Campaign Diary - October
Letter from Clover Moore MP, Lord Mayor of Sydney - 12 October 2006
A member of our forestlodgetrees community group has received a letter from the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore MP, dated 12 October, providing an update on Council's action.
The Lord Mayor wrote:
On 18 September, the City resolved to continue opposing State Government plans to sell off parkland at 9 Alfred Road, Forest Lodge. I enclose a copy of Council's resolution. I urge you to send the same strong message to the State Government to keep the site in public ownership.
I share your concerns about the State Government's plans to sell off public land. For many years now, the State Government has pursued urban consolidation policies that have resulted in high population densities in the inner-city, with many residents having no backyard or access to private open space. The State Government is not meeting its responsibility to contribute to the costs of its urban consolidation policies and the Metropolitan Strategy to ensure there is adequate public open space to meet the needs of residents.
In contrast, since the 2004 election the City has set about systematically addressing the needs of Glebe through an investment of more than $60 million. The City is revitalising the area with the proposed Glebe Point Road upgrade, the Foley Park upgrade and the City's broader social programs and marketing initiatives to build on the unique character of Glebe. The development of the Public Art Commissioning Process provides an unprecedented opportunity to integrate art in the street upgrade to celebrate the distinctiveness of Glebe.
The City also recently purchased land in the Orphan School Creek area which will result in a further 8,000msq open space and a cohesive and accessible link to the Glebe Foreshore.
The City's CEO, Monica Barone, has met with the Department of Lands to seek the Government's commitment to retain the land at 9 Alfred Street in public ownership. Council offered to maintain the land on behalf of the State Government or to have the land transferred to Council at a peppercorn rate for use as a publicly accessible open space.
But the State Government must meet its responsibilities, as the City cannot cover the cost alone and ratepayers money should not be spent to re-buy public land. The City will continue to push for a responsible State Government approach and I urge you to demand the State Government to respond. You can write to the Hon. Tony Kelly MLC, Minister for Lands, Level 34 Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place Sydney NSW 2000 to ensure this land is kept in public ownership.
Letter from Sandra Nori MP, Member for Port Jackson - 6 October 2006
Sandra Nori MP has written to let us know she has forwarded on to the Minister for Lands, Tony Kelly MLC, a copy of the letter that the Owners' Corporation at 77 Hereford Street wrote to Minister Kelly after their AGM. [See blog entry below "AGM of the Owners' Corporation confirms intention to pursue campaign for public open space"]. Ms Nori has asked that he prepare a response and will write again as soon as she has received a response.
A member of our forestlodgetrees community group has received a letter from the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore MP, dated 12 October, providing an update on Council's action.
The Lord Mayor wrote:
On 18 September, the City resolved to continue opposing State Government plans to sell off parkland at 9 Alfred Road, Forest Lodge. I enclose a copy of Council's resolution. I urge you to send the same strong message to the State Government to keep the site in public ownership.
I share your concerns about the State Government's plans to sell off public land. For many years now, the State Government has pursued urban consolidation policies that have resulted in high population densities in the inner-city, with many residents having no backyard or access to private open space. The State Government is not meeting its responsibility to contribute to the costs of its urban consolidation policies and the Metropolitan Strategy to ensure there is adequate public open space to meet the needs of residents.
In contrast, since the 2004 election the City has set about systematically addressing the needs of Glebe through an investment of more than $60 million. The City is revitalising the area with the proposed Glebe Point Road upgrade, the Foley Park upgrade and the City's broader social programs and marketing initiatives to build on the unique character of Glebe. The development of the Public Art Commissioning Process provides an unprecedented opportunity to integrate art in the street upgrade to celebrate the distinctiveness of Glebe.
The City also recently purchased land in the Orphan School Creek area which will result in a further 8,000msq open space and a cohesive and accessible link to the Glebe Foreshore.
The City's CEO, Monica Barone, has met with the Department of Lands to seek the Government's commitment to retain the land at 9 Alfred Street in public ownership. Council offered to maintain the land on behalf of the State Government or to have the land transferred to Council at a peppercorn rate for use as a publicly accessible open space.
But the State Government must meet its responsibilities, as the City cannot cover the cost alone and ratepayers money should not be spent to re-buy public land. The City will continue to push for a responsible State Government approach and I urge you to demand the State Government to respond. You can write to the Hon. Tony Kelly MLC, Minister for Lands, Level 34 Governor Macquarie Tower, 1 Farrer Place Sydney NSW 2000 to ensure this land is kept in public ownership.
Letter from Sandra Nori MP, Member for Port Jackson - 6 October 2006
Sandra Nori MP has written to let us know she has forwarded on to the Minister for Lands, Tony Kelly MLC, a copy of the letter that the Owners' Corporation at 77 Hereford Street wrote to Minister Kelly after their AGM. [See blog entry below "AGM of the Owners' Corporation confirms intention to pursue campaign for public open space"]. Ms Nori has asked that he prepare a response and will write again as soon as she has received a response.
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8:11 PM
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