• Home
  • Latest News
    • Plastic free Lake Mac >
      • Plastic Free Cafes
      • Cafes survey
      • Plastic free Toronto
      • Ban the bag >
        • Bag Swap Stations
        • Champions
      • Plastic free education
      • Green gifts
    • Waste to Art >
      • 2020 Exhibition Guide
    • Superstars
    • Newsletter
    • School sustainability
    • Repair Cafe
    • Our Community Gardens
    • Citywide Clean Up
    • Success Stories >
      • Lake Mac Awards 2020
    • Connection Cards
    • Responsible Cat Care
    • Dog brochure
    • Coastal Wetlands Park
  • Local groups
    • Cardiff Area >
      • Boomerang Bags Sewing Workshop
      • Bird Count BBQ
      • Waste-free Christmas
      • Instagram competition
      • Car Boot Sales
      • Beeswax wrap making
      • National Tree Day
      • Past projects >
        • Twilight picnic in the park
        • Halloween @ Cardiff
        • Cardiff Cycleway Forum
        • Green coffee grounds
        • Boomerang Bags
        • Eco Angel Cardiff South
        • Wreath making
        • Compost bin making
        • Australia Day Award
        • Shortland Volunteer Award
        • Cardiff Landcare
        • CLEANas Presentation
        • Plant Swap
    • Caves Beach Swansea area >
      • School Art Competition >
        • CALMD Artworks
      • Eco Angel Clean Up
      • Coon Island Celebration
      • Sustainable Living Guide
      • Swansea heads
    • Cooranbong >
      • Our Projects >
        • Fire Ready
        • Birds presentations
        • Walk in the Park
      • Our vision
    • Dudley >
      • Nature Play
      • Be Prepared for Bushfire
      • Dudley Super Street Sale 2013
      • Dudley Mural
      • Engagement
      • Values Assets and a Vision
    • Five Bays >
      • Sustainable Christmas
      • Neighbourhood gathering
      • Pamper care project
      • Awaba State Conservation Area
    • Greater Charlestown >
      • Weeds workshop
      • Community history
      • Planting Party
      • Whitebridge clean up
      • Park celebration
      • Charlestown Talks
    • Morisset & Peninsula >
      • Our projects >
        • Eco articles
        • Wyee Neighbour Day
        • Papier mache
        • Wildlife in Morisset
        • Sustainability gatherings
        • Eco Health Expo 2015
        • EcoHealth Expo 2014
        • Graeme Stuart talk
        • Preserving Workshop May 2011
        • Sustainable House Tour Sept 2011
        • art2264@Morisset PCYC
      • Morisset & Peninsula SNAP
      • About Morisset and Peninsula
    • Pelican Area
    • Rathmines Area >
      • Beeswax wrap workshops
      • Acheivements
      • Kilaben Bay - Rathmines Pathway
      • Rathmines Master Plan
      • Wicking garden beds
      • Bag It Film
      • Rathmines Park Litter Project
      • Camping in park
      • Asbestos removal
      • Celebration 2017
    • Redhead >
      • Wetland Wonders
      • Bag Making Workshop
      • Biggest Morning Tea
      • ANZAC Memorial
      • April Storm Meeting
      • Surfest celebration
      • Renew Lambton Colliery
    • Toronto Area >
      • Projects >
        • Picnic in the park
        • Brighton Ave Footpath
        • Fire Retardant Garden
        • Community Garden
        • Tossers can be binners
      • Vision
    • Valentine >
      • Walking in Valentine
    • Warners Bay Area >
      • Indigenous connection
      • Winter Nature Play Adventure
      • Autumn Nature Play Adventure
    • West Wallsend District >
      • New projects
      • Holmesville garden
      • Landcare
      • Achievements >
        • Old Waste, New Art 2015
      • Old Waste New Art
      • News
      • Gallery
  • The Alliance
    • Strategic plan
    • Annual Report
    • Volunteer >
      • Waste to Art Coordinator
      • Promotions team
      • Young Leaders
      • Social media
      • Photographers and videographers
      • Marketing specialist
      • Living Smart Festival 2019
    • Sharing and training opportunities >
      • Picnic and celebration
      • Virtual Catch Up
      • Empowerment workshop
      • Celebrate 2019
      • T-shirt Order
      • Cake and conversation June 2019
      • Celebrate 2018
      • Celebrate 2017
      • Celebrate 2016
      • Health and safety training
      • Recruiting young people
      • Recruiting volunteers
      • Tips and lessons
      • Grants and fundraising
      • Annual Show and Tell
      • Success session - May 2014
      • Online collaboration
    • Strengthening Sustainable Neighbourhoods
    • Governance and membership >
      • Annual renewal
    • Alliance Board
    • Alliance Board Meetings >
      • Alliance Meeting Minutes Archive
      • Alliance AGM
  • Resources
    • Year Planner
    • Governance
    • Planning and implementing >
      • Accessibility
    • Community Gardens
    • Promoting your activities
    • Developing a SNAP
    • Survey Results
    • SNAPs
  • Contact
    • About
    • Privacy
  • Supporters
  • Links
    • Getting Inspired
    • Managing a group
    • Community gardens
    • Funding
    • Energy water and waste
    • Biodiversity and ecosystems
    • Local organisations
    • NSW and National Organisations
    • Facilitating Change
  Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie

Morisset PCYC kicks off in a flurry of ribbons

31/10/2011

 
By Nikita Almond

Picture
A ribbon cutting ceremony like no other: MP Greg Combet, Mayor Greg Piper and PCYC CEO Chris Gardener cut the many colourful ribbons covering a futsal goal to mark the official opening of Morisset PCYC. “We were looking at a few options to officially open the club, and we eventually decided on a bit more of a novel approach; art2264, our arts program, decorated it… ” said Andrew Best, club manager for Lake Macquarie and Morisset PCYC.

A speech by Rosi Okeno encapsulated the journey up until this point; she thanked all those involved, naming every member of the team, saying how without their support it would not have been possible to open the Morisset PCYC.

Mr Best emphasised how important particular people were in the journey leading up to the opening of the facility. “Council have been the huge supporters; both the State Member and Federal Members are here today and have supported us; finally John Mills, along with RosiOkeno, would be considered the great contributors to getting this off the ground” said Mr Best. Ms Okeno was again congratulated on her efforts in making a PCYC in Morisset possible. Anita Barker, Aboriginal Community Justice Group Coordinator, smiled as she noted Ms Okeno’s tenacity: “I applaud Rosi and her people for not giving up on this facility” she said.

The opening of the facility will allow the community to engage with one another and give people, especially youth, a place to enjoy themselves and make friends.

“The main benefit of Morisset PCYC is to get young people active in life” exclaimed Ms Okeno. “We need access, kids down here need something to do” agreed Ms Barker. Like Okeno, she expressed how much of an impact the PCYC facility will have on the community. “It will be really positive; it’s all about linking. We all work together in partnership for the benefit of the kids in the community” she said. “It’s not only about a place to go, it’s about activities. If we gets kids involved in sports it reduces their risk of harm and failing to attend school”. The PCYC will make that happen by running sport programmes, hosting the monthly art2264 art program, and providing positive youth activities, to develop their skills character and leadership.

The Rotary Club presented a cheque for $4000 to the Morisset PCYC, funding which will allow for new programmes and workshops to be run.

The turnout included over 100 members of the public who, after the official ribbon cutting ceremony, either participated in the art workshops or snacked on the delicious food donated by Brumby’s Bakery. “To be honest, I was a bit cynical of the numbers to expect; but I have quickly learnt that in a community like this, the community wants to engage,” noted a pleased Mr Best.

art2264 @ Morisset PCYC, the new free monthly youth arts program to be hosted by the PCYC, held three workshops at the opening including African Drumming, Mosaic mural and Hip-Hop dance. Led by artist MargreteErling the mosaic workshop was designed to allow any age to participate, and used tiles of various colours, with emphasis on the blue and red of the PCYC. Adults and children alike revelled in the activity allowing themselves to get messy and creative. The finished mosaic mural will be a boy and a girl, which will become the signs for the toilets in the facility.

Meanwhile, the infectious rhythms of African drumming resonated through the building. Wearing a long flowered dress, drum leader Issabella Berrigan taught participants how to ‘slap’ the drum. “Base, base, tone, tone, slap, slap”, Ms Berrigan instructed the group, then helped them build a rhythm using the elements they had learnt. Participants engaged with each other as they drummed in unison, encouraging each other to keep up with the ever increasing rhythm.

The increase in pace lead to lots of laughter and smiles from those trying to keep up, “It’s working on your coordination,” Ms Berrigan said with a grin as her hands fluttered across the drum’s surface. Drumming will feature in future art2264 workshops; as Ms Berrigan explained, “It’s really accessible, and it’s actually quite physical as well”.

As the afternoon sun beat down, and the temperature inside soared, Lauren Wheatley of Lift Dance Fitness led a hip-hop dance workshop. Children did a group dance following Ms Wheatley’s moves, to chart music, with some participants showing off their solo skills. When the noise of the drums temporarily overpowered their music, the group did ‘Zumba’ moves to the beat of the drums instead.

Everyone at the opening was wearing a smile, showing just how positive Morisset PCYC is for the community. The whole atmosphere was playful with all in attendance getting involved somehow.

art2264will continue to run workshops on the third Friday of the month from 4  to about 8pm with all events focussing on being creative. The next event, catering for both primary and high school aged children, will include hip-hop dance, African drumming and mosaic, will be on the 18th of November at the Morisset PCYC.

The Morisset Sustainable Neighbourhood Group have given unwavering support for the programme and for the benefits the whole centre will bring to the community. It will provide a positive place for youths to engage and enjoy their community as well as somewhere groups can be run to promote youths learning about and becoming sustainable. By giving the youths something to do it will eliminate the risk of vandalism and un-social behaviour in the community, which will in turn allow the area to be more sustainable and viable.

With the support of many people and groups in the Morisset and Lake Macquarie community the centre is sure to thrive, if the opening is anything to go by, there will be a constant elevated buzz and community spirit by the residents of the Lake Macquarie precinct.

Those attending who did not participate in the creative workshops, formed their own groups. People played basketball in a group laughing and enjoying the new facilities. Both MP Greg Combet and Mayor Greg Piper participated in a group of soccer with those at the opening, showing their enthusiasm for the new facility.

    art2264 blog by Nikita Almond

    All about the fantastic activities at art2264@ Morisset PCYC

    Archives

    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    Art@2264
    Pcyc
    Sustainable House Tour

    RSS Feed

Picture
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Lake Macquarie
Our vision - Neighbourhoods that are empowered to live sustainably.
Our mission - Our work is to foster sustainable neighbourhoods and a healthy environment in Lake Macquarie
Our values - We are guided by our values of participation, inclusion, collaboration, empowerment and shared responsibility.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters on which we live, work and play, the Awabakal People, and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who now reside in this area. We pay our respect to Elders past and present, and future cultural knowledge holders.

The Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance is registered as a not for profit incorporated association under NSW Fair Trading. Sustainable Neighbourhood activities are managed and governed by volunteers and financed through grants, collaboration and community fundraising.
Picture
Sustainable Neighbourhoods is an initiative of Lake Macquarie City Council.
www.lakemac.com.au
Picture
We are proud to be a Very Neighbourly Organisation and supporter of Neighbour Day.
www.neighbourday.org