Monday, 19 August 2024 10:22
TURNING WESTERN SYDNEY INTO A LAND OF PARKS
THE peak body representing councils in Greater Western Sydney, the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC), has welcomed the release of final designs for Bradfield City Centre’s Central Park — but is urging the NSW Government to extend the concept further.
Intended to be the main civic centre for Bradfield City, the newly announced two-hectare Central Park will sit above the Bradfield Metro station next to Western Sydney International Airport.
Both the park and the airport are set to open in 2026.
The new park is being touted by the government as a “gathering place, and welcoming point in the city for visitors as they arrive and acting as an integral arts and culture hub for Western Sydney.”
Plans envisage a park with space for up to 5,000 people to gather for community and cultural events, art installations, a play area and native greenery including 570 mature trees and 73,000 plants.
"While we think the new park design is excellent, we are most eager to see how this can pave the way for similar parklands in other parts of the region,” said WSROC President, Councillor Barry Calvert.
“Western Sydney has a population of 2,700,000 and will grow by another 800,000 residents by 2036.
“Centennial Park in the eastern suburbs, for example, is 189 hectares. And Fagan Park in Hornsby Shire is 55 hectares.”
“So, a two-hectare park — as attractive as it is — simply won’t be enough to service the needs of Sydney’s most rapidly-growing region.
“In particular, the rapid development of North West and South West priority growth areas is reducing the amount of open space in our population centres.
“WSROC would love to see the state government establish similar ‘destination’ parklands in the growth areas they have identified.
“There are well-supported open areas in Western Sydney such as Penrith Beach Lakes and Prospect Reservoir — but they are few and far between.
“Western Sydney covers nearly 9,000 square kilometres."
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Monday, 19 August 2024 10:20
HEALTH CHECKS HIGHLIGHT DIABETES RISKS
HEALTH checks at Workers Lifestyle Group’s two Blacktown clubs predict 7.4% of participants will develop type 2 diabetes within five years.
Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by lifestyle factors and Western Sydney is a hotspot for the disease, as 15 months’ data from Blacktown Workers and Workers Sports clearly shows.
The health checks of 4,312 people showed 7.4% were likely to develop diabetes in the next five years (according to the AUSDRISK assessment tool) and 48.7% were at high risk of developing the condition later in life.
SiSU Health Stations have been available at the two clubs since December 2022 as part of the Western Sydney Changing Diabetes campaign.
SiSU Health has compiled the Workers Lifestyle Group report from results up to the end of February.
Almost 31 per cent of the health checks resulted in recommendations that people consult their GPs about high blood pressure and/or high body mass index.
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Monday, 19 August 2024 10:14
WORLD CLASS DESIGN FOR BRADFIELD
Our newest city final designs
RESIDENTS and visitors to Australia’s newest city will enjoy world-class open space, with final designs for Bradfield City Centre’s Central Park released for exhibition.
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