COVID-19 update - Council's facilities and services
Last modified on 20 August 2021
The NSW Premier has today announced that the lockdown for residents of Greater Sydney will be extended until Thursday 30 September.
The health and safety of our staff and community are our top priority. Therefore, all non-essential public facing services of Council and facilities remain closed. We continue to provide essential services including waste collection and services to the most vulnerable in our community.
Please continue to follow the rules by only leaving the house for essential reasons. From Monday 23 August we are required to wear a mask when outside our homes, except when exercising. Remember to carry ID with you and limit your contact with people you do not live with. Shop within your LGA/within 5km of your home or online where possible. Work from home if you can.
Council remains here to support you, keeping abreast of and responding to new restrictions in order to keep everyone safe.
We thank you for your support and patience while we work to keep our community safe and ask that you continue to follow the rules and support each other.
Closed facilities and services
- Customer Service Centre at 31 Victor Street
- Dougherty Centre
- Willoughby Leisure Centre
- Willoughby Libraries - Chatswood and all branches
- MOSAIC
- All sportsground pavilions
- Art Space on The Concourse
- Incinerator Art Space
- Dougherty Centre café (Blend)
- Chatswood Youth Centre
- Willoughby Park Centre
- Zenith Theatre
- Joe Ciantar Music Rehearsal Studio
- Unstaffed Community Facilities (West Chatswood, Naremburn, Castle Cove and Artarmon)
- The Concourse - ticketholders for cancelled performances will be contacted regarding refunds.
- Community Recycling Centre Northern Sydney - please save items until after the lockdown
- Household Chemical CleanOut program
- Chatswood Mall Market
Essential services continuing
- Waste collection
- Street cleansing
- Meals on Wheels
- Construction projects for the community will resume as per the new public health order.
Customer service: phone, email or visit our website
Our customer service centre at 31 Victor Street, Chatswood is closed. However, we will continue to serve you through a number of other channels, including phone, email and through our website.
Our call centre is still operating and our staff are well equipped to respond to wide range of service requests and to provide information about our services and programs.
Contact us on 02 9777 1000 from 9am-5pm week days.
You can also email us at:email@willoughby.nsw.gov.au
Use our online services to report an issue, lodge complying Development Consents and Development Applications, track applications, make bookings and payments.
Justice of the Peace
To access Justice of the Peace services visit www.jp.nsw.gov.au
Childcare services
Our childcare services remain open and staffed. As per government advice, please consider keeping your children at home, unless they need to be at the services.
Recreation and outdoor spaces
Our playgrounds and exercise equipment will remain open and our cleaning services maintained to allow you and your families to exercise.
All public toilets will remain open with cleaning regimes in place.
We’re leaving the lights on Monday to Friday evenings until 8pm to provide additional opportunities to get outdoors, at these major ovals:
- Gore Hill
- Beauchamp
- Willoughby Park
- Castle Cove Park
- Thomson Park
- Mowbray Road Public School Oval
- Rotary Athletics
- Artarmon
- Northbridge
Northbridge Baths and amenities are open
Under the current Public Health Order section 2.4, natural pools can remain open during the lockdown period.
While visiting we ask our community to adhere to the NSW Health COVID Safe hygiene and social distancing guidelines.
Council rangers will patrol this venue regularly to monitor compliance with NSW Health COVID-Safe guidelines.
To help keep Northbridge Baths open for community exercise and recreation:
- Maintain social distancing by staying 1.5 metres apart
- Wear a mask (except when swimming)
- Gather in groups of no more than 10 people
- Wash or sanitise your hands regularly
- Follow the 1 per 4 square meter rule when using the amenities block
Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in closure of the amenities block.
Willoughby City Library
While the libraries are closed, enjoy the digital collections during lockdown. Library members have free access to eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, movies and more. See what is available here.
Business support
We are keenly aware of the hardship and stress that the extended lockdown will cause on small business and the community. Our Business and Community Support Plan 3 provides relief including the reintroduction of waivers and concessions for fees for sporting organisations, footway dining, street advertising, and non-critical health inspections and fire safety measures.
The plan also focuses on supporting businesses and the community to access the grants and support packages, providing training and supporting recovery.
The NSW Government also has support packages to help.
Please do your bit by continuing to support our local businesses when making essential purchases and use your Dine and Discover vouchers when buying take away food.
Community support
The NSW Government has announced financial support packages to support those experiencing hardship at this time.
Council understands that the extended restrictions are challenging. We have a range of informative fact sheets to assist our residents to better understand the local services and support options available to them.
More information on COVID-19
Please see NSW Health website or the Australian Government Department of Health for the most accurate and up-to-date information.