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Canberra Today 14°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Letters / Appalling state of our beautiful city

MICHAEL Moore is spot on with his piece on the appalling planning state of our beautiful city (CN, July 12). I ask myself exactly the same questions he does every time I drive past the Law Courts entering Northbourne Avenue.

He expresses and puts to shame the same concerns Elizabeth Farrelly does often about Sydney’s desecration by developers approved by a government that places profit before beauty and functionality for its inhabitants.

But as long as we keep voting philistine Labor in, dear Canberra has little hope. (Don’t know how conscientious a Liberal government would be though).

Therese Jourdan, Holt

‘Showcase’ no more

I UNEQUIVOCALLY agree with Michael Moore’s analysis of the decline of Canberra. It is no longer a showcase city.

It is becoming uglier every day as we, silently it seems, watch rampant, tasteless development of the inner city and the town centres.

Where are the parks? The green space? The sense of space? There is no land shortage in the ACT. If we must have high-rise apartments, at least let’s ensure they are attractive, of different heights, colours and design, separated by ample green space that allows a view and a walkway between them.

Cities are for being lived in, loved and enjoyed, not dull tasteless rows of concrete and glass.

Jan Lee, via email

Mandatory planning inquiries

Yes, we are in desperate need to have a new breed to take the reins (Paul Costigan, “The government system completely corrupted”, CN, July 5).

For a start, mandatory public planning inquiries on all new developments are essential. The relevant Assembly committee, headed by Caroline Le Couteur, is silent.

For example, one awaits for an inquiry on the Ginninderry cross-border housing plan, which gravely impacts on Ginninderra Gorge and its Falls!

Christopher L. Watson, Latham

Grumpy with minister

I AM feeling really grumpy toward our Housing Minister and her aspersions that homelessness services in Canberra were “very good” and well supported by the government.

Minister, why have you not got the department actively repurposing our many empty buildings, even if it were only bridging accommodation pending provision of a permanent solution?

Is 2000 homeless people okay with you?

Perhaps you’d like to trade places with them now instead of waiting until winter is over and you put another strategy in place?

Russ Morison, veteran homelessness advocate, Theodore

What’s with the narrow streets?

WHY is the Barr government so obsessed with narrow streets, high-density housing and lack of shops in new suburbs such as Coombs?

The streets are so narrow that it’s hard to park trucks. Delivery vans have to park illegally on the nature strips.

It is difficult to drive down streets like Finemore Street at night because cars are parked up and down the street leaving very little room in between to drive cars.

The school and the future shopping centre are surrounded by two-storey townhouses, which few people want to live in.

The stairs are dangerous for people with babies. People with teenagers don’t want to live there because the teenagers have to park their cars up and down the street. Old people cannot negotiate the stairs.

That just leaves childless couples, most of whom already have homes in other suburbs.

The shopping centre at Weston is overcrowded but the shopping centre at Coombs is too small for a supermarket and other shopkeepers won’t rent there without a supermarket to attract customers.

Apparently, Denman Prospect will have the same-sized shopping centre.

Rewa Bate, Coombs

 

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