Inner West Residents Weigh In On $500 Million Infrastructure Fund
Image: Callan Park / Facebook
The Inner West Council wants input on how to spend its newly-announced $500 million infrastructure fund – and locals have many ideas.
It is proposed that the money be spent over 15 years. The fund is associated with a new ‘Building Our Community’ campaign to identify infrastructure investment priorities over the period of its expenditure.
The Council has also related it to the recently-adopted ‘Our Fairer Future’ plan to build more homes. Funds will be drawn from both the existing infrastructure budget and development contributions paid by developers through the housing plan.
Mayor promises biggest ever investment in local infrastructure
Mayor Darcy Byrne said that the infrastructure fund “will allow for the biggest investment in Inner West facilities ever undertaken.”
“We want to include our whole community in planning for the infrastructure needs of local people over the long term.”
Byrne announced a “large-scale community consultation campaign” which will involve “teams out on the streets talking to thousands of locals about how we can make the Inner West an even better place to live.”
“While we already have some of the best parks, playgrounds, pools and community spaces in Sydney, this new large-scale investment will improve the amenity and quality of life in our neighbourhoods even further.”
Residents eager to suggest investments
Reaching out using Facebook, the City Hub found that many locals were extremely eager to opine on how the fund should be spent. Many suggestions were put forward, with conflicting views expressed.
Ellis Bou-Harb argued for more cycleways. “One common issue raised with new development is the increase in traffic – but we don’t have to have more traffic when more people move to an area.”
“We only get more traffic if we have more cars, and more trips taken by car.”
Bou-Harb would “love to see a proper network of cycleways built, so that people of all ages and ability levels can independently travel to school, work, shops, et cetera without being forced to drive.” He pointed to the development of bikelines in the neighbouring City of Sydney.
“At the moment, our roads are too dangerous for most people to consider riding a bike or using a mobility cart to go about their business.”
Not all agree. Peter Skirlis wants to “get rid of bike lanes” on the basis that they cause traffic and are insufficiently used. He also suggested that all units should have an associated parking space upon construction.
Caroline Buckingham said that more community carparks “would be a good start, both to replace the current well-used amenities being flogged off to developers, and for the tens of thousands of new residents moving in.”
“The infrastructure fund, I feel, is a lame attempt to get existing people in the area excited about the Inner West Council going high-rise. Mental health services and hospitals are already strained and have been crying out for more funding, yet that won’t be covered in this $500 million fund, a piece of the puzzle we desperately need now and into the future.”
Tempe is located on the southern edge of the Council area. Local resident Anne-Marie Allen said that it “used to have a great dog park, but this was moved to Tempe Reserve as an interim measure during the build of the Gateway.”
Now that the work is complete,“the old dog park sits like a wasteland,” having becoming a “dumping ground” for rubbish. This is despite a promised upgrade.
Local association pours hot water on fund
The Better Future Coalition, an association of community groups critical of the Council housing plan, is also sceptical of the fund.
“That $500 million doesn’t exist yet. It is an imaginary fund that will arrive in dribs and drabs over the next 15 years,” the group said.
“It’s projected future revenue from developer contributions tied to the 35,000–40,000 new apartments from stage one of the Fairer Future Plan, which is overwhelmingly concentrated in Leichhardt, Ashfield, Marrickville and Dulwich Hill.”
The Council says that its housing plan aims to protect heritage and community character which would be threatened by state-led development.
“Not a single dollar has been received. The Fairer Future Plan hasn’t even come into effect.”
The Coalition asked, “why are they calling for how to spend the money across the entire LGA, instead of supporting the communities that are being asked to absorb 50 percent to 100 percent population growth?”
“We’re all for community ideas and consultation, but this feels more like a distraction from the massive impact of this plan, rather than a genuine engagement with affected communities to help them cope with what’s coming.”
Members of the public have until March to submit feedback.
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Why don’t you name the spokesperson for the Better Futures Coalition? From attendance at the “rally” they appears to be a coalition of the socialist alliance and the greens. Their group evens lists the phone number for the local greens convenor. Just what are the green plans for housing in Sydney?
Inner west desperately needs more bike lanes. Only 0.6 per cent of roads in the LGA currently have them. Will cut congestion, save lives and boost local businesses.
Council knows that as more residents are becoming aware of the real impact of this Labor driven ott, so called Fairer Future plan , the more they are against it. Not against increasing density at a reasonable degree but not in what is overwhelmingly going to negatively impact the I W suburbs and quality odf living for all residentso, current and furure.
There is no mone in this fund and in faxt IWC is in the red financially so it can’t maintain what it is already expected to. Where would additional open space and new facilities materialise?? IWC won’t even spend $2 million to acquire 2 Hay St which was to be open space to “compensate” for the huge initial uplift–now it s even bigger. eg 70% of Leichhardt is rezoned for high rise!!
The $500 mill is delpendent on funds from developer contributions so a fantasy really IWC has an appalling record in recent yers of taking any notice of the community’s HYS or any other input. Look at most recently published customer feedback on consulatation/input–almost zilch!
This is a distraction. And it s an insult to label it as “Building Our Community”. We have a fantastic community and these suburbs have had that going back to the 1800’s All spin and no reality–typical Labor mode of operation.