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To celebrate Harmony Week this year, we caught up with some of our volunteers from varying backgrounds who are doing their part to make the City of Burnside a better place to live. Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

Following a lengthy career as a nurse and a midwife, Swee Wu remains dedicated to helping those in need through her voluntary role with the City of Burnside.

As a volunteer at the Community Centre’s reception desk since 2017, Swee has handled a wide range of enquiries and said she loves to help residents reach the services they need.

“People ask for all sorts of information here, from support at home to help with cleaning their gutters or how to get involved with an event,” Swee said.

“My role is to help them get to where they want to be and ensure they achieve a positive outcome.

“I really get to know the community first-hand and see a lot of familiar and friendly faces here each week, which I love.”

Swee also directly supports Kana Nathan’s Senior’s Fit and Fab classes by assisting aging residents who have arrived to participate.

“I make sure they reach the right room for their class and check to ensure we are within the COVID density limit,” Swee said.

“I really admire them for making the effort to come here and support their health and wellbeing.”

Swee said the transition from her role as a nurse and midwife to volunteering took some time to adjust to, but she quickly grew to love her work at the City of Burnside.

“From my past career I am very used to a fast pace of work. Sometimes it can get busy here too, so it’s good to have that past experience!”

Harmony Week runs from Monday 21 March to Sunday 27 March. To find out more, go to www.harmony.gov.au.

To celebrate Harmony Week this year, we caught up with some of our volunteers from varying backgrounds who are doing their part to make the City of Burnside a better place to live. Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

At the age of 83, Kana Nathan is committed to ensuring aging Burnside residents remain healthy and independent for as long as possible.

As the instructor of the City of Burnside’s Senior’s Fit and Fab classes every Monday for the last 14 years, Kana said his background in education has proven useful.

“I was a teacher from 1958 until I eventually became a chiropractor. But being a teacher, I can’t help but try to educate,” Kana said.

Having migrated from Malaysia in 1973 and becoming a chiropractor later that decade, Kana said his goal now is to prevent seniors from falling.

“From the age of 60 the risk of falling rises, and so for me and my team it’s our responsibility to teach our participants how to balance and how to get up if they do fall,” he said.

“Resistance training is key and aims to build muscle and bone density to keep them strong. They can also continue to train with ‘sit and stand’ exercises at home when they aren’t here.”

Kana is supported by Sandy Holmes, Buddy Ng and Helen Wang, who also help to host a second class on Thursdays due to popular demand. The Monday sessions continue to reach maximum capacity, which has been limited by COVID-19 restrictions.

When he isn’t running the Senior’s Fit and Fab Class, Kana continues to operate as a chiropractor one day a week and as a Justice of the Peace one day a week.

“I have represented Australia and Malaysia as an athlete in several Masters Games and I love to stay active,” he said. “It’s important for me stay active and it’s important for the community as well.”

Harmony Week runs from Monday 21 March to Sunday 27 March. To find out more, go to www.harmony.gov.au.

The much-loved Tusmore Wading Pool reopened on Tuesday 15 March. With $500K in financial support through the Federal Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, the wading pool was officially reopened by Mayor Anne Monceaux and James Stevens MP.

The new wading pool has a similar footprint to what was originally in place and features new water play items, an additional creek-style water play area, shade and fencing that can be removed during off-season periods.

The redeveloped wading pool will continue to be a favourite destination for many people across Adelaide.

Mary Penfold nee Holt was born circa 1818 in Edmonton, England. In May 1835, Mary married medical student Christopher Rawson Penfold (1811-1870). In 1844, Mary, Christopher and their daughter Georgina migrated to South Australia and purchased land in the Village of Makgill (now known as the suburb of Magill). Winemaking on the Magill property began in 1847, with the wine intended to treat Christopher’s patients. Mary assisted in this process, supervising workers and completing the bookkeeping.

After Christopher died in 1870, Mary became the sole owner of the vineyard. Under her care and with the support of vigneron Joseph Gillard junior (1836-1927) the business thrived. According to newspaper articles of the time, all blending of wines and the selection of grape varieties was done under her direction, according to her judgement and taste. At age 77, Mary died on 3 December 1895. Mary had a significant role in pioneering the company and is worthy of recognition as a pioneer vigneron.

Pictured: Mary and Georgina Penfold, circa 1850. Courtesy of Geoffrey Bishop.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the Burnside Highlights from this week, with some big news about the Tusmore Wading Pool!

Summary:
✅ Consultation to reduce speed limits in certain areas
✅ Draft Connected Communities and Recreation and Sport Strategies open for feedback until 1 April
✅ New Urban Forest Interactive website now live
✅ Tusmore Wading Pool opening next week
✅ And more!

To find out more information and receive the latest updates about what's going on in Burnside, sign up to engage.burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

In commemoration of International Women’s Day on 8 March, this our Windback Wednesdays will put the spotlight on women of history in the City of Burnside.

Fanny de Mole (1835-1866) left England and arrived in South Australia in 1857 and lived with her family at ‘The Waldrons’ in Burnside. This house was demolished in the 1960s, but the stone boundary wall exists on Glynburn Road and Young Street. Fanny was an artist with a love for nature. At age 26 she published the first book illustrating the flora of South Australia under the name “F. E de Mole” – disguising her gender from readers. Her paintings were exhibited at the annual exhibitions of the South Australian Society. Her illustrations were sent to London to be printed, then hand coloured by Fanny in Australia. Her illustration of the Sturt Desert Pea is vivid and textured, and her work paved the way for other botanical artists in South Australia. Fanny died of tuberculosis at the age of 31.

Photographs: Fanny de Mole, circa 1856. Courtesy of National Library of Australia. Sturt Desert Pea from F E de Mole ‘Wildflowers of South Australia” 1857.

In commemoration of International Women’s Day on 8 March, our Windback Wednesdays this month will put the spotlight on women of history in the City of Burnside.

Dorothea Black (1891-1951) is one of Australia’s most highly recognised modern artists. Born and raised in Burnside, she studied at the South Australian School of Arts and Crafts and the Grosvenor School of Modern Art in London. Modernism was not always popular, but Black continued to paint, exhibit and teach modernist art principles throughout her life.

She painted from her house in Magill, painted landscapes of the Adelaide Hills, taught at the School of Arts and Crafts, was on the committee of the Royal South Australian Society of Arts in 1938, vice-chair of the Contemporary Art Society of South Australia and was an active member of the Australian Labor Party. She worked across mediums – watercolour, oil, still life, portraiture and landscapes. Dorrit is buried with her family at the Historic Magill Wesleyan Cemetery.

Photograph: Dorrit Black, 1921, photograph by Judith Fletcher.

Mayor Anne Monceaux brings you the Burnside Highlights from this week, with plenty of funding opportunities available for community groups and local projects!

Summary:
✅ 2022/23 Community Grants of up to $5,000 open until Monday 28 March
✅ Your Neighbourhood Budget 2022 opening on Monday 28 February, offering $40,000 total for community projects
✅ LIDAR canopy mapping to be conducted soon
✅ Brand new Urban Forest Interactive website launching on Thursday 3 March.

To find out more information and receive the latest updates about what's going on in Burnside, sign up to engage.burnside at www.engage.burnside.sa.gov.au

Do you remember Symons & Symons Glass Manufacturers? Or the playground next to their L’Estrange Street factory?

Founded by William Richard Symons in 1926 at 55 L’Estrange Street, Glenside, Symons & Symons manufactured mirrors, windows and ornate glass features for furniture.

In 1953, the Company built a playground on the corner of Windsor Road and L’Estrange Street. It was a popular spot, remembered for some of the equipment featuring beautiful glass.

Pictured: Symons & Symons display, 1957. Burnside Local History Collection.

Do you think you have the best veggie patch name, biggest vegetable, wildest garden or coolest garden gnome in Burnside?

If so, why not enter the Grow It Local Awards?

You could win a Seasol growers pack, Grow It Local merch and heirloom seeds for your garden!

To enter, simply post a photo of your entry on Instagram or Facebook, refer to your entered category, use the hashtag #growitlocalawards and tag a couple of friends!

Don't forget to tag #CityofBurnside so we can see your entry, too.

Please note: your profile must be set to public for the Grow It Local team to be able to see your entry.

Entries close Monday 28 February.

Read the full details on the Grow It Local website.