LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Planting trees, obeying signs, managing sports fields and a good deed done

In the current climate, I have cleaned leaves, bark and fallen branches from my guttering, lawn, nature strip and street gutters for the past year or so, filled my green waste bin with regularity, which council collect every two weeks, then charge me by way of rate notice for this service.

They charge residents to clean up the streets of tree litter for which they are responsible initially - by the planting of deciduous trees (in particular gum trees) on our nature strips.

It is also noted that these tree roots have caused numerous sections of public pavement to be replaced in my street, which also affects rate notices increasing at a great rate.

Surely, the selection of (non-deciduous) species for tree plantings for nature strips needs immediate attention by council.

East Perth Councils has carefully selected species of nature strip plantings which have been shaped to avoid the horrendous pruning of trees by council and other agencies.

Perhaps our council could follow suit.

I am one disgruntled Jannali resident.

Ross Diver-Tuck

Jannali

Those motorists and cyclists who fail to heed the 20 Kilometre per hour sign in Oatley Park might like to consider that these restrictions are there for a reason.

That reason is to protect both pedestrians using this shared space, and to maximise the chances of saving our precious wildlife from a nasty death - birds and blue-tongues, especially.

Isn't it worthwhile to slow down for their sake?

Name and address supplied

Open space facilities that include sports fields in both the Bayside and Georges River Council areas are being inadequately managed.

Over the past 18 months or more, I have raised multiple concerns in writing and in person at the council offices about the mismanagement of Hurstville Oval and Scarborough Park.

Peter Mahoney (St George Leader Letters, January 22 2020) should know that, respectfully, the first port of call for a ratepayers concerns ought to be the council responsible.

I have two unresolved gripes related to Bayside and Georges River council that could do with some Leader intervention as follows:

1. Bayside council has built 16 toilets within a 500-metre distance in Scarborough Park north that are filthy every week.

All the toilets are left open all day and aside from attracting Neanderthals who don't have a clue about hygiene they now attract druggies who leave their bongs in the large wheelchair access cubicle.

This number of toilets should never have been built and given we are stuck them, only two should be unlocked when there is no scheduled sport.

2. Hurstville Oval built on crown land and managed by Georges River council has pretty well been taken over by the sport of Professional Cricket.

The cycling track, which is the best and safest in Sydney, plays second fiddle to the needs of cricket.

The grass running track on this oval is the best in Sydney I might add.

Georges River Council wants to get rid of the cycling track it would appear judging by their practices of leaving cricket covers on the track, promoting walking on the cycling track, building a new cricket pavilion and ignoring near misses between cyclists and pedestrians.

This public oval needs a plan of management in 2020 that is inclusive but not unfair and ridiculous.

Joanne Jones

Bardwell Park

On Wednesday afternoon, January 22, 2020, my sister and I were travelling home after a busy morning grocery shopping.

I stopped the car to pick up some LPG at the service station.

I am a diabetic controlled by tablets and exercise. However, my medication means that I need to eat roughly every 3 hours.

However, when I went in to fix up the account, I passed out probably because it had been 5-6 hours since I last ate.

When I came to there was a kind gentleman who was helping me asking me if there was anything he could do, after ringing for an ambulance he stayed by my side, checking on my condition and even went out to my vehicle to tell my sister what was happening.

He moved my car away from the petrol bowser and drover my sister around to my home to let my husband know what was happening, he even drove my husband back to the service station.

Before he left the man behind the counter told him that I still owed him for the LPG I heard this and said to the man please take the money out of my wallet to pay the bill, but he said "no, it's ok I will take care of it."

This man was not only a gentleman but a good samaritan.

I want to say a big thank you, sir.

Beverley Armstrong

Kogarah

The former Kogarah Council placed a plaque at the lights of Regent St and Railway Pd (Kogarah Station), commemorating 50 years of the 'Steam Tram Terminus 1887-1937'.

It states: 'This marks the site of the Kogarah to San Souci line, a relic of Sydney's public transport infrastructure".

This plaque is low and invisible to most people on a very busy thoroughfare.

When can we see the correct spelling for Sans rather than San on the plaque?

It could also do with a clean and perhaps a more prominent position for such an important feature of local history.

Adele Ryan

Sans Souci

Write to the editor at craig.thomson@austcommunitymedia.com.au