SOME IDEAS TO FIX A DYING CBD
Dear Editor,
In the past few months, week by week, I have read letters to you from the public in and around Shepparton.
Most of these letters have centred around the mall, parking (the lack of) and parking metres, the CBD and ways to improve the above facilities.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no answers to these issues, however I have a few ideas to put to council if they are interested.
Firstly, has anyone on council liased with a NSW council to find out how they can provide free parking which we desperately need in our city? Albury council surely would shed light on how they manage to have free parking minus the revenue loss. Should our council look into this?
Open or leave closed the mall? A little research into the value of keeping this out-dated shopping area, maybe looking into something a bit more modern? A dying CBD is of no value to a city which proposes building a modern, expensive art museum to bring visitors into our area. What is going to keep visitors in this area for longer than a few hours at an art museum? Certainly not a dying CBD.
Research into these issues may answer a few questions. I believe that free parking must be addressed, not only for local people but for potential tourists we all hope to attract to this city.
We have a brand new ‘whizz-bang’ $75M courthouse which also begs for extra free parking. I am led to believe that underground parking beneath the high-rise courthouse is for staff only. If this is true, we have another reason for extra parking bays – free of course.
Open up the CBD and give it new life.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret Dowley
Shepparton
GREAT WORK TO BE ENCOURAGED
Dear Editor,
I read with interest in the media recently comments of Suzanna Sheed lamenting Shepparton missing out on funding for a drug and alcohol treatment centre, along the lines of the Odyssey House model. The article listed the types of professionals who would be attached to such a facility – counsellors, psychologists, psychiatrists, GPs, nurses and social workers plus access to fully trained child care workers.
So it was refreshing to realise that The Cottage in St. Andrews Road can be seen as a step much, much further along the recovery path. The clients in residence have been through the detox program such as Odyssey House and are committed to reconnecting with everyday life. They are supported by a small number of staff who have actually lived through the experience of recovery and are fully aware of the challenges that could be faced during this next stage. Initially and with the minimum of fuss The Cottage clients are connecting with and supporting each other and learning the everyday skills for coping with living responsibly in our community.
I hope it will be possible to resolve the difficulties and The Cottage be able to continue its valuable work.
Yours sincerely
Trish Ryan
Shepparton
DO COUNCIL WANT PEOPLE TO VISIT THE MALL?
Dear Editor,
If the council really want people to visit the mall, let them put a toilet block in the centre of it. When they redeveloped the Coles area they should have put a toilet block in the centre of the car park. The lack of toilets are a disgrace in the centre of the city.
Yours sincerely,
- Hay
Shepparton
