Cr Karen Pensabene, Mayor of Strathfield

Dear Residents,

Council has hosted several events across different departments over the past week in the lead up to Christmas. We are also enjoying the Christmas decorations and lights around our beautiful Local Government Area put up by our residents. 

Council celebrated International Day of People with Disability last Friday with a barbecue at Strathfield Council Library and Innovation Hub. This was a great opportunity to discuss how society can strive for inclusivity through the removal of physical, technological and attitudinal barriers for people with disability. Thank you to the residents and friends who joined us. We certainly want to make sure that we are aware and act to make the area inclusive to all needs.

I joined in for the last Bushcare meet up for 2023 on Saturday 2 December at Maria Reserve to remove obnoxious weeds and preserve the greenspace. We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers who are committed to improving habitat for native animals in our area. I encourage you to keep an eye out for next year’s meet updates to get outdoors, meet new people and collectively regenerate local bushland.

Later that day, I attended Council’s Christmas Carols event at Strathfield Park with Deputy Mayor Sandy Reddy, Councillors Benjamin Cai, Raj Datta, Nella Hall and Sharangan Maheswaran. With over 1000 residents, we witnessed a fantastic community event where we all celebrated the festive season. Our Strathfield Community Choir and Symphony Orchestra certainly entertained the crowd with children enjoying our carols, face painting and petting zoo. Thank you to all who supported our volunteer community groups in raising funds for local charities and initiatives.

Lastly, Strathfield Council Library and Innovation Hub have Healthy Relationship Packs available until this Sunday as part of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This global movement is a call for an end to violence against women and girls and runs until Sunday 10 December. This 16 Days of Activism and beyond, let's change the story and create a future where we are all safe, equal and respected. I will be attending the Auburn Police Area Command this week, as they will be recognising this global movement.

If you have any further questions or need to contact me, please feel free to email me at cr.kpensabene@stratfhield.nsw.gov.au or reach out to our customer service at 9748 9999.

Have a great week everyone.

Cooks River: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

This exhibition will take you on a journey through the river’s rich history culminating in recent projects and initiatives that protect and conserve the river and its biodiversity. Register for the official opening on 14 December, 4:30pm.

Flooding in Pemberton Street, 1959

In its upper reaches in Strathfield, Cooks River once resembled ‘a chain of ponds.’ After rain, water holes would overflow causing flooding to local roads. Canalling helped with flooding issues, but altered the river’s natural flow and the stretch from Water Street to Freshwater Park had to wait until the 1960s. This photo shows flooding in Pemberton Street during November 1959, not far from where Cooks River meanders through Strathfield Golf Course. Pemberton Street was cut by the construction of Centenary Drive during the 1980s.

The Cooks River: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow exhibition opens in Strathfield Library on 14 December.

Flooding on Pemberton Street between Newton Road and Ada Avenue, November 1959. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies