Letters to the editor | Central Western Daily letters to June 24, 2023

Who was responsible for overseeing this project?

The brochure put out by the Council before the project began showed an inviting, user-friendly area with soft grasses, comfortable seating areas and flowing paths.

Instead, in the dead of night established street trees which provided shade in summer and softened the look of the street were cut down and replaced by an ugly, cold space which repulses visitors and residents alike.

Who would want to spend time here? Concrete blocks, oversized concrete planters with stunted magnolias, an amateurish and childish paint job, hard metal barriers like cattle-runs or police barricades.

It is hard to comprehend how something so ugly and unwelcoming came to be - and virtually impossible now to reverse.

I wonder with the difficult parking situation how many of the businesses in Lords Place will survive.

I ask again, who is responsible for this abomination?

How could these same people be allowed to oversee any projects that require sensitivity like the proposed lighting of Wirraburra Walk?

Winter is here. It's tax time, and it's that time of year when many of us seek to hit the reset button as the new financial year rolls around - a fresh start.

But for The Salvation Army and the thousands of people we support, it means something very different, particularly this year. We are extremely worried about those who are most vulnerable in our community, who are presenting to our services across the country, some for the first time.

Not only is it the coldest time of year in many parts, but we are also facing one of the most severe economic challenges we have seen in years; the cost-of-living crisis and soaring utility bills are leaving everyday Aussies facing devastating and impossible choices.

One mother, 42, has told us: "I wear multiple layers of clothing to keep warm. I avoid turning on the heater and try not to waste or use excessive amounts of water."

Another mother of three, 34, said: "I turn off the hot water and electricity at night. I use the barbecue for cooking and organise the kids' clothes to minimise the use of the washing machine. We only flush the toilet when necessary. We limit showers to a maximum of three minutes. Instead of using public transport, we walk or ride bikes everywhere."

With this in mind, we want to simply say thank you. Thank you to the Australian public, who has already given so generously to the Red Shield Appeal to make sure that families and individuals like those I have mentioned can access our services wherever they are in Australia.

Thank you for thinking of others when it would be so easy to just think of yourselves. One of the greatest traits of Australians is that when the going gets tough, Aussies reach into their pockets and help someone in need. I love that about Australia.

But it isn't over yet. The Salvos are hoping to raise $37 million by June 30 to ensure our services and programs across the nation can continue, so nobody struggles alone.

This end of financial year, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal by visiting salvationarmy.org.au or calling 13 SALVOS.

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