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‘Canyon building on Victoria Rd’ It has gone under the radar, but last week Ryde Council passed the most momentous change to Gladesville, and Ryde, since the three- and four-storey red brick apartment blocks of the 1960s. They did nothing for Gladesville and neither will this. This is despite a NSW Department of Planning (DOP) 2008 guideline which recognises the very real health risks in creating such a main road ‘canyon’, which only serves to concentrate noise and air pollution. The DOP expert panel identified fine particles and nitrogen oxides affecting the heart and lungs, aggravating asthma, with volatile organic compounds associated with headaches, eye irritation, cancer, impaired lung development in children. The noise is documented to have sleep, psychological and physiological effects. In a separate article senior DOP urban planner Janet Chappell concludes the best thing is to locate sensitive development -like apartments - away from major roads. The guidelines, at the very least, argue for the minimising of those effects. So what has Ryde City Council done? Despite being fully aware of all this, contrary to the DOP guidelines, they have sought to maximise those ‘canyon’ effects, opening itself I would imagine down the track to class actions as people get sick, which they surely will. The health issues were not even discussed, nor the impact of such massive development on infrastructure, nor the cumulative impact of all this development in Ryde. Residents are already calling it the ‘Great Wall Of Gladesville’. Given that, it seemed appropriate a Gladesville real estate agent, started his address to Council with the word “Comrades, .....” GRAEME CORDINER ‘Now, we’ll get streets back’ Dear Sir, I write in response to Mr Mayger’s comments (TWT 24/6). As the development to resolve the parking problems for STA staff is under way the streets, namely Cressy and Buffalo, have been flooded with cars due to the temporary closure (for development) of the largest car park within the STA site on Buffalo Road. The entrance to a smaller car park, which was at the end of Holly Avenue, has now been closed and a new entrance opened in Buffalo Road. We all wish to live in a peaceful environment and with the STA taking responsibility for their staff parking it won’t be long before drivers can park and residents can have their streets back. So I say again, thank you Mr Roberts and Mayor Tagg. SANDRA LAWSON Young kids can be seen but ... Dear Sir, I am going to a symphony concert at the Opera House next week and will be taking my grandchild aged three with me. He may run around a bit and make a little noise during the performance in which case I will counsel him. If Senator Bob Brown is among the patrons at the concert he will think the child has every right to be there and he is very cute. The other patrons I am sure will not share Bob’s sentiments. If this scenario is entirely inappropriate for people just listening to music, how much more inappropriate is it for people in the Senate considering important decisions affecting the running of the country. Wake up Bob. WILLIAM A. HYDE Howard’s ‘few achievements’ Dear Sir, It’s all well and good for Ryde City Council to pay tribute to John Howard’s 33 years as Federal Member for Bennelong. But it’s an embarrassment if the tribute is intended for his 33 years of fruitless achievement for the electorate. But then to sit on your hands for all those years is an achievement in itself. I’d say that John Howard’s truly worthwhile achievements for Bennelong can be counted on the fingers of one hand. VINCENT SCOPPA Hands on involvement Dear Sir, In response to John Mayger’s letter (TWT June 24). The residents of Holly Avenue Ryde are greatly appreciative of the fact that Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts and Ryde City Mayor Vic Tagg had hands on involvement in solving the parking and traffic crisis in Holly Avenue. The tax and rate payers of all areas need representatives who will ‘roll up their sleeves’ and help the people who do not have a voice. After all that’s why we choose them to represent us. It must also be said, that the Bus Depot appears to be in stage 2 of their building of new parking areas within the depot which will make it easier for all the residents in the area. Once again, thank you Anthony Roberts and Vic Tagg. TIM WEBB, |
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