FOCUS On Burnside - the news hub

This July, the City of Burnside will join millions around the world in aiming to reduce plastic waste.

Plastic Free July is a movement to be the solution to plastic pollution, meaning cleaner streets, oceans and communities for all.

Throughout the month we are encouraged to abstain from single-use plastics and to maintain awareness of our environmental impact through unnecessary waste.

There are many ways we can partake in Plastic Free July including – bringing a reusable cup for your daily coffee, storing food in reusable containers instead of using cling wrap, and avoiding pre-packaged foods by instead choosing bulk or loose items.

At Burnside, we are serious about reducing our environmental impact as both a council and a community.

On Thursday 27 July, the City of Burnside Environmental Sustainability team will be hosting a Know Your Council – Plastic Free July session at Burnside Library to engage with the community and discuss with residents about how you can reduce your reliance on single-use plastic.

The team will also cover the problems and solutions to plastic waste and the measures Burnside Council takes to minimise and manage it.

Burnside Civic Centre will open a Plastic Free July stall available to the public.

The July school holidays are nearly here, and the City of Burnside has plenty of options available to help keep the kids entertained.

From chess to Picture Book Putt-Putt, crochet lessons to STEM programs - Burnside Library will be hosting a variety of activities under our July School Holiday Collection, suitable for all ages ranging from five to eighteen!

An opportunity to try something new in a safe and encouraging environment, these events allow kids of all skill and experience levels the chance to let out their creative side.

Over this time Burnside Library will be continuing normal daily operations including regularly scheduled events like Author Talks, Book Clubs, and more.

All events are limited in availability, so make sure you’re getting in early to reserve your child’s place.

For a full view of upcoming Burnside school holiday events for kids, parents, and anyone who is interested - click here.

School holiday art class

School holiday author talk

School holiday arts and crafts class

Grandma Era - Learn to Crochet

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

✅ Plastic Free July begins on Saturday, NAIDOC Week begins on Sunday
✅ New trail signage at Mount Osmond
✅ Only two days left to have your say on where the pump track goes next (www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au/rideburnside-pump-track-future-locations)
✅ Join us for Tartan Day at the Burnside Ballroom on Saturday 1 July (bit.ly/TartanDayBurnside2023)

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

St Peter’s Girls’ School in Stonyfell understands the importance of encouraging student engagement with local government, having for the third time in recent years, visited The City of Burnside to learn about all things council and the importance of environmental sustainability.

Meeting with Mayor Anne Monceaux, two classes of Year 4's were taught about the many services the City of Burnside oversees, before touring the toy library and spending time with the Burnside Environmental team to learn about recycling.

Mayor Anne Monceaux, St Peter’s Girls’ School alumni herself, said educating future leaders of the community about the vital functions of the City of Burnside is always a pleasure.

‘Seeing the next generation of our community so involved and eager to learn is a promising sign for the future,’ Mayor Monceaux said.

‘It is important for students to understand that council provides many more services than just the three R’s of rates, roads, and rubbish.’

Educator at St Peter’s Girls’ School, Ms Olivia Coulter said part of the school curriculum was to study local council, how it affects the lives of its citizens, and the democratic processes behind it.

‘This visit helps them feel more involved in their community,' Ms Coulter said. 'When the students get hands-on experience, it is much more impactful. It helps bring the council to life.’

‘They get back to school from this visit and want to make immediate changes, “Can we compost? Do we have the right bins? Can we do this and that?”’

During the visit Environmental Sustainability Officer at the City of Burnside, Sarah McConaghy-Beasley ran the students through the importance of proper at-home waste disposal and hosted the ever-popular Recycling Relay Challenge.

‘The students love the recycle relays,’ Sarah said. ‘This is where they take one item and run to place it in the correct bin, then run back and tag the next person, then when all the items are in the bins, we talk about a few key items that were right or wrong and why.’

Sarah also mentioned the students are always keen to share the proper recycling practices once back at home.

‘I do notice that they talk about what they do at home, most students understood the importance of placing food waste in the green bin and were already doing so at home. They are all very excited to tell everyone at home the importance of recycling and composting.’

If your school is interested in visiting the City of Burnside for a tour with Mayor Anne Monceaux, a peek at our award-winning Toy Library and a talk with our Environmental Sustainability team, send us an email at burnside@burnside.sa.gov.au

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

✅ Burnside Business Award winners recognised recently including SA Youth Forum, Baptist Care SA youth team and Let Them Eat
✅ Help us determine the future locations of the pump track, consultation open until Friday 30 June (www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au/rideburnside-pump-track-future-locations)
✅ Your Neighbourhood Budget voting closes this Friday (bit.ly/YNBVoteNow)
✅ Dulwich Community Centre redevelopment continues.

Local students have done their part to bolster the City of Burnside’s beautiful environment, with dozens of Rose Park Primary School pupils planting over 400 native plants at Gurney Road Garden last weekend. The school community was joined by Deputy Premier Susan Close, Member for Sturt James Stevens, Member for Bragg Jack Batty, Mayor Anne Monceaux and Rose Park & Toorak Gardens Ward Councillor Peter Cornish to assist with the planting project.

The project was brought to life through the combined support of the City of Burnside and Green Adelaide. Council proudly supported the initiative with a donation of two trees and over 200 tube-stock plants, all of which were grown at Council’s Biodiversity Nursery on Conyngham Street. Green Adelaide supported the project with a donation of over 250 tube-stock plants, tree guards and irrigation, as well as funding for site preparation works.

Mayor Anne Monceaux said she was delighted to see the environment play such a prominent role in the students' education.

“We are happy to be supporting Rose Park Primary School in its endeavours to increase environmental awareness and increase canopy cover,” Mayor Monceaux said.

“It will be marvellous when the children come back one day, bringing their own children back to this school and see the growth and development of these plantings. In 10 or 20 years’ time, they will have the satisfaction of knowing that they played a part in this.”

Rose Park Primary School principal Dr Dora Iuliano said the school’s Year 6 Environmentalist team had played an important role in bringing the project to fruition.

“This has been a big collaborative effort between students, staff and parents, as well as the City of Burnside, to replant and revegetate this whole area,” Dr Iuliano said.

“It’s been exciting because our environmentalists have taken on this initiative, they researched the species to bring to this area and we really hope these trees and plants will flourish. We’re really trying to promote student agency and student voice to help them become responsible citizens who are mindful of the environment and of the future.”

Later this year, Kaurna elder Elaine Magias will host a series of educational workshops for students to teach them about Kaurna knowledge of plant species and the importance of protecting the habitat of the area, which will complement the students’ ongoing environmental learning.

Bunnings Kent Town will also provide support for the project with workshops to be hosted for students to allow them to build wooden nest boxes which will support wildlife in Gurney Road Garden.

Look out for Focus being delivered to your letterbox this week. Read it online here

The Burnside Community Centre has welcomed a bright new artwork created by talented Glenside resident Eksha Patidar, who is excited to call Burnside home.

The large mural piece, which can be found in the corridor of the Burnside Community Centre, took over two weeks for Eksha to complete and features dozens of elements that make up the local Council area. This includes references to the Regal Theatre, local wellbeing programs, Council activities and more.

Eksha said she was excited to have the opportunity to paint the mural and that it was a way to “give back to the community.”

“For a long time, the passageway had a blank wall and it was Darren’s (Community Centres team leader) idea to have a mural that represents community, a tree that has things related to our local community,” Eksha said.

“The idea is that whoever sees the mural can connect themselves to it, they can see something there that relates to them and something they do in their daily life. Inclusiveness was the main idea behind this mural.”

Eksha and her 12-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son moved to Adelaide from Mumbai last year, after her husband Branav arrived in 2020.

“My husband came here for a few weeks for work during 2020 just as Covid started, while me and my family were in Mumbai, and the borders closed and he was stuck here,” Eksha said.

“We were not able to meet again for 20 months, for almost two years we were separated and when we came to Adelaide it felt like home.”

Eksha said Burnside Community Centre soon became her “second home” following the move as she began to volunteer at the community desk.

“When I got here, I spent a lot of time at the Burnside Community Centre and they just opened their arms to me,” Eksha said.

Tricia (Community Centres coordinator) and Darren gave me the opportunity to host art classes here for people, which I still do, and I am so blessed to have met them.

“From there I’ve had other great opportunities including painting pieces of furniture here in the community centre.”

Eksha is now looking forward to the future with her family, with her two children loving the nearby local parks and playgrounds in the Glenside area.

“This is such a lovely community here with so many amazing people. We are very happy to live here,” Eksha said.

Eksha Patidar and Mayor Anne Monceaux with the mural.

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

✅ Volunteers celebrated at the Regal Theatre during National Volunteer Week
✅ Your Neighbourhood Budget voting open now (www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au/your-neighbourhood-budget-2023-vote-today)
✅ Reconciliation Week celebration morning tea to be held on Friday 2 June in the Burnside Ballroom
✅ Have your say now on your rates in the Draft Annual Business Plan and Budget (bit.ly/DABPB2023)

Did you know that planting trees on your property can help to keep your neighbourhood cool during a heatwave? Trees, plants and other green surfaces can deflect radiation from the sun, release moisture into the atmosphere and keep areas shaded throughout the day to help take the edge off the heat.

As can be seen in these images, hard asphalt surfaces can reach temperatures of over 65 degrees Celsius when exposed to prolonged sunlight on a hot day, while nearby asphalt covered by shade can be almost 30 degrees Celsius cooler – look at the difference! Artificial lawn can get even hotter, reaching temperatures of almost 80 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile natural lawn protected by shade cover can reach a far more comfortable 35 degrees Celsius.

Preserving our urban canopy throughout our streets, parks and reserves is crucial in reducing the impacts of urban heat in summer, and you can support this at home too. Caring for trees on your property and planting new ones is the best way to care for the local environment and keep your neighbourhood cool.

To encourage the planting of native trees on private land, Council holds a Native Tree Giveaway every year which allows residents, schools and community groups to apply for one or more tree vouchers valued up to $75. This year’s giveaway is open now until 30 September, giving you the chance to help support our natural environment by planting native trees on your land. Find out more at www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Environment-Sustainability/Trees/Native-Tree-Giveaway

Shaded grass on a 40 degree day, February 2023Unshaded artificial turf on a 40 degree day, February 2023Shaded asphalt on a 40 degree day, February 2023 Unshaded asphalt on a 40 degree day, February 2023