A big thank you to all those members who supported our Year 2000 Annual Dinner and went along to Parliament House on Wednesday 22^nd November.  A very enjoyable meal was partaken of with the opportunity to watch the Transport Amendment Bill debate whereby the Speaker of the Parliament kindly welcomed the LPA to the visitors gallery.

The evening was hosted by our Georges River MP, Kevin Greene, and LPA Vice President Graham Steed very ably stood in for my shoes, due to my inability at the last moment to attend the dinner.  Our thanks go to Kevin for organising the evening and we look forward to another successful Annual Dinner in 2001.

The meeting on December 11^th will be our last for 2000 and I would like to thank all the members and guests who came along to our meetings during 2000.  We had a range of guest speakers and the meetings were also regularly attended by Councillors Lee, Sansom and Morris and we greatly appreciate the Ward Councillor support.

Our thanks for 2000 must also go to Kevin Greene who always makes an effort to attend the monthly meetings and takes up many issues on our behalf with Council.  We would also like to thank and Pat and Bruce Abbott of Barbara Place without whom our newsletter would not look so professional or be produced on time each month.

Lastly, to my Year 2000 Committee, I thank you greatly for your efforts and support during 2000 and wish all Lugarno residents a merry Christmas and a happy and rewarding 2001.

Rob Clarsen - 9153 5158

Telstra phone at Chivers Hill

Telstra has advised that a replacement payphone has been ordered and will be installed at Chivers Hill Shopping Centre. It will be a new Majestic Payphone which has a superior cabinet sturdy enough to be vandal resistant. We would like to thank both our State and Federal MP's, Kevin Greene and Daryl Melham respectively for also assisting and making representations to Telstra on our behalf to have the payphone replaced.

Entrance to Evatt Park

The LPA recently wrote to Council regarding the possibility of increasing the signage along Forest Road to alert motorists to the entrance way to Evatt Park. Council's traffic Committee considered the matter at their last meeting and recommended that: 

• a combined curve warning/ T-junction sign be implemented with a supplementary "Evatt Park Entrance" sign on Forest Road facing southbound traffic;

•  a "Stop Sign" and "Vehicles and Pedestrians Exiting Evatt Park Take Care" sign be implemented adjacent to the exit to Evatt Park. 

Council noted in their report that since the introduction of their first series of traffic management devices, being roundabouts and Renway/Wayne and Forest/Old Forest Rds, and the right turn bay into the entrance of Evatt Park and the pedestrian refuge at Evatt Park in 1995, the number of accidents has reduced from 3 per year to 1 per year.

The RTA have released their 50km Urban Speed Limit report dated September 2000 where they have evaluated the first 21months of the 50km urban speed limited throughout participating Councils in NSW. 105 Councils have implemented the 50km speed limit which represents 90% of the NSW population.

Key Findings are - there has been an estimated 25.3% fall in all casualty, non-injury, all reported, older driver, young driver and pedestrian accidents on residential streets in NSW with a 50km speed limit.

There were reductions in the average mean and average 85 percentile speed of vehicles travelling on street with a 50km speed limit. The proportion of motorists that exceeded 60km fell from 37.6% to just over 15%. The proportion of motorists who traveled over 70km fell from almost 10% to just under 3% and the proportion of motorists who travelled at more than 80km fell sharply from 1.5% to 0.4%.

There is now 75% support among the community for the 50km speed limit with most people believing the lower limit will improve road safety. The NRMA has also reported a decrease in collision claims. In Hurstville LGA the accident data for 1999 (2000 will be available early next year) is the second best year recorded after 1997.

Riverwood Wetlands Project

The Lugarno Lions are planning Carols by Candlelight again at Evatt Park on Monday 18th December. The evening will include assistance from the Hurstville Salvation Army Corps and the Hurstville SES. This evening is always a fun-filled family night for Lugarno and surrounding residents.

Peakhurst Garden Club would like to thank all those Lugarno residents who went along and joined the Club following inclusion of their details in our recent newsletter. Don't forget they meet on the first Friday of each month (except for January) at St Matthews Uniting Church Hall, Whitegates Avenue, Peakhurst.

With the Olympics having recently concluded we are only just now getting statistics for Lugarno for the last few months and some of the areas are still outstanding. A quick review of the problem areas reveals that stealing from a motor vehicle and unlawful entry to a motor vehicle are still hot spots. Tools and entertainment units plus a street directory (!) were targets. 

We have had 2 specific reports to the Crime Reporting Hotline. These include: 

• a vehicle broken into in Tallowwood Street and tools worth $1200 stolen; 

• tools and a gurney stolen from a carport in Valentia Avenue. 

Please remember to lock your car, do not leave anything valuable in it and park off the street where possible.

Next meeting will be our last for 2000 and the Fire Brigade who were unfortunately unable to attend November's meeting due to illness have assured us they will be able to attend the December meeting and discuss fire prevention during Summer-time at the meeting. 

After this presentation a light supper will be served to celebrate the last meeting of the year with some "festive cheer". So if you haven't attended a meeting for some time, please come along. We look forward to seeing you there.

   »  St Stephen's Church Hall (Opposite Allwood Crescent)
   »  Tea, coffee and light supper available after the meeting
   »  Oatley Flora and Fauna – next meeting November 5th February 2001 at 7.45 pm - Uniting Church Hall, Cnr Frederick & Letitia Street Oatley. AGM followed by slides and supper.
   »  Peakhurst Garden Club - first Friday in February 2001 at 10.00am. St Matthews Uniting Church, Whitegates Avenue, Peakhurst

Crime Reporting Telephone Numbers

  LPA Crime Reporting Hotline - 9530 7986

 PAL - 131444

 Hurstville Police - 9375 8599