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Cairns Regional Council e-news - Volume 17, 28 July 2016
Help build vision for Our Cairns
You can have your say on the future of the Cairns region by participating in the Our Cairns survey from next week. The survey will gauge residents’ opinions on what would make Cairns an even better place to live and will address contentious topics such as fluoride in drinking water and flying fox management. Results will assist in the preparation of Council's new Corporate Plan.
“This plan lays down a guideline for decision-making by identifying the base objectives and values of our community," Mayor Bob Manning said. “The more people respond to the survey, the greater the accuracy of the result, so we are asking anyone who has an interest in the future of Cairns to take part in this survey.”
Other topics to be included in the survey include whether Cairns needs a rectangular stadium, hard rubbish and green waste collections and , flying fox management, hard rubbish collections and the possible closure of the Cairns Esplanade to traffic. Suburb-specific information will also be sought, as well as preferred methods for interacting with Council.
You can sign up now to receive the survey to your inbox when it opens next week. Alternatively, visit Council's website from Monday 1 August.
Libraries' annual book sale
The annual Cairns Libraries Book Sale will be held over three days this weekend. Now in its 13th year, the sale consists of excess library stock, which will make way for new titles and products. A mix of information books and novels, children’s books, DVDs and music CDs will be offered to the community at bargain prices. In total, more than 40,000 items will be up for sale at the Cairns Showgrounds across Friday, Saturday and Sunday (29-31 July) and EFTPOS is available. All funds raised through the sale will be used to purchase new items across the eight Cairns Libraries branches. Doors open 9am tomorrow (Friday).
Experience the Anzac Spirit
The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience is a free travelling exhibition that tells the story of Australia's involvement in World War I and the ensuing Century of Service of Australia's armed forces. This once-in-a-lifetime family event will be in Cairns on 14-20 August. Bookings are essential and free tickets can be obtained online. The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience follows a chronological timeline spanning pre-war Australia to the present day and uses a mix of arresting visuals, artefacts, audio and film to engage visitors in a very stimulating and emotional manner. Volunteers aged 18 years and over are still needed to assist with the event. Anyone interested is asked to email volunteers@spiritofanzac.gov.au.
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Get active during Seniors Week
Tickets are now available for two of Cairns most popular annual Seniors Week events. Visit TicketLiNK to reserve free bookings for the Seniors Week Garden Tea and Seniors Week Lunch. Tickets are being released in blocks with a maximum of two tickets able to be reserved by one person at a time. Seniors Week is on 13-19 August and this year's theme is "Staying healthy and Active. There is a range of activities and events taking place, most of which are free. View the full program on Council's website. Stallholders are also invited to register for a free space at the Positive Ageing Fair, which will be held on Friday 19 August.
Munro Martin Parklands to open
The long-awaited opening of the new Munro Martin Parklands will happen next month. Though the A Night in the Parklands event on 13 August and the official opening on 19 August are booked out, there are other upcoming events that will allow you to be among the first to experience the new venue. This includes a Seniors Week movie night, Soldier On concert and the Soweto Gospel Choir. Check our website or TicketLiNK for details and ticket availability.
Volunteers find their place in green space
Green Space Our Place is a new volunteer program that encourages residents to get involved in enhancing and maintaining public spaces. With 150 volunteers already involved, new gardens are springing up across the region. Council supports residents' activities by providing materials, resources and assistance. The Machans Beach Community Association has been particularly active, having already planted more than 100 trees at Keith Edwick Park with plans for many more. Green Space Our Place aims to build collaborative partnerships between Council and community, while providing opportunities for residents to engage in rewarding and healthy activities and create community pride and wellbeing. Read more
Cairns ratepayers getting best value
A benchmarking exercise has confirmed that ratepayers in Cairns continue to pay less for their services than others throughout the state. Cairns Regional Council has assessed itself against 11 other Queensland local government areas with populations of 100,000 people or more. In three of four rating categories, Cairns was shown to have the lowest total rates bill. Council recently handed down a budget that includes a record capital works program; a fourth consecutive balanced budget; and $3 million in financial support to our tourism industry. During the past three years, Council has completed more than $386 million worth of capital works and rate rises of just 1.5 per cent a year. Read more
Festival countdown
Cairns Festival is just weeks away, kicking off on 26 August. The full program is now available to download, so you can start planning your Festival fix! Don't forget that parade float entries close tomorrow (Friday), so don't delay if you want to be part of this spectacular event. This year's theme is Colours of Us.
Innovative entries deadline
Entries in the 2016 Tropical North Queensland Innovation Awards are closing soon. Local innovators have until 15 August to submit their entries for a chance to win great prizes and receive exposure for their idea or product. Special recognition awards will be presented for Indigenous innovators and Eco Innovation projects that offer sustainable benefit to the environment; and there will be a People's Choice and Mayor's Choice winner. More information on award categories and the entry process are available at www.innovatetnq.com.au
Focus on tropical economiesTickets are now on sale for the Future of Tropical Economies Conference (FTEC) to be held in Cairns in October. The conference will address a key theme of Resilience in the Tropics through presentations by an impressive line-up of Australian and international speakers. Topics will include human capital, environment, economics and sustainable Development. The program for the two-day conference is now available online. See the FTEC website for further information and registration details. FTEC is jointly presented by Cairns Regional Council and James Cook University. |
Lagoon closureThe Esplanade Lagoon is currently closed for its biennial maintenance program. The pool has been emptied to allow for repairs, cleaning and improvements that will make sure the Cairns icon is back to it best. The amenities building is also being upgrade. The lagoon will reopen on Monday 8 August. |
Grants support community
Council has provided $7.2 million in financial support to groups and organisations to support the community during the past 12 months. In the 2015-16 financial year, support was provided to 96 organisations through grants and Resource and Performance Agreements to support activities that benefit the region. Grants programs include support for community events, cultural activities, economic development, sustainability, sporting events, community development and local sporting organisations.
Beach volleyball courts to stay
Two temporary show courts constructed for the recent Great Barrier Reef Continental Cup beach volleyball tournament will remain in place as a potential competitive and training facility. It's hoped the international-standard courts will attract more competitive events and may be used for training by visiting teams ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.