A year of significant achievements, major project completions and continued progress towards building a vibrant, liveable and sustainable city is captured in Penrith City Council's 2024-25 Annual Report, which was endorsed at the Ordinary Council meeting on 17 November.
The report highlights a year of accomplishments, from delivering long-planned transformative projects to hosting new and annual community events and finalising strategic plans that will shape the City's future.
Penrith Mayor Todd Carney said the 2024-25 Annual Report highlights a significant 12 months for Council and its commitment to the community's long-term vision.
"I'm proud at what we have achieved in the past year and I'm excited about the future and look forward to continuing to work together to make our City the best place to live, work, visit and play."
Key achievements include:
- Gipps Street Recreation Precinct: This multi-award-winning project has transformed a former waste facility in Claremont Meadows into a landmark sport and recreation destination featuring a skate park, pump track, sporting fields, play spaces and more.
- Regatta Park Upgrade: The Nepean River now boasts new play areas, a pavilion, additional parking, new pathways and improved access to the water.
- Nepean Avenue Pathway: Completion of this pathway provides a continuous loop around the popular Great River Walk, improving safety and experience for walkers, runners and cyclists.
- Andrews Road Baseball Fields and Kingsway Playing Fields: Drainage works and upgrades to the playing surfaces providing an enhanced and safer recreational experience for the community.
- Kingsway Sporting Complex: A new amenity building, significantly improving accessibility and comfort for both players and spectators.
- St Marys Town Centre Master Plan: This evidence-based plan will transform the suburb over the next 20 years, supporting the creation of more than 8,360 jobs and 9,300 dwellings by 2041.
- Penrith 2041+ Community Strategic Plan: This plan sets out the long-term goals and strategies for the City, reflecting the community's aspirations and priorities.
- Our 2025 Advocacy Strategy: A revised strategy guides targeted efforts to secure support and resources, enabling effective growth management and helping Penrith reach its potential.
- Major community events: The inaugural Winter Solstice at City Park, the Real Festival at the Nepean River, and annual Trees for Mum and Dad events continue to attract record numbers and provide memorable experiences for the community.
The 2024-25 Annual Report also outlines the achievements of Council's services, with the results underlining the organisation's ongoing commitment to supporting Penrith's growing community, now and into the future.
General Manager Andrew Moore said results demonstrate the organisation's leadership, innovation and resilience during another progressive year for this City.
"We are committed to leading with innovation and responsibility, providing services that support Penrith's growth and the wellbeing of our residents in a sustainable way.
"These results have also been achieved in the context of increasing pressure on local government to deliver services to meet the demands of a growing population and growing community expectations. Cost management has become significantly harder with rising prices and increased expenses for materials and services."
Key service outcomes
- Using 317,450 recycled coffee cups and 208 tonnes of recycled glass in resurfacing and construction projects.
- Resurfacing or reconstructing 80,305m² of road pavement and building 2,454 metres of new footpath.
- The first NSW council to extend the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) service to every household, diverting more than 500,000 tonnes of organic material from landfill, saving ratepayers $46.5 million and earning the Resource Recovery Award from Keep Australia Beautiful NSW.
- Planted 20,279 native species and reached the target of planting more than 6,600 trees over 5 years in heat vulnerable suburbs with low tree canopy.
- Achieved a 12.5% reduction in emissions compared to last year.
View the full report on Council's website.
