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Annerley School Kids Become Walking Reminders of Road Safety

Drivers in Annerley are receiving creative reminders about road safety from school kids. Junction Park State School has taken up the initiative to have its students wear 40km speed sign backpacks. Apparently, this new trend has been made compulsory by the school to avoid road accidents and help keep the students safe.

The new school policy is in line with the latest road safety campaign of the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF). Called “Safely Backpacks”, the campaign aims to remind Brisbane drivers to be mindful when driving along school zones. By sporting a backpack that clearly shows the 40km speed sign, students become the walking reminders of road safety. The ARSF hopes that drivers are encouraged to travel “at the right speed.”

The latest national safety statistics report on Australian road deaths reveals that there were 1,296 road deaths in 2016. For 2017, 263 deaths have already been recorded for the first quarter. The Department of Infrastructure and Transport also keeps track of areas where road accidents often occur. These areas, among others, include schools, driveways to home, and streets or highways. Days with heavy number of incidents are reportedly Mondays to Fridays.

Annerley School Gets Involved

The alarming numbers of road accidents led the concerned school staff of Annerley’s Junction Park State School to coordinate with the ARSF in getting their students involved in raising awareness on responsible and safe driving. On the 18th of April, ARSF campaign bags were handed out to prep students, who were also required to use them. Christine Wood, the institution’s principal, said that their school is “excited to be a part of this new initiative which will help save kids’ lives.” According to her, parents should now feel safer when sending their kids to school. Ms Wood is encouraging other schools in Australia to join the ARSF cause.

Walking Reminders

Russell White, founder and CEO of the ARSF explained how their foundation wants kids to “make it to school safely.” Thus, through their latest campaign, they are calling on drivers, not just in Annerley, to regulate their speed when in school zones. Mr White stresses the importance of having all drivers do their part in staying within the speed limits, for a “safer, stronger and more resilient” community.

According to him, thousands of motorists in school zones have been caught speeding in the past months, blatantly putting the community in danger. ARSF’s Safely Backpacks will be walking reminders that will hopefully lead drivers to drive more carefully to prevent accidents.

To learn more about the Safely Backpacks campaign, interested citizens may contact ARSF via hotline (1300 723 843) or email (info@australianroadsafetyfoundation.com).

Click here to know more about the ARSF.

Photo Credit: Featured Image from http://www.australianroadsafetyfoundation.com

Annerley’s Sizzler Feared to be Closed

Just months since Collins Foods announced that it will be closing its restaurant in Toowong, the company has also decided to stop the food chain operations at Brookside in Mitchelton and at Kogarah in Sydney. Now, many locals in Annerley fear that their neighbourhood Sizzler will follow suit.

KFC comes in as Sizzler goes out?

Late last year, a development application was presented to the Brisbane City Council proposing a “new freestanding fast food restaurant with a drive thru.” According to the application, Annerley’s KFC would be developed and maintained, while Sizzler will apparently be “removed.” Collins Foods has 121 KFC restaurants in Queensland and is the largest franchisee in Australia.

To date, however, there has not been any final word yet on the fate of Sizzler’s Annerley restaurant. In an interview with other members of the media, a spokeswoman said that it is “business as usual” for now at the neighbourhood’s Sizzler store.

“Collins Foods Limited is reviewing the best usage of its Annerley Sizzler restaurant site and is working with Council on this part of its long-term business planning,” she continued. According to her, they are yet to finalise their plans. Proposed changes, if any, would definitely be made known not just to their team members but also to their customers.

What happened to Sizzler?

“Sizzler was a brand of its time and stuck in the past,” said Francis Loughran, food consultancy firm Future Food’s Managing Director. “Sizzler created friendly family restaurants that represented value for money, great service and easy parking. But the market changed and the customers who visit Sizzler is shrinking,” he added.

With many new and more appetizing choices popping out from the menus of more and more family dining establishments, the food chain industry has become a whole lot competitive than it was before. According to Mr Loughran, customers are finding Sizzler boring now from the store’s “never changing menu fatigue.” Feedback from customers seem to reflect this, as well.

“It was looking cold, there wasn’t much change about it and the food was always the same. I think buffet places are past their sell-by-date. Nowadays, I prefer Italian and Chinese restaurants.” — Mr Watson

Although the food chain’s owners continue to claim that the restaurant brand will not be phased out in Australia, they have admitted that they are “no longer investing in the group,” particularly in this country’s market. They have also announced that Collins Foods will focus instead on Sizzler stores in Asia where Australian-owned and All-American diners are still a big hit. In the coming weeks, there will only be an estimated 16 Sizzler establishments left throughout the Australian food chain industry.

Will Sizzler at Annerley survive the axe? Folks in the area will just have to wait and see.

Photo Credit: TripAdvisor.com

Anneley Collector Sets Up Photography Evolution Exhibit

Sit.Pose.Snap exhibition focuses on photographers in history rather than the photos.

An Annerley doctor who has collected over 40,000 photographs has set up a photography exhibition showcasing the story of photography in Brisbane from 1850-1950.

Marcel Safier has collaborated with Museum of Brisbane curator Phil Manning to come up with the exhibition titled ‘Sit.Pose.Snap. Brisbane Portrait Photography 1850-1950.’

Mr Safier sorted through his massive collection of photographs and of the thousands of images, 340 photographs are being presented in the Museum of Brisbane exhibit.

Because of his love for photography and his huge collection of old photographs, Mr Safier is considered among the most significant collectors of Australian portrait photography.

Mr Safier started his love for photography when he first used his mother’s Box Brownie. At the age of 15, he first got hold of old family photographs. This inspired him to research the story of the photographers behind the collection.

Of the thousands of photographs in his collection, most are Australian, but there are also photos from Britain, New Zealand and other countries.

A Journey Back in Time

The Sit.Pose.Snap exhibition takes visitors back in time to show how photography started in Brisbane. But instead of simply presenting his collection of old photographs, the display will focus more on the figures behind the camera.

With the help of Mr Safier’s collection, guests coming to the City Hall can imagine how in 1850, a travelling salesman came to Brisbane and changed the way locals make portraits. The salesman offered portraits using the daguerreotype method, where the framed image was produced on glass.

Eastman Kodak’s Box Brownie gave everyday people the capability to take their own photos.

The exhibit will follow the story of the evolution of local photography, including when cameras became available commercially. With the introduction of Eastman Kodak’s Box Brownie, the common people started to take their own photographs.

The people behind the exhibit hope that through the display, visitors can get a better understanding of how photography has changed through time.

The exhibit is open to the public from March 24 to July 30, 2017, from 10am until 5pm daily. Entrance is free of charge. For more information, visit the Museum of Brisbane website.

Council Seeks Public Feedback on Bike Safety

Brisbane City Council will be consulting the community regarding cyclist safety on one of the most dangerous roads for bike riders in Annerley.

Starting March, the council will request the community and cycling groups to provide feedback on the plans and designs of the bikeway that will be built to ensure the safe commute of cyclists. This is part of the council’s initiative called the Woolloongabba Bikeway Project, which involves investment of $11 million for the upgrade of Annerley Road and the Stanley St Corridor

The project is part of the Better Bikeways 4 Brisbane program, wherein the city council will spend $100-million in a span of four years. The Woolloongabba project aims to give cyclists with a safe and continuous bikeway as they travel on Annerley Rd and Stanley St.

Councillor Nicole Johnston of Tennyson expressed that the planned cycleway needs to be extended. She said that there is a need to look into ways the project can properly connect with the southern suburb bikeways.

Visit Brisbane City Council’s website to learn more about the bikeway project.

Last Stage of Veloway Cycleway Project Underway

Construction has begun on the final phase of the Veloway Cycleway Stage D, which will serve cyclists from Annerley, Greenslopes and Buranda.

This is a welcome development for those on the southern side of Brisbane who choose a healthier and more environmentally friendly way of heading to their destination.

The Veloway 1 (V1) is a 3-metre wide cycleway that connects bikers from Brisbane CBD to the Gateway Motorway off-ramp at Eight Mile Plains. The project is divided into five stages, with 3 of them already completed and in use. V1 will provide 17km of safe and dedicated bike lane for cyclists.

Stage D should be completed in late 2017, provided it will not be delayed by unfriendly weather conditions or other construction hiccups. It will run from Lewisham St. in Greenslopes up to O’Keefe St. in Buranda.

Once Stage D is completed, the proposal is to proceed with Stage E, which will run from Birdwood Road in Holland Park West to Gaza Road in Tarragindi. Stage E is currently subject to funding.

To get more details about the project, visit the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads website.