Council scuttles skate park
Council has abandoned plans to build a skate park under the Western Distributor at Millers Point after opposition from residents.
Clover Moore, who had been a strong supporter of the park, reversed her position in a Lord Mayoral Minute presented shortly before Council’s meeting on 15 March.
Councillor Chris Harris (Greens), who lives near the site, had also supported the park and is angry at its demise.
“It was a total abuse of Clover Moore’s power and proper procedure and the Minute she gave us was actually untrue,” he said.
Cr Moore, explaining the reversal, said: “Issues raised by residents range from noise, graffiti and anti-social behaviour to concerns that the site is too small to provide real skater interest and could lead to more illegal skating in adjacent Millers Point that damages sensitive heritage areas.”
The skate park would also “be affected by the City’s new separated cycleway along Kent Street between Druitt Street and the Harbour Bridge.”
Cr Harris denies this: “The site is actually a separate area off the pedestrian link between Kent and York – the only conflict will be between the cyclists and pedestrians at the end of Kent St and in the underpass.”
“Clover Moore also gives oxygen to this “anti-social behaviour” claim which is just pure prejudice according to Cr Harris. There was no supporting evidence of that – Waterloo [skate park] has been operating for a couple of years now so we would have all the complaints data on hand if there was any,” he said.
Cr Moore also claimed the Millers Point site would interfere with the pedestrian link between Barangaroo and Wynyard.
The site has had a controversial history. It was long used as a camp by homeless people, well sheltered from rain, until they were evicted.
Cr Moore listed skate facilities already built or upgraded by Council at Waterloo, Federal Park Glebe, Ward Park Surry Hills and Redfern Oval.
Council will now resume the search for a suitable CBD site.
by Michael Gormly
