Letters to the editor
Some Gazette letters dealing with the Springwood revitalisation process
Position of Councillors on Springwood Town Centre?
Now that Councillor Myles has declared his support for a supermarket/retail complex in Springwood (Gazette Wednesday 26 May 2010) it is time for the federal Labor, Liberal and Green candidates, Sue Templeman, Louise Markus and Carmel McCallum to make known their position. The Liberal and Labor councillors have consistently voted with each other on the Springwood Town Centre project with what appears more to do with factional loyalty than the proper assessment of the issue that Springwood deserves. Councillor Van der Kley who originally disqualified himself from voting as he claimed a conflict of interest, now votes along with his Liberal colleagues. Why?
This is currently the most contentious local issue in the mountains and in a seat that Labor holds with a fragile majority. I know I will be voting for the candidate who vows to stop this assault by big business and a cash strapped council on the unique lifestyle we enjoy within one of Australia's 17 World Heritage listed sites.
Narelle Halse, Springwood
Soon the people of the wider Springwood area will be asked to participate in a poll on the contentious Springwood Revitalisation Project. Before they vote they need to consider how this development will have major impact on the character and fabric of Springwood.
Traffic and Springwood
Reports commissioned by BMCC concede that there are serious issues currently plaguing Springwood with regards to traffic congestion, which can only be aggravated by increased traffic attracted into the town by the presence of a large shopping complex and the accommodation of additional truck movement servicing any new development.
The issues have been identified as the queuing onto the Great Western Highway from the left hand turning lane into the eastern end of Macquarie Rd, the congestion at the intersection/roundabout at Hawkesbury and Macquarie Rds and the safety issues surrounding the volume of traffic passing the Springwood Public School and Pre School.
One report found that extending the left turn lane from the Highway into Macquarie Rd is not a viable option due to the close proximity of the rail line.
The recommended long term option to solve this problem was the reconstruction of the Hawkesbury Rd Bridge to accommodate on and off ramps to and from the highway.
According to council staff, the RTA, although being aware of these reports, will not act due to a low crash history, the long term option mentioned above is too expensive and no funding is currently available.
For those who already queue on the Great Western Highway or are subjected to the crawl through the town centre in the afternoons, or the slow trip along Hawkesbury Rd in the mornings this over development of the town can only worsen the pain.
Narelle Halse, Springwood
Left unprotected
Independent candidates, who elect to spend four years of their life serving local government, are to be admired. This fact seemed lost, however, on Liberal councilor Myles and Labor councilor Greenhill at the BMCC business meeting on November 11. During the debate, which should have focused on a rescission motion put forward by councilor Brendan Luchetti, councilors Myles and Greenhill were intent on denigrating councilor Luchetti's impressive win in the last council election. As experienced councilors, they should know better!
The objective of councilor Luchetti's rescission motion was to remove the large conglomerates - Woolworths/Coles/Jamieson - from the Springwood revitalisation process to protect the economic sustainability of the small business sector of Springwood and to protect resident amenity and the heritage of the main street. It would seem that councilor Greenhill's pre-election promises are worthless because - by his own admission - he assured concerned residents in Warrimoo that he would do likewise. In a Lib/Lab alliance however, he seconded an amendment proposed by councilor Myles, for deferral. The amendment won, only narrowly, on the casting vote of the mayor. Councillors Clark, Gibbs, Mays and McCallum you are to be commended for supporting councilor Luchetti.
Pamela Smith, Springwood
(Blue Mountains Gazette, 19 November, 2008, p. 9)
Not a good sign
Councillor Mark Greenhill played a crucial role at council on Tuesday night in frustrating the community's demand that the three major developers be excluded from the Springwood 'revitalisation' process.
Councillor Grenhill (ALP) in an alliance with Liberal Councillor Daniel Myles moved an amendment to defer a recission motion that wold have completely and finally removed the developers from the process.
In justification of his action, Clr Greenhill made the extraordinary admission that he had come to the council so ill briefed on the matter that he was not qualified to make a decision and therefore needed the time a deferral would give.
The election was held two months ago and yet the councilor apparently did not feel it his duty to research an issue that dominated the election in Ward 3 and resonated up and down the Mountains. It is not a deep and complex matter.
If asked his opinion of this issue during the campaign did the councilor tell his constituents that he was so ill informed he could not make a decision? How does this bode for his handling of other matters?
Janice Taylor, Springwood.
(Blue Mountains Gazette, 19 November, 2008, p. 9)
Springwood travesty
The ducking and weaving goes on. At BMCC business meeting on November 11 the Lab/Lib partnership overturned councilor Luchetti's rescission motion, which sought to remove Woolworths/Coles and the Jamieson Property Group from the current revitalisation process.
Debate revealed that the Lab/Lib alliance was fearful of upsetting the commercial sector and inadequately briefed on this extremely controversial matter.
Thus, the matter was deferred on an amendment put forward and seconded by councilors Myles and Greenhill respectively. This has major implications because it implies that the profits of Woolworths/Coles and the Jamieson Property Group are more important to the Lab/Lib alliance than the continued economic viability of the small business sector in the Blue Mountains.
As a resident of Ward 3, I would like to thank councilors Luchetti, Mays, McCallum, Clark and Gibbs for putting people ahead of big business.
Christine Moalem, Springwood
(Blue Mountains Gazette, 19 November, 2008, p.16
You can read more about the rescission motion here.
