Potential contamination
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There has been a lot of media and speculation about potential contamination on a property on Parkes St, Helensburgh. I want to reassure the community that Council is taking this matter very seriously. Council staff have met with local residents to discuss their concerns. We have inspected the site and ordered independent soil testing, in addition to testing being conducted by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). We hope to have those results in the next few weeks. In the meantime, the developer has agreed to cease work on site until this matter is resolved. However, it’s important we as a community don’t jump to conclusions and I urge patience until we have the results of the testing that has been carried out. This highlights a significant issue across a city like Wollongong and the region. In bygone days, the standard for the handling and disposal of what we now know as hazardous material was less rigorous. Please check the history of your site and dispose of materials correctly through qualified personnel or agencies.
If you need advice, you can visit Council’s website for more information or the EPA.
Loss of two community pillars
In the past few weeks, we have lost two great ladies of our city – Dr Margaret Gardiner and Aunty Muriel Davis. Both contributed to our community in very different but special ways. Margaret will be remembered for many things but was most well-known for her tireless contribution to the region through her commitment to fundraising for research to find a cure for breast cancer. Aunty Muriel was a stalwart of the Aboriginal community and the Wodi Wodi Elders Group and a signatory to the Sandon Point Aboriginal Place Joint Management Agreement. They will be missed by all who knew them. Last week, I incorrectly referred to Aunty Muriel as a Wodi Wodi woman.
Aunty Muriel was a Hill 60 woman from the Illawarra and was a member of the Wodi Wodi Elders Group. I offer my sincere apologies to her family for any offence or upset caused.
Dapto Town Centre Plan
If you haven’t already done so, make sure you take a look at the draft Dapto Town Centre Plan currently open for feedback.
The draft plan will guide a range of town centre improvements over the next 10 years for the benefit of residents, visitors, businesses and community groups.
The draft plan is available to view at Dapto, Warrawong, Unanderra and Wollongong libraries, online or you can call Council’s Land Use Planning Team on 4227 7111.
The feedback closes on April 3, 2017.