Pressure builds for parklands development

The development of Johnstons Creek Parklands is still without a commencement date following a recent meeting between the City of Sydney Council, the Annandale Precinct Committee and local residents.

Leichhardt Greens Councillor, Daniel Kogoy said Council had purchased the Crescent Lands section off the City of Sydney in the early 2000s with plans to turn it into public open space as soon as possible. But ten years later the community is still waiting for their new parkland.

“The City of Sydney has only recently begun community consultation,” he said. “At Monday’s meeting they didn’t seem to be in any great rush to turn the Crescent Lands into parkland and could not confirm a date to complete the project.

“Other projects have been prioritised ahead of this much-needed – already largely paid for by Leichhardt Council – expansion of open space.”

The land was inherited by City of Sydney Council in 2003 after the amalgamation of Glebe and Forest Lodge with the City of Sydney.

A spokesperson for the City of Sydney said a long-term plan is in place for the Crescent Lands to provide opportunities for active recreation, associated facilities and community buildings.

“We’re creating a long-term plan for land around the parklands,” the spokesperson said.

“The plan will link Bicentennial and Federal parks’ near the Glebe foreshore with future open spaces at ‘The Crescent’ in Annandale, ‘The Hill’ near the Federal Park light rail station and the new parklands and community space that will be part of Harold Park redevelopment.

“We’re planning a meeting next month to report back on our Johnstons Creek Parklands consultation and present strategies and options which will help inform the draft Master Plan.”

Local resident, Dan Sprange said City of Sydney Council is doing the right thing but hopes to see a date set for development.

“We would like a firm commitment from Council and that it is not just a gesture to get buildings demolished,” he said.

“We need concrete time frames to show the community this is something that is going to happen … It would be great for the archways to be opened up and create a vista that does not currently exist.”

A developer of the original Master Plan for Bicentennial Park in the 1990s, Helen Matthews said the community was fed up with waiting for the City of Sydney to act on Crescent Lands.

“We’ve been asking them since the boundary change and we can’t get that answer,” she said. “They made a commitment to remove the buildings [on Crescent Lands] and complete Bicennential Park in Annandale in light of the Master Plan by Leichhardt Council.

“Leichhardt Council, the residents and the ratepayers have invested finance, effort, skills, time and incredible patience waiting for the City of Sydney to prioritise urban space on Crescent [Lands].”