The eyesore previously known as the Panjo building on the corner of Rose Payten Drive and old Campbeltown Road has finally been sold.
It has taken more than 15 years for someone to fork out the $20 million price tag on Campbelltown’s worst eyesore of all time.
And as a senior council staff member told the South West Voice, this is the best news we could ever get.
It is believed a Camden developer is the secret buyer of the Panjo, and apparently they plan to adhere to the original vision of a building dedicated to children in the form of dance and music class spaces, child care and so on.
The original proponent of the Panjo went broke before he could complete it, and the banks withdrew their financial support of the project.
Over the past 15 years the building has been allowed to fall into disrepair, inside and out.
At various times it has been used as a refuge for street kids, as well as homeless adults.
It has also been suggested that a homeless person died as a result of being electrocuted inside the Panjo.
But hopefully that’s all in the past, and the council can work with the new owner to expedite any makeover or repairs required to restore the Panjo to its former glory.
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The chapter has also finally closed on the 2023 yellow card betting scandal involving three Macarthur FC players, including the skipper Ulises Davila.
This week a court has fined Davila $11,000 after finding him guilty.
As his career is effectively over, the Mexican national was spared jail time by the trial judge, although a conviction was recorded as part of the court’s judgement.
The court heard that as a result of the sting organised by Davila and two other Bulls players he enlisted, a betting operator lost more than $167,000 through several bets on yellow cards in a Bulls A-League game against Sydney FC.
Unless there’s an appeal from either party, the sentencing will be the closing of this chapter of football shame.
Last year the two other Bulls players Davila bribed $10,000 each to take part by intentionally giving away yellow cards, Clayton Lewis and Kearyn Baccus, received two year conditional release orders.
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Whiddon Easton Park resident Merle Simon recently celebrated her 101st birthday, and naturally she was asked what was her secret to a long and happy life.
“Having a positive attitude and keep smiling,” was her response, and who could argue.
One of Merle’s happiest memories is meeting and marrying her second husband at the age of 40, a moment she describes as one of the best days of her life.
And on that note, her advice to younger generations is: “Choose the right person when you marry.”
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Two brothers from Campbelltown – Justin and AJ Mosca – recently opened the batting for Italy and got 60 runs each, helping Italy got their first ever win at a T20 World Cup, against Nepal.
The Moscas normally do their cricketing at club level right here in Campbeltown, where they are part of the furniture at the Ghosts cricket club at Raby.
However, they were not the first Aussie born cricketers to represent Italy.
Our friend Pat Duffy tells us that his old schoolmate and Bradbury neighbour Troy Crosland, who sadly died a couple of years ago, has that honour.
Troy Crosland was also a Ghosts cricket club legend.
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Macquarie Fields Aboriginal elder Uncle Eddie was at the official unveiling of the start of work on The Greens, the $100 million Wests Group Macarthur project at Gledswood Hills.
In his welcome to country address, Uncle Eddie looked around the bushland and told guests that the spot brought memories of him back in the day walking over from Macquarie Fields to shoot rabbits.
“It has changed a little bit since those days,’’ he quipped.
Uncle Eddie, pictured above, also performed a smoking ceremony afterwards.