Neville Fredericks invited Steve Thorne, the Urban Designer for the Tullimbar project to speak to our members. Steve gave a very positive and informative presentation on Urban Design issues, the qualities Albion Park currently has, what can be built on and strategies for continued growth and improvement. With proper planning and forethought Albion Park has a great opportunity for the redevelopment of Tongarra Rd.

Megan Hutchison presented Jane Robinson, Business Liaison Officer, Shellharbour City Council, with a Certificate of Appreciation recognising her efforts in assisting the Chamber to secure funding for our Street Scape Coordinator.

MOVED: Jo-Ellen Thompson SECONDED: Karan Morrison

That the minutes be accepted

David Carter presented the Treasurers Report.

Financial Subscriptions have all been sent out.

Invoices for the advertising in the calendar have all been sent out.

A chq for $22,000 has been banked. This was the final portion of the DSRD funding.

Working S1 Account............................................. has a balance of $3900.00

Term Investment Account .................................... has a balance of $40489.00

MOVED: Marilyn Grebert SECONDED: Steve Bott

That the financial report be accepted

Pauline presented her first Coordinators report. Copy attached.

Pauline explained that her position was under the management of the Crossroads Committee and more members are needed on that Committee.

Megan Hutchison and Jane Robinson have agreed to be members on the Committee.

Pauline will be attending the Traffic Committee meeting at Shellharbour Council on Wednesday 7.12.05. The Traffic Committee recommendation was provided to the Chamber by Neil Greigg. It will be recommended to the Traffic Committee that a 1.2m wide median with road widening on the Southern side will be recommended.

Neil would like to thank APCC for the Certificate of Appreciation that he received the AGM in November. He was chuffed!

MOVED: Megan Hutchison SECONDED: David Carter

That this motion be accepted

Michelle Edwards from Albion Park Tennis Club sent a letter to thank APCC for their assistance with Council in upgrading Albion Park Tennis Courts. She listed some of the improvements that have been made to date.

Welcome to my first monthly report. I have been in this position for a little over three weeks. It has been a very busy time that has seen projects and planned, a Community Calendar produced and many meetings attended. I have been given an insight into the history of the Streetscape and Crossroads Projects with information being provided on planning and street furniture designs from as early as 1995.

Albion Park is rapidly growing and in this position I will be working with the businesses and the community to enhance economic growth, promote local programs and events. I will also be promoting communication between businesses, governing bodies and the community.

I have put together a letterhead for the Project and printed this report on it. The logo was produced by the Crossroads Committee a few years ago.

Business cards have also been printed, please take one.

The first project I worked on and completed is the Albion Park Community Calendar. The calendar was sent to the printers late last week. There will be 3000 calendars printed and distributed FREE to households in Albion Park. The calendars will be ready for distribution around December 20.

They have been printed by DECS Printing in Unanderra, they printed the last calendar in 2004. The calendars will be distributed by Distribution Gong.

82 businesses and local organisations were approached to advertise in the calendar with 28 taking up the opportunity. Two of the businesses took up the opportunity to write an item of interest on a month and the Albion Park Garden Club provided hints for gardening. Thank you to all involved.

Advertising sold $3790.00

Printing Costs $3513.00

Distribution $ 132.00

Funds left over for Projects $ 145.00

Shellharbour City Council agreed to spend $46,100 on the construction of kerb and gutter, shoulder and a cycleway on the corner of Tongarra Road and Stapleton Ave.

This meeting was set up to establish a communication link between the Co-ordinator and Council.

I had a discussion with Jane Robinson and Bob Burness about streetscape and where it is going. Council wants to seek and obtain approval from premise owners on the North side of Tongarra Road for the paving and upgrade improvements.

Bob will send through a revised estimate to me for each of the land owners. I have agreed to forward this information to the land owners.

The other item to hold up the commencement of the streetscape work is the median strip. Council cannot go ahead with any streetscape work until the median strip issue is finialised. They are waiting to see if the kerb on either the north or south side of Tongarra Road will need to be moved.

Once approval is gained from the property owners and the median strip issue is finialised, the Streetscape plan can go ahead. Council is keen to get this started as the money has been allocated for a while.

The trees that they plan to use are crepe myrtles, and have a height of about 4m.

Jane and I had a discussion about how we could put plans in place to promote the existing businesses in AP and encourage new business into the area. I enquired about alfresco dining. The prospect of alfresco dining has been catered for in the current streetscape plan.

Paul Grebert and I attended a meeting with  RTA staff

APCC asked what the catalyst for the latest round of planning work on Tongarra Road was.They explained that traffic work had been in planning for about 7 years after complaints about traffic jams in Tongarra Rd. The reason that planning had not moved faster is because the opening of the East West Link had temporarily alleviated traffic congestion on Tongarra Road.

With the continuing rise in population and the impact of Tullimbah the issue needs to be addressed.

A median fence is one option.

They also said that it is possible, if funding was found, that the RTA would be agreeable to putting in a 2m wide median strip with a pedestrian crossing and no fence. Movement of the underground services would need to be investigated. This option would possibly cost around $400,000.

The RTA are very supportive of a pedestrian friendly CBD in Albion Park as long as pedestrian safety regulations are adhered to. Major work on the median strip possibly will not happen in this financial year, this will give some time to lobby and find funding.

The final pedestrian leg will be installed before the end of the financial year at the Terry Street and Tongarra Road intersection (opposite the pub) traffic lights and the pedestrian island on the north west corner of the Terry Street/Tongarra Road intersection will be enlarged to properly accommodate people crossing with prams, bikes and also wheelchairs.

The RTA are receptive to this suggestion for out of business hours turning. Daniel explained that RH turning cannot be put in place in both directions at the same time, as there is not enough traveling path for large trucks to pass each other turning at this intersection.

Some of the projects that I am currently working on are