Page 1 MINUTE BY MAYOR Ordinary Meeting, 3/12/02 ITEM NO: 1 SUBJECT: WESTERN SYDNEY ACADEMY OF SPORT FILE NO: C02224 Recommendation: That Council receives this report on the Western Sydney Academy of Sport and congratulate the young athletes of the Blue Mountains on their successful participation in the activities of the Academy. Minute by Mayor: Blue Mountains City Council has been an active participant in the Western Sydney Academy of Sport since its inception in May, 1997. Councillor Colleen Kime represents Blue Mountains City Council on the Board of the Academy. The stakeholders in the Western Sydney Academy of Sport are the Councils of Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Penrith and Blacktown. The purpose of the Western Sydney Academy of Sport is to provide young sports people from the Western Sydney Region with the opportunity to achieve excellence in their chosen sport. The Academy in 2001/02 was able to expand the opportunities of the athletes of Western Sydney by including Slalom Canoeing and cycling as additional sports. The other sports include Athletics, Rowing, Netball, Softball, and Swimming. Mrs. Carolyn Brimfield, Executive Officer of the Academy is with us this evening and I would like to invite her to give a brief report on the activities of the Academy. In addition, a number of young athletes from the Blue Mountains have been successful in being selected as Academy athletes and have benefited significantly from the coaching, training and nutritional advice provided by the Academy. The athletes are: Name Suburb Sport Catto Ian GLENBROOK Slalom Canoe Coogan Jennifer YELLOW ROCK Track & Field Doorey Jessica SPRINGWOOD Track & Field Etheridge Katherine MT RIVERVIEW Slalom Canoe Evans Brett WARRIMOO Swimming Glen Katie LEURA Cycling Gregory Candice WINMALEE Netball Hughes Tymon LINDEN Rowing Hunter Josh WINMALEE Track & Field Kitchener Lauren SPRINGWOOD Netball Madden Ryan SPRINGWOOD Cycling Page 2 MINUTE BY MAYOR Item 1 - Ordinary Meeting, 3/12/02 Name Suburb Sport McLaughlin Colin FAULCONBRIDGE Cycling McLean Hannah SPRINGWOOD Rowing Power Andrew BLAXLAND Softball Rathbone Jackson-Leigh WINMALEE Cycling Spratt Nick SPRINGWOOD Cycling Spratt Amanda SPRINGWOOD Cycling It is my pleasure to introduce the athletes to you and to present them with certificates to recognise their participation as Academy Athletes. I would like to take this opportunity to wish the above athletes all the very best in their future careers. Page 3 MINUTE BY MAYOR Ordinary Meeting, 3/12/02 ITEM NO: 2 SUBJECT: BLUE MOUNTAINS SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE FILE NO: C00299. C00589. C00576 Recommendations: 1. That Council wish Graham Crew and Alison Appleton every success in the Sanda City International Half Marathon. 2. That Council accept the Award “Assistance to a Sister City” and congratulate Tan Vo on his professional advice and excellent audio-visual presentation on Ecotourism in the Blue Mountains, which contributed greatly to the success in winning this award. 3. That Mrs. Chris Wenman be thanked for her kind donation of Flagstaff items for our City Library. 4. That Council thank Peter Gibson, Chairman, for his report for 2001/2002 and that it be received. Minute by Mayor: 1. Presentations to Participants in Sanda City International Half Marathon It is my great pleasure to advise the Council that we have present with us this evening, Mr. Graham Crew and Mrs. Alison Appleton who have been chosen to represent the Blue Mountains as runners in the Sanda City International Half Marathon which will be held in Sanda City, Japan in December. We extend a very warm welcome to them. On behalf of Council I would like to present Graham and Alison with Blue Mountains tracksuits and to wish them every success in the forthcoming Marathon. 2. Presentation of Award The City of Sanda, Japan sought assistance from the Blue Mountains City Council to nominate someone from the Blue Mountains City who would be able to participate in the 2002 International Forum for the Revitalisation of Cities and Residents of the Northern Hanshin Area, Japan. The Blue Mountains City Council, in conjunction with the Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee, nominated Mr. Tan Vo, the Council’s Property Manager, to participate. The participation was carried out in two capacities: 1. to provide the City of Sanda with professional and technical advice on a range of issues. Page 4 MINUTE BY MAYOR Item 2 - Ordinary Meeting, 3/12/02 2. to present at the 2002 International Forum, a paper on an eco-tourism project that would deliver substantial benefits to the community through partnership between the government at different levels, the community, sister cities and investors. Eco-Tourism Project The project was to promote Blue Mountains as “A City within a World Heritage National Park” and recognise potential partnerships between Sister Cities. The project was about a hypothetical development opportunity – a tourism/education community garden/park that could maximise the use of Community Land, minimise cost to Council and benefit the local community. This hypothetical eco-tourism project could further the development of tourism between Sister Cities, promoting the ideals of people-to-people contact whilst, at the same time, respecting the local environment and complementing the Blue Mountains eco-tourism activities and natural wonders. The Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee entered the project at the Australian Sister Cities Association National Conference in the category of “Imaginary Tourism Project – Education Community Garden/Park”. Assistance to a Sister City Local community groups, individual citizens, professional staff of Sanda City Council and the Blue Mountains representative were involved in an eco-tourism study tour. During this tour, senior residents were invited to advise the group of the historical, cultural and economic background of each town. The group put a lot of effort in identifying the potential strengths and weaknesses of the many rural towns and villages within the City of Sanda and considering the short, medium and long term opportunities and threats associated with each town. At the end of this eco-tourism study tour, participants were asked to forward their opinions on how to revitalise the City of Sanda, especially during the periods of time when its local economy was affected by Japan’s economic downturn. The Blue Mountains representative – Tan Vo, provided the study group with his professional opinion and feedback; the details of which were extensively discussed and the outcomes of which were subsequently presented at the 2002 International Forum. The Blue Mountains City Council’s assistance to the City of Sanda, Japan was very significant and recognised at international levels. This has also improved the image of Local Government in Australia and reconfirmed its status on the International Platform. The Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee also entered this achievement to the Australian Sister Cities Association National Conference in the category of “Assistance to a Sister City – Community Resources and Tourism”. Page 5 MINUTE BY MAYOR Item 2 - Ordinary Meeting, 3/12/02 I would like to advise that the Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee was successful in winning an Award – “Assistance to a Sister City” at the Australian Sister Cities Association National Conference held in October in Bendigo, Victoria. Tan Vo’s input to this Award, by way of his excellent audio-visual presentation on Ecotourism in the Blue Mountains, was a major contributor to the success of this Award. Congratulations Tan for all your efforts. Tan is accepting the award this evening on behalf of the City of Blue Mountains. 3. Presentation of Gifts Mrs. Chris Wenman, former Secretary of the Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee is with us this evening and would like to present some books and a DVD on Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon to Council. She has asked for these items to be placed in the Blue Mountains City Library for borrowing by the community. 4. Chairman’s Report 2001/2002 Peter Gibson, Chairman of the Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee has kindly submitted a report on the various projects and activities of the Committee for 2001/2002. This report is attached for your information. Page 6 MINUTE BY MAYOR Item 2 - Ordinary Meeting, 3/12/02 Attachment BLUE MOUNTAINS SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE Report by Peter Gibson, Chairman – 2001/2002 Introduction The Blue Mountains Sister Cities Committee exists to promote Sister City relationships that affiliate the Blue Mountains with cities within Australia and overseas, where such relationships have been approved by the Blue Mountains City Council (Constitution 2.1). The Committee is affiliated with the Australian Sister Cities Association whose specific objectives of extending the hand of friendship nationally and internationally and encouraging an interchange between the nations to consolidate this friendship are actively pursued. At present the City of the Blue Mountains has two Sister Cities – Sanda in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan and Flagstaff, Arizona, U.S.A. Membership Council Representatives: Cr. Colleen Kime Cr. Chris Van der Kley Chairman Peter Gibson Deputy Chairman Kerry Kime Honorary Secretary Chris Wenman Committee Marion Crossman, Petra Graham, Joyce Henderson, Deirdrie Madden, Warren Brash, John Derum, John Bentley, Michael Neall, Alice Wenman The Committee meets monthly at the Blue Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, Macquarie Road, Springwood at 7.30 p.m. on the second Wednesday and meetings are advertised in the Blue Mountains Gazette. Sanda The relationship between the Blue Mountains and Sanda continues to flourish. Next year sees the 15th Anniversary of this Sister Cities relationship and preparations are under way to celebrate this significant event. A sub-committee chaired by the Blue Mountains Tourism Officer, Kerry Fryer, has been set up to oversee preparation for a Blue Mountains delegation to visit Sanda possibly in May 2003. It is anticipated a Japanese delegation will visit the Blue Mountains later in the year. Colleen Kime is preparing a Sister Cities feature for the Blue Mountains Gazette promoting this anniversary, for which sponsorships have been sought and obtained.