Cronulla Plaza shopkeepers have taken a stand against a council project that will deliver 126 new car spaces because they say that it is not enough. The protests follow complaints by business owners on the Franklins’ Arcade that construction of the second stage of the Cronulla Community Project was costing them up to 40 per cent of their revenue.
Shopkeeper spokesman Richard Bell owns an optometry business in the plaza and said he and other owners felt the council had sold them a dud. He said council had failed to provide enough car spaces for a development that size, that the council had constantly changed plans for the car park without proper authorisation and that business owners had been frozen out of the process with little or no consultation.
A council spokeswoman refuted his claims, saying the approval process had been independent and transparent. “Extensive community consultation was undertaken in the lead up to the project and is ongoing through the committee, which was formed in 2005 with representation from the council, community stakeholders and Cronulla Chamber of Commerce,” she said.
Me Bell said that under the Cronulla Development Control Plan the council had to provide 272 new car spaces for a development the size of the community project. He said there would be 166 new spaces provided but the council planned to sell 40 spaces next to the Cronulla Bowling Club, leaving a net total of 126 new spaces in the area and short changing businesses by 146 spaces.
The council spokeswoman said Mr Bell’s figures were based on inaccurate information and the development control plan did not include mandatory requirements for parking. She said the figure of 272 spaces was based on an amalgamation of the community project, Franklins and Tower Squares sites, which are adjacent to one another.
Because the three sites are separate developments, the car parking requirements were less than the 272 spaces quoted by Mr Bell. “The number of parking spaces is also subject to both the Building Code of Australia requirements, which are outside of council’s control,” she said.
No decision on the sale of the car park next to the bowling club will be made until the community project is finished, but the budget for the project included the estimated sale price of that land. Sutherland Hospital 50 Years Service
Sutherland Hospital was considered a visionary concept when first proposed in 1942. Sixteen years of community consolidation and lobbying governments raised the required funds for this vision to become a reality. In 1958 Sutherland Hospital officially opened its doors to the local community. Many believe that it was the conviction of the local community which brought Sutherland Hospital to life and today the conviction of the local community then remains as much today as 98 per cent of patients at Sutherland Hospital live in the Shire.
Sutherland Entertainment Centre will be the venue for a 50-year staff reunion for Sutherland Hospital. Organiser Lorraine Rodden said that they are trying to find as many people as possible who either trained at the hospital or worked there. “We are looking forward to a wonderful evening of catching up with old friends and celebrating Sutherland Hospital’s achievements,” she said.
For further information contact Denise Kirby 9528 6708 or Lorraine Rodden 9553 3085. Alcohol Free Zones penalties likely to increase
Sutherland Shire Mayor David Redmond has called for changes to be made to the system of alcohol free and alcohol prohibited areas in Sutherland Shire.
A recent report to the council’s community service committee said 5000 postcards outlining the differences between the two types of areas would be distributed to educate the public, but Cr Redmond said more was needed to be done.
“I’ve had a gutful of these alcohol free zones. The penalties are far too light to be effective,” he said.
Both types of zone can be created, suspended or removed by councils, but they carry different penalties. People drinking in an alcohol free zone must be warned that drinking is not allowed and given the chance to leave. If they do not stop drinking their alcohol can be confiscated and fined $22.
However, someone found drinking in an alcohol prohibited zone can be fined $110 immediately. In either case, the police or council officers handing out the fine can choose to issue an invitation to the Your Choice Project, which is designed to educate people on their social responsibilities while drinking.
“The kids they are finding with cases of beer or whatever in the alcohol free zones are not responding to that,” Cr Redmond said. “It’s easier for them to pay the fine on the spot and forget about it. It’s just not an adequate penalty.”
Sutherland Police Licensing Sergeant Scott Robinson agreed the $22 penalty was ineffectual for enforcing the alcohol free zones. “Obviously, the alcohol prohibited zones would give us more leverage and better penalties,” Sergeant Robinson said. ArtExpress at Hazelhurst
Of 800 artworks nominated and the 279 actually selected for this year’s ArtExpress exhibition, 57 are currently on display at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre.
Daniel Gough recently completed his HSC at St John Bosco College in Engadine and his artwork, a series of three landscape paintings depicting the many important features of Australia’s unique natural identity, was chosen to be displayed at Hazelhurst.
“My concept was to create a series of three landscape paintings which related to world heritage sites of Australia,” he said.
Daniel was accepted into the Bachelor of Music course at the University of NSW this year.
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