Tragic lessons
The tragic death of a young boy in a flooded drain in the Illawarra last week should finally be a wake up call for Lithgow Council.
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A deep, open stormwater drain runs beside Lithgow Street before disappearing beneath Queen Elizabeth Park. Near the entrance to Club Lithgow there’s a steep drop into the drain just a metre from the footpath.
There are no fences and no danger warnings but this is a potential death trap.
In even a minor rush of water, there would be no escape. Children walk this footpath every day. Despite public concerns successive councils have ignored what should be a simple but necessary issue to resolve.
Soggy Showtime
The best laid plans of mice and Show Societies can never depend on the weather gods. It was a heartbreaking – and costly – situation for many at the weekend when the big wet did its best to wash out Lithgow Show.
The Show went ahead but it was a mere shell of what it could have been.
Crowds were sparse, influencing some participants to pack up their wares well before closing time.
One notable cancellation was the iconic mountain race, where only the brave head out even in the dry. The pre-race smart money was on Dr Hilton Brown to make it three in a row but, alas, it was not to be… At least in 2017. Perhaps the sun will shine on a tireless bunch of volunteers next year.
Auto pilot?
Is Lithgow Council on auto pilot these days? Last night’s meeting had only seven items listed on the business paper – by far the smallest agenda in living memory. Either there’s nothing worth discussing/deciding or a lot of behind the scenes delegated authority.
Holy Enchilada!
The signage has gone up on the new 7-Eleven/Maccas precinct confirming a Mexican restaurant in the landmark heritage building central to the site. It’s the latest re-invention for what began life as a school in the 1800s, later became a Cooerwull Presbyterian Church then an office for a used car yard.