Street verges in poor state
Dear Echo News,

I am writing about the poor state of our street verges in Highpoint Boulevard, Ellenbrook and the Woodlake Park gardens which are opposite our home where we have lived for over 26 years.

At present thistles and other weeds are over 1.5m high and are growing on both curbs in our street and in and near the Woodlake Park gardens and entwined amongst the Geraldton wax plants.

With quite a few of these thistles over 2m high now, the seeds are starting to spread into nearby homes and back into the Woodlake Park gardens.

I have tried to contact three of the city’s Pearce Ward councillors of the City of Swan over the past three weeks with no response.

One of the councillors from another ward had told me that Ellenbrook is a cash cow for the City of Swan.

In the recent past we had two good council workers in Blair and Paul who did a good job, but they have now been moved on.

In 2000, Highpoint Boulevard won the award for the best street in the suburb from the Ellenbrook Garden Club, but we would have little chance now of any award due to gaps in street trees including ours plus the big thistles and weeds making the street an eyesore.

During the first week in September, I asked for a new street tree seeing we had not had one for five years, but I was fobbed off by council staff who said that I should have applied in winter.

I tried to point out that the booklet with the rate notices had suggested about applying for a street tree to improve the street canopy.

The last tree I had received had come in November and was dead by the following February.

I am a life member of the Ellenbrook Garden Club, was a finalist in the City of Swan citizenship awards in 2003, won a City of Swan community leader award in 2006, the Lew Whiteman award in 2009, a special volunteer award from the City of Swan in 2015 and a member of Ellenbrook Lions Club for 20 years winning several awards.

I hope that this letter may prompt some action from the City of Swan as getting no response from any councillor to date has been disappointing.

J Edgecombe
Ellenbrook 

Traffic lights the answer?
Dear Echo News,

Last week I was walking along Railway Road, Kalamunda and at the intersection with Elizabeth Street there was yet another pranged vehicle there waiting for assistance to be removed.

Fortunately though, no one appeared to be injured.

Now, as previously discussed on these pages, it is apparently impractical to construct a roundabout here, but something must be done before a fatality occurs, and in this respect maybe traffic lights would be the answer.

However, I suspect the powers that be will not want to impede the traffic flow along Railway Road so I guess the status quo will continue until someone is killed.

C Coulthard,
Gooseberry Hill

Cale Street crossing chaos
Dear Echo News,

Months ago, the Cale Street crossing was opened with great fanfare, a milestone of incompetency and chaos, that left us with the southbound lanes reduced to one, a barrier that is too short, vehicles still to this day turning into Railway Parade East though the No Entry signs, lights too bright and sounds that you estimate will be measured in 18 months time.

That is in addition to a lack of vehicle parking along Railway Parade, a shortfall that has enormous consequences.
But the main point here is the barrier installed for the opening.

Too short, something I was told months ago would take three weeks to fix. It needs replacing, and so the question has to be, when?

We have been told that the crossing will be completely closed very soon, and trust the reopened one will allow for two lanes to be used for vehicles moving south.

This is an embarrassing situation for Metronet.

Grand openings, short comings, and bureaucratic answers to our very personal issues.

B Steels
Midland

Salvos need emergency volunteers
Dear Echo News,

There is nothing quite like an Australian summer.

Between the comforting warmth, the adventure of being outdoors and the enjoyment of sharing in the Christmas and New Year seasons, there is something very special about this season in Australia.

However, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.

In fact, traditionally this season is responsible for some of the most devastation, heartbreak and destruction that we will see all year. Unsurprisingly, the cause of so much heartbreak are our natural disasters.

We at The Salvation Army know this all too well.

Our Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) teams are stationed around the country ready to spring into action whenever a disaster hits; whether it be fire, flood, cyclone, earthquake, or any number of physical disasters, the Salvos are there.

Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers have been around for decades, over 130 years in fact.

As we look towards the upcoming disaster season, The Salvos are preparing, but we need the support of the Aussie public to help us do this.

We need 1000 Aussies to sign up to volunteer with the SAES by the start of summer, to ensure we can meet the needs of the community wherever a disaster might strike.

During a disaster, The Salvos are responsible for providing meals and refreshments to first responders and evacuees, as well as material needs for displaced community members. We also are there for people, offering a listening ear, a compassionate hug, and a shoulder to cry on.

During a disaster, when people see the Salvos volunteers, they see people with friendship and hope to offer. As a volunteer, you can be a part of that.

Signing up as a volunteer is serious business; Our staff are able to help you through the application process which involves interviews, reference checks and police checks.

There is online training, and you could be called on during a disaster in your area at any time throughout the year.

To sign up as a volunteer or for more information, visit https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/emergency-services/

Daryl Crowden
Salvation Army Emergency Services