My thinking is more in line with JT’s. Strata developments are people’s homes and, ideally, form a community of neighbours whose interests go beyond getting a monetary return on a monetary investment. I agree that OC management should be business-like but it should not be without emotion. When dealing with people who are your friends and neighbours, it is best to make some allowances for people’s odd preferences, foibles and sensitivities. That is no excuse for preferential treatment, improper process or disregard for strata legislation but we are dealing with people in their homes, not purely financial investments.
Where I am, we have installed various community facilities and they have been great successes. People love having these structures in place that facilitate meeting their neighbours. To the few owners who were unimpressed, I say ‘Even if you never use them, if nothing else, they have increased the value of your property.’ They were worthwhile enough for that reason but the return on investment of social capital has been far more valuable than the crude monetary value of a unit.