FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

Did you know Tusmore Wading Pool is almost 60-years-old?

Tusmore Park was acquired by the District Council of Burnside in 1925, and the first concept design by the Tusmore Park Improvement Committee included an open air swimming pool. However, it was not until over forty years later that a pool was added to the park.

On 12 February 1966, City of Burnside Mayor George Bolton opened the Tusmore Wading and Sailing Boat Pool for the community to enjoy. After over 50 years of service, the pool was closed in August 2021 for a major redevelopment to replace aged equipment, install shade sails and other quality of life improvements. These works were funded through a $500,000 Federal Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure grant, with the pool re-opened in March 2022.

Today the pool remains a popular space for families across the City of Burnside and beyond to enjoy during summer, with the pool currently open for the 2023/24 season. Find out more at https://www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Latest-News/Homepage-Latest-News/Tusmore-Wading-Pool-now-open

1925 concept plan for Tusmore Park

Tusmore Wading Pool in 1990

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the latest news from across the City of Burnside, including:

✅ Nature Festival events across Burnside ongoing, including a QR Code Treasure Hunt at Kensington Wama (https://www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Whats-On/Nature-Festival/Nature-Festival-Treasure-Hunt)
✅ Tusmore Wading Pool now open for the 2023/24 season
✅ Free Fitness in the Park program now underway (https://www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Community-Recreation/Parks-Recreation/Fitness-in-the-Parks)
✅ Garage Sale Trail events coming soon to the City of Burnside (https://www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Community-Recreation/Whats-on-in-Burnside/Garage-Sale-Trail)

Find out more about what's going on in the City of Burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Did you know that Kensington Wama was previously owned by the Tramways Trust of South Australia?

In 1909, Piles Paddock was subdivided and sold as Kensington Gardens, with 40 acres reserved for public recreational use. Kensington Gardens Ltd bestowed the land to the Tramways Trust, who extended the tramline to stop at the reserve and improved the space by building picnic facilities, a kiosk, band rotunda and cricket pitches. In 1932, the Tramways Trust donated the reserve to the District Council of Burnside.

Aerial view of Kensington Gardens Reserve in 1945.

Whether you are a resident utilising your area or a commuter passing through, road safety for the community is a number one priority for the City of Burnside.

On Monday 25 September City of Burnside CEO Chris Cowley joined the Burnside Bicycle Users Group (BBUG) for a ride through multiple suburbs. Gaining a perspective of the daily hazards faced by cyclists, Chris also listened to member suggestions on how Council could facilitate safer road interactions.

‘It was a fantastic opportunity to cycle through the City of Burnside with representatives of the BBUG, looking at ways we can enhance rideability and safety on some of our bicycle routes,’ Chris said.

To increase road safety the City of Burnside has been engaging with residents on implementing select 40 km/h zones to create safer streets as part of the ongoing City Master Plan.

We are excited to announce the Tusmore Wading Pool is now open for the 2023/24 season.

With the pool now open, please keep the following rules in mind:

• Children must be supervised by a parent/guardian at all times
• No food or drinks in the water area
• No dogs in the water
• Dogs within 20 metres of the pool must be on a lead
• No glass within the pool fenced area
• No smoking within 10 metres of the pool
• The pool is closed from 7 am to 10 am every Tuesday and Friday for cleaning.

Please follow these rules at all times to ensure the health, safety and comfort of all guests at the pool.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the latest news from across the City of Burnside, including:

✅ New Pump Track locations confirmed for rotation, with #rideburnside moving to Penfold Park on 10 October
✅ George Bolton Swimming Centre opens this Saturday 30 September
✅ Catch the AFL Grand Final on the big screen at the Regal Theatre for only $10 per person (https://www.theregaltheatre.com.au/ev...)
✅ Have your say on 40 km/h speed limit change in parts of Kensington Gardens and Magill before 27 October.

Find out more about what's going on in the City of Burnside at https://www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Usually a space to socialise and assist each other with DIY woodwork projects, the participants of the Women’s Shed Program held at The Shed are now putting their skills towards a bigger cause - supporting local charity, Catherine House.

Dedicated to helping women who are experiencing homelessness, Catherine House offers crisis, longer term accommodation and support services for women over the age of 18, unaccompanied by children.

Building household items like chopping boards, grazing boards, tables, trays, barbeque trays and picture frames, The Shed’s women’s group has focused on supplying pieces that can be gifted to women upon their exit from Catherine House’s services.

Contractor with The Shed for three years and one of the facilitators of the Women’s Shed Program, Rose said the group members thought supporting Catherine House would be a positive goal.

‘We thought it would be nice to support other women who need a hand up,’ Rose said.

Following a Women’s Health Week morning tea attended by a member of Catherine House at the start of September, Rose, a self-employed carpenter for 35 years, said the group had been building items whenever they got a chance.

‘Catherine House have been very positive. But now it is on us to bring as many women on board as we can, who want to come to The Shed and who want to participate.’

Redeveloped in 2020, The Shed has since become home to both men’s and women’s groups, acting as a touch point for those over 65 living in the eastern regions. An asset of the City of Burnside, The Shed programs are funded by the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to provide subsidised low level support services and programs.

‘This facility is available to help meet the needs of women in the area regarding social aspects, but also meet the needs of women who are wanting to make, or learn to make, fix and build using tools.’

Reinforcing the community feel of The Shed, Rose said there were no expectations of women who came to the facility and that training and support were available throughout the process.

‘If any women have an idea about something they would like to work on, they can be assisted through the whole process of what they would like to build. Skill level doesn’t matter, we can assist the whole way through,’ Rose said.

‘We can cater to all types of personalities and how people work.

‘We also do a lot of community projects for businesses and organisations.’

Employee at the facility and facilitator of the Women’s Shed Program since the redevelopment three years ago, Helen said the all-female dynamic of the group allowed for more open discussion on aspects of life.

‘The community atmosphere of The Shed I think is really important,’ Helen said.

‘Some of our ladies are single, some of them have partners, when you have that dynamic of being all female, the things you talk about may be the type of thing you can’t talk to a family member or partner about. The social aspect is important.’

The Shed’s Women’s Program is run Thursday mornings with mixed gender in the afternoon, while Men’s Shed Programs are run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

For more information including photos of the workshop and adjacent community garden head to the City of Burnside website.

Pictured left to right holding items made at the Shed: Shed member Maureen, program facilitator Rose, member Sarah and program facilitator Helen.

We told you not to blink or else the October School Holidays would be here, and now look, here they are!

Luckily for you and the kids, the Burnside Library has a whole range of activities to keep you busy over the holiday period.

Kicking off the collection on Tuesday 3 October is the most popular event in every collection, the Grandma Era: Learn to Knit session. Learn to knit with the help of our resident knitting group, with all materials supplied this event books out fast.

Burnside Library will also be playing host to Ruth Tuck Art School for a watercolour masterclass session with a Spring theme on Wednesday, 4 October for ages 5+.

On Tuesday, 10 October a facilitated Creative and Critical Thinking workshop will be held based on the theories of Dr John Langrehr’s Thinking Program. For ages 5 and up, this session will encourage curiosity and question asking.

And for those looking for a more nature-based experience, the last day of the collection (Friday 13 October) will be a Recycled Bottle Planters session – mixing arts and crafts with plant care and sapling planting.

Other sessions include Birdboxes with Bunnings, Pot Plants with Bunnings, Puppetry Workshop and more.

For more details visit the Burnside Library Eventbrite page.

During this period Burnside Library will continue to deliver regular library services and activities including Young Adults Book Club, Baby Chat, Preschool Storytime and more.

Grandma Era: Learn to Knit

Sunday, 1 October, marks the start of National Mental Health Month 2023.

This year’s South Australian theme is Have the Conversation, encouraging South Aussies to talk about their mental health and to check in with loved ones.

As part of the National Mental Health Month calendar, Burnside Library will be hosting an Author Talk session with Dr Cate Howell on Thursday, 19 October.

An experienced GP, therapist, researcher and educator, Dr Howell will discuss her new book, The Flourishing Woman.

A unique guide to women’s health and well-being for both the mental and physical – this text speaks to life challenges and how to overcome them, as well as living a satisfying and meaningful life.

Touching on subjects relevant to so many women, this text will help approach hard to discuss topics like anxiety, overcoming stress, dealing with expectations, reproduction, menopause, managing parenthood challenges, relationship issues and more.

For more information on the Flourishing Woman visit Burnside Library Eventbrite page.

To learn more about National Mental Health Month including resources on how to Have the Conversation visit Mental Health Coalition South Australia.

In the latest step for the City of Burnside’s involvement in the Arts and the development of local artists, the city is excited to launch the Burnside Art Boulevard.

With a goal of advancing the city’s already stellar reputation as a hub for South Australian art, the Burnside Art Boulevard will act as a catalyst for community investment and provide exposure for upcoming and yet to be established artists.

With seasonal artist changes the Burnside Arts Boulevard will deliver a safe and friendly space for artists to display and sell their works within the Burnside Civic Centre.

The inaugural artist for the program is Adelaide-based oil painter Gemma Rose Brook, she is a former SALA feature artist, finalist for the 2020 Heysen Prize for Landscape, winner of the 2020 Royal Society of the Arts Youthscape Prize and a previous solo exhibitionist at Floating Goose Studio.

Drawing inspiration from life and environment, Gemma specialises in landscapes, with bold texture and colour a trademark of her work.

‘I like to think of my style as contemporary painting and it’s highly influenced by female modernist and expressionistic painting,’ Gemma said.

With experience living in regional South Australia including the Apy Lands in the north-western region of the state, Gemma has evolved an engagement perspective with nature more in line with Indigenous conceptions of connection with Country.

‘I suppose it’s always an indigenous perspective that we need to look towards within Australia respectfully and I think this is especially true when approaching painting the Australian landscape. When I worked at Ernabella Arts the community taught me so much about respecting the land and place you are interacting with. It strengthened my ideas of holistically connecting to a place rather than owning it, which is generally a Western perspective.’

City of Burnside Team Leader of Community Centres and Events Darren Baynes said the Burnside Art Boulevard was an important outlet in the space and would cater to those interested in South Australian talent.

‘Burnside Art Boulevard celebrates local South Australian artists in the most accessible and inclusive way possible and will allow visitors to appreciate the artwork on display at their own pace,’ Darren said.

‘We expect the exhibitions to attract new visitors and encourage more people to enjoy the wide range of existing programs and services on offer across the Burnside Civic Centre.’

With her Arts Boulevard exhibition to run from October through to January, Gemma said such community commitment to the arts is pivotal for development.

‘I think that community spaces are really important. Funding for the arts is an essential way to connect communities as well shift people's perspectives around the way we see and feel the world,’ Gemma said.

You can view Gemma's artwork at the Burnside Civic Centre from 3 October 2023 until Friday 12 January.