Too many to be enjoyed
I attended the Winter Wonderlights at Sovereign Hill on Saturday the 14th, the day they had their record breaking attendance.
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It was a very expensive family outing, considering we couldn't see or do anything, most things were sold out, and we had to queue for long periods for everything, including the toilets.
I left the event disgusted, with my 3 year old daughter in tears, after being pushed and shoved through the enormous crowds, just trying to get out of there safely.
The lights looked like they would have been spectacular, had we not been so distressed and anxious about having our young children in such a large crowd.
We took at least 20 minutes to walk about 50 metres through a thick human soup down that main street, just desperate to get out of there.
They should have an urgent review on their venue capacity for the future, as to reduce the risk to public safety.
Their emergency management procedures could not possibly ensure that visitors and staff are safe in the event of an emergency with that number of people.
It seems that all the press about it is how good it was that they broke their attendance record, but I think they should just be very happy they came out of Saturday night without being in the world headlines because of a major disaster.
Emma Thomas, Herne Hill
High rise not the future
Memo to the Committee for Ballarat and all those advocating high rise development in Ballarat.
Are you aware that there are towns overseas whose economic prosperity is based upon the fact that building development is very strictly monitored and that the streetscape and vistas are substantially intact, and remain so?
These towns such as Rothenburg, Český Krumlov and Telc, to name only a few, have survived wars, sieges, oppressive regimes etc without much damage to the fabric of their built environment and are treasured globally by myriads of visitors for that reason.
They attract vast numbers of people who stay and spend in the towns.
Many films have been made in these towns as well further adding to the economic viability.
I can think of some easier low key solutions to make Ballarat more liveable that do not involve property development and directing profits to individuals.
1) Like Bendigo, the free wifi should reach inside all the station buildings.
2) Again let's channel Europe and the UK and have wifi available on the long distance trains. This will enable work commutes for all.
3) Let's have local public transport working later into the night, given that many people do not finish work in Melb until 6 or 7 pm and then take the train home.
4) What about making Little Bridge Street Bus Station more friendly for female travellers, given the huge concern with the difficulties of women moving freely at night in the wake of the tragic death of Eurydice Dixon? Either move the popular food van closer to the bus stop or the bus station closer to the supermarkets, in both cases putting the busses where there is more action and people.
Why can't we made those ugly carparks more attractive and better lit, stringing lights across like Fed Square, as both an art feature and as a safety feature.
Juliette Peers, Ballarat
Signal solutions?
The Courier has enquired into V/Line's myriad signal faults without reaching firm conclusions (‘Signal faults to blame’ but what does that actually mean?, Courier 14/7). The dictionary defines 'signal' as striking, remarkable or characteristic and I believe that V/Line uses the term in this sense.
My suggestion is that a man with a red flag should walk in front of a train beset by signal faults until it reaches a point where the faults are somewhat less signal and it is able to proceed at a better pace. This would be preferable to leaving the train immobile for hours on end while V/Line contemplates the faults in signal bewilderment.
Andrew Hackett, Creswick