12 months in… Edition 2, November 2023
Edition 2, November 2023
What I’ve been up to…
It’s been a busy 6 months since my last newsletter!
Apart from continuing to work hard to deliver for the community, Kateand I have welcomed a daughter into our family and it is fair to say that sleep is fleeting at the moment.
Nearly one year into the role, I am really enjoying the opportunity to workwith local residents, businesses and community groups to enhance this incredible neighbourhood we have in Goodwood Ward. Here are some highlights since the last issue of my newsletter, just some of what I’ve achieved:
Put forward a successful motion, resulting in the sale of the Goodwood Community Childcare Centre premises to the organisation. This has guaranteed long-term strategic security for them and ensured we will continue to have a community childcare centre in our neighbourhood for years to come.
Received unanimous support for my motion protesting therelocation of the SAPOL Mounted Operations Unit to Mirnu Wirra (Park 21 West), additionally with the help of wonderful local volunteers I secured more than 2,000 signatures for a petition which I presented to members of the State Parliament. This has resulted in a fantastic outcome for our City and ensured that the Park Lands on our doorstep remain accessible for the public to enjoy.
Supported bringing management of the Goodwood Community Centre back under Council responsibility in response to what many residents shared and said in our community consultation of 2021 when they were asked about the Goodwood Community Centre’s performance, amenity, offerings, activities and service. By resuming management in-house, we have created opportunities for Council to better coordinate the services and activities of Goodwood Community Centre with those of other community centres in Unley.
Secured a 50% increase in the annual budget for the Greening Verge program, allowing more City of Unley residents to green their verges both adding to our neighbourhood amenity and increasing green space and biodiversity.
Recently attended a briefing for the Forestville Locale development on the old Le Cornu site and, following my unanimously supported motion late last year calling for at least 1500m2 of publicly accessible green space and at least 15% tree canopy, I am pleased to advise that the development will include an 1800m2 public reserve as well as more than 20% mature tree canopy.
Community Champion
Meet Charles from Goodwood…
“I love how many people are out and about walking and enjoying the area. The local residents are a great part of Goodwood Ward, they are so kind and considerate, always happy to help one another out.”
Charles on what makes Goodwood Ward great.
Many of you will have noticed the beautiful verge gardens that have sprouted up along Leader Street in the last 12 months and some of you will have read about the man responsible for them, Charlie from Goodwood, in an earlier issue of Unley Life magazine. I dropped by to chat with Charlie and see how he is going.
Charlie, why did you start beautifying the verge gardens along Leader Street?
I was running out of space in the little garden out the front of my unit and the garden beds along Leader Street were so bare... I started with one verge and before I knew it I had planted colour and greenery along most of the street. I have also found working on the verge gardens, being in the sunshine and receiving positive comments from the local community has been really great for my health and wellbeing. Having these garden beds to look after makes me want to get up in the morning and get my day started.
What’s your favourite plant you’ve got in the gardens at the moment?
I love the daisies. I did my research before planting and they were going to be the most colourful and likely to thrive. It grows so well along the street and has such a great impact.
Do you get many local residents and passers-by commenting on the great workyou do?
Yes, most definitely. It is hard to go outside without someone giving a friendly toot of their car horn and a wave as they drive past. There are also a couple of City of Unley staff who come by to do maintenance in the area and always stop for a chat. This positive reinforcement and conversations do a lot for my confidence and motivate me to keep going. I am really excited about what I will be able to do next with the grant I received from the City of Unley.
What tips would you have for others wanting to start a verge garden of their own?
I would recommend having a chat with Council beforehand to make sure it’s allowed and see what support they might be able to provide. Being able to look outside at the vibrant garden beds and see people stopping by to enjoy them is such a great feeling.
And finally, what do you think makes Goodwood Ward great?
I love how many people are out and about walking and enjoying the area. The local residents are a great part of Goodwood Ward, they are so kind and considerate, always happy to help one another out. I’ve had neighbours I haven’t met before drop by to donate cuttings, seedlings and snacks to keep me going. I even had a delicious homemade lasagne dropped off to me by someone who appreciated the work I have been doing, another person even gave me a $100 voucher for Bunnings so I could buy some gardening materials! The generous community spirit in Goodwood Ward is amazing.
Spotlight on local business
Flow Espresso, Wayville
“The friendly neighbours around me, both businesses and residents. Goodwood Ward definitely has its own unique ‘vibe’ and is so welcoming to new businesses.”
Thanh, owner of Flow Espresso, on what makes Goodwood Ward great.
A recent addition to the coffee scene in Goodwood Ward and quickly developing a cult following in the local community, Flow Espresso focuses on specialty coffee and caters to everyone from other self-proclaimed ‘coffee nerds’ to those who just need to grab a flat white on their way to work. Flow’s owner, Thanh, is passionate and knowledgeable about all things coffee. I stopped by for a chat over coffee about why he decided to open Flow Espresso in our neighbourhood.
Thanh, what made you decide to open Flow Espresso here in Wayville?
The opportunity came along when I was chatting with one of my regular customers whilst I was working as Head Barista at 30 Acres Norwood over on the Parade Norwood. It is ideal due to the corner positioning and the already established local community of professional workers around the café. There were also no operators providing a specialty coffee service that offers competition class and world class specialty coffee in the area.
You’re someone who makes coffee for a living, what’s your go-to coffee order?
I've been down this rabbit hole of the specialty coffee industry for roughly 25 years... I'm still that "coffee nerd" who is hungry to taste different species of coffees from all over the world roasted by other professional roasters who have not burnt or baked the life out of the coffees. My coffee(s) of choice are juicy and fruity Kenyan and Ethiopian extracted with V60 pour overs/ filters /batch brews filter methods and piccolo lattes.
I’ve seen a bunch of different latte art designs on your coffees, how did you learn to do it?
When I first started in the industry I always tried to create latte art on the coffees I made but was told off by my mentors. The coffee has to taste good first... latte art is just the garnish on the top of the coffee where the barista is showing off their skill with milk steaming and pouring control. I learnt by trial and error as well as watching other latte artists create.
Outside of Adelaide, where was the best coffee you’ve ever had?
A small cafe called "Nylon Coffee" in Singapore, they sell coffee and nothing else. Which is a rare thing in this industry.
And finally, what do you think makes Goodwood Ward great?
The friendly neighbours around me, both businesses and residents. Goodwood Ward definitely has its own unique ‘vibe’ and is so welcoming to new businesses.
Visit Flow Espresso at the corner of Greenhill Road and Joslin Street, Wayville, and try out their coffee for yourself.
Conversations with the community
I’ve been meeting with local residents about a range of issues including:
Speeding traffic concerns along Joslin/Parsons Street in Wayville and Victoria Street in Goodwood. As well as discussing resident concerns about traffic volume on Leah Street in Forestville.
Potential improvements to local parks and open spaces such as Wayville Reserve, Soutar Park, Everard Park Reserve and Forestville Reserve.
I’ve also been working with local business owners and the Goodwood Road Traders Association to:
Address planning concerns and support the expansion of services offered by those businesses for the community.
Explore how Council can better support them when it comes to parking, particularly during peak periods such as the Royal Adelaide Show.
Identify opportunities to improve the amenity of Goodwood Road for all businesses.
Good to know
The City of Unley provides a range of amazing services for its residents and ratepayers, each issue of my newsletter I will highlight some of these services and provide helpful advice on how you can make the most of being a part of our great community.
Got tricky waste?
Did you know that the City of Unley provides a service where residents can drop off small quantities of tricky waste? This service includes batteries, engine oil, light globes, fluorescent tubes, mobile phones, small electrical goods and clean polystyrene. Visit the Unley Works Depot, 75 King William Road, Unley, on Mondays between 7:30am and 3:30pm (excluding public holidays).
What’s on at the Goodwood Community Centre?
Our local Community Centre offers a range of events and programs for all ages, a toy library and facility hire. You can find out more by searching ‘Goodwood Community Centre’ or by visiting the following link:
Need help maintaining a significant tree?
We want to help owners preserve the natural and built environment by providing grants for building works and maintenance of significant and regulated trees. You could get a grant between $3,000 and $5,000. Find out more by searching 'Unley Council Conservation Grants' or visiting the link below:
https://www.unley.sa.gov.au/Community-services/Grants-sponsorships/Conservation-grants
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Have you got a local matter you’d like to discuss? Get in touch:
M: 0422 686 306