Letters and more letters

Among the letters received by the campaign committee this week was one from
Dr Robert S Armstrong, President of The Glebe Society, to Tony Kelly. Dr Armstrong also undertook to follow up the issue with Council. He wrote:

I am writing as President of the Glebe Society Inc., to reaffirm the unreserved support of the Society for the retention of the above land as open space.

As it stands, it provides a necessary ‘lung’ for an urban region that is seriously short of open and treed space. The ten or so trees offer shelter and a mode of transit for a range of fauna. These mature trees provide a welcome relief to the closely built area as seen from across Glebe/Forest Lodge.

The use of this special reserve for further development would be contrary to all that is sensible in urban planning.

The Society strongly supports the resolution of the Council of the City of Sydney to seek to acquire this Crown land. We urge the Department of Lands to meet the Council’s offer by releasing this triangle of land at a cost consistent with its being declared as Public Open Space.

Letters published in the media recently include:
Mick Tapsell's letter to the editor - SMH -2/8/06
Now that we've had the tree planting day, how about a tree preservation day? We are still removing trees at a faster rate than we are planting them. If we really want to improve our overall environment, we must stop getting rid of trees unnecessarily. Keep the forest in forest Lodge, for example.

Louise Martin's recent letter to the editor - The Glebe
Congratulations to the local residents who were successful in their campaign to save Orphan School Creek Gully.
However what do Sydney City Council and the Department of Lands intend doing with the Crown land at the rear of 77 Hereford St?
The campaign to save this land for public open space has become more significant than ever.
Without these mature trees, the existing native birds and fauna will be lost in the time it takes to re-establish Orphan School Creek Gully. In addition, selling this land to developers will increase the urban density of an already over-crowded area, producing more pollution, parking and traffic problems. All that is required to save this Crown Land in Forest Lodge is for our council to represent the community and live the environmental values they so often speak of.

LETTERS FROM THE COMMUNITY WORK ... SO PLEASE KEEP THOSE LETTERS COMING NOW
Write or email
Clover Moore Lord Mayor of Sydney
Sydney Town Hall 483 George Street Sydney 2000.
email: cmoore@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
tel: 9265 9229 Fax: 9265 9328

• Ask her to ensure that Council officers continue discussions with the Department of Lands in the interests of the community.
• Remind her that the Minister is ready to negotiate and that this land has a vital role in improving the environmental health of our area.

Please cc your correspondence to:
Deputy Lord Mayor Verity Firth email: vfirth@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Councillor Robyn Kemmis: email: rkemmis@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Tony Kelly Minister for Lands
Level 34, Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place Sydney 2000
email: sharon.armstrong@lands.nsw.gov.au
tel: 9230 2528 fax: 9230 2530

• Thank him for putting the sale on hold and agreeing to look at all options.
• Ask him to pursue negotiations with Council and to ensure that the Department of Lands releases this land at a cost consistent with its being declared as Public Open Space.

Please cc this correspondence to Sandra Nori.

3. Sandra Nori MP 225 Parramatta Road Broadway 2007
email: Sandra.Nori@parliament.nsw.gov.au
tel: 9660 7586 fax: 9660 6112

• Thank her for making representations to Tony Kelly.
• Ask her to continue her work to ensure the land is preserved for the community as public open space.
  

Express your views at the COMMUNITY FORUM Thursday 10 August 6 - 8.30pm Glebe Town Hall.

And a BIG THANK YOU to all those who have already written!