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 Policy Statement was presented to the Glebe Society Management Committee meeting on 14 March 2007, and was subsequently published in the Bulletin.

 

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:

* Sympathetic development of the B1, B2 and B3 sites (Blackwattle Bay wharves located on Bridge Road) that incorporates:

1. public access to the foreshore;
2. a continuation of the foreshore walk; and
3. linkage between the park, foreshore and the harbour in terms of access and in terms of site lines.
* Sympathetic development of the Bank Street and Sydney Fish Market sites.