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Southbank residents group

Southbank residents group
Tony Penna

Welcome to winter!

I don’t know about you, but for me, some of my best experiences of Melbourne come through winter.

Recently something that has really irked me is seeing the abandoned shopping trolleys that often litter our streets. These metal monstrosities, which are often found blocking our walkways or buried in an inch of mud on the grassy sidewalks, are unsightly and just a plain nuisance. 

It does however really bamboozle me with how they get there. I have great difficulties imagining someone pushing a trolley full of groceries all the way from South Melbourne. Is that really how they get there? Although I was really taken back recently when I saw one from Costco, and another from Toys R Us. The nearest Toys R Us store must be in Chadstone or maybe Highpoint!

I am one of those conscientious citizens that makes the most out of living in a suburb such as Southbank insofar that Southbank allows me, by choice, not to own a car so I generally ride the community RACV sponsored blue push-bikes or walk (as I often do)! 

Owing to this, I get to see the state of our streets and the real effects of development or in some places, the lack thereof. Therefore, shopping trolleys are a “normal” and unfortunately regular encounter on my travels. I take it in my stride though and often make a note to report the stray trolley and, from my experience, they are generally collected within 24 hours.

However the reason for my writings on this subject is that there is one company which makes it such a complicated process to report its lost assets. This company is Aldi – the very company which is trying to engage with the community through its alternative supermarket model. 

The only way to report its lost shopping trolleys is to call. While I have no problems with this, when you must wait in excess of 10 minutes it becomes unacceptable but then, when the trolley is still there several weeks later and you need to call again and wait in excess of 10 minutes for a second time, I think one has to draw a line with the cost of 20 minutes of my time to do THEM a favour. 

I am sorry Aldi, but I refuse to report your trolleys anymore but, moreover, I am sorry to the community for not being able spare the time to work with the bureaucracies of Aldi to clean our streets of another stray shopping trolley.

On another note, Southbank Residents Group will be holding a members meeting to provide an update to the workings of the committee covering its first six months in office. Even if you are not a member, you are welcome to attend. You may be inspired to become a member and support the efforts of your local community organisation. Hope to see you on June 18 at Boyd Community Hub/Library, 207 City Rd at 6pm.

If anyone thinks they would like to be a part of this dynamic organisation and has the skills to assist the committee by becoming a committee member you are encouraged to make yourself known. In particular a secretary would be most beneficial at present.

If you have any shopping trolley experiences you would like to share, please send them to us on our community Facebook page - Southbank Residents Group

Hope to see you on the 18th.

Tony Penna
President

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