CITY OF BALLARAT YOUTH AWARDS TO BE PRESENTED THIS FRIDAY

11th October 2010

The recipients of the 2010 City of Ballarat Youth Awards will be announced at a free event to be held at the Regent Multiplex Cinemas this Friday night (15/10) at 7pm.

The Youth Awards were developed by the City of Ballarat Youth Council and Youth Services, to provide an opportunity for the community to celebrate and recognise Ballarat’s many young people who make a positive contribution to the community. 

City of Ballarat Portfolio Councillor for People and Communities John Philips said the Youth Awards are a fantastic opportunity to show our support for Ballarat’s young people.

“Council is proud to host the Youth Awards each year. There are many inspiring young people in Ballarat and I look forward to presenting the awards on Friday night to the highly deserving recipients.

“I encourage the community to show their support for our young people and come along to the Awards ceremony at the Regent Cinemas.”

A range of award categories will be presented to people aged between 12 and 25 years, two of the awards were also available for people aged over 25 years.

There are also two major City of Ballarat awards, a 12-17 year old and 18-25 year old category. These awards recognise young people who have shown consistent and genuine efforts in various aspects of their life.  This may include education, employment, community involvement or supporting peers. Nominees for all Youth Award categories are eligible to win a City of Ballarat Award.

The Youth Award categories include:

• Art Award – Music
• Art Award – Visual and Design
• Art Award – Performing Arts
• Challenge and Change Award
• Eco Warrior Award
• Young Entrepreneur Award
• Youth Support Worker Award (also available to people over 25 years of age)
• Inspirational Award
• Young Carer Award
• Youth Volunteer Award
• Group Project Award
• Leadership in Sport Award
• Positive Youth Award
• Mentors Award (also available to people over 25 years of age)

All award winners will receive a trophy and financial reward.

For more information about the Youth Awards contact City of Ballarat Youth Services on 5320 5645

A NEW VISITOR TO BALLARAT'S CBD

11th Spetember 2010

Ballarat’s primary Visitor Information Centre (VIC) is moving back to Ballarat’s CBD.  The move is an interim measure while a permanent home for the facility is sought.

The move will see the creation of a one stop tourism shop as Council tourism and events staff join VIC staff and volunteers in the new facility.

The VIC will be open for business at its new location at 43 Lydiard St North, opposite the Art Gallery of Ballarat, on Monday October 11.

Ballarat Mayor, Cr Judy Verlin says the move is an opportunity to further improve the services offered to people visiting Ballarat.

“With the major redevelopment of the Eureka Centre it was necessary to move the existing Visitor Centre to a new location.

“We took the opportunity to bring it back into the heart of the city where it will be easy to find and easy to access” she said.

The new VIC will offer enhanced services to visitors to Ballarat, with VIC volunteers meeting trains and greeting visitors at the Ballarat Railway Station.

The more central location of the interim VIC will provide free car parking for visitors with seven spaces on Lydiard Street North dedicated to the VIC, with caravan parking at the nearby Civic Hall.

The VIC will remain at this location until a new, more permanent site in the CBD is identified and developed over the next few years.

Council is currently involved in an Expressions of Interest process in regard to identifying possible new sites for a permanent VIC and outlining what the prerequisites for that site are.

The old VIC at the Eureka Centre, as well as the Information Centre at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, will close Sunday October 10.

Key Facts:

• Ballarat’s Visitor Information Centre (VIC) is moving from the Eureka Centre to its new location in the CBD at 43 Lydiard St Nth and will be open for business on Monday October 11.
• The VIC will remain at this location until a new, more permanent, site in the CBD is identified and developed over the next few years.
• The old VIC at the Eureka Centre, as well as the Information Centre at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, will close Sunday October 10.

COUNCIL WINS PLANNING EXCELLENCE AWARD

18th October 2010

Ballarat City Council has won a prestigious Planning Industry Association 2010 Planning Excellence Victoria award.  

Council won the Heritage category for the development of the Preserving our Heritage Strategy. 

The winners were announced at the Planning awards presentation ceremony on Friday evening (15/10) in Melbourne.

City of Ballarat lead Councillor for Heritage Samantha McIntosh said Council is delighted to have been recognised for the Preserving our Heritage Strategy.

“The award is due recognition of Council’s efforts in the development of this strategy which implements an innovative approach to heritage preservation.

“Heritage is an intrinsic part of our city and who we are. This strategy provides the necessary framework to preserve our city’s heritage for future generations, not only for our local community but also for tourists who visit Ballarat specifically to see our city’s beautiful heritage architecture.

“Full credit goes to the commitment and dedication of Council’s Heritage team who have been central to the development and implementation of this strategy.”

The 2010 Victorian PIA Awards for Planning Excellence recognised innovation, achievement and excellence in urban and regional planning. The entries needed to demonstrate a contribution to liveable communities, excellence in planning and grounding in the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental sustainability

There were 16 award categories. A winner and commendation was awarded in each category. The awards were judged by a panel of industry peers.

A written application was submitted by Council in August, and a verbal presentation was made by Council staff in September. 

Other award winners in the Heritage category were:

Joint Winner: Context and Brimbank City Council
Project: Brimbank Heritage Design Guidelines

Commendation to: Context, Melbourne Water and Heritage Victoria
Project: Regional WATER Supply Heritage Study – Melbourne Region

Commendation to: Manningham City Council in partnership with Box Hill Institute
Project: Doncaster Hill Heritage Trail

Ballarat City Council will now go on to compete at the National Awards for Planning Excellence. The national awards recognise and acknowledge quality, innovation and excellence in planning throughout Australia.

Council’s Preserving our Heritage Strategy was adopted in April this year.

In partnership with the community, key outcomes to date include the Ballarat Heritage Awards, St Nicholas Church restoration, Learmonth Hall restoration, Heritage for our tomorrow brochure, Ballarat’s heritage studies included on the Victorian Heritage database, new terms of reference and membership for the Ballarat Heritage Advisory Committee, funding provided for a new Preserving Our Heritage Together pilot grants program, heritage workshops, increase in pre-application planning meetings with Council’s heritage advisor, reduction in VCAT referrals  and beautification works have begun in the CBD.

DREDGE DELIVERED TO LAKE WENDOUREE

21st October 2010

Photo opportunity:

What: Floating dredge on Lake Wendouree rowing course

When: Tuesday 19 October, 2010

Where: Lake Wendouree, along rowing course

Council is set to commence dredging of the Lake Wendouree rowing course following delivery of the floating dredge today. Preparatory works are being carried out and dredging is expected to commence later this week.

Dredging of the rowing course involves an excavator leading the way to loosen the Lake bed, closely followed by the floating dredge that will then collect the sediment and pump it via pipelines to the designated reed bed areas for creation of new shallow wetlands.

City of Ballarat Councillor John Philips said today marks a significant milestone in the restoration of Lake Wendouree.

“Once the dredging project is complete, Ballarat will once again have a national standard rowing course that will not only benefit local rowing clubs and aquatic groups but enthusiasts and communities right across the region.

“Council has worked hard on the refilling and restoration of this Ballarat icon and this is another significant step towards its complete rejuvenation”.

The tender for the dredging was awarded to Victorian company Austco Environmental Pty Ltd last month. Over the past three weeks Austco have been conducting preparation works including set up of the works compound at St. Patrick’s Point, surveying of the lake via a power boat to set out the area to be dredged and identify disposal areas for sediment and installation of marker posts outlining the rowing course.

The excavator has undergone preliminary testing and minor modification to suit Lake Wendouree conditions and the increased water depth.  Pipelines that will transport the dredged sediment to the designated reed beds have also been put into place.

Council will closely monitor the characteristics of the dredged material within the containment areas, with a report to be provided by the contractor on commencement of works.

A second dredge will be delivered to Lake Wendouree in November which will speed the process.

The work involves deepening the rowing course by 0.5 metres and depositing the sediments within two of the existing reed beds to create permanent shallow wetlands.

Works are anticipated to take approximately eight months to complete. For the duration of the project St Patrick’s Point Boatramp will be closed to the public.

The area between the dredge and the reed beds will be not accessible to the public while works are proceeding, and this area will change throughout the project as the dredge proceeds down the rowing course. The balance of the Lake and rowing course will remain available for use