MEDIA COVERAGE
Residents campaign to save Water Rats site
Pyrmont and Ultimo residents have commenced a campaign to return the Water Police site at Elizabeth Macarthur Bay to public parkiand. The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) plans to sell the site for development by tender with the selected tenderer being offered a 99 year lease.
SHFA has conducted an extensive community consultation process on the future development of the site, culminating in an architectural design competition. In June, a judging panel which included community representative Geoffrey Twibill, selected a design concept submitted by Sydney based architects Engelen Moore as the winning design.
The proposed development consists of approximately 100 apartments with 1,200 square metres of commercial and retail uses within four buildings on the site. The scheme also provides approximately 5,000 square metres of open space.
On Saturday 5 July, 150 residents gathered at Pyrmont Point Parkon to protest against the development of the site.
The rally was organised by the newly formed group Friends of Pyrmont Point. Friends President Marcelle Hoff told The News that the group was formed following growing community frustration with the SHFA consultation process.
"SHEA gave residents a choice between development, development and more development. SHEA never let us tell them we wanted a Park,” Ms Hoff said.
In her speech to the rally, Ms Hoff described the Water Police site as the most significant publicly owned foreshore land in Pyrmont.
"It has a long and colourful history of public use. It stands at the convergence of bus, light rail, and future ferry stops making it one of the most accessible foreshore sites on Sydney Harbour. It should be retained as public open space, not just for residents, but for all of Sydney,” she said.
"Parks act as the lungs of the city. We should act before it’s too late and the city chokes to death. Pyrmont’s so-called Pocket Parks are no place for our children to play. Most of these parks are simply land that is worthless to developers. How dare the government call this quality open space?”
Other speakers at the rally included Greens MLC Sylvia Hale and Leichardt Councillor Hall Greenland. Cr Greenland, who was active in the campaign to save Callan Park, urged residents to be undaunted in their fight for no development on the site. “Do not be bullied by the Government’s tactics and games. They cannot win on reason, and they have underestimated how strong and determined People Power can be,” he said.
The proposed development was also discussed at the inaugural meeting of the new community group Pyrmont Action. The meeting voted overwhelmingly in support of the motion that “Pyrmont Action supporting the return of more open space in all of Pyrmont including the Water Police site as public open space”.
Ms Hoff acknowledged that many people thought it was too late to stop the development.
"We all just thought it was too late to stop this”, was the most common comment from many who attended the rally.
Ms Hoff is convinced however that the community will ultimately win this fight.
" The desperate need for more usable open space is a key issue in our community,” she said.
Friends of Pyrmont Point will hold their next public meeting at the Pyrmont Community Centre, Cnr John & Mount Sts., Pyrmont, on Monday 18 August at 7 pm.
August 2003 - The News
