While a few fairy tales might have been promulgated around the sale of Rosehill Racecourse, it’s great to see Cinderella has not lost her famous golden slipper this time around. (“The Nays have it”, DT, 28/5). Congratulations to Premier Chris Minns for thinking big in his approach to solving the housing crisis, but there is surely a cheaper option which allows Western Sydney to continue to enjoy the Rosehill Racecourse, home of the non-fanciful Golden Slipper since 1957. With the leadership of Peter Vlandys and the success of so many of his projects like the Everest, it was surely a tough sell to claim Racing NSW was cash-strapped or in trouble. South of the racecourse is the suburb of Clyde, half the size, but already well served with public transport and easily added as a station for the Metro. Much of this suburb is disused, with limited industrial activity. The cost of refurbishment (should industrial pollution be evident) would surely be well short of $5bn. Bringing vitality, young families and recreational services to a “dead” part of town is surely preferential than attacking beautiful, historic suburbs with genteel elegance and social harmony, undeserving of “desperate” planning. The best solutions are indeed inclusive, fair, well reasoned and (in politics) often everyone’s second choice. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta 29May2025
