St George letters: Beverly Hills - where did it all go wrong?

I would just like to thank you for your article/letter printed in the June 14 edition of The Leader - Destiny of a People to unite all Australians. Your affirmation will go a long way to help people who are confused by the importance of this referendum to vote Yes and put real recognition and reconciliation back on the agenda.

I may never vote Liberal but you have my utmost respect for reaching out to our community to help us better understand the importance of their decision for our First Nation People who have had to put up with so much crap since we first arrived.

It is so important for our nation but equally as important to show the world that we can be a caring people attempting to putting wrongs to rights and inspire other nations to respect their own First Nation People.

I strongly object to Georges River Council inferring that Penshurst is a racist community. The council has erected 'RACISMNOTWELCOME' signs in Penshurst Street. I was born overseas, speak with a foreign accent, but I have never experienced any racism in Penshurst Why does the council waste money on such signage? The money would be better spent replacing all the street name signs that have faded to an extent they cannot be read anymore.

I read with interest the page 6 article and letters published on June 14 supporting this market. As a near neighbour of the market I'm of the view that it is simply in the wrong location. Yes, traffic on Saturdays is bad everywhere, but the congestion here is ridiculous. In one direction cars line up from Forest Road down the entire length of Isaac Street then on to Roberts Ave well past the Woolworths store roundabout for hours on end. It seems clear something needs to be done and I congratulate council for having the courage to act rather than sit back & pontificate. And no, I don't see how it is up to council to find the operators another venue. Surely this is a role for the organisers.

Georges River Council understands how important local markets are to the community.

The Peakhurst Foodie and Farmers Markets previously operated on Saturdays under the State Government's emergency provision during COVID.

This provision has now lapsed and a new Development Application must be submitted.

Currently the markets continue to operate at Lady of Fatima Church once a month on a Friday, as per their current Development Application (DA).

To date, the market operators have not submitted a Development Application (DA) for the weekly markets to return.

Georges River Council would welcome the submission of Development Application and look forward to working in partnership with the operators.

Beverly Hills Commuter Car Park has been a hot potato since Hurstville Council resumed Beverly Hills School of Arts and the Council Animal Pound for a swimming pool.

The Chamber of Commerce (Beverly Hills was second only to Hurstville Shopping Centre at the time) talked the council into a car park in the wrong place.

Fast forward, Beverly Hills station became a major interchange with fast trains to the City.

A Commuter Car Park was built on Tooronga Terrace which covered commuters from the west as far as Roselands. Edgbaston Rd Car Park saw people dropping relatives off and driving home again.

This car park continued as shopping centre car parking. King Georges Rd had become a major state Road.

Next a business owner put in an application for a 14 level building on the car park which brought a negative view from the Beverly Hills Community, and the Council.

The railway station had returned to a local station with the Tooronga Terrace resumed for express tracks. A small group of business owners decided to seek State and Federal support for a multi storey car park.

Mr Coleman and Mr Coure took this as a good project and sought state and Federal Funding. Georges River Council was amalgamated and no councillors were able to argue Beverly Hills case. For three state and Federal elections Petitions were collected. Most were from people living outside the suburb. The original business owners had moved on.

The new Georges River Council still believed the car park was for local and commuter car parking, but with state and Federal pressure Transport for NSW resumed the Car Park. Council was advised locals could use the now diminished car park by using their "Opel Card".

I can understand the feelings of local business owners, who are going through tough times and having their customer car park taken away by faceless public servants who in Riverwood proved they had a humanity problem evicting homeowners for a similar car park.

These car park projects were used for votes. Community and business people should visit the state and Federal members and ask where did this all go wrong?

The NSW Government is currently considering legislation that would make it easier for tenants to keep pets on rental properties, a move supported by the Animal Justice Party.

Before they go too far down that path though it would be prudent to consider the impact of cats on native wildlife, which is absolutely devastating.

Over 100 native species are now threatened by domestic cats and they have already caused the extinction of many bird species, small mammals and reptiles.

Rather than making it easier for anyone to have cats, it should be made harder.

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