Keep Safe this long weekend

With a three-day weekend around the corner, Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery is encouraging residents to continue to be mindful of measures to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.

“Traditionally the long weekend is a time when people socialise and go out and about, and that’s great – we’ve got beautiful parks, beaches and play spaces to explore,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“The extra day on the weekend gives us more opportunity to appreciate where we live at a time when many of us are staying pretty close to home. I’m asking that people remain conscious to the risk of Coronavirus. It’s still very much a threat and we can’t be complacent. We need to continue to be mindful of our physical proximity to others, keep up personal hygiene habits and to stay home and away from others if you’re unwell.’’

Cr Bradbery said the long weekend would also likely mean an increase of daytrippers – a move that would be welcomed by local businesses and retailers – and those looking to stay at one of Council’s three tourist parks that have reopened and are taking bookings.

“I’m sure we’ll see an increase in visitors coming to our city and enjoying our coastal lifestyle. I hope that they eat locally, shop locally and in doing so support our local business community at a particularly tough time,’’ he said.

“We’ve been working proactively to support local businesses by waiving their outdoor dining fees. In addition, any new outdoor dining applications are being managed through an automated process which speeds up the notification of a licencing approval and fee waiver. While I’m sure these steps are helpful, they’re no substitute for the financial injection of having people purchase from cafes, restaurants and retailers.

“To those who are looking to come to our city from outside the area, I say, welcome and thank you for joining us. We just ask while you’re here to keep following the public health order guidelines and join us in keeping each other safe and healthy.’’

Cr Bradbery said those looking to give our shared pathways a workout, should do so expecting to see more people out and about.

“We know we’ve had an increase in the number of people exercising and moving about our public spaces over recent months. While our foreshore area in particular was popular, you could see that across the whole city more people ore on their bikes or they’re jogging,’’ he said.

“This is fantastic and is a direct link to our community goals about creating a liveable city. The key is to remember the path is there to share and, if we’re all considerate, there is room for everyone. So, give a little space to stay safe because, as the little kids say, ‘sharing is caring’.’’

Cr Bradbery said cyclists might want to check out the Wollongong Cycling Guide and Map on Council’s website. It highlights some of our 120km of pathways and shared pathways in the city and might offer a new route to explore.