[dropcap]N[/dropcap]ext week there’s a little celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Mt Annan Botanic Garden.
And while it’s incredible to think 30 years have passed since it was opened to the public, it’s also a reminder of how this neck of the woods has changed over the years.
It’s been mostly for the better – think Western Sydney University campus with law and medical schools, Campbelltown Hospital expansion, Park Central and Marsden Park – the list goes on and on.
Sure, a lot of these things seem to have taken an eternity to come on board, but as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
For me so many parts of our region are almost unrecognisable, but what they all have in common is that they are an improvement on what was there previously – or wasn’t in some cases.
And really, there’s hardly anybody who does not support this kind of change, whereby the place, slowly but surely, gets better and better.
Yes, we have the current robust debate about how much more growth we can absorb without negatively affecting our lifestyle.
But again, I think that no matter what side of the debate you’re on, we ought to remember that everyone wants what’s best for our place – even those with whom we disagree.
Admittedly there are some who are completely and utterly opposed to any development and growth, but they are very much in the minority.
Most people, including those who make the decisions, hold sensible and practical views on this discussion.
This includes calls for the right quantity of infrastructure such as roads, rail and more local jobs.
And while such infrastructure is not 100 per cent guaranteed, I promise you that these days all levels of government are knee deep in reports that look at how to achieve such outcomes.
This is a far cry from how things were done just 30 years ago when the botanic garden become a wonderful part of our region.
Maybe I won’t be around in 30 years, but I have no doubt South West Sydney, Macarthur and Campbelltown will be an even better place than now.
