Reader laments what she calls ‘urban decay’ in Queensburgh

My name is Charlene, I live in Seaview, my kids grew up here. I grew up in Bellair, so I’ve always been a part of the area. I have beautiful memories of growing up in this area.

However, for the past few years the community seems to be fighting a losing battle against urban decay. I am very sad to say this because I know there are many people who try their best to keep the area beautiful and clean.

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Bellair train station, a once radiant beautiful site and part of history kids at Bellair school still learn about today, is now a sad site to see with broken windows, paint peeling off. It makes me sad when passing it. Many of our community members have become unemployed and homeless as a result of the economic situation, aggravated by this year’s Covid-19 pandemic.

I feel there is so much work to be done in our once beautiful area which might even be used as an opportunity to create jobs by ward councillors.

Emergency plan

The recent exposition in the Bluff got me thinking about whether there is emergency plans in place for my community members in case of a disaster taking place in the area. I myself have absolutely no idea what to do or where to go in the event of an emergency which leaves the roads unpassable and ares dangerous to traverse.

We don’t have enough halls to house everyone safely in this community. Hillary Scout Hall has fallen apart and been condemned as an unsafe site for anyone to use to live in. Recently Hillary Club burnt down.

This brings me back to job creation for our area, wouldn’t it be wonderful if our community members could be employed to rebuild the scouts hall and the Hillary Club?

I am not sure how it would all work, it would certainly require some organisation and fundraising, but I feel it is something that is very necessary in the community. I am sure it could help to form part a greater disaster management plan for the area.

I am not sure if such plans for a disaster even exist, if they do, the community doesn’t know about it, as most people I have spoken too are as much at a loss as I am about what to do in the event of a disaster. It would also be helpful if our community could be given some knowledge on existing disaster management plans. Should something happen I feel strongly that more lives might be spared as a result of adequate planning.

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People at the moment would have no idea what to do, and while there are some open fields in the area people couldn’t stand there during a massive storm or flood. I was inspired to think about this when I read all the posts by people in the Bluff bemoaning of any adequate plans for their areas after the Engen refinery explosion on 4 December.

Forgotten

I feel as if we as a community, made up of so many people struggling just to survive have been forgotten and it breaks my heart to think this might be true.

Why can the community not take on some volunteers and train them with basic medical aid and disaster management? While I honestly hope and pray our area never has a need for such a plan, I would hate to see my friends and neighbours harmed if there isn’t anyone to help them in the event of a disaster.

Charlene Munro

Seaview