Normanhurst Parents, it's Up to You Now

Last week I spoke to a reporter from the Hornsby Advocate about our parking problems on Normanhurst Road in front of our school.  Both my girls have been walking around with a huge smile on their faces because the three of us had our picture taken and put in the paper.  Keeping in kind with my luck, we spent two days cleaning the inside of the house and the photographer decided to take our picture outside, next to my filthy car.  Of course, he did.  At this point I expect nothing less.

This is the second story she has written about our school, the parking dramas, and our arguing with council.  Some of you may recall some of the trouble I got into last year with some parents because I "didn't get my way about the parking!"  Well here we are again. One last hurrah.

Do you want to return to being allowed to park in front of the school to pick up children as we were able to before council stepped in and changed the signs? Can you handle the compromise of creating a kiss and drop, with clearly marked signs 10 or 15 minutes and allow older children to walk down to you? 

Or is it better to have everyone taking laps around a congested block with 3 schools emptying at the same time.  Perhaps park down by shops, taking up business parking and walk up? Is it OK for rangers to only ever come onto Normanhurst Rd at 2:55?  Why are the rangers only looking at people parking in that one section, never noticing people stopping next to or even in the cross walk?

Please remember that we used to be able to park right next to the school.  That parking was legal, park any time until 2 years ago when we asked for help stopping people with no school business parking there. Council's solution was a blanket sign to remove all traffic and that clearly doesn't help us. I'm sure it's very effective at  schools located on large open properties. However we are a small school bounded by a major highway, an over 55 community and located on a main street to the train. Cookie cutter solutions will not work here.  

Instead of looking at our specific solution we were handed these generic signs.  Complaining parents were told, "You got the signs you asked for" or my favorite, "What's wrong, too good to walk?"  Parents were vilified by the government for not simply accepting what we were handed. Most of us have felt sorely punished for having the gall to ask for help in the first place.

It's time now to say something back to Hornsby Council.  Agreeing with me on the street corner and by email is wonderful and I truly appreciate your support. Unfortunately it's not enough to change anything. If you do agree with me and want council to remember that they work for the people and not the other way around, please email them. Let them know that we want real help and nothing else is acceptable.

The three council members who represent Ward B which our little school resides in were approached by the Hornsby Advocate. All three have stated that they are willing to listen to concerns about the parking changes in Nornmanhurst.  If there is going to be a change made; as in returning to allowing parents to park in front of the school, it starts with these people.  

Here are their email addresses: 

Nick Berman nberman@hornsby.nsw.gov.au 
Robert Browne rbrowne@hornsby.nsw.gov.au 
Gurdeep Singh gsingh@hornsby.nsw.gov.au

Let us not forget the new Mayor:

The Honorable Steve Russell srussell@hornsby.nsw.gov.au

Speak up or forever hold your peace.