Re the article ‘‘Bold parking plan’’ (Leader, February 17)
At last, an MP with sensible idea to benefit Kogarah shops and ratepayers. If councillors can’t see the benefit for all, they need to find the sense they were born with.
If land is owned by State Government then seek permission.
It’s a toss up where to safely park for a return alone to a deserted Kogarah at 11.45pm by train after a city night out and no bus to get home – near the bushes large enough to hide someone or the underground parking station where no one would hear cry for help
I often think I am the only fool doing this as I choose to use trains to the city. Even on New Year’s Eve Kogarah is deserted when you get off a city train at 2.30am to go to one’s parked car.
A small garden plot could be kept in front of the memorial plaque to maintain symbolism.
I can’t believe that council commissioned a ’heritage assessment’ for a strip of land next to a rail track. The heritage consultant must have laughed all the way to the bank.
It is hoped the State Government paid for such nonsense and not Kogarah ratepayers.
This is a fine solution for extra parking in Kogarah and merits strong support by Kogarah Council to keep Kogarah ’alive’ as a local town hub instead of hiding behind the word ’heritage’ for a strip of land next to a railway.
L. Mason, Sans Souci
No forward planning
Interesting to see the Leader’s front page story on "Bold Parking Plan"(February 17).
State MP Chris Minns and others have acknowledged the shortage of parking and called for the ’extreme measure’ of converting a park, precious public green space, into parking.
Does this not demonstrate the failure of any forward planning controls?
Kogarah Council and their disastrous proposed New City Plan promotes, amongst other things, greater density, housing and population numbers without any proper environmental or traffic planning.
When quizzed all the council can say is infrastructure is the responsibility of the state government but as your story demonstrates we cannot adequately handle the current numbers presently.
While the council and our silent representatives the councillors remain quiet about the plan it looks like it will be passed with no major changes despite widespread community anger.
Guess this is the ill-fated legacy that the councillors want to leave when they merge with the basket case that is Hurstville Council.
Also how can a certain single middle ward DA elicit a meeting within 48 hours between Mr Varvaris (the absent councillor), senior council officials and some councillors from Hurstville and Kogarah councils with objectors to the DA submission.
Meanwhile The United Kogarah City Residents Association, representing a number of community organisations, have had their numerous requests for a meeting with Kogarah Council senior officials to discuss the flawed New City Plan repeatedly rejected or ignored?
Whatever the views on this one DA surely a city plan making such drastic and unwarranted changes to a whole variety of areas would warrant at least the same courtesy of a meeting.
Perhaps this is the new form of local government we have to get used to as people start jockeying for positions in the new merged council.
Finally Mr Varvaris you must be very busy with your federal seat because it appears you could attend the DA meeting with objectors but not the regular council meeting held soon afterwards. I
know you don’t go to a lot of the council meetings these days so if you need directions to the council offices just ask.
name withheld, Kogarahhead
Nature strips sacrificed
Re ‘‘Bold parking plan’’ (Leader, February 17) is no surprise, the way the elected councillors have failed to respond to the community’s needs, to even consult the SME business people through the Kogarah Chamber of Commerce.
The loss of the Memorial Park, inevitable. Trees and nature strips have already been sacrificed for car parking on side streets, especially running parallel with Railway Parade.
Bellevue Street, both sides of the street’s nature strips have been paved with a new kerb.
Similarly Nielsen Street (between English and Jubilee), eastern side, big trees removed, and nature strip paved for car parking. The western side awaits the stripping of the green streetscape.
Bowns Street (from Railway Parade to Princes Highway) 45 degree angle parking staggered on alternate sides of the street, trees removed and nature strip used for car parking.
Loss of open space, green nature strips and removal of big trees has been progressing as Kogarah tries to provide the car parking for the proposed residential developments, the visitors, and something for the business sector.
Certainly, Kogarah Council did not factor in open spaces in the New City Plan (Draft LEP), rather it’s for the use of developers to build more residential units.
Crs Platt and Katris have been representing the community, as they both proudly reiterated to the public, for 25 years, each.
Cr Varvaris, simultaneously councillor and Federal MP for Barton, has been seen, infrequently, at council meetings.
Where is their vision for the over-development of the suburb and LGA, to look after SME that employ workers and provide services for the residents?
T Kot, Kogarah
Your 3 hours start - now
Yes, parking at Westfield Hurstville is expensive (Your View, January 20) but have shoppers really noticed the changed parking conditions?
When council had control of two levels of parking shoppers had three hours free parking which started at the time that they got out of their parked vehicles.
Now the three hours starts when you enter the car park, so as in my case one particular Thursday it took me nine minutes to find a space so my free parking time was, in fact, only two hours 51 minutes.
Of course I had to exit the car park within the three hours before I had to pay.
So much for three hours of free parking.
John Kirby, Rockdale