Chess initiative in Pyrmont to promote an active community

Remember the giant chess board that featured in the first Harry Potter movie? This scene is being uprooted from screens and translated into real life by local organisation Pyrmont Action Group, who plans to make use of dead space by creating a life sized chess board in John Street Square.

Although considerably more modest than anything at Hogwarts, a space akin to that provided in Hyde Park for chess enthusiasts is a bright idea in an area which, although originally designed as active community space, remains a bleak, cemented vacancy.

Elizabeth Elenius of the PAG explained that the reinvigoration of John Street Square was part of a proposal to the City of Sydney council in 2006, however it is one of 6 projects yet to be addressed.

“We envisage that a cultural heart for Pyrmont is best located on the corner of Fig and Wattle Streets,” said Ms Elenius.

“The PAG have already had one public workshop, that will address the long term outstanding needs for cultural space and sporting activities in Pyrmont, but in the short term we see opportunities for the Square to be made more usable for residents. We do have Pyrmont Sings, a community vocal group, a book exchange and a library link but there are perhaps other things to achieve in the existing space that we have.”

Ms Eleniu also said that the pub located opposite John Street Square had been “extraordinarily cooperative” with the idea, as a communal chess board may accommodate patrons dislocated by overcrowding at the Pyrmont Point Hotel. But although on going dialogue continues between the council and the PAG, the council still controls that space.

“Until we hear from them what might be possible we don’t know if the project can go ahead,” said Ms Elenius.

Fellow PAG member Leoni Huntsman said the chess board would be a simple yet important development in reintroducing more traditional forms of entertainment which revolve around community interaction in the outdoors.

“One of the biggest challenges for people raising children today is to get them off that obsessive focus with electronic games,” said Mrs Huntsman.

“People need these modest, incidental interactions with others, or they run the risk of losing touch with the world around them.”