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Joh’s affinity for water
may just live on

THERE is no doubt that John Chedid, who has just finished his two year tenure as lord mayor of Parramatta, has an affinity with water. Loving the least attractive part of Parramatta River as if it were the Seine or Thames, Clr Chedid has made his watery mark on Sydney’s second CBD. Dreaded nay-sayers might say he muddied the waters on some civic matters, but I prefer to acknowledge that this Lord Mayor knew how to stay afloat in the pond of local government. For a start he activated the river with rowing and those big rolling baubles without losing one small person to river poisoning, or even drowning. And he managed to keep the sharks at bay. Perhaps the mighty creatures knew there would be too much competition in Parramatta. But that is not all this Maritime Mayor has achieved. Water parks planned throughout the city to cool down our overheated youth may prove to be a brilliant crime-fighting strategy. How timel

Even Cheddy can’t
talk under water

HOWEVER, even our Cheddy cannot talk under water all the time. He was certainly speechless when a bucket of iced water was dropped on him during his last week as Lord Mayor. But it was for a good cause - the ubiquitous Ice Bucket Challenge that is doing the rounds of social media. A fund-raiser for Motor Neurone Disease Australia, the challenge sees participants sit while someone who has pledged money has the honour of pouring iced water over them. You would not think that Clr Chedid would be up for putting his frozen nipples on display, but he was in good company with Eels captain Tim Mannah, Eels CEO Scott Seward, Parramatta Leagues Club chairman Steve Sharp and deputy chairman Tom Issa joining him in the wet T-shirt event. Perhaps getting most joy out of the event was Clr Chedid’s daughter Lanya, who nominated her father for the fund-raiser. Does she think her dad needs cooling down? On the contrary, as it is known that John Chedid would do anything for his four kids - and he would have thawed out pretty quickly knowing he had put a smile on their faces while helping a good cause.

Governor Phillip is
remembered at an event

IN looking to the future, Parramatta Council has not forgotten the past, with an event marking the 200th anniversary of the death of Governor Arthur Phillip, who sailed up the river soon after landing in the colony in 1788, in search of fertile land. The event featured a special address by former MP and colonial historian  Andrew Tink, students from Arthur Phillip High School, and a letter from the Mayor of Bath, the English city where Governor Phillip retired and is buried. Governor Phillip personally laid out the street grid for Parramatta, a city he thought might be the capital of the infant colony.
           
Speaking of the past,
Paul celebrates 40 years

AND speaking of the past, veteran Parramatta councillor Paul Garrard celebrated his 40 years of service at a well-attended civic reception at Granville Town Hall, in his heartland, last month. Many of his old Labor mates were there, apparently forgiving him for leaving the party in a fit of pique in 2004 when he was not preselected for  the State seat of Granville, with David Borger being the party’s choice. Apart from former Labor mayor Barry Wilde, John Brown, the former Labor MP for Parramatta and colourful Hawke tourism minister attended, paying glowing tribute to his old mate. For a bit of levity, popular comedian Vince Sorrenti had everyone in stitches with his views o politics and ethnicity. The Lebanese dotted throughout the room were laughing the hardest. Liberal Lord Mayor John Chedid, who, these days, counts on Garrard’s support in the chamber, praised the veteran councillor for being a “staunch community advocate”. However, Clr Chedid and his fellow Liberals may be singing a different tune at the 2016 election if the old wily fox manages to sweep in fresh faces with his new political party Our Local Community - in every ward.

Plenty of investment to
shared out west
 
WHILE Parramatta and Penrith, in the Toil of Two Cities, fight it out for the title of capital of western Sydney, other smaller cities Blacktown and Liverpool are quietly booming along. And how. With Blacktown approving more than $1 billion worth of development last year, it had more population growth than anywhere in NSW. Parramatta and Penrith were the third and fourth highest council areas for investment. And Liverpool is pulling its weight as well, with its skyline set to change with plans before council for a $95 million, 90m-high development that will tower over the central business district from the southwest. Seems like it is not only about the Big Ps, but they are big enough to share the glory outside of rugby league competition. It’s good there is plenty of investment being shared in the glorious west.

Swings and roundabouts
In local government

SO many swings and roundabouts in local government. No wonder some are inclined to compare councils to playgrounds. Or is that for other reasons? At the Auburn mayoral election, Labor mayor Hicham Zraika jumped off the merry-go-round, not seeking re-election and former Liberal mayor Ronney Oueik has jumped back on. But Hicham is now eyeing off the bigger sandbox of state parliament, set to pit himself against MP Barbara Perry who has held the seat since 2001. Despite being popular, Ms Perry suffered a 20 per cent swing against her at the 2011 election that swept Barry O’Farrell  to government. She still has a 8.5 percent margin but that does not make her safe against forces in her own party. Ah, politics.

Pools remains a vexed
issue in some areas

SWIMMING pools remain a vexed issue in the west, where they are needed more than in other parts of Sydney. While Holroyd Council is likely to go down the Merrylands super swim centre path, with Wentworthville and Guildford pools set for closure, Blacktown’s new mayor Stephen Bali has made a splash, vowing to reopen Mt Druitt pool, which was closed in March 2013. Tough promise seeing the Labor mayor does not have control of the chamber. He does not hold much hope of opening the pool this summer but is pinning his hopes on having it ready in time for next year’s swimming season. Cr Bali said council’s budget was healthy enough for the pool, which had been a drain on council’s finances, to again serve the community. In the meantime kids, the backyard hose will have to do,

Crane Copper Tube
Factory closes its doors

SAD news for 108 workers at Penrith’s Crane Copper Tube factory, which has announced its closure. Workers were told of the closure, to be in December, late September. The 55-year-old company had been unprofitable in recent years due to factors including manufacturing overcapacity of copper tubing for plumbing requirements in the Australian market, the increasing substitution of copper tubing with other materials such as plastic composites and import competition.

Castle Hills RSL is
ruffling some feathers

CASTLE Hill RSL is ruffling some feathers, in a good way, with an egg-celent idea. The club is keeping its own chooks and growing herbs on its land, to service its restaurants at Castle Hill and at Parramatta RSL, in an exercise in sustainability introduced by head gardener Steve Grima. The chooks lay about five eggs a day in summer, with the aim of eventually producing 50 per cent of the club’s needs, Herbs grown include oregano, thyme, chives and parsley, all without chemicals. And that is not all. The club plans to run educational workshops on sustainability for schoolchildren. Perhaps this is something other local restaurants can consider? It only takes a small space to grow herbs at least, especially with vertical gardens.

Small Business
Commissioner in town

BUSINESSES in and around Merrylands will be digesting some vital information with their breakfast on October 22 when NSW Small Business Commissioner Robyn Hobbs comes to town. Ms Hobbs will discuss various topics, including cutting red tape for small businesses, the Retail Leases Act review and Small Biz Connect. The breakfast, in the Holroyd Centre in Miller St Merrylands, will run between 7.15am and 8.45am and will cost $20. Bookings and payment by October 17. Call or SMS Mariya on 0417046665.