News

17 May 2018

Many of Orange’s lost pets are being reunited with their families within a day of coming into contact with Orange City Council’s new system for dealing with stray pets.

Council implemented its new system, in March, whereby members of the public could choose to drop off found pets to Canobolas Family Pet Hospital and if owners were not found, animals would be transferred to a private pound facility.

Figures for the first full month of operation, April, have been collated.

During the month 97 dogs and 29 cats were brought into Canobolas Family Pet Hospital, or found by Orange City Council rangers.

Of those, 55 dogs and three cats were returned to their families within a day or two of being found and 20 cats and 21 dogs were sent to organisations for rehoming.

** 88% of dogs and 72% of cats were returned to their owners or sent for re-homing, during the first month of the council's new system of dealing with strays

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the number of animals going straight home to their owners could be vastly improved.

“I am calling on every dog and cat owner in this city to microchip your pet,” Cr Kidd said.

“It’s a sad reality that if your pet isn’t microchipped then it becomes very difficult to get your furry friend back home to you.

“We’ve had a great deal of success with the Council’s Reuniting Orange pets Facebook page but sometimes it isn’t enough and the pets end up at our pound.”

Animals in Council care were euthanised because of health or behavioural concerns.

Orange City Council’s Companion Animals Committee Chair Stephen Nugent said the euthanasia of sick and injured pets could have been prevented with proper care and treatment by pet owners.

“Especially when I hear that puppies have come in with parvovirus, it is sad because it’s an easily preventable deadly disease, and there’s a vaccination for it.

“Every effort is being made to find healthy animals a new home but it is certainly a difficult task.”

Cr Nugent said it was unrealistic and unsafe for Council to rehome animals who showed clear behavioural concerns.

“Our staff are well trained and able to ascertain whether a dog is suitable for rehoming,” Cr Nugent said.

“The harsh truth is, it is simply not safe, nor ethical to send animals to a new home when there is a known risk that animal may attack its owner.

“In an ideal world we’d love to save every animal that comes into our care but we cannot and will not accept that risk to the community.

“We intend to be honest and open with what we are doing with the pets that come into our care.

“We’re asking the community to be responsible pet owners and desex, vaccinate and microchip your pets.”

In total, Orange City Council made the decision to euthanise 21 animals.

There were eight dogs and one cat euthanaised because they were assessed and deemed unsuitable for rehoming because of behavioural concerns and one dog was a restricted breed.

There were three puppies who had parvovirus, one dog had an advanced cancer, a cat had two broken hind legs, one with a spinal injury and another arrived at the clinic barely alive.

Another two pets suffered significant health problems after being neglected after their previous owners had died, and two cats had become aggressive after being abandoned at a house when the tenants moved out

LOST: This dog is looking for its owner.

Tuesday May 15, 2018

Moving to a new city can be daunting but a free lunch for new residents is on to help make the transition a little easier.

Orange City Council is hosting a free lunch for new residents on May 27 at Orange Botanic Gardens.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the event was designed to welcome new residents but also put them in touch with a range of services they might be interested in.

“For example we’ve invited a range of sporting clubs, Rotary Clubs and various hobby clubs to come along as well,” Cr Kidd said.

“It makes it an easy point of contact for people who have moved here and want to find out how to sign their kids up to soccer or basketball, or want to join the local car club or CWA.

“The New Resident Welcome is a casual lunch where the kids can run around in the gardens and jump on a jumping castle or perhaps do some colouring in.

“The adults can then spend time getting to know each other and getting to know what their new community in Orange has to offer.

“New residents might want the hot tip on where the best cycle tracks are, the best bush walking courses or perhaps find somewhere to volunteer their time and skills.

“Council staff, councillors and a few local politicians will be there to help answer as many questions as we can.

“It’s usually a very well attended event and anyone who has moved here in the last year or so is welcome to come along.”

The lunch is on at the Orange Botanic Gardens, at Yellowbox Way from 11am to 1pm and bookings are essential.

Please RSVP to council’s events officer by Friday May 18 by calling 63938000 or emailing council@orange.nsw.gov.au

11 May 2018

11 May 2018

9 May 2018

Orange mayor Reg Kidd had congratulated the latest winners of the Orange Youth of the Month awards.

“It’s fantastic when you see three young people who are making such a great contribution to our community,” Cr Reg Kidd said. “The work they are each doing is very different but amazing in its own way.”

Ashely Hudson, 21, finds time to compete in local sports including netball, basketball and touch football, while also a university studying criminal law course and community services at TAFE.

Ashley has also recently taken a place on the Youth Action NSW Health Advisory Committee that’s reviewing access to health services.

Grace McRae, 15, recently signed up at Orange City Council’s community services wing for her Kinross Wolaroi School work experience program and went on to play a major part in running the recent Elders Olympics. Grace is also active in sports, placing 3^rd in a state-wide shot put competition.

Erik Cortes, 17, a Year 11 student at the Orange Christian School, has put his ability to speak three different languages to work as a volunteer in orphanages in third world countries. As a member of the Orange Multicultural Hub he also helps organise events which welcome new migrants and members of the multicultural community.

“Both Erik and Ashley are members of our local Youth Action Council and it’s tremendous that our community is benefitting from young people of this calibre,” Cr Reg Kidd said.

AWARD : Orange mayor Reg Kidd presented youth of the month awards to (l. to r.) Ashley Hudson, Grace McRae and Erik Cortes.

8 May 2018

Orange City Council is getting closer to starting work on a new toilet block for Robertson Park, following a decision at the latest council meeting.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the 1 May meeting confirmed plans to construct the new toilets alongside McNamara Lane, just north of the path at the half-way point of the park.

“The council has confirmed both the location and the concept designs, and we can now go ahead with the level of details that will let us lodge a development application and put the project out to tender,” Cr Reg Kidd.

“The community of Orange has been waiting for many years for this project to happen. It’s hard to explain why it’s taken so long to build what would at first glance look like a fairly straightforward project,” Cr Reg Kidd said. “I know both councilors, staff and residents have been frustrated over the years with delay after delay.”

“Robertson Park is a very important public space in the heart of our city, and I’m sure that’s why there are strong feelings and why there’s been so many twists and turns over the years.

“With the cenotaph and rotunda nearby, there are important heritage factors to consider. This location will let us make connections with existing sewer lines and work between the established trees.”

Like similar DAs, the proposal would then go on public exhibition for community comment, and a council meeting would consider that community feed-back before making a final decision.

An earlier proposal to construct the toilet adjacent to the CWA Hall had been funded by the State Government under the first round of the Stronger Country Communities Fund. The government has given approval for that money to fund the toilet in its new location.

“Because part of the earlier grant would have been put towards a re-vamp of the kitchen for the CWA Hall, I’m pleased that kitchen upgrade will still go ahead, even though the plan is now to build the new toilet in the new location,” Cr Reg Kidd said.

It’s envisaged that the new toilet would be jointly-funded by the council and the NSW Government. Preliminary costings are not being released publicly because the project is about to go out to tender.

The concept design approved by the council includes :

• A 14 metre long brick building with a paved pergola area at the front
• The pergola area would provide rain shelter and opportunity for climbing plants to cover the roof area.
• Male and female toilets, together with an accessible toilet & parents room
• CCTV cameras covering all sides of the building with appropriate security lighting

Monday, May 7, 2018

Spring Hill and Lucknow residents will soon have potable water from the Orange Water Supply System as commissioning of a new 61 kilometre pipeline begins.

The 61 kilometre Orange to Carcoar pipeline, jointly funded by the NSW Government under its Restart NSW Water Security for Regions program, Orange City Council, and Central Tablelands Water, will be up and running in the coming months.

Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW Rick Colless said that long-term water security is vital for regional communities and growth in these areas.

“This project will improve water security across a large area of central-west NSW – having flow on benefits to businesses, individuals and farms in the region,” Mr Colless said.

“I’m proud of the work which has been undertaken by the NSW Government, Orange City Council and Central Tablelands Water, to make this project happen.”

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd said the major project had been a year in the making and would improve access and water security in the region.

“It’s wonderful what can be achieved when different levels of government and organisations work together for a common goal,” Cr Kidd said.

“This project will be a major boost for the local economy and will further secure the region’s water supply.”

COMMISSIONING : Following the installing of the pipeline last year, the commission of the project is almost complete.

The project received $21.21 million in funding from the NSW Government’s Restart NSW Water Security for Regions program, set up to improve water security and help communities prepare for further drought conditions.

Orange City Council is contributing $5 million to the project and Central Tablelands Water $2.5 million.

Steel pipes, measuring 300-375 mm diameter were placed in underground trenches, between 1 to 2 metres deep. The majority of the pipeline was built in road corridors, with only small sections on private land.

The project also includes a number of pump stations to enable two-way water transfers.

Villages to receive flouride

The main difference between the Spring Hill and Orange water supplies is that the water supplying Orange is fluoridated. The bore water supply to Spring Hill and Lucknow is not currently fluoridated.

Fluoridation is a safe and effective way of preventing dental decay to people of all ages in the community.

“It is unlikely residents will notice a difference in the water as commissioning occurs when water from the Orange supply is slowly added to the existing Spring Hill and Lucknow supply,” Cr Kidd said.

“Both systems produce high-quality drinking water, but there are benefits to using the Orange supply.

“The new system in place is more reliable than the existing bore water supplies in the villages and it is treated to a higher quality.”

The Orange supply water has less calcium carbonate which means it has a less adverse effect on fittings such as shower heads and taps and kitchen appliances such as kettles. It’s also less likely to clog plumbing.

Because of a reduction in calcium carbonate, the new system will produce water which is less likely to produce soap scum when added to detergents, and is more likely to ‘lather’.

“Orange has some of the highest quality water in the state,” Cr Kidd said.

“The city won the Water Industry Operations Association of Australia (WIOA) NSW Conference and Exhibition’s 2015 water taste test in 2015.

“I’m proud we’ve been able to complete this project and deliver this service to our villages.”

Monday April 30, 2018.

The Summer Street rail crossing will be closed from Friday May 4 at 5pm, to Monday May 7 at 9am.

Transport for New South Wales is working on the level crossing as part of the NSW Government’s rail infrastructure program across the Country Regional Network.

The work will involve installing a new concrete surface on the Summer Street level crossing to improve the crossing for road and rail traffic.

Summer Street will be closed between William Street and Endsleigh Avenue to the east, and Peisley Street to the west, with traffic diverted to the Byng Street crossing.

It's expected Byng Street will be heavily congested during this time and motorists should factor in delays in their travel time.

Motorists can avoid Byng Street if possible by crossing the railway track at Dalton Street, Franklin Road, or take the Northern Distributor Road.

All heavily vehicles should take the Northern Distributor Road regardless.

Pedestrians should use the overhead bridge at Peisley Street or cross at Byng Street.

For the latest traffic updates, you can call 132 701, visit livetraffic.com or download the Live Traffic NSW App for iPhone, iPad and Android.