Pittwater Life July 2024 Issue

eing vacant for two years, the Avalon Surf Life Saving Club
restaurant and café is set to reopen in Spring. The new tenant
is the new owner of Lovat restaurant at Newport, Sunny Amarpreet
Singh (of AKCN Group Pty Ltd), whose 10-year lease commences
on 1 August. The new café will increase its footprint by
taking in several metres of currently public-access land to the
south of the café… Meanwhile there has been no compromise
between Council and the owners of 2kf Espresso café on Bungan
St, Mona Vale over the early setting up of outdoor furniture
which contravenes the café’s operating agreement. The café
has been threatened with closure if it attempts to assemble its
outdoor seating before 7am (it had been doing so at 4.40am).
But co-owner Kristy Rempt said the crackdown – prompted by
a single noise complaint to Council from a new-to-area resident
– would deprive them of 30 per cent of their business ongoing.
The café is permitted to trade from the early hours, just not
with outdoor seating. Councillor Michael Gencher says he will
continue to lobby for a resolution.
News
ABSURD…
Driving along Elanora Road at Elanora Heights in June,
Pittwater Life was stopped by a road management crew as a
team of Northern Beaches Council contractors repainted the
double white/yellow lines on the roadway. Traditionally this
work is undertaken by a vehicle dropping paint from its underbelly;
however, this crew was rolling it on by hand. Which,
as our photo shows, presented its challenges. Knowing what a
stickler Council is for detail and “value for money”, we asked
if it was happy with the results of the edgy, linked straight
lines rather than traditional curves. They replied: “Council is
not satisfied with the line markings in Elanora Road, Elanora.
Council’s contractor was trialling a new technique and unfortunately,
the result was not satisfactory. The contractor will
return to the location in the coming weeks to correct the markings…”
Five weeks on they and other sections are still there.
(Anyone noticed the same in their suburb?)
SEEN…
‘Naughty’ sulphur-crested cockatoos continue to open red rubbish
bins across the upper peninsula, spilling contents onto the
road as they selectively pick for scraps. The cockatoos’ learned
behaviour is being shared among cohort flocks in Avalon,
Newport, even Mona Vale. After spying a group making a mess
on Old Barrenjoey Road (pictured) we asked Council if they
might consider setting up a working group to see if bins could
be modified to keep the birds out while still allowing contractors
to tip rubbish into their trucks. They replied: “The results
of the Clever Cockie Project which researches how the birds
develop new behaviours, is yet to be released for 2024. Since
2018 they’ve been asking Sydney residents in their annual binopening
survey to share evidence from within their communities
to contribute to their research on cockatoo behaviour. In
the first year, the study identified only 3 southern Sydney
suburbs with bin-lifting cockatoos. Two years later, it was 44.”
Council’s advice to residents is to not overfill your bin and put
your bins out later at night, as the cockatoos are more likely to
forage during the day.
HEARD…
The Careel Bay shopping strip has been sold for $11.1 million,
according to a report on realcommercial.com.au. It said the
1,771 sqm block at 1-3 Careel Rd, Avalon has been bought by
a retail developer. “The double block comprises the fully tenanted
Careel Shopping Village with adjoining residential home,
offering a prime development opportunity,” it said… After
34 JULY 2024
The Local Voice Since 1991
PHOTOS: Nigel Wall