Mount Druitt Recoconciliation Walk 23/3/2015

The Mount Druitt Reconciliation Walk 2015 will be held on Saturday, 23rd May 2015.

From: reconciliation.org.au

What is reconciliation?

Reconciliation is about building better relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for the benefit of all Australians.
To create positive change we need more people talking about the issues and coming up with innovative ideas and actions that make a difference.

A  reconciliation walk makes a difference to our inner peace with our outer Aboriginal community members, respecting their land.

Click here for details of Mount Druitt Reconciliation Walk 2015

Mayor of Blacktown Wants 'Struggle Street' Cancelled by SBS - St Marys - Druitt Star - Face Book Group

This is good news, especially that the Mayor of Blacktown City Council, Councillor Stephen Bali is throwing his weight behind the cancellation of  SBS Cancellation of Struggle Street. 


There is three great points here:

1. He is the Mayor, 
2. He lives in Doonside and cares about the public image of the Mount Druitt area, which can be detrimental to the area. Even in seeking community improvements
3. The majority of the Mount Druitt community would support his actions/decisions and fellows Councillors supporting to get rid this documentary created by SBS, from been shown.

From St Marys-Mount Druitt Star Face Book Group:

"SBS DOCO: What do you think? The Blacktown mayor and staff met with SBS today to call for the upcoming doco about Mt Druitt families to be cancelled"

Complaints can be made to SBS:
Click here



Click here for previous blog

Link to SBS Complaints 

Besides Reporting Incidents To This Blogspot You Can Upload 'Snap Send Solve' Application On Your Smart Phone Free!

Here is something great that is widely promoted and should be further promoted around the community - even Blacktown City Council should be the front runners in this smartphone free application called 'Snap, Send Solve' download though your Google account/Apple store for free.

Very simple usage: take a photo, provide destination, select incident type, add in notes and send and it will be sent to Blacktown City Council to attend to it.

If issues are not fixed up a reasonable amount of time - let us know of all the details and we will publish it!

This was useful information pro vided by face book group: 2770 Watch - Thank you!

Shared Cycle And Pathway Sign Uplifted And Dumped - North Mount Druitt!

In the corner of  Earl Street and Methven Streets, North Mount Druitt, it appears that people have decided that the best thing to do is use anti-socially manpower to uplift the shared cycle and pedestrian sign from the ground and just dump it.
 
To do this is not clever, it means more costs and manpower to place the sign back in the ground. Although, the sign wasn't placed that  far deep in the ground. I'm not sure how deep it should be as I'm not an engineer and it appears there was no concrete below the sign when it was below ground level.

Why aren't the Police not spotting these people, probably because not much patrolling in the area - I assume.

Let's hope this sign is not pulled out again when it is replaced by Blacktown City Council Officer and let's hope that the Member for Mount Druitt, Councillor Edmond Atalla will discuss with the Mount Druitt Local Area Command providing more patrols around this area prevent this type of anti-social behaviour to happen!
 

Mount Druitt Asian Butcher and Seafood Shop Ignore Health Warnings From Blacktown City Council!

We have reported time after time (by these published blogs) waste water seeping out onto the walkway at Dawson Mall, Mount Druitt and it is coming from that the Mount Druitt Asian Butcher and Seafood Shop.

This is a constant breach of laws and bi-laws of Blacktown City Council Health and NSW State Health and Safety Laws, that immediate drastic action should be applied to this business and also Westfield, Mount Druitt who allow this to continually happen happen. In fact, this business is  not caring of community with this direct waste water that can cause a great potential risk, issues by slips or falls, causing potential accidents and possible fatality.

We do hope that Council Officers check into this matter seriously and impose the maximum fines possible to both Mount Druitt Seafood and Butcher shop as well as Westfield Mount Druitt, who are not providing regular audits, preventing this over-spillage to happen. This  has been happening for over one year, one warning letter sent but no further action!



Clivk Here for previous blogs

Update of Westfield Mount Druitt - Entrance to Dawson Mall Required - From Face Book Group!

While we go to neighbouring, Penrith, Blacktown, Parramatta Westfields (and others), we notice that on their entrances, they are wider then what we have. We  have 5 entrances that I am aware of and out of them, three are major entrances, of which this narrow entrance is the under developed one, which is overused.

The previous entrance from Dawson Mall was halfway further down the Mall, walking through what is now St George Bank. The previous entrance was a reasonably sized entrance. The entrance reported from Ron from our Face Book Group is a major entrance and looks like a back door entrance!

Rooty Hill RSL Dawn Service - Thousands Witness The Wonderful Commenoration of the 100th Landing of Anzacs At Gallipoli!

Early this morning local dignitaries, and representatives of the Australian Armed Services had marched from Rooty Hill Public School  to Rooty Hill RSL, the Master of Ceremony was  Television  Personality, Kerri-anne Kennerly.

An elderly lady advised that 43 years ago her husband, one out of a hundred or so that joined up as a new member of the Rooty Hill RSL (which was historic) and she said no body wanted an RSL club in the area and believed  this area could have an RSL, yet alone. Now, Rooty Hill RSL is one of the largest and biggest RSL's in Western Sydney!

As I marched from my home towards Rooty Hill RSL in the freshness of the morning, there were community members in hundreds parking their cars far away from Rooty Hill RSL along Railway Street. They were bringing their young children, young couples, elderly couples and people carrying large Australian flags to the event.

As I passed the Rooty Hill Car Park was completely full, not one space available. The nearer I got, the more I did not realise that just around the corner, entrance to Rooty Hill RSL, there was  thousands on thousands of community members that wanted to pay their respects. They were quietly waiting as crowds were making their way to seats or left over standing spaces. I found a prime spot that allowed myself to take videos.

The ceremony was great and I suggest you checkout the videos produced. I just apologise, I rang out room to film the end of the service, but I think you will understand what it was like!

Click here for video 

Mount Druitt Gets Hail - Mini Snow Storm!

Just the last 15 minutes or so there has been major hail pouring down creating a mini snow storm in Mount Druitt appearing to look like an European Villages!
 

Is this happening in your area as well? It appears it is happening in most suburbs of Mount Druitt! 

More pics:








Out on the roads and shops of Mount Druitt:

Shalvey Requirs Bus Stop Infrastructure Upgrades- Shalvey Resident!

I have a request from a Shalvey resident, Brent that in Shalvey all bus stops require shelters, seating, garbage bins and most importantly 'Time Tables'.

Actually, the feed back from the 2770 Watch Face Book group, indicates the same as well claims due to anti-social behaviors glass bus shelters are smashed, reports of graffiti. Bus shelters are to protect waiting commuters from rain and over heating days, whilst seating provides comfort for mostly the elderly, garbage's keeps the community clean and time tables keep commuters up to date on arrival of bus services.

I am pretty sure that we have one Councillor is Ward 5, living in Shalvey not sure if he is advocating for bus stop infrastructure improvements, but we will do that in the mean time. Let's hope that Blacktown City Council Transport Officers speak to NSW for Transport and Busways and gets an unanimous decision for Shalvey, a much needed Public transport improvement required.

If you have any bus stops that  you would like improved in and around Mount Druitt, let us know by emailing us on"

nsjpas@gmail.com

A New Community Member With A New Idea With Local Members

A young Mount Druitt lady, was not sure who the new Liberal Male Member for the NSW State Seat of Mount Druitt was. I had to correct her and advise it was the new Labor Member for the NSW State Seat of Mount Druitt, Councillor Edmond Atallla.

She pointed out to myself that as I had received 4 out 5 candidates from the State Seat  Mount Druitt their own 'Why I love Mount  Druitt?' Will they tell us what things they hate about Mount Druitt?  This is her new idea.

This stunned myself as I'm not looking at what Local Councillors, State Member and Federal Members hate about Mount Druitt, all of them as well as myself will be looking for community improvements and looking at issues positively to be resolved! All the politicians will give either a governments or an oppositions perspective!

Dawn Service For Commemorating ANZACS All Wars At Rooty Hill RSL

We that never fought external wars and fight sometimes times personal wars to seek eternal peace, need to spare a moment to commemorate the men and women of past wars that fought for what we have today. We do this by remembering the historic landing at Anzac Cove in Turkey, where both Australians and New Zealanders fought together in a part of a lost battle. We are the only nations that celebrate a losing battle that happened over 100 years ago. We do remember them!

The Ode of Remembrance:

The Ode comes from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon and was published in London in the Winnowing Fan; Poems of the Great War in 1914. The verse, which became the League Ode, was already used in association with commemoration services in Australia in 1921. 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."


Where is our local Dawn Service:

ROOTY HILL RSL
Where: Corner of Rooty Hill Nth Parade and Westminster Street, Rooty Hill.
Time: 5am

SBS Struggle Street Promotion Of Mount Druitt - Do You Think This Reflects The Current Community Of Mount Druitt?

SBS is doing series, called 'Struggle Street' on what they call 'Housies' slang for 'NSW Housing Tenants' living within and around Mount Druitt.

The video promotion starts like it is to promote tourists from overseas to come into Sydney, with crystal clear sea water surfer, the beautiful sunny view of Sydney Harbour Bridge then jumps straight into a house full of graffiti, shows a fight, shows a man swearing and  it appears someone with drugs and other lives of people living in NSW Housing flat and houses.

We, in Mount Druitt live in a society that has issues like every area in Sydney but yet we find that the wider press want to expose negative and anti-social situations that may occur. Why is Mount Druitt 'picked on' I'm not sure except it is probably where the wider press (not the local press) think is the best place to exploit people in the lower end of the socioeconomic area. 

This does not represent the larger cross section of Mount Druitt community people, that are proud of their area in every way: young people studying hard obtaining not only secondary qualified education, tertiary qualifications, getting married, working and travelling long distances to get to and from work using buses and trains. Local Councillors making positive improvements of the  area, with the support of NSW State Members and Australian Federal Members of Parliament. There are the pensioners that have worked hard and are retired as well!
  Why did SBS choose Manly or Bondi, Botany, Epping, Ryde and other  plush suburbs in Sydney is because they probably live in those suburbs and didn't want to embarrass where they live.

I suggest community members of Mount Druitt get onto SBS website Click here and add comments to promote Mount Druitt in a better improved way. Also on their Face Book Page Click here

Click here for the SBS Struggle Street Promotion! 

2770 Watch Face Book Feed Back On Leaky Westfield Mount Druitt!

This is a response from Face Book Group 2770 Watch, in response to yesterday blog on  Leaky Westfield Mount Druitt, and so far 20 likes:

• i was just saying this today when i was there with my daughter can be scary
• Yes, buckets in quite a few places yesterday.. Bit of a worry.
• Emerton shopping centre too although I don't have pics for proof I seen 2 buckets there
• yerr sumthing needs to be done at Mt Druitt Westfields seeing Hundreds of Tones of cars park on the roof ?...
• Well it is bad since that is most of the new section i seen the most of them
• Oh it's only mtDruitt,who cares .. Swear that's the mentality since this has been an issues for quite a few years. We don't matter enough here for westfields to invest money fixing it
• It's even worse at Westfield Parramatta
• Must be a Westfield thing.
• It's not the only place leaking ghee zzz
• Nepean hospital was worse, the building is not even 2 years old & there was leaks every where
• There is alot and they need to look over it
• I was there yesterday and saw water leaking from one of the lights with a bucket under it how dangerous is that
• Very 
  This isn't just mount DRUITT . Parramatta is in the same boat, even rouse hill and Penrith


This indicates that Westfield, Mount Druitt Management must take immediate steps, by providing immediate roof upgrades, so that the Mount Druitt consumers are protected under the current Australian Work Health & Safety Regulation! Let's see if all stake holders in relation to Westfield Mount Druitt, including Blacktown City Council and NSW State Government Officials, etc  act proactively to improve this situation!

Click here for 2770 Watch Face Book Group 

'The Power of Water' William Mason Reserve, North Mount Druitt - Now I Understand Why The 'Not To Swim Signs Are There'!

This morning, rain was pelting down on myself as I reached William Mason Reserve and here were the results of 2 instant lakes, being created. The flushing of the great force of gushing water over coming from the overflow of storm waters coming from Meacher Street. The force of this water entering  a small valley that ends up in a large field and the rubbish that it carried along with it - due to its 'B' Grade rating for cleaning up this wonderful Reserve. 

Now I understand why the non-swimming signs have been placed there and appreciate Blacktown City Council for placing these warning signs!


Click here for natural William Mason Reserve and 'Non-Swimming Sign'

Westfield Mount Druitt Leaks Continue - Do You Think Something Should Be Improved?

The building at Westfield Mount Druitt is getting old and leaks from ceilings, buckets and  buckets on floors are creating a health and safety issue to customers. Although, we all agree there has been such torrential rain  in a majority of areas in and around Mount Druitt, should this be the time that the Management of Westfield Mount Druitt take action, requesting a building engineering report of the structure of ceilings and commence repairs and upgrades, so that there is no potential for ceiling collapses, in the future?
 
Will Blacktown City Council and its officers, be able to follow this up with them or should Councillor Edmond Atalla, NSW Member for Mount Druitt investigate what the management of Westfield Mount Druitt is going to do in the future, to provide a safer shopping area , for customers to walk on, in these raining days? You would think that he would take interest as his office is based within Westfield Mount Druitt!e

These were just a few buckets found - there could have been more!


Click here for previous blog last year

Food In Short Supply As Homeless Rates Rises At Mount Druitt - Daily Telegraph - Mount Druitt- St Marys Standard!

We, who can read these blogs, most probably have a roof over their heads and have daily food available to be eaten. Then, we have the less unfortunate that have for various reasons had real life changes that negatively impacted their lives where every day is seeking charity.

So, we do ask any employers or government agencies to see if they can reach deep down and help provide the bare essentials to provide for our needy.

Click here for Story from Mount Druitt-St Marys Standard - Daily Telegraph 

Wet Reason Why Our Community Requires Walk Phase Way, Luxford Road, North Mount Druitt

We have left this issue with Blacktown City Council, to work on to provide improved community safety and are for the results to come through. This is for the pedestrian walk phase walk way to be included at the set of traffic lights, entrance to Westfield, Mount Druitt, at Luxford Road, Mount Druitt.

Actually, I thought the Management of Westfield Mount Druitt  would be so pleased to support this community improvement which leads to their entrance. They are so far remaining silent about it and maybe do not want to know about it. They obviously aren't sending emails to 'whyilovemountdruitt', to send their support. Heck that may indicate they don't support it! Who knows?

So, after being sent a letter from Blacktown City Council, towards the end of last year, Click here we are still waiting for a decision. I know things take time  but how much more time!

Here is muddy water on the medium strip from rain, which prevents people stepping on their as the rain hits this area. Pedestrians risk their lives on Luxford Road until problem is solved!



Click Here for previous blog

Hurdles And Fences Requesting Community Improvements!

One thing I have learned while advocating for improvements for the community is,  people end up with improvements from advocates like myself and others, and the majority of the community may not be aware of how the improvement got done. At the same time, while you are are requesting local, state and federal politicians as well as local council officers, state and federal officers/departments and finally large corporations, we sometimes seem to step on their feet, as they search high and low, wondering what they have done wrong!

Sometimes it may feel like, we are going against large corporations, yet, that is not the true underlying realty. Large corporations that make a profit from Mount Druitt consumers through providing goods and services in major shopping hubs, must proportionately return the profits back into the area, especially after decades of neglect and maintenance of their property: to be used for public use.

Although, in the back of my mind any particular memories of past dealings with a large corporation called Westfield, Mount Druitt, do not present a sound judgement mind in respect to the community's needs for improvement.

I remember lobbying for a Free Shuttle Bus to travel around the hub of Mount Druitt and making representation to Westfield Mount Druitt Management and never getting a positive response.

Click here for Proposed Mount Druitt Free Shuttle Bus Route

The unofficial response I received from a junior manager at Westfield Mount Druitt is "because it is taking people out of Mount Druitt Westfield they were not interested!" 

I thought and thought about this and forgot that it was bringing more people back into the Westfield Mount Druitt hub - it was a  vital transport link that Mount Druitt needed as everything is far away from each other as can be. Mentioning this to Westfield Mount Druitt, brought a non-reaction from them-they realised I was right, yet they did not want to support this wonderful community improvement, that could have been even part funded by themselves, if they showed community compassion.

The Mount Druitt Chamber of Commerce and Blacktown City Council even supported the Free Shuttle Bus proposal, yet none of their decision didn't sway Westfield Mount Druitt, to join in.

There will be hurdles and fences to jump over to get improvements made in Mount Druitt and if it involves large corporations like Westfield Mount Druitt to address and attend to realistic issues that need improvements, so be it! Let the community know the issues, via publicity though community websites, local media, social media and providing community knowledge of issues that needs the appropriate improvement.

If we show something that needs to be improved, it may be something that looks bad now but when it is improved it will be good!

Mount Druitt Taxi Drivers Want More Protection At Mount Druitt Taxi Stand!

A couple of Taxi Drivers at Mount Druitt Taxi Stand, last night are seeking supporting for multiple security cameras to be placed on the outside of the walkway  overpass to Mount Druitt Police Station. They advise this will avert any anti-social behaviors that may occur to both passengers or taxi drivers. It 3 cameras were set high above on he walk way overpass, then there would be more safety for the general community.

Also in great demand is awnings covering taxi commuters for protection  of extreme wet days  or hot days, as they bring their groceries, above the taxi stand on North Parade. This should cover three taxi lengths and speed humps are right on the right lane heading as a lot of cars do not reduce speed as taxis leave the taxi stand!

This is something that the NSW Taxi Council, Blacktown City Council, NSW RMS and NSW State Member of Mount Druitt, need to look at for improved taxi stand and commuter improvements. Let us see how we go!!!!

Mount Druitt Bus Interchnage Roofs Need To Be Cleaned Up Again - NSW Member of Mount Druitt

Time and time again, we need to have the to have the  roofs of the Mount Druitt Bus Interchange cleaned. As this is a NSW State Government issue, we will ask the newly-elected State Member of Mount Druitt, Councillor Edmond Atalla, to request a clean up of these roofs immediately and investigate methods or systems to be put into  place to do regular checks/audits and also ways of preventing rubbish being tossed onto the roofs.

If you as a community have any suggestions, please let us know and we will forward this on to relevant stake holders!


 

Where To Take Your Children In And Around Mount Druitt?

Interesting question raised in '2770 Watch Face Book Group'! We can hop into a car, catch a taxi or bus then train and take our children to Sydney City and go for a tour or west to the Blue Mountains to visit the three sisters but.... this is far to travel and if our children have been to these places, they will need to seek adventure at other places.

This all depends on the age of your children and how much energy they have to be used up, until they are exhausted at the end of the day.

Here are some places to take your children:

• Darling Harbour Play Park
• Kid about - St Marys
• Lollipop Playland
• Kids Fun Factory, Minchinbury
• Lizard Log - Horsely Park
• Netball fields in Penrith: ride bikes/scooters
• Panthers Aqua Golf - $7 a buck of golf balls
• Penrith Cables - Jumping Pillows
• Nurrangingy Reserve
• Prospect Reservoir
• Go Bananas St Marys
• Plumpton Wetlands
• Featherdale Wildlife Park, Doonside 
• Taronga Zoo
• AMF Bowling Mount Druitt
• Movies
• Ice Skating
• Parramatta Park
• Planet X - Mount Druitt

 Finally, checkout out:
 Fun For Kids - Western Sydney Face Book Group 
this might assist as well.

My only issue that Blacktown City Council has not got a  ecommunity friendly video  promoting major parks in each Ward, You Tube and if Council can make this a priority, then this can promoted on You Tube, mentioned on Annual Council Calendar, this make Blacktown City Council showcase the major parks and gardens not just to the local community but to visitors from all around Australia and the world.

Let's hope Councillors and Council Officers take this initiative on board!







 

2770 Watch Face Book Group - Is A Good Interactive Community Face Book Group

There a few social media Face Book groups within Mount Druitt that I have viewed and joined. I only join groups that inter-react with  community members or provide information of significance of the community to the community.

It is amazing how people showing compassion for others, providing advice, social activities and suggestions to improve community knowledge of  know what to do or where to go to enjoy yourselves or simply making life easier.

Quoted by 2770 Administrator:

This group is for all within n outside of 2770 who would like to be kept updated with the area n its worries... Please keep it nice n pleasant for all...

I recommend this for any community member in and around Mount Druitt!

Click here for 2770 Watch Face Book Group 

Mount Druitt Pictures From Back Yrad Gardens - Provide Your Photographs

I must congratulate Ron Vorbach inspirational local community member from Whalan I've known for many years to really think about each and everyone's back yard  or front yard (if you have one)! And if not, walk around your community around Mount Druitt, show us the beautiful flowers and bushes we have in our streets, parks and reserves.

Maybe local politicians and former politicians can lead the way. take pictures  and refer to us, we will show  the world how beautiful our area can be.


Here is from my place, enjoy it: