Mayoral Message
Dear Resident,
Can you believe Christmas is already upon us!
As we near the end of another busy year, it is only fitting that we look back on the year that was.
We kicked off 2024 with Lunar New Year celebrations and Campsie Lantern Festival, where thousands gathered to celebrate our multi-cultural city and welcome the Year of the Dragon. We also hosted our annual Australia Day celebrations to honour the people of Canterbury-Bankstown who help make our country the best in the world.
And we tasted our way around the globe, with events like Ramadan Nights Lakemba and Bankstown Bites drawing in more than 1.6 million people to our City to experience our unique culture and take part in what makes us so special.
But it wasn’t all about the food and festivities. This year, we delivered on a major $48 million capital works program, providing new parks, facilities, roads, infrastructure and more to make our City a better place to live, work and play.
And thanks to you, money was raised to help those doing it tough. We had my Sleep Out for the homeless, a fundraiser for the Children of Gaza and you donated toys for the kids who might have otherwise missed out on Eid, Easter and Christmas.
It has been a hectic year, and I encourage you all to take time off to relax with family and friends before the new year arrives.
However you celebrate, and wherever you are, it is a time to appreciate the people around us and thank them for helping us through the ups and downs of 2024.
And from my family to yours, I hope you each have a very Merry Christmas and safe new year.
Regards,
Bilal El-Hayek