COVID-19 information and FAQs

The Town’s admin centre will be operating via phone and email, but the building will be closed.

We encourage continued contact wherever possible for enquiries and payments via phone, email, the website and by mailing cheques to us.

The Digital Hub and the depot are still closed to the public.

Aqua/leisure centres

Leisurelife will be closed, Aqualife will reopen Tuesday 27 April at 7am, pool only with reduced capacity.

For more information, please visit our leisure facilities page.

Library

Will operate at normal hours with reduced patron capacity.

In line with State Government guidelines, playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor recreational facilities will be open.

Please observe the responsible use directions on signage in place at these sites, including remaining vigilant with your personal hygiene, and physical distancing and limiting your time spent to an hour, for use of equipment to give everyone a go.

All public toilets are opened. All toilets are receiving daily rigorous cleaning regimes as per Department of Health guidelines.

Please continue to observe State Government social distancing and hygiene measures recommended.

Yes, water fountains currently remain on. Please follow the advice on attached signage.

The Water Services Association of Australia says that "drinking water in Australia is high quality and is well treated. There is no evidence that drinking water will be affected by the COVID-19 virus or that it is transmitted by drinking water. There is also no evidence that has been transmitted by wastewater systems. Water is an essential service and water utilities are well prepared to manage their response to COVID-19."

You can download their fact sheet here.

You can also read the Water Corporation's COVID-19 response, including their FAQs.

At a Special Council Meeting on 7 April, Council endorsed a 0% rate rise for the 2020-2021 budget, meaning there will be no increase in rates or fees and charge for the financial year ahead.

Additionally, collection of charges for underground power will be deferred until 2021. 

Council also gave direction for the Town to prepare two alternative budget scenarios to achieve a potential reduction in rates of between 5% and 10%, to be considered for budget adoption in June. 

Effective immediately, Council has waived interest on outstanding rates for 2019-2020, waived cancellation fees, late fees and suspended membership fees until further notice, and waived rent for not-for-profits and sporting clubs leasing Town property.

The Town has supported a number of initiatives to support the community during COVID recovery stages, including adopting a Hardship Relief Policy, introducing a Restart Community Grants and Donations Program, and transferring $500,000 into reserve fund dedicated to future recovery projects and programs. Find our more visit our Restart Vic Park COVID recovery web page.

Essential services will continue to be delivered – these include waste collection, maintenance for Town buildings, roads, footpaths and parks, parking and ranger services and primary administration services. 

Our website has some options for completing business transactions and payments online. People can also phone and email us as usual.

We plan to return to in-person meetings, with limited seats for the public gallery, for the February OCM on Tuesday 16 February. 

We encourage our community to view this meetings through live stream via our website.

Questions and statements from the public can be lodged online, or by emailing governancevicpark@vicpark.wa.gov.au, by 3pm on the day of the meeting.  

If you do not have an internet connection, you can provide your questions in advance by calling 08 9311 8111 and asking to speak with the Governance team.  

For more information visit our Council meetings webpage.

Our contractors have advised bin pick-up services specifically will continue, regardless of council service changes.

The Town has a dedicated business support during COVID-19 webpage. In partnership with Business Foundations, we are also offering a FREE one-on-one business advisory service to Vic Park-based businesses to deal with the outbreak and its impact. 

The Town and State Government have introduced a series of changes within the planning system to support businesses and enable flexible responses in a changing environment. 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry have also put together a COVID-19 response micro-site which contains a lot information around disaster recovery and business continuity. The Small Business Development Corporation also has a COVID-19 online hub here.  

The Federal and States Government have also announced a range of stimulus packages to support WA households and small businesses in the wake of COVID-19. Visit https://www.wa.gov.au/service/business-support and https://www.business.gov.au.

To support business and the provision of essential community services during COVID-19, the WA Minister for Planning has issued a notice to allow temporary exemptions for certain approvals and planning requirements. These will remain in effect until 90 days after the end of the State of Emergency. Please see the link for more information: https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/notice-of-exemptions. If you have any questions, please contact us on 9311 8111 to chat to a Planning officer. 

For Town-business specific updates, you can sign up to our Vic Park Biz newsletter. 

Our Community Development team has been checking in with our community groups and reached out to local support services to ask how we can help them at this time. Actions have so far included: 

• Reviewing our volunteers register to identify skill sets for dedicated outreach support. 
• Providing Village Hub with a platform to expand its Neighbour to Neighbour program. 
• Donating cleaning and catering supplies to NGOs, including gloves, masks, packaging and takeaway supplies.
• Sharing social media posts of community group help initiatives.
• Contacting sporting clubs, membership groups and service providers weekly to maintain previous bookings and prepare for recovery efforts, including rescheduling events such as Arts Season. 

As usual, tickets are required at all times and we encourage you to purchase these though your mobile phone by downloading the Easy Park app.

Fees

As the State Government continues to ease restrictions and businesses around the Town reopen, the Town of Victoria Park would like to advise that the parking fees along Albany Highway have been updated, as a result of the higher occupancy and the Town’s dynamic parking* approach:

• 8am-10am  to $1.10/hour and one hour FREE
• 10am-1pm to $2.20/hour and 30 minutes FREE
• 1pm-4pm to $1.10/hour and one hour FREE
• 4pm-8pm to $2.20/hour and 30 minutes FREE

To ensure enough bays will be available for patrons visiting the Town, time limits still apply. Please observe the signage in the area.

*Dynamic parking is driven by parking space occupancy - when occupancy is low, the Town encourages parking with ‘Off-peak pricing’. When occupancy is high, the Town manages parking with ‘Standard pricing’.

Current infringements

The Town of Victoria Park would like to advise that the suspension period for infringement notices have ended. Processing of infringement notices will now resume in accordance with our usual practice.

Notices were recently sent via mail requesting payment of the amount outstanding within 28 days. In the interim, people with outstanding infringement notices can make payment online or by calling 08 9311 811.

Pending infringement appeals

If you have submitted an appeal and have not had a response, it is still under review and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as a decision has been made. 

These decisions may be sent from a ‘no-reply mailbox’ and you are advised to regularly check your junk mail folder. 

If you are worried about this, please use the Easy Park app, free download to your phone.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or isolated, there is support available for you and your family members both nationally and within the Town. 

Mental health support 

• Lifeline 24/7: 13 11 14 
• Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 
• Crisis Care 24/7: 9223 1111 
  
  

Children and youth mental health services 

• Headspace: 1800 650 890 
• Kids Helpline 24/7: 1800 551 800 
  
  

Relationship support 

• 1800 Respect 24/7: 1800 737 732 
• Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 007 339 
• Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 000 599 
  
  

Additional support services 

• Sussex Street Community Law Service: 6253 9500 
• St Vincent de Paul Emergency Relief Service: 1300 794 054 
• National Debt Helpline: 1800 007 007 

Will there be an online or phone service offered by the Digital Hub?

Over the phone one-to-one digital literacy support is still available by telephone call throughout the week, 10am–4pm Monday to Friday. This can be accessed by calling 9329 4238.

Where can I get technology help online?

We recommend joining the Federal Government’s online digital literacy program, BeConnected. There you can find resources to help you use your phone, tablet or computer, make the most of online resources and to stay safe online. To sign up, visit beconnected.esafety.gov.au, click the purple 'Sign Up' button in the top right hand corner, then click 'Create an Account'. When you sign up, type in 'Town of Victoria Park Digital Hub' into the 'Name of Support Centre' box. After signing you can explore resources and track your learning progress.

How will you be communicating updates to us?

Our website is the main source for all information regarding cancellations and closures, and Town specific information about COVID-19. We will also be communicating these via our other Town channels (social media, e-newsletters etc.), however we encourage everyone to visit the website first.

What if I have paid for a Healthy Community program and it was postponed?

We are offering participants a credit to use over the next six months, however if you would prefer a refund we can also arrange this. Please contact us at healthycommunity@vicpark.wa.gov.au

How can I stay physically and mentally healthy during this time?

We encourage you to check out the following websites, which offer useful health advice.

• The World Health Organisation's tips to combat stress curing the COVID-19 outbreak 
• LiveLighter (WA's leading healthy lifestyle campaign, including tips to stay healthy, be active, and healthy recipes)
• Act Belong Commit (support for mental health)
• Beyond Blue (support for mental health)
• Lifeline's advice to maintain your mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak
• Black Dog Institute (support for mental health)
• Headspace's information for young people affected by stress related to COVID-19

Can I contact the Healthy Community team?

Yes, please contact us at healthycommunity@vicpark.wa.gov.au if you have any further questions. We would still like to support you and help you stay healthy during this time.