A month ago, most of us were on holidays, soaking up gorgeous weather somewhere, and enjoying some nice, peaceful time before the kids went back to school and we went back to work.

But since February it feels like a bad-news asteroid has hit the Highlands and shattered our idyllic existence.

The Vinnies stoush has blown up big time, with Bowral now a township under siege (there’s a stack of letters on page 8 and 35 more comments on the website at bowral.yourguide.com.au).

That followed the discovery of a man’s body in a burnt-out car at Mount Murray, the second murder case launched in the area inside nine months.

Now comes startling allegations that Council may have estimated the cost of covering Bowral Pool in excess of $11 million (see brief on page 4).

If this is true, and we’ll be finding that out over the next few days, I don’t think the community will stand for it.

When the muddied leisure centre poll was held at the last council elections (in September 2008), many people were swayed by several candidates who argued that the council would not be able to afford the $20 million-plus leisure centre pricetag.

Well, $11 million would have gone a long way to covering much of that over-estimated cost.

The News continues to see references of residents wanting the lesiure centre idea refloated - in reader surveys, letters, comments, etc.

With the recent release of the 2031+ community action plan, Council may be obliged to investigate the proposal again - if that’s what the people say they want. Stay tuned.