The Leichhardt Hardt Edition 16

Don't forget that this Saturday is Halloween - stock up on those lollies! May the costumes be inventive, the lolly wrappers find a bin and any tiny vampires share the footpath.

Fittingly, I found out this week that one of our busiest parks is a graveyard (see below, maybe after trick-or-treating...). And if you made it to the Festa, tell or show me your highlight (hit reply) and I'll aim to share in the next edition.

All the best for the week ahead,

Penny

It's Halloween this coming Saturday 31st. Have you decorated your house in anticipation of trick-or-treaters? Inner West Guide is mapping homes with Halloween treats or decorations across the area. You can add yours here. The Council is also running their inaugural "Spookiest House in the Inner West" competition, which you can enter here.

Speaking of Halloween, if you're walking through Pioneers Memorial Park this Halloween, here's something to think about: almost all of the 10,608 people buried here between 1868 and 1912 are still below your feet. The busy Norton Street playground and war memorial started life as Balmain Cemetery. A few families moved their loved ones, but when burials stopped, council knocked down the remaining headstones and packed them into the boundary wall. Next time you pass, have a slower look at that stonework along the edge. Those aren't just rocks. (Source: Inner West Council:Pioneers Memorial Park, Balmain Cemetery webpage)

The Norton Street Italian Festa hit its 40th anniversary last Sunday, set up under blue skies along Norton St in front of Pioneers Memorial Park. Locals gathered prior at the Town Hall to mark the 40th anniversary of the Festa, bringing together many of the people and organisations who've shaped it over the past decades. It was so good, Council announced that it will double its funding for the festival from next year! If you made it along, what was your highlight? Drop me a line (hit reply). (Source: Leichhardt Community FB Group, IWC's Instagram)

The other week we had someone ask about local board game groups. Avia wrote in to the Hardt to mention that Summer Hill Little BIG House also holds a free board games evening. Sessions take place on a Thursday evening between 5:30 and 9pm, hosted by Nathan, an Inner West local since 2012. It's a family-friendly setting aimed at social connection.

Also, if you've got a novel or poem draft gathering dust or just want an excuse to sit with your own words for a bit, there's a free weekly drop-in at the Little BIG House in Summer Hill. It runs every Thursday from 2-3:30pm: quick intros, an hour of silent writing, a brief check-in at the end. No critiques, no sharing. You can book here. (Source: Leichhardt Locals (Inner West NSW)

The upgraded playground at 36th Battalion Park in Leichhardt is now open. The new park was celebrated last week, complete with a ribbon-cutting, an ice cream truck and kids already testing the climbing equipment. $250,000 from Council's capital works program was put into the upgrade to replace deteriorating play equipment. Locals got a say on the new design during consultation last year, with one commentator calling it "a gem tucked away in a high density area." If you haven't wandered past yet, it's worth a look. (Source: IWC FB Page, IWC webpage)

If you've walked around the Bay, you've probably clocked the dragon boats and the big container on Canal Road. Tomorrow (Saturday 31 October), two clubs are throwing open the doors for a come-and-try. Sydney Zodiacs will take out keen young paddlers aged 10-18 earlier in the day, and Different Strokes is the adult club. Registration closes at midday today. If anyone capsizes, let me know! (Source: Leichhardt Community FB Group)

Feedback is sought on a proposed bicycle route running from Parramatta Road in Leichhardt through to Marrickville Park. The route map shows it threading through Petersham, past Lewisham and Petersham stations, along streets including Trafalgar St, West St and Livingstone Rd. This one has been on the drawing board since at least 2017, when Council first consulted on route options. Have your say via the Your Say IWC page. (Source: IWC FB Page)

Editor's note: I've been asking you who I should get in touch with to learn their story. One Hardt reader wrote in with a couple of suggestions below. I'm loving the pointers that have come in so far, please keep them coming! I've got some interview plans in the pipe and I'll be sure to share when ready.