New Jewellers Shop in the Arcade

We are pleased to welcome new tenants to Shop 26, The Arcade. The window shows some really classy jewellery, hand bags, etc, and all the ladies on our staff are eagerly awaiting the opening! Ray White Beecroft sold the shop to the new owners and found these new tenants, and wish them all the very best of success.

Property Management is Back on Line

After working through the Easter weekend, our expert at Maxcom Technology managed fully to recover Nicole's computer from the SMART Hard Disk Drive virus she picked up on 4 April (see the last blog). Not only that, but all the emails sent to her since 4 April have been backed up on our server and are now available to her. There are 100 emails, which she now has to handle, please give her a bit of slack!

For information, I talked with our main IT group, they say that the SMART virus is rampant, there is currently no anti-virus software that can protect you from it if you happen to access an infected web site. They say that in half the cases they have handled they have had to reformat the disk with loss of anything that wasn't backed up! So beware, internet shoppers!

The Hidden Cost of Internet Shopping

Our property officer Nicole must, as part of her duties, spend a lot of time on the internet searching for new or alternative products or services. Recently her computer was infected by the SMART Hard Disk Drive virus, and our IT specialist has spent several days trying to recover the computer and the information on it.

This virus has been around for several years, and apparently the most common method of being infected is by browsing infected internet sites. Clicking on links offering to ‘speed up your disk drive’ or similar links immediately loads the virus, but apparently in some cases these viruses are downloaded simply by visiting the perfectly normal and innocent but infected web site. And this virus totally shuts down your computer and won't let you even start using it.

Perhaps Myers and David Jones should stress this hidden cost of internet shopping!

Meanwhile Nicole will probably not be able to access any of her emails before the weekend. Our apologies if you were waiting for a response. Please phone the office, 9479 8444, or email me, peter.hewitt@raywhite.com, if it’s urgent.

Also note the office will be closed over the Easter break, call me (0417 215 774) if you need assistance over this period. Happy Easter to you all.

Doug in the Top Salesperson List again!

For the second year running, Douglas Macarthur's annual sales performance earned him a place in the Ray White Corporate Premier Members list.

Rail Freight Corridor and the BCCT AGM

At the BCCT AGM, Scott Lyall of Transport for NSW gave an excellent presentation on the current state of planning for the third rail coming through Cheltenham and Beecroft. The rail is needed to allow north-bound passenger trains to pass slow moving freight trains struggling up the steep track there. The new rail will cut into existing railway land west of the present rail, including the children's play park by the bus stops, and the commuter car park. The car park will be relocated north of Chapman Avenue, maintaining the same number of car park spaces.

Beecroft Road Bridge Closed over Easter

The following has been received from the M2 Project:

All lanes on Beecroft Road Bridge will be closed between 4am Saturday, 7 April and 12pm Monday, 9 April 2012 while essential concreting work is completed. The westbound off ramp and citybound on ramp will remain open to motorists throughout this period. Motorists will not be able to turn left onto Beecroft Road from Kandy Avenue during this period. At 12pm on Monday, 9 April 2012 all lanes will reopen to motorists and a 40km/hour speed limit may be in place until 5am Tuesday, 10 April 2012.

Delays are expected so please plan your journey, allow extra travel time and consider using alternate routes via Pennant Hills Road and Carlingford Road. Please check www.livetraffic.com or call 131 701 for traffic updates.

Parking in the Module

Further to my blog of 10 Feb, I have continued to monitor the parking spaces behind the Module, and have so far never counted less than 16 empty spaces. The average over the whole month, between 9:10 am and 4:40pm, has been 33 spaces.
Despite this, someone has been complaining to strata management, and letters are being put in windscreens for people who stay beyond the 2 hour official parking time. This seems a pity, since it compels customers to come, do their planned business, and leave, instead of dalying, enjoying a coffee or a meal or a massage, and roaming the shops. Very short sighted by those who are making the fuss.

Rail Freight Corridor Guest Speaker

A representative from Transport NSW will speak at the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust AGM on 26 March to explain intentions for the third rail track through Cheltenham and Beecroft. Cheltenham Recreation Club, 7:30 pm start.

Parking in the Module

Last Friday someone complained they couldn't find a parking spot at the Module. An hour later there were 26 spaces, showing how many shoppers use the spot. Given that the shops in the module pay with our rents for that car park, it concerns some shopkeepers that so many staff from shops elsewhere in the Village park in the Module car park. There is talk of restoring the council rangers, and enforcing the two hour limit, but it's probably more important to restrict access to those working or shopping in the module. Perhaps a ticket system that you can validate in Module shops?
However the problem isn't that bad, a survey all this week has found that during shopping hours there were an average of 31 space available, with never less than 14 free spaces. Don't be put off by the bottom two rows of spaces being full, there are always places up the hill and round the corner. Compare that to trying to park in Carlingford shopping arcade!

DA1305/2011 High Rise Development on Hannah Street

A number of locals have been into our Ray White Beecroft office asking for information on the Uniting Church's Development Application to build 51 residential units in two tower blocks between Hannah Street and Copeland Road. We appreciate that relevant DA information on the Council's website is not easy to find or follow, so are happy to help local residents to find the information they require. Please call in and ask for Peter Hewitt, our Business Development Manager.

New Off Leash Dog Area

As a dog lover, I am pleased to advise that Hornsby Shire Council has enclosed Ron Payne Park on Woods Street North Epping, and allocated it as an off-leash dog exercise area when it isn't being used for sports. This is good, because the Epping Oval off-leash dog area is similarly constrained, and the two areas are fairly close so hopefully one or other will always be available.

Hornsby Pool - Latest Intentions

Hornsby Aquatic Centre will be replaced with a top-class facility if Hornsby Council’s rates increase is approved, but the project will be scaled back if the application is rejected.
In a best case scenario the new centre will include a 50m outdoor swimming pool, an indoor pool and parking, while the worst case scenario is a 25m outdoor pool.
A council workshop meeting will be held on Wednesday to decide what features the pool, which closed on Christmas Eve because of safety concerns, will include if the rates increase is approved.
What do you think is needed in a new aquatic centre? Comment at:

http://hornsby-advocate.whereilive.com.au/news/story/the-good-bad-and-ugly-of-future-hornsby-pool/

Easter Break

Please note that Ray White Beecroft will be closed over the Easter break 21 to 25 April. Peter Hewitt will be remaining in the Beecroft area and can be contacted on 0417 215 774. All tenants have names and contact details for emergency callouts of tradespersons, and I suggest you check that you have that list before the break.

Population Growth Still Modest

In an article in the SMH Business Day today Aaron Gadiel, chief executive of the developer lobby group Urban Taskforce, worries that Sydney's population is not growing as rapidly as people believed. He suggests that Sydney's property values would "plummet" if there was a government-imposed freeze in its population. Not so long ago the fear was of the opposite, with Kevin Rudd seeking a huge growth in population which justified five storey mixed residential and commercial development of the Beecroft Village shopping centre. I guess residents of Beecroft and Cheltenham will be hoping for a sensible balance between these two extremes! That should surely obviate the need for ruining the character of our lovely village!

Alternative Uses for a Swimming Pool

Two years ago a South Turramurra couple turned their saltwater pool into a pond, with aquatic plants and native fish. In the past three years Ku-ring-gai Council’s 'Pool to Pond' program has helped convert more than 40 pools into ponds.
Perhaps a more innovative solution can be seen at 14 Mason Avenue Cheltenham, a property going to auction this weekend. They built a concrete 'roof' over the pool and tiled it, to make a very attractive large garden entertainment and play area. But they also connected it to take rain water from the downpipes, to create an automatic watering system with 40,000 litre capacity to water the large gardens on the property! Beats having large tin tanks around the place!

New Bus Service starting, "M60"

Hillsbus has announced a new service starting 7 March, the M60 bus, connecting Hornsby through Castle Hill to Parramatta. The service goes through Pennant Hills Railway Station and up Boundary Road. Services every 10 minutes during peak hour and every 15 minutes the rest of the day, from 6am departure each way, with last departure 7.55pm.

Rate Increase Proposal by Hornsby Shire

Robert Ball, General Manager, and Julie Williams, Manager Corporate Strategy, of Hornsby Shire Council gave a most excellent presentation at the Beecroft Bowling Club last night, on the financial status of the shire and the need to consider raising rents above the cap.
The main single reason driving the proposal is to replace the Hornsby Aquatic Centre, a 50 meter pool with grandstands, providing a very important service to the youth, and schools, of the Shire.
However the rest of the justification for the increase involves a plethora of lesser items, like storm drains, road repairs, improved parks and facilities - small individually but hugely important in total.
Most of the Shire's infrastructure and facilities were built between 1945 and 1981, and much of it is reaching the end of its useful life. A very important sentence in the documentation provided reads "during past periods of rapid infrastructure expansion, little or no analysis was done to understand cumulative long term economic, social, and cultural consequences of these decisions". It was very clear from Robert's presentation that the Shire is doing their best not to perpetuate that unhappy situation.
Robert says that in Australia local government gets just 3% of total taxation, yet spends 11% of all public expenditure. The situation is getting worse, with State government passing down to local government expensive new duties without increasing finance. Just one example provided was Transport Infrastructure Development Corp acquiring land worth $580,000 at Berowra railway station without compensating the shire.
Anyway the result of all this is that the Shire needs increased funding from rates if they are to give ratepayers the service we want. After hearing all the facts, and listening to the subsequent debate, I voted for the full increase requested.
To hear more, and to have your input to the debate, please note these events:

22 Feb Have Your Say Session At Cherrybrook Village Shops
24 Feb Have Your Say Session At Hornsby Library
28 Feb Community Meeting - 7pm Council Chambers 296 Pacific Highway Hornsby
1 Mar Have Your Say Session At Brooklyn Marina
2 Mar Have Your Say Session At Kimbriki Tip Tour
7 Mar Community Meeting - 7pm Berowra RSL Club 997 Pacific Highway Berowra
7 Mar Have Your Say Session At Westleigh Shops
14 Mar Have Your Say Session At Epping Library15 Mar 2011 Have Your Say Session At Carlingford Shops

Rates Proposal Meeting

Please note the change of address for tonight's Hornsby Shire Rate Proposal community meeting.
Community Meeting - 7pm The Beecroft Club 128 Copeland Road West, Beecroft

Housing Strategy Planning Meeting

A planning meeting to discuss the Housing Strategy Development Control Plan will be held on 2nd March at First Floor 296 Pacific Highway at 6:30pm. Public participation is invited but those wishing to speak must register in advance.
Relevant documents can be found from 11 days before the meeting at the Shire offices or any council library, or on line at www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au, under Business Papers. Select "from 2008".

M2 Access to Chilworth Reserve - Hot Word

Hills M2 Upgrade Community Relations responded to an enquiry as follows:

"Thank you for your enquiry. As stated in the notification, access to the Devlins Creek compound will be from the M2 only - both eastbound and westbound carriageways. At this stage, it is planned that no access roads will be constructed from Allerton or Redgrove Avenue to this compound.

"For further information regarding the M2 Upgrade Project please visit the project website www.hillsm2upgrade.com.au or contact the project team on 1800 192 266."

I am sure we will all be relieved by that statement, although it is not clear what they mean by access from the westbound carriageway. Is this why they are opening the noise barrier on the south side of that carriageway? We know they have approval to clear a strip along the south side of that carriageway to take the extension for the extra lane, it appears that they will be allowing trucks to use that cleared path to get from the carriageway down into the construction camp. It just would be nice if they explained this in simple words!