I'm reaching out to you to share a wonderful story that recently happened involving a missing bag with $2,000 cash.
My husband has a food truck close to St George hospital. Last week, he found that a bag that a customer had left behind. While searching for a contact number of the owner, he found a considerable amount of cash inside. My husband personally delivered it to the owner. Upon seeing their bag, the owner was elated and extremely grateful. We later found out the owner's child was getting treatment at the hospital, and thought the bag was misplaced elsewhere.
Since then, friends and neighbours of the bag's owner have been calling and visiting my husband to thank him for his good deed, many commenting not many people would do the same, especially during the tough COVID times we are in. My husband and I are somewhat surprised at the response; it appears everyone believes that this is out of the ordinary and something that not a lot of people would do.
I wanted to share this with you because this story gave me goosebumps and I think this is an example of a heart-warming story where both my husband and the bag's owner have experienced the effects of kindness and goodwill. And perhaps it's a sign that doing the right thing and helping during times of need is not that scarce within the community?
Aylin Dincsoy
It is a curious case
I read with interest the council's spokeswoman's comments related to the contamination of the Carss park pool and Carss Park Flats, (Leader March 19).
She claims "the Council took immediate action to evacuate the facilities occupied by the men's shed and the change and toilet facilities in November 2020". The problem is that councillors became aware of the possible contamination in August 2019 (Fact Sheet 4), so it took almost 16 months to take "immediate action".
The statement goes on to say that council then engaged a consultant to undertake further testing for contamination.
This then led to remediation work that ensured the facilities were made safe. So in December 2020, the facilities were reopened but on a restricted basis. What restricted means is not explained.
The real issue is that within one month, the council was able to remediate two sites previously considered a serious health risk so that people could again feel safe to use them. There was no indication of the cost involved, but just one month to make them safe would suggest the costs weren't high or complicated. Why then are we told the cost of remediation of the pool site will be such a major job costing the ratepayers $65mil? Will it be remediated to a higher standard than the men's shed?
The spokeswoman then states the site-auditor (whoever that is) has confirmed there is no risk to Carss Park fields' users. I have to assume that also applies to the pool car park. The problem again for the council is that the same dangerous, contaminated materials used to reclaim the pool area were also likely used to reclaim the Flats(playing fields).
Why then is it only the pool area contaminated to the point people's health is at risk? On what basis can the council say the playing fields are safe when the same hazardous materials and ground gas probably exist throughout the Flats area?
As Alice might say-it becomes curiouser and curiouser. Grant McKirdy
A dirty dilemma
Over time numerous purple bags containing what seems to be human poo have been thrown onto the roads and footpaths between the Mortdale and Oatley West restaurant/shopping precincts. I, unfortunately, opened one bag to find a pair of soiled socks used as toilet paper. It would great to catch this grub (maybe not necessarily in the natural act), so this disgusting practice can be stopped.
Rod Harty, Oatley
Georges River Council's libraries
As Karina McDougall points out, Georges River Council's rationale for closing libraries on the grounds of COVID (well after restrictions were relaxed) is hard to justify ("Leader", March 31). The council temporarily closed the Hurstville and Kogarah outlets on Sundays, indicating that the service cuts were simply a cost-saving measure. I note that all nine Canterbury-Bankstown Council libraries operated continually since June. Georges River's current "Trial extension of opening hours" is misleading, as the opening hours have been reduced compared to 'pre-COVID' times. Although the South Hurstville and Oatley outlets have finally reopened, I'd urge residents to continue to patronise them and to complete the survey to ensure that none of our valuable libraries is classified as surplus assets to be sold, as were three of our car parks.
Peter Mahoney, Oatley