Callan Park’s future on hold

A decision on the future of Callan Park has been postponed until next month to give Leichhardt councillors more time to consider parking and traffic concerns.

The council resolved in February to hold an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday this week to adopt its draft master plan for the controversial site.

After exhibiting the plan for three months, the council received 91 submissions from the public, with a similar number of submissions sent to consultants working on the plan.

According to the council’s general manager Peter Head, most submissions were supportive and there was “virtually unanimous support” that mental health uses should continue on the site.

Concerns were raised about traffic and parking problems in nearby streets, prompting the council to commission a comprehensive study on these issues.

Due to the delay caused by this study, the Callan Park extraordinary meeting will now be held on July 19 at 7pm.

Among those who made submissions on the plan were the Leichhardt Bicycle Users Group and BIKESydney group, who urged the council to provide an “iconic, high quality and visible off-road cycle” route along the Balmain Road frontage, between Wharf Road and the Cecily Street main gate.

The council will spend the $5000 which was previously allocated to a light rail feasibility study which never took off to investigate building a cycle link across western Sydney.