the ’sham

I’ve been meaning to write about these guys for ages! A local activist blog in my very own street - trying to stop the “rat-run” traffic down Audley:

We are residents of Audley Street who are angry about the increasing numbers of motorists using our street as a short cut. We’re sick of traffic jams outside our doors in the mornings. We’re sick of the noise. We’re sick of the pollution. We’re concerned about our kids’ safety.
We believe in trying to bring about some changes that will benefit not just the residents, but the suburb.

Now, I must say, this rat run business is news to me. I’m so close to Canterbury Road that I don’t think the pollution fallout in my backyard would be affected by closing Audley. And I haven’t really noticed Audley Street being particularly congested…But maybe I’ve got my head in the clouds?

I’ve been more concerned about:
1. The amount of obnoxious four wheel drives who park all up and down Chester street to fetch their chicken from the Portuguese Chicken shop (and sometimes there’s even ROAD RAGE over the rare parking spots!!)
2. The garbage left lining our gutters after said four wheel drivers have had their fill (they eat in-vehicle and dump the trash before driving away!)

But I’m not sure how council could change that.

Egad, I sound more like a grumpy old man each day.

Anyhow, the Audley St Closure crew organised a Street Meeting on 9 September. Not being able to go along, I’ve emailed ‘em to find out how it went. Will let ya know…

Tully and I spotted this poster on the street. Then today, this came thru from the bowlo:

Dear Friends, Neighbours and Members,

A quick reminder that the Petersham Bowling and Community Club is hosting an open forum for the public and members this Sunday 23rd July from 2pm. (meeting to start at 2:30pm)

The Board has called this meeting to allow all local residents to inform themselves about the current circumstances of the Club and the various strategies being investigated to sustain us (the Club) into the future.

Current strategies under review include:

* Amalgamation with another bowling club.
* Leasing of the lower green for development of a childcare centre, and subsequent upgrading of the upper green and clubhouse.
* Possible affiliation with Marrickville Council. (Only in preliminary discussions at the moment)

All are welcome, so please forward this invitation to anyone who may have an interest in the future of our Club and our neighbourhood.

Sausage Sizzle from 2pm!

Petersham Bowling Club
77 Brighton Street Petersham NSW 2049 P: 9569 4639

Sent:
11-Apr-2006
11:15:10
Just saw this -
Good Friday
brunch 9-12
noon Psham
bowling club,
homemade hot
cross buns LX
Sender:
Lisa

(more…)

Luciana came around about ten. She’s my nearest neighbor, from the flat next door. She’s from Milan, and we speak “recreational” Italian with each other (usually only when the topic of conversation is not too complicated, or we don’t need an urgent resolution to a practical issue). Otherwise its English all the way. Lately, though, I think she has decided that I need the practice, so there’s been more Italian, even when it gets a bit hard-going. Yesterday, for instance, we were convening to write a list for our landlord about security issues. Luciana was broken into last Tuesday. Our next neighbours across, Rachelle and Rob, were burgled on Thursday. Bec and I were cleaned out in early February. The cops said Petersham is being “done over” in a big way, lately. All this has created an atmosphere of mild paranoia, and we’re demanding that the landlords install better locks and maybe some bars on vulnerable windows. From Luciana, I learned that the word for lock (which needs fixing on her screen door) is “serratura”. Her windows have “serrature” installed, but some of them are a bit wobbly (“molle”) and hardly inspire confidence. We also need gates (“cancelli”) at the front of the whole building – there are none, and so the crooks can easily slip down the side passage and carry out their dastardly schemes, virtually invisible from the street. We made up this list, drank some coffee, and bitched about thieves (how could they be so bold?) and landlords (how could they be so stingy?) (more…)

The clock ticked round to midnight and I sat in the kitchen watching it. When all the hands pointed to twelve, I took two photos. Without the flash, the clock looked yellow and blurry. Flash-frozen, on the other hand, it looked like it had been caught in the act. Embarrassed at having been sprung doing something vaguely shameful but essentially harmless.

That’s how I brought in the third of April. The beginning of “Bilateral Petersham,” aka “my Petersham project,” aka “The Petersham Lockdown.” There was no tangible difference between one moment, where I was not “on the job,” and the next, when the “project” had officially begun. No fanfare, no ribbon cutting, no glass of champagne. I went to bed and read a bit and then fell asleep.

For two months (well, a bit less actually) I will not leave the suburb borders of the mighty Petersham. Petersham is a smallish neighborhood in the “inner-west” of Sydney. It runs between Parramatta Road (at the north end) and Addison Road (at the south end), and is surrounded by such glamorous destinations as Leichhardt (north), Lewisham (west), Marrickville (south), and Stanmore (east). And I will remain entirely within it until the end of May, as (self-appointed) artist-in-residence of Petersham.

Why am I doing this? (more…)