Your front page story (Leader, January 13) on the Kogarah RSL Youth Club exposes one of the myriad of problems with the influx of developers into the area encouraged by council.
Developers, despite their words, are only after the maximum amount of profit to a development before they move on: they do not care about community.
This is evidenced by the conversation reported by Mr Thomas, the youth club's vice-president, with a Capital Bluestone employee that "promised them a space in the new Veridian complex".
Then to compound this lack of caring and quest for financial gains the Kogarah RSL general manager was quoted in your article about the RSL "being able to enhance community programs that offered invaluable benefits". He further is quoted as saying "we highly value the work and activities provided to the youth of the area by this club".
Strange way to show these set of values for I would think an organisation with more than 50 years' service catering to the physical and mental wellbeing for "more than 200 young people, including a number with disabilities" deserved a lot better treatment than being just moved on.
Perhaps if these kids just sat in the apartments playing video games it might suit the RSL and developer better than having the opportunity for them to exercise physically, mentally and socially.
Finally Kogarah Council is changing its development regulations (New City Plan) in part to promote the growth for lower cost housing for new residents.
That must be working, as the article stated of the 147 apartments sold on the first stage release about 60 per cent were investors.
John, Kogarah
