Residents ask Burgmann to buy Taylor Square pub

BY MICK ROBERTS

Aspiring Lord Mayor Meredith Burgmann said she would look into an idea for the City of Sydney to buy the Taylor Square Hotel for community use, if she is elected in September.
Although Ms Burgmann admits to an uphill battle to unseat current Lord Mayor Clover Moore, she is confident of becoming a City of Sydney councillor come spring.
On the campaign trail last Sunday, Ms Burgmann listened with interest to calls to buy the Darlinghurst pub.
Nichols Street Community Group wants City of Sydney Council to buy the pub ‘ recently passed-in at auction – to help reduce alcohol related problems in the area.
Alcohol fueled problems, traffic and the contentious Bourke Street cycleway were just some of the issues frustrated Surry Hills and Darlinghurst residents aired to Labor’s Ms Burgmann.
‘It’s a really good idea (buying the pub),’ Ms Burgmann said.
‘But you have to look into the issues related to buying the hotel first,’ she added.
The hour-long listening post was mainly taken up with issues surrounding the controversial Bourke Street cycleway, and the continuing concerns over crime and drunkenness around Oxford Street.
Bourke Street resident Alek Szan said he came to the meeting specifically to voice concerns about a proposed cycleway along his street.
‘Council should be looking at a holistic approach,’ Mr Szan said.
‘The traffic problem needs fixing before a cycleway is placed in Bourke Street. The amount of vehicle traffic needs to be reduced and vehicle speed reduced to make the road more amenable to cyclists,’ he said.
‘What irks me is the fact that South Dowling Street ‘ with no residences ‘ is not taking the bulk of the traffic.’
He said taking traffic off Bourke Street and redirected it to South Dowling would make Bourke Street more suitable for a cycleway.
Another resident, Robin Bean said he believed the issue surrounding the cycleway was the failure of the consultation process.
‘I’m not against a cycleway ‘ it’s probably just the wrong design. I’m a cyclist and initially I thought what could be better than a cycleway at my front door,’ he said.
He said problems with the cycleway centred on collisions between motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
Friends of Bourke Street spokeswoman Rosemary Shuttleworths has lived in Bourke Street for more than 30 years and said the street’s high number of drug and alcohol welfare agencies made it a ridiculous choice for a cycleway.
‘It’s simply not compatible with a cycleway,’ she said. People are constantly walking out on Bourke Street under the influence of drugs and alcohol.’
Displeasure over a lack of council community consultation in relation to the cycleway proposal was the loudest message that came from residents, Ms Burgmann said.
‘What seems to be needed here is proper traffic calming and green boulevards that allow for slower traffic and pedestrian safety.’
Ms Burgmann also said she would look into better management of Council’s properties in Oxford Street.
‘Council currently own one third of the commercial properties in Oxford Street at Darlinghurst, and I would be pushing for a better mix of retail tenants in those buildings to boost the daytime economy in eh area.’