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Wednesday, November 30, 2016
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Hearts of gold THE Far North’s biker community have joined forces with generous Tablelanders to spread some much-needed Christmas cheer. Almost 200 bikers from Cooktown to Cardwell revved their hearts out for the annual Tablelands Toy Run last Saturday, collecting toys and donations for children in need. Now in its 20th year, Toy Run co-ordinator Ray Scarlett said he was overwhelmed by the amount of good will on display. FULL STORY – PAGE 7
Bus stop blues By Michael Serenc
A GROUP of disgusting louts who are defecating and urinating at a public bus stop have Atherton business owners up in arms. The angry owners are demanding authorities take action to stamp out the anti-social behaviour. Several spoke out at a meeting with Tablelands councillors last week, saying they were tired of cleaning up after louts at the bus stop on
Main St, while also dealing with the perpetrators’ at times violent and aggressive behaviour. “I’ve had four Mondays in a row where I’ve had to get cleaners, and that’s anything from broken bottles to bodily functions,” Westpac Atherton bank manager Kate Adams said. “The last time I drove in, I did four tyres.” Tablelands Regional Council is looking at plans to expand the existing bus stop, but Deputy Mayor Katrina Spies stressed that would not be done until affected business owners were con-
sulted. “What we’ve said is sound and process we are going through is sound,” she said. “I don’t want there to be a knee-jerk reaction, we need to look at…what we need to do to get a long term outcome that will be the fairest outcome for everyone.” Announced back in April that the bus stop would be upgraded to “meet disability access requirements”, council will spend $35,000 this financial year in a joint funding project with the
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Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). Under the plan, the existing shelter will be removed and a new shelter installed with extra lighting and seats. TRC Infrastructure Services acting general manager Ashley Greenwood told the group of business owners that if the bus stop upgrade was deferred in this financial year, council would have to hand back funding provided by TMR.
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