Includes readings for the past week
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View PMB's current weather status Includes readings for the past week |
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My first experience of living in a complex (gated community) occurred around 1999 when I had tired of spending 16 years cutting a huge lawn in Hayfields. It did not help that the property was on a corner and was blessed with a really generous verge. The sectional title complex we moved into had a fair sized house on a not so large stand. I would basically maintain the whole garden by completing a 3-hour shift on a Saturday morning. Unfortunately the love of my life wanted a bigger house. After a couple of years I had grown tired of the Body Corporate (BC) wanting to paint our windows etc. So we moved into the then newly constructed home that we now live in that was located within in a (mini-sub) complex that was being established at the time. Of course we still had neighbours and a BC, but then you cannot have it all. We also once again had a large (yet to be developed) garden, but this time there was literally no verge. Up until last year developing and maintaining the garden was a primary retirement occupation. I had always done the gardening and so it was no big deal. In fact looking back now, I have to admit I enjoyed it. So much so that while I was the complex "chair" about ten years ago, I even did some gardening for the complex out on the complex verge.
A year ago I ended up on the complex's management committee and a couple of months ago decided that there were some things that really needed doing. So I tried to initiated what needed to be done by working through the committee. Unfortunately the lines of communication, my style, or both were not what they ought to be. You know, problems with email, whatsapp and what have you. So sometimes I make a suggestion and I get no reply. Given that what I am trying to achieve is going nowhere I need to see the writing on the wall and call it quits. So to tidy up some loose ends this morning, I swept the main drive down at the main gate, basically mud that has accumulated there as a result of one of the residents cleaning a unit driveway, or so I would guess. I also cleaned the drain that was installed not so long ago to allow the water that accumulates there when it rains, to drain away. (The water accumulates there because the driveway has sunk and so the water running down the main drive does not get diverted into the main driveway drain that was there from the start, and was also blocked. I believe the BC should now consider replacing the pipe servicing the auxiliary drain with a large pipe, no longer enclose the auxiliary drain's gully with pavers and do something to ensure that the water that runs down the main drive during heavy rain is diverted into the mani driveway drain.
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I sincerely believe that the levy should be increased to cover the cost of employing someone to come in on a regular basis and attend to various items on the common property. My understanding is that currently Time to Garden does come on to the property to blow the leaves off the bridge. I would to suggest that this be extended to keeping the drains clean, keeping the post box area tidy, attending to the palm trees in order that they remain presentable, and also maintain the garden that runs along the wall of Unit 11.
When extra cash became available I through the Management Committee organised to have some of this stuff done. The garden along the main wall was also attended to. The biggest item was of course the Bougainvillaea at the to corner of the main drive that was grossly overgrown. Hopefully by the time this blog is posted it will have been attended to, and will have been persuaded that the ongoing maintenance that I have referred to here will be dealt with by a third party as a service.
If you have any comments, corrections, suggestions or plain criticism, I would appreciate it if you would communicate the same to me.
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Google+ | www.robdempster.com |
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