Coronavirus: Blacktown Council events cancelled, postponed
Blacktown Council’s biggest annual events have been postponed or cancelled in response to the growing coronavirus threat.
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Some of the biggest events on Blacktown City’s annual calendar, including the Blacktown City Festival and NAB RunWest, have been cancelled due to the global threat of coronavirus.
The decision comes after the introduction of the Federal Government’s ban this week on non-essential gatherings of over 500 people.
Today, Blacktown Council announced it would cancel or postpone all council-controlled events until the end of June.
The Blacktown City Festival, planned for the week of May 23-30, culminating in the popular Streets Alive and Parade Day, has been cancelled.
The council-supported NAB RunWest fun runs will be postponed.
“We must put the health and safety of our runners, officials, staff, volunteers and spectators at the forefront of all decision making. We are therefore postponing NAB RunWest 2020 to a date later in the year,” a statement from organisers read.
“A new event date will be announced via the relevant channels in due course.”
The Medieval Fayre, which coincides with the festival week, will also no longer go ahead.
The inaugural Seven Hills Festival planned for March 28, along with Blacktown Night Markets on March 27, have been cancelled.
Blacktown Council’s community forum planned for the Elara estate in Marsden Park this Saturday will be postponed and a citizenship ceremony on Thursday will be cancelled.
Blacktown Mayor Tony Bleasdale said the measures were a necessary response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The council has a duty of care to the community and our staff and we are fully committed to take whatever action we can to slow the spread of the virus in our region,” Mayor Bleasdale said.
“Based on the lessons we’ve learned from overseas, we must act quickly and decisively, or many lives will be lost.
“While government restrictions apply to public gatherings of 500 or more people, council has decided to recommend that all non-essential large gatherings, meetings and events in Blacktown City be cancelled or postponed.
“Council will take the lead in this by cancelling or postponing all non-essential gatherings, events and meetings that come under council control.”
The council’s main functions venue, Bowman Hall, will be shut until June 30 and all gatherings planned for the venue will be cancelled. No further bookings will be taken during this time.
Bookings have been suspended at all council venues, including community and neighbourhood centres, over the same period.
Council libraries would remain open until further notice.
The Mayor acknowledged the community’s potential disappointment at the decision.
“While halting these events is a big disappointment for residents and Council alike, the health and wellbeing of the community must be our number one priority during these difficult times,” Mayor Bleasdale said.
“While we are totally behind the residents with their justified concerns it would be irresponsible for Council to go ahead with a large public gathering at this time.”
So far, there has been only one confirmed case of the virus in the Blacktown region after a patient at a medical centre in Plumpton Marketplace tested positive last week.
Council meetings will proceed as scheduled for the meantime, however, members of the public are advised not to attend the public gallery.
Blacktown Council has urged residents to practise social distancing in public spaces, such as restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and on public transport.
Businesses in the area are advised to encourage staff to work from home and to cancel any non-essential person-to-person meetings.
Council staff have been told not to attend work and to seek immediate medical advice if they have cold or flu symptoms.