The Beast's Monthly Mailbag Words The Wonderful People of the Eastern Suburbs TRAFFIC CHAOS OUT OF CONTROL It’s about time Waverley Council introduced a form of compensation for local residents suffering from the inconvenience of major development work in the municipality. With the massive demand for the café strip in Macpherson Street the area has turned into a traffic nightmare in the mornings, and during peak hour cars are gridlocked up for almost a kilometre at times due to the major work being done at St Catherine’s School. Massive trucks are continually trundling up from Darley Road and local motorists face major delays as their movements are stymied by traffic controllers giving these juggernauts right of way into the massive hole in the ground. Why can’t the truck movements be restricted to after 9am and before 2.30pm to allow for uninterrupted school drop offs and pick ups and ease the regular bottleneck in morning peak hour? Local streets are also suffering and residents without the luxury of off-street parking usually have to find a spot well away from their homes due to the influx of tradies working on private houses. It’s not the fault of the tradespeople as they are only doing their jobs and they need to access their equipment. Council should look at the Development Applications and assess whether more than one development in the same area
8 The Beast September 2020
at the same time is feasible, and whether it will cause major problems to nearby residents. If it does, put one DA on hold until the first major work is done and then let the next one begin. During this current COVID crisis more people are staying at home, and if they have to go out they should be able to return to within a reasonable distance of their residence without development taking precedence over local needs. Duncan Bronte $324,000 - A LOT OF BEERS! We now know that Bronte SLSC has a small active membership and that there is significant community opposition to the expansion of its private clubhouse planned by its governing body. That being so, our Council, before supporting any new plans, should read and then reread the realistic contributions to The Beast by “Concerned Narc” (Letters, The Beast, July 2020) and “Brian” (Letters, The Beast, August 2020). They highlight the disconnect between surf clubs as we have fondly known them and their grandiose and commercial future as promoted by those who now control some of them. While the existing footprint would now seem to be Council’s intention for the community and private club facilities, the question arises as to whether the upstairs floor space, exclusive to the club, should be maintained or reduced. As is manifest, that area of the clubhouse is not often
utilised by or available to club members (except at a price) and is excessive to the needs and requirements of a surf club. Also, as the present building is adequate, any replacement should be no higher. During its 2018/19 financial year this private club’s bar sales were remarkably about $324,000 and its income from hiring the clubhouse function room about $124,000. It received almost $83,000 for hiring out the kiosk, which sits on community land in a building paid for by the public. Should the community fund the provision of facilities that have an obvious commercial purpose for the benefit of a private club? Like “Brian” (Letters, The Beast, August 2020), I wonder what the club’s future role is meant to be. Additionally, toilet and shower facilities exclusive to members are in the same building as, but separated by an internal wall from, those for the community. I have yet to hear a contrary argument to the suggestion that the club and the community should share those amenities, thus avoiding the cost and space taken up by duplicating facilities which are side by side in the same building but with separate entrances. It really boils down to the extent to which a private and members only club should be the recipient of community funds and be allowed to exclusively occupy parkland. In my view, both trespasses upon the public should be minimised. Greg Maidment Bronte BRONTE SLSC DEVELOPMENT Dear Reader - As a six-year member of the Bronte Surf Life Saving Nippers Club and this year’s girl’s vice-captain, I have personally greatly benefited from this amazing community-focused club. No matter what you believe about the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club, if you live in Bronte, you know how much the beach means to the community. This is especially true for the
