Opposition to Fitzroy Gardens project grows
Local resistance to Council’s plans to redevelop Fitzroy Gardens in Kings Cross is mushrooming
A coalition of business, resident, heritage and arts groups has formed ‘Friends of Fitzroy Gardens’. They are holding a rally at the Gardens (November 6, 11am at the Markets), they have launched a website (savefitzroygardens.com), and they continue to collect signatures on a petitions, totalling over 1,600 at the time of writing.
Contrary to claims by Lord Mayor Clover Moore and CEO Monica Barone who say there is wide local support for the project, volunteers said that after people were informed about the heritage listing of the Gardens and the extent of tree destruction, they overwhelmingly opposed Council’s project.
Most residents still didn’t even know about the plans until they saw petitions being collected under a sign saying “Save our beautiful Gardens”.
Ms Barone wrote to the Wentworth Courier defending the project, but her letter has angered locals. She said the community “had requested” a plan to “renew” Fitzroy Gardens during the 2007 City East Local Action Plan.
But this ignores well publicised claims that the community did not in fact ask for a demolish-and-rebuild job. Council’s own report used the word “refresh” , not “renew”, says the resident groups’ website.
“This is a clever semantic trick. Council staff have not responded to requests for a transcript of actual residents’ comments at those meetings.”
While Ms Barone says 74 per cent of submissions were positive about the plans, the group’s website says Council’s consultation sessions were “one-sided presentations where opposing points of view were gagged, the real intent of resident’s comments was re-interpreted, residents were not informed about the heritage treasures in the Gardens and were misinformed about ‘maintaining trees’.”
Ms Barone’s letter acknowledges that residents wanted to “maintain trees”, but according to Heritage Society president Andrew Woodhouse, “out of a total of 60 trees and plantings only 20 are guaranteed to remain in situ in Fitzroy Gardens according to our calculations.”
“Even though the Gardens’ iconic central fig tree and 89 year-old Chinese Elm may be retained, Council’s own arborist’s report says excavations place them at risk, threatening roots, ” he said.
“And locals at Council meetings weren’t adequately informed about the Gardens’ heritage listing or over 5,000 convict-hewn bricks, now due for demolition.”
Councillors will meet on Monday 8 November to reconsider the plans, after Clover Moore moved that council staff reconsider aspects of the project along with interested councillors.
But she blocked a motion by Cr Chris Harris to call a public meeting at which the residents had equal time with Council to present their case, with the audience to then take a vote.
Several local businesses have joined with residents in opposing the project, many displaying flyers for Saturday’s rally and collecting petition signatures.
The Council meeting on 8 November will be a committee meeting, so residents can register to speak to Councillors.
by Michael Gormly
