Colorfully postcarded Sid Siddall, of the famous Slag Street, Broken Hill,-indispensable urgings for the timely month return. He hopes to get it back where it belongs soon. Acknowledgments Siddall is the same person who has lived on this street for more than half a century. Now, with serious health issues of his own, he’s terrified by the lack of the sign and the danger it presents to emergency services.
Siddall, who has Parkinson’s disease and experiences drop foot, said that it is difficult for him to lift the front part of his foot. He voiced his concerns about the lack of obvious street name markers. In a community of only three homes, the need for easy to recognize identifiers becomes even more urgent. Siddall had shared his concerns that without the distinctive street sign, emergency responders might experience further delays in navigating complicated and urgent situations.
“It takes them five minutes or more to find my house and, in that time, you can die,” Siddall said, highlighting the serious nature of his concerns. A failure to provide even a single sign could lead to tragic consequences. Keep in mind, he had a life-threatening fall in his own front yard three years ago that resulted in a broken arm.
Community Ties and Unique Identity
Slag Street now has a special identity within the community of Broken Hill. It derives its name from the slag heap that sits literally at its center. The slag heap itself is the city’s history, as a center of the Historical Fortunate City Class creation iron ore melting. Siddall remarked on the significance of the name: “I thought it was a good name, because all the streets in Broken Hill are named after minerals and I think it’s unique.”
Siddall moved with his wife, Janet, onto Slag Street in the 1970s. Collectively, they all shaped an incredible interconnected community with their neighbors. Bishop says that the small size of the street adds to the sense of community among residents. The lack of replacement sign to this day has really tested our newly found solidarity. Today, safety and emergency response fears are escalating.
The Challenge of Sign Theft
The issue of removed street signs is not unique to Broken Hill. After local resident Tom Kennedy argued that this is a recurring problem. Burden’s recommendation was to find a way to make the signs theft-proof. “There needs to be a way to secure the signs, so they don’t get taken every couple of months,” Kennedy stated. He offered a practical solution: “The council actually has those signs, so perhaps instead of stealing them you could go in [and buy them].”
Kennedy’s recommendations just the latest in a groundswell of community demand to restore such lost identifiers that double as important safety enhancers. He complained about being upset over theft of his signs. Even in that condescending way, he acknowledged the attraction that thieves imagine when looking to swipe the signs. “We should get replicas made. There needs to be something done, but I suppose part of the fun is taking the sign itself,” he added.
Seeking Solutions
Mr. Siddall has been energetic in his campaign to get his street sign back. Through it all, he stays confident that increasing community knowledge will help save Jacobs well. “Just leave the sign alone, it was a good sign,” he implored, emphasizing how vital these simple markers are for maintaining safety and identity.
Residents such as Siddall understand that their tiny community puts all its eggs in these gauges for way-finding and emergency response. The increasing trend in stolen signs is no joke. Community leaders and residents alike need to work together to improve safety and preserve the unique small-town charm of Slag Street.
