba and heard
speeches from community representatives including
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, who
gave a stirring speech.
Kickstart Youth Café
Graduates First Class.
As 2014 draws to a close
the first apprentices from
the social enterprise
program graduate.
Kickstart Youth Café is finishing the year
on a high note, with all four of the 2014
apprentices graduating from the social
enterprise program. The program is a PAYCE
Communities initiative, and selects young
Riverwood locals to complete a practical
traineeship onsite at the Kickstart Café while
they simultaneously complete their Certificate
III in Hospitality Operations. Samantha
Terepai, Maverick Ofisa, Joseph Wells and
Anthony Box all graduated at the ceremony
on December 16.
Dominic Sullivan General Manager at
PAYCE Communities expressed his pride
for the graduates who had completed the
program. “The Kickstart Café graduates
have done themselves very proud through
the completion of this program and we look
forward to supporting the next round of
apprentices in 2015”.
Since the café’s inception business has
grown steadily. Matthew Peek, head chef and
mentor to the apprentices has been pleased
with how the café has developed over the
year. “As the year has gone on, more people
know about us and business has really picked
up, especially workers from the site who are
great supporters”.
“It’s been a great pleasure for me to be
able to pass on my knowledge as a chef to
these young guys as they start out”. Over the
year the apprentices gained skills in customer
service, money handling, food preparation
and barista skills.
For Joseph Wells a graduate of Kickstart
Youth Café program it has been a great
learning experience. “I’ve learnt a lot of new
skills during this year, and I really liked the
study part. Next year I would like to keep
studying at college”.
Kickstart Café is open daily from
6am until 3pm.
It re-open in the new year from
January 12, 2015.
Riverwood celebrates
a multicultural music afternoon.
There was cause for dancing;
thanks to music with an
international flavour, in the
Rose Garden at Riverwood.
Residents of Riverwood braved the sweltering
heat on Sunday November 23, to celebrate
the first afternoon of multicultural music in the
Rose Garden at Riverwood Wetlands Park.
Over 150 residents, young and old, gathered
together to enjoy an afternoon of music from
around the world.
Musicians from Australia, Fiji, South
Africa and Sudan entertained the crowd and
had people up out of their seats dancing.
Robert Howard from the Fijian band the
Pacific Sunsets said “For us the heat was no
problem, being from Fiji we are used to hot
temperatures!”
The multicultural musical afternoon was
the idea of the ROAR group, or the Residents
A Chat with…
David Coleman
This edition we talk with Federal MP for Banks
David Coleman about his plans for this area
and his favourite places in Riverwood.
Where do you live?
I have lived in Lugarno for many years.
How long have you been
in government?
Since last election! Before I had a career
in the Australian media industry in roles
including Director of Strategy and Digital at
Nine Entertainment as a member of the board
of ninemsn and Sky News. I was involved
with student politics when I was younger as
Page 2
President of the Students Guild at UNSW.
This is my first move into federal politics.
Why did you choose to
enter politics now?
We have a great country because of our
democratic system, and I felt now was the
time. I want to give service to our great
democratic system.
What do you see as key
priorities in Riverwood?
Riverwood is a great community. People
are always concerned with community
safety and we have recently attained
funding of $84,000 for CCTV cameras
across Riverwood, Narwee, Penshurst
and Mortlake. Another key issue
is the state of Salt Pan Creek.
Organisation at Riverwood. Tony Genovese
of ROAR said, “It was a great day and we
look forward to having even more with lots of
other musical groups”.
Brendan Moore opened the musical
afternoon with a Welcome to Country and
later played the didgeridoo. Francheseca
Appolis a South African singer followed and
had the entire crowd dancing in no time. She
provided a great introduction to the Mudad
Sudanese group and the Pacific Sunsets
hailing originally from Fiji.
A coffee and cake stall on the day raised
money for Riverwood Community Centre
and the tireless community-focused programs
that it delivers. PAYCE Communities proudly
sponsored the afternoon of music. Dominic
Sullivan General Manager said, “We are
delighted to be able to sponsor this music
event which reflects the diversity of Riverwood”.
A big thanks to Riverwood Community Centre
who also supported the day.
What are your plans for
Salt Pan Creek?
We recently circulated a community
survey and our office received a strong
and emphatic response that a lot can
be done there. We have set up the
Green Army Project where a team of ten
people will focus on the rejuvenation of
the area for a period of six months.
And finally, where is your
favourite place in Riverwood?
I love the Wetlands for the outdoor
space and calm. The Spot Café does a
mean coffee. They were kind enough to
host our recent “Coffee with David”.
Connecting the Washington Park community.
Celebrating 200
th
Four years on and the Friday
afternoon barbie is going
stronger than ever!
When long-time resident Beverly Vimpany first
joined the Friday afternoon barbecue with
other Riverwood residents she never imagined
that four years on it would still be going strong.
“Back then there was no more than 20 or so of
us coming along for a chat and a laugh”.
Today, there are over 100 residents and friends
who come for a snag and catch up with their
neighbours each week.
Lance Brooks has been running the
barbecues for PAYCE Communities since the
beginning. He said, “It’s my favourite part of
Friday afternoon barbecue!
the week, many friendships have been formed
over a simple barbecue”.
Over the years many different faces have made
up the crowd of volunteers and food samplers,
young and old. Gradually the barbecue has
grown from a simple sausage and a roll, to full
range of salad items often from the Riverwood
Public School’s harvest of its Community Garden.
Others regularly bring dips and cakes to share.
Carlos Haider is a regular volunteer on the
barbecue he says, “I like to serve people, I am
happy to be a part of it. I am happy when I see
people happy there. Everybody comes and we
are all laughing together”.
The Friday Afternoon Barbecue will be back
in February 2015, ‘rain, hail or shine’.
A great year for the
Clean Streets Program.
On November 12 volunteers of the Clean
Streets Program celebrated another successful
year. Over 50 people attended the morning
clean up, followed by a delicious barbecue
lunch in front of the Riverwood Men’s
Shed. The program has been running for
two years now and has covered streets all
over Riverwood from Washington Avenue
PAYCE Lights of
Christmas
Mary’s Cathedral to watch the beautiful 3D
digital projections that illuminate the Cathedral’s
75m high façade.
This year, PAYCE is proud to present the event.
PAYCE Chairman, Brian Boyd said he was
delighted to present a free public event for
Sydneysiders to enjoy. “The Lights of Christmas
have brought joy to hundreds of thousands of
Sydneysiders. It’s inspiring to see how the diverse
Sydney community comes together in front of the
cathedral each year to celebrate the season. This
year we are proud to partner such a worthwhile
project and help bring the true spirit of Christmas
to life.” said Mr. Boyd.
The nightly spectacle is heralded by live choir
performances from the steps of Sydney’s grandest
Cathedral. Lights of Christmas presented by
PAYCE is an all weather event and has special
onsite catering or BYO picnics are welcome.
Sydneysiders are invited
to enjoy this spectacular
free event.
It is that time of year again when St Mary’s
Cathedral is spectacularly lit up to celebrate the
Christmas season for the Lights of Christmas. Since
2009, the Archdiocese of Sydney has hosted
scores of families and friends on the forecourt of St
Rowa Omari is the new Place Coordinator for
SGCH (formerly St George Community Housing)
at Riverwood. We sat down for a chat about her
new role, working as a Place Maker and what
she loves about the area.
What is your role at St
George Housing?
I’m the new Place Coordinator for Riverwood.
Before this, where have you worked?
I have been working for St George
Community Housing for 10 years now. In
that time I have seen many departments
- I’ve been in tenancy management,
community development and maintenance
and repairs. Before that I was actually a
qualified chef working for Novotel Hotels!
Issue 14 CHRISTMAS 2014
Project update.
Construction of Como and
Fairmount are well on time.
The building structures of both Como and
Fairmount are now complete. Internal works
including kitchens, flooring, bathrooms are
progressing well in both buildings. With excellent
weather lately all works are being complete well
within budgeted timelines.
Demolition of the old Senior Citizens Centre is
complete and construction will commence on the
new Library and Senior Citizens Centre in the
New Year. Canterbury Council and PAYCE
Communities will be working together to deliver
the new state of the art facilities.
9 – 25 December 2014,
Cathedral Square on College Street,
St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
7:30pm – Choral Performance
8:30pm – midnight Light and Sound
Christmas Show
Getting there: T2 Airport line at
Riverwood Station, alight at St James
station
A Chat with…
Rowa Omari
Village Talk
to Michigan Avenue. It came about after
residents participated in Clean Up Australia
day and had the idea of having the event
more regularly. Jessica Cai, Program Worker
from Riverwood Community Centre said, “The
purpose of it is not just to reduce the litter and
waste on Riverwood Housing Estate, but also to
promote the sense of belonging and pride”.
Tell us about Place Making…
Place Making to me is about building
safe and harmonious communities that
are sustainable, that people can enjoy.
to come to Riverwood all the time when I was
young, I had family who lived in Riverwood
and I used to beg my parents to take me to
the water park and play on the serpent.
What do you enjoy about your role?
I love the fact that I get to meet people, and to
be working on the ground with our tenants. I
get to do some really fun things with our tenants
and I like being able to see the result and
how we’ve made a difference in their lives.
What do you love about
Riverwood?
The community. Without being too biased, I
feel like everyone is willing to help one another;
we have so many volunteers in the community.
I have been overwhelmed since starting in
Riverwood at the spirit of this community.
What is it like working with
St George Housing?
St George is one of the best employers I have
worked for. We are a family and we are
there looking for the best for our tenants. We
genuinely care for our staff and our residents.
Where do you live?
I live in Panania currently, although I have a
long history connecting me to Riverwood. I used
What is your favourite
place in Riverwood?
Well I love George and Sophie’s for a
bite to eat. On the weekends I take my
kids to the Wetlands and they love to ride
their bikes and scooter around there.
Page 3
Sophie’s Kitchen.
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 210 degrees. Heat the oil in
a large frying pan over a medium – high heat.
Then add the onions and cook for 10 minutes
or until they soften.
These caramelised onion
and beetroot tarts are
sure to be a favourite over
the summer season.
School’s out for summer.
Summer holidays are here
and there’s plenty for kids
to do. We have put together
a guide for some of the
activities in your area!
Write a letter to Santa at Westfield
Hurstville. Write a letter and receive
a reply, Dec 24 9.30am–6.00pm.
Cnr Cross St and Park Rd, Hurstville,
Ph 9511 2700,
School Holiday Art Program at
Bankstown Art Centre. Activities include
shadow puppet making, performance and
painting. Jan 12–23, Prices start at $20.
5 Olympic Parade, Bankstown,
Ph 9707 5400 or visit
www.bankstown.nsw.gov.au/artscentre
PRIMARY SCHOOL AGES 5–12
Vacation Care at Lakemba Public
School. Activities include arts and crafts,
cooking challenges, cricket academy and
excursions to Sydney Park, movies $44/day.
Jan 5–23 7am–6pm,
Alice Street Wiley Park,
Ph 9789 9565
HIGH SCHOOL AGE 13–18
Summer Holiday Program at Belmore
Youth Resource Centre. Activities include
excursion to IMAX and Luna Park, Cooking
programs, t-shirt design and sports.
Jan 12–23, Building 3, 38 Redman Parade,
Belmore, Ph. 9718 9848
Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre’s
Holiday Sports Clinic. A great way to
keep kids active, activities include water
sports, circus skills, cricket and softball.
$20/session or $200/week. Jan 12–23
Session 1: 9:00am–11:30am Session 2: 12:30–3:00pm,
150 Belmore Road, Riverwood,
Ph 9153 0441
School Holiday Art Program at
Bankstown Art Centre. Activities include
short film club, weaving and print making.
Jan 13–24, Prices start at $20.
5 Olympic Parade, Bankstown,
Ph 9707 5400 or visit
www.bankstown.nsw.gov.au/artscentre
Photos with Santa at Roselands
Shopping Centre. Meet Santa and receive
a free wristwatch with a photo package.
Christmas Week Sat, Sun, Wed 9am–5pm,
Mon, Tues 9am–8pm.
Roselands Shopping Centre, Roselands Drive,
Roselands, Ph 9784 5400
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 brown onions, sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Small tin of baby beetroot
100g of goats cheese, sliced into rounds
1 teaspoon lemon thyme leaves
2-3 sheets of puff pastry (thawed)
Step 2
Add the brown sugar, vinegar, salt and
pepper and continue cooking for another
5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow
to cool slightly.
Step 3
Cut pastry into small circles to make small tarts.
Step 4
Scatter onions over the pastry, leaving a 3cm
border. Top the onions with the beetroot and
the goats cheese.
Step 5
Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is
crisp and puffed. Then scatter with thyme
and serve the tart warm.
Have your
say
Got a comment you’d like to make?
Write to PAYCE, GPO Box 3877, Sydney, 2000 or email [email protected].
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Visit www.riverwoodvillagetalk.com, ‘like’
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Every week they’re updated with
stories of the many interesting activities
in and around Riverwood.
Share and like us on facebook: Riverwood Village Talk
Email us at [email protected]
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The Riverwood community event calendar.
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015
5–23 January
12–23 January
26 January
3 February
6 February
18 February
3 March
6 March
18 March
Vacation Care at
Lakemba Public
School
7am–6pm,
Alice Street Wiley Park,
Ph 9789 9565
School Holiday
Art Program at
Bankstown Art
Centre
5 Olympic Parade,
Bankstown,
Ph 9707 5400
Australia Day Pool
Party
$2 entry
Canterbury and
Roselands Pool
Riverwood
Community Advisory
Board meeting
Lincoln Community Room
Open meeting 9.30am
ROAR General
Meeting
Chinese New Year
Celebration
RCC 10am
Riverwood
Community Advisory
Board meeting
Lincoln Community Room
Open meeting 9.30am
ROAR General
Meeting
Harmony Day
12–23 January
12–24 January
Morris Iemma
Indoor Sports
Centre’s Holiday
Sports Clinic
150 Belmore Road,
Riverwood,
Ph 9153 0441
Summer Holiday
Program at Belmore
Youth Resource
Centre
Building 3, 38 Redman
Parade, Belmore, Ph.
9718 9848
28 January
7 March
Autumn Fair
NSW School Term
Begins
Published by PAYCE
Level 37, Chifley Tower
2 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone 02 8080 2300
Page 4
6, 13, 20, 27 February
Free Community
Barbecue
Next to Lincoln Building
From 3.30pm
11 February
RCC’s CCSP
See flyers for location
10am followed by a BBQ
20 February
ROAR Social
Meeting
6, 13, 20, 27 March
Free Community
Barbecue
Next to Lincoln Building
From 3.30pm
20 March
ROAR Social
Meeting
14 March
Seniors Week Starts
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for general information only
and does not provide specific advice. PAYCE accepts no
liability for any errors, omissions or for any person who acts
on the contents of this newsletter.
Village Talk
Issue 14 CHRISTMAS 2014

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