You don't have to travel to Brighton-le-Sands to have the "hoon car" experience, and especially don't have to wait for the weekend. It can be had every afternoon in Queen Victoria Street, Bexley, from about 4.30pm to 6pm. It's a 50kph zone, but that doesn't stop contestants from travelling at 70 or 80kph, often losing traction above Caledonian Street, and sometimes overtaking slower vehicles, some doing only 60kph in the 50 kph zone.
It would be a goldmine for a private citizen who owned a speed camera because you won't get any competition from police patrols.
Gary Frances, Bexley
Council rates are too high
I cannot believe the Georges River Council. A motion is being implemented for home development application renovation fees to be waived for six months. Cr Hindi states that "this will make it easier and cheaper for families to get alterations and additions done and it will help those smaller tradies who rely on this type of work". Does the council believe that families and tradies are the only people that pay rates to GRC? One cannot help but think there is an ulterior motive for the waiving of DA fees.
This is the same council that continues to try and convince ratepayers that their current rate of revenue is insufficient for their projects. This council is selling off numerous properties including car parks needed for local shoppers and businesses yet spends $1.5 million on a playground in Oatley Park. Consultants and researchers must love this council. Hurstville and Kogarah councils were forced into amalgamation by the former Mike Baird state government. If you were a Hurstville Council ratepayer, your pocket is now being gouged by GRC simply because they want to make every ratepayer's contribution uniform. Too bad if you cannot afford these increases in your budget/income. Yet councillors think it is a great idea to waive DA fees for six months. They are living in fairyland.
I noticed on my rates notice for 2020/21 there was no Council Voluntary Pensioner Rebate. There was also no standard increase in pensions in September, yet we are expected to keep digging further into our pockets. Councillors and others on healthy salaries cannot possibly understand the financial pressure they are placing on people. Everyone needs to live within their means.
Wendy, Riverwood
Sport ground funding
I'm a bit unclear, is the suburban Sydney sports ground funding mentioned in the Leader Nov 4 part of the $250 million funding the Premier had allocated which is now under review or is it a new round of funding?
The state government must maintain funding for local communities, but should it be at the expense of all public sector wages which will be cut this year and possibly in the next few years, due to the Treasurer's budget constraints? These are the same workers, educators and health professionals who tirelessly worked and put their lives on the line to get us through the pandemic. If there's funding to be splashed around, to win votes, the priorities are being ignored.
Vanessa Tennent,
Oatley
Selling the South Hurstville car park
There has been increasing pressure on the main car park area over a period of time with parking spots becoming progressively more difficult to find particularly in peak and weekend periods. This reflects the increase in people coming to the car park during the COVID period. This can only increase further as more people are allowed to attend the restaurants and the RSL Club opposite and also when the major local redevelopments are completed.
This proposed sale will remove around 10 to 12 car parking spaces in the main car park at a similar time when the proposed upgrade to the King Georges Rd/Connells Point Rd intersection will remove at least 16 car parking spaces on Connells Point Rd and King Georges Rd. This is in addition to the recent reduction in parking spaces in the South Hurstville area due to closure of parking areas in Allen St and then the imposition of clearways on King Georges Rd over the weekend.
This proposal needs a complete reassessment as this will have a significant impact on both businesses and customers.
Barry Lovat,
Connells Point