[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e are happy to bring good news regarding Pat McGeown, the former local radio personality and community worker also known by many as Captain Pat.
Some of our readers have contacted us over the past few months expressing concerns after losing contact with the skipper, who packed up and left for south east Asia a couple of years ago.
Former mayor Paul Hawker sent a text message on Christmas Eve to say he’d made contact with Pat, who was obviously alive and well in Myanmar, the country north of Thailand formerly known as Burma.
“Paul I was only thinking of you today and the fun Christmases we had,’’ Captain Pat said in reply to the message from Mr Hawker.
“Pat meant the combined churches Christmas lunch we were involved in,’’ explained the former mayor.
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At its last meeting of the year Campbelltown council farewelled director Jeff Lawrence.
A number of councillors stood up to deliver tributes to the director of city growth and economy who has been working at Campbelltown council for the past 14 years.
But it was Jeff Lawrence who stole the show with an excellent off the cuff speech of equal parts eloquence and emotion.
Twice he said “I love you all’’ before finishing his wonderful speech.
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Each day the police media unit send out some of the highlights – maybe that should be lowlights – of the current double demerits campaign, Operation Safe Arrival.
Included in the report for Christmas Eve was an incident that took place in our neck of the woods.
About 9.35pm, a 44-year-old man was pulled up by police on Ben Lomond Road, Minto, after he had allegedly failed to stop at an intersection and collided with another vehicle.
The man was charged with high range drink driving, had his licence suspended and will appear at Campbelltown Local Court next February.
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A new world class agricultural research facility is coming to Menangle.
The plan is for University of Sydney’s current facilities at Cobbitty to be relocated to land at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute.
Mayor George Brticevic welcomed the move.
“We are excited about this decision for a new institute that would advance research to support agribusiness, biosecurity, and plant and animal science,” he said.
“This level of investment would benefit the region by creating more job opportunities and supports our position as a forward thinking, connected community.”
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Some quiet time has been set aside so people with disability can also enjoy Water Wonderland in Campbelltown in January.
Water Wonderland is a large inflatable park that will be open from December 29 to January 28 at Bradbury Oval to help locals cool off during the hottest period of summer.
The quiet session, suggested by Cr Margaret Chivers, will be held from 3pm to 5pm on Wednesday, January 16 and will be provided at no cost to people with disability, their carers and siblings.
There will be no announcements or music played during the session.
However numbers are limited and people need to contact Council to book by email to events@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au
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During construction it was hailed by some as the iconic building of Campbelltown.
Known as Panjo and located at the northern entrance to Campbelltown, it is well documented that it was never finished when the owners ran out of money.
Then approval was received from council to convert Panjo into serviced apartments, but it seems that is also not going to happen.
Not that it’s not been used at all – a bunch of homeless teenagers have reportedly taken up residence at Panjo in recent times.
But iconic building? More like an eyesore these days.
