It was going to be the iconic building that would put Campbelltown and Macarthur on the map.
Instead, Panjo has become an ugly eyesore at the very entrance to our town along Campbelltown Road.
Weeds have taken over the open area out the front and windows and doors have been smashed by vandals.
If you go inside, as some of our contacts have, what you will be greeted with is disgusting filth, garbage and destruction.
Because of the lack of fulltime security, access inside is so easy young homeless people have been squatting in Panjo for years.
But what’s worse, the squatters have been making life hell for the people who occupy neighbouring properties, who have contacted police on several occasions.
Well it seems that the owners may be finally doing something about it after Campbelltown Council read the riot act to them.
As for us, we will keep an eye on Panjo to make sure the owners keep their promise to act.
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Campbelltown City Council will lower its flag to half-mast today in remembrance of the victims of the mosques massacre in New Zealand. The flag, in the forecourt of the council building in Queen Street, Campbelltown, will be lowered at the start of the daily Zuhr (noon) prayer that takes place after midday.
It will fly at half-mast to honour the 50 killed and 30 injured during the prayer session at the Al Noor mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch a week ago.
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Where’s this year gone? Good question, and that’s what we asked ourselves after seeing that the Camden Show is not that far away: Friday and Saturday, April 5-6, at Camden Showground.
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Two of our best local chefs, Peter Shepherd from Campbelltown Catholic Club and Graeme Kruger from Wests Leagues Club, will talk to students at Thomas Reddall High next week.
No surprises what the purpose of the talk is: how hospitality is a recipe for a very good career.
Co-hosted with mwlp, it’s all part of a hospitality assessment for Thomas Reddall students in Years 10, 11 and 12.
After the talk, on Tuesday, March 26, the students, no doubt inspired by the talk from the two chefs, will then prepare, cook and serve a three course meal from 6pm in the school auditorium.
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Campbelltown residents may have noticed that one of the playing fields at Bradbury Park, pictured, has been fenced off since the departure of Water Wonderland, who were here for a month to help us cool off during hot days.
The Voice received some tip offs from readers that the surface had been damaged by Water Wonderland, so we asked council what had happened.
“The improvement works currently being done at Bradbury Oval include the installation of an irrigation system as part of council’s annual works schedule,’’ they responded.
“These works have been scheduled to coincide with the expected restorationworks after the successful Water Wonderland event left the site.
“One of the ovals has been closed during these works and should reopen at the end of April.
“Other arrangements have been made for rugby league pre-season training and games during this time.”
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Concerned Wedderburn residents were also in touch to ask us why work on the new bridge at the entrance to the bushland suburb seems to have slowed down to a crawl.
Again we went to Campbelltown Council, and this is their reply:
“Construction of a new bridge in Wedderburn is on track to be complete in April. There has been some minor delays due to weather and ground conditions.”
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Just for the record, the heritage listing for old St James Anglican Church, front fence and palm trees at 2 Kent Street, Minto has now been published and finalised on the Department of Planning and Environment’s website.
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Since we all have elections on our mind – just joking – and we will vote tomorrow, let’s finish with a campaign yarn.
The Voice interviewed Camden independent candidate Andrew Simpson on the sidelines of Fairfax Reserve, at Harrington Park a few weeks ago.
At one point a council worker with a very loud leaf blower walked right behind the coach’s box where we were recording the interview.
For a few moments Simpson had to almost yell to make sure his words were clearly recorded by our iphone.
The council worker moved on and peace and quiet was restored, but not for long.
Just before we finished the interview, two council workers carrying leaf blowers decided to clean the footpath right behind where we were sitting, which made us both laugh because the noise forced us to suspend the interview until the workers moved away.
Of course it was all a coincidence.
I am very glad that the old St James Anglican Church at Minto has finally been heritage-listed. Unfortunately, that is not enough. Some time ago I spoke to a member of the St James congregation who said that the church wardens “won’t lift a finger” to repair/maintain/restore the Old Church, which really worries me. I have a fear that, because of this, the Old Church will fall into further disrepair and may genuinely become unsafe. It is obvious that the Anglican Church Property Trust do not want to keep the Old Church, so why don’t they sell it to some body who will do the right thing, and fully restore this beautiful local landmark so that it can be used, loved and admired for many years to come?