This document should be read in association
with the Society's Bays and Foreshores
Policy and the mission statement of the
Blackwattle
Cove Coalition.
The draft Policy Statement below was
presented to the Glebe Society Management Committee meeting on 14 March
2007. If there are no objections from members the draft will become official
policy. Please send any comments to the Secretary.
The Glebe Society is one of the contributing members
of the Blackwattle Cove Coalition which is comprised of the community
and commercial representatives from Pyrmont, Ultimo and Glebe. Its aim
is to work in consultation with the Wentworth Sporting Park Complex Trust,
the City of Sydney and the various State Government Departments involved
in planning the future of the Blackwattle Bay foreshores and contiguous
areas, particularly Wentworth Park (an area referred to as "Blackwattle
Cove").
Wentworth Park
Wentworth Park is the largest and most important public recreational space
for Glebe and the adjacent suburbs of Pyrmont and Ultimo. It was designed
by James Jones under the supervision of Charles Moore, curator of the
Royal Botanical Gardens, and was opened in the 1882 as a "public
recreation space in perpetuity".
At that time, with its lake, rotunda and gardens,
it was used by thousands of local residents and was second only in beauty
to the Royal Botanical Gardens. Over time the Park has been taken over
by special interest groups, has fallen into disrepair and has been alienated
from use by local residents.
The Glebe Society believes that ultimately Wentworth
Park should be returned as a recreational space for use by the increasing
number of residents in the adjacent suburbs.
The Society's policy on Wentworth Park is as follows:
1. In the longer term, the entire Park should
be placed under the control and management of a single authority. Adequate
funds should be provided for the ongoing maintenance of the Park. No part
of the Park should be subject to the control of a special interest group.
2. In accordance with the Crown Lands Act, the
Wentworth Park Sporting Trust has granted a licence to the Greyhound Breeders,
Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) and the National Coursing Association
(NCA) which permits greyhound racing at certain times within the Sporting
Complex. Those greyhound organisations have a right to renew this licence
once more for another 20 years in 2007. Therefore Greyhounds have a right
to operate in the Sporting Complex until 2027. In the meantime BCC will
attempt to work with the racing clubs and the Sporting Complex Trust to
achieve greater public access to the central section of the park, and
physical changes to this section aimed at visually reuniting the park
and creating a less alienating environment.
3. Following community consultation, a Plan of
Management for Wentworth Park should be adopted and implemented. The Plan
should address the following and incorporate short term and long term
concepts:
a. Eventual removal of all non-heritage buildings
and structures in the short term and in the long term the removal of the
grandstand.
b. Restoration of the railway viaduct (so that
all under-arch in-fills are removed) in the short term.
c. Restoration and suitable adaptive reuse of
historic buildings. This may involve their use to support the recreational
activities in the Park.
d. Redesign of the northern section of the park,
Bridge Road, and the Blackwattle Bay wharves so the park links directly
with the foreshore walkway and Fish Market
e. Preparation of a complete landscape design
for the park, including the location and selection of tree plantings,
walkways and sporting ovals.
f. Development of safe and easy pedestrian access
to the park from each of the adjacent suburbs, particularly Pyrmont and
Ultimo.
g. Car parking should be prohibited within the
boundaries of the park.
h. An ongoing community consultation to ensure
that a wide range of recreational uses for the Park is maintained. The
communities' needs vary from passive quiet areas where residents can relax,
to active recreational sections that could include jogging tracks and
ovals.
Blackwattle Bay Foreshore
The Society's Bays and Foreshores policy covers Blackwattle Bay. Specific
issues identified by BCC that the Society agrees should be addressed as
a priority are:
