Locals Star in Erskineville Stories
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VOLUME ONE NUMBER FIFTY-NINE APRIL ’08 CIRCULATION 22,000 ALEXANDRIA BEACONSFIELD CHIPPENDALE DARLINGTON ERSKINEVILLE KINGS CROSS NEWTOWN PADDINGTON REDFERN SURRY HILLS WATERLOO WOOLLOOMOOLOO ZETLAND Babana hosts Men’s Cat Power Health Expo live at the STORY – PAGE 8 Enmore REVIEW – PAGE 9 St Vincent’s presbytery after recent fire Photo: Andrew Collis Fire in presbytery, claims of demolition by neglect Sarah Malik tension between the church and the neighbouring Aboriginal Medical Ser- Annie Kennedy, Frances Cusack, Patricia Blundell, Ellen Macnamara, Nancy Laszlow and Marie Ford Photo: Ali Blogg A fire broke out in the presbytery vice. of St Vincent’s Church in Redfern at Speaking on behalf of the AMS, Head 1.30am on March 19. staff-person Naomi Mayer said she believes the buildings would be put to Locals star in Erskineville Stories Three people were sleeping in the better use if sold and wants to buy the presbytery at the time but nobody was presbytery, car park and clinic at the Dorothy McRae-McMahon Local artist, Annie Kennedy, told other in so many ways – where you hurt in the blaze, believed to be started back of the church in which it has been us the story of the achievement of her didn’t lock your doors and windows by a candle. operating for the past 20 years. Saturday March 8. When Carl movie project and thanked the main and you kept an eye on each others’ “Outside it looks the same but in the The AMS clinic which has a paediatric Schwartz opened the night’s program, sponsors of the show – The City of kids. Marie, who had come back to back the roof and the second floor has and aged-care section has operated on behalf of Erskineville Stories direc- Sydney Council, Real Estate agent Ray Erskineville after some decades away, been destroyed,” said Father Clesio, St through St Vincent’s church for over tor Annie Kennedy and her team, he White, Purple Goat Design and FedEx was the descendant of one of the earliest Vincent’s parish priest. 20 years under the patronage of the probably didn’t expect to see about Kinkos as well as 15 other local busi- settlers, Henry Knight, whose name was The presbytery, which remains unused highly respected priest, the late Father 3000 people sitting in front of him on nesses who contributed to the night. given to streets in the area. with no water or electricity, will now be Ted Kennedy. the grass of Erskineville Park waiting The guests of honour were on chairs Another woman who told her story in further walled-off to prevent homeless After Father Kennedy’s retirement in in happy anticipation! They were in the centre. They were the stars of the movie was Elza Green. She was born people from using it as a shelter. As long 2002, the Catholic Church appointed all ages – some old-time residents the movie together with their chosen in Erko 85 years ago and has lived there, as almost three years ago, the heritage priests from the conservative Neocat- returned from far away and many companions – often old school friends in the same house, ever since! She was building had a tarpaulin as its roof. echumenal Way to reinstate orthodoxy people from present-day Erko with or neighbours who had shared the chatting with childhood friends Patricia “Sadly the fire is part of the on what was seen as the unconventional their friends and families. It was a earlier days with them. Blundell and Stella Wilson. Patricia continuing demolition by neglect of parish, much to the consternation perfect night. While we waited, I caught up with remembered her father inventing the this building,” says Councillor Philip of locals. some of them. Nancy Laszlow, who drain now common in all bathroom Black, a former South Sydney Heritage The AMS fears that the unfettered Before we watched the movie, Reggie starred in the movie, Frances Cusack, floors. Stella’s family had the only President. access they have enjoyed to the church the Rabbit from the Rabbitohs strolled Ellen Macnamara and Marie Ford were phone in the street and people regularly According to Sydney City Council the may be threatened with the new church past to a cheer. Then the Erskineville remembering days when families com- took a shortcut through their house to presbytery is a heritage building which leadership. Public School Dance Group led by monly had seven or nine children – girls get to the shops and the train. may make the Catholic Archdiocese “I think it’s a reasonable fear. We Indigenous dancer Terry Olsen delighted in one bedroom and boys in another. Talking with Frank Dean, also in liable for a fine for demolition of a don’t have any real security of tenure. everyone with a great performance. The They talked of an Erskineville which the movie, and Georgie Markham who heritage site by neglect. Our lease expires this year. We don’t school also provided a sausage sizzle for was more open and occupied by work- had come down from the Central Coast The presbytery and adjoining build- know if it will be renewed,”says John those gathered who wanted a picnic. ing class families who supported each where they now continued on page 5 ings have been the source of growing Daniels, AMS continued on page 5 New Media. 280 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000 T(02) 9262 7300 F (02) 9266 0778 2 The South Sydney Herald – April 2008 PUBLISHER South Sydney Uniting Church Raglan Street, Waterloo News Telephone 0400 008 338 Phone/fax 02 9698 8949 The views expressed in this newspaper are those of the author and the article and are not necessarily the views of the Uniting Church. ADVERTISING [email protected] Sydney University plans to expand 0400 139 710 MAILING ADDRESS: 10 years, repeatedly rejected offers Darlington locals are seeking more PO Box 2360 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 from Sydney Uni to buy his house. open dialogue with the University to His father had lived in the property express their concerns about future LETTERS for over 50 years and passed away plans for development. Sydney Uni- Please send letters and emails to: The South Sydney Herald. last year, but Mr Laws has thus far versity’s proposal to build a parkland Email: [email protected] refused to sell the property and has campus at Callan Park to comple- Supply sender name and suburb. no intention to do so. ment its College of the Arts has upset Size: 150 words or less. We may edit for legal or other reasons. The University’s ‘Campus 2010’ many of the local residents there, and expansion plan is already underway, with Darlington locals already furi- which will see the development of ous with the Uni’s redevelopment, it 11 new buildings on the Darlington appears to be repeating its mistakes. Campus, varying from two to seven This reverberated around when the EDIToRIAL CoMMITTEE storeys in height. The development University failed to be represented will hem in the existing public at City of Sydney Community Urban school, which is built upon univer- Design Workshop that was focused sity grounds. on Darlington. An open secret of the University’s One very irate Abercrombie Street Eastern expansion is that, when the resident, Maurice, has grown increas- houses that stood upon the sight ingly forlorn at the University’s were bulldozed, no asbestos was relentless plans for expansion into removed from the site, but was Darlington, describing it as the worst The old Darlington School hemmed in by Sydney University Photo: Ali Blogg simply buried along with other environmental thug in the area, landfill. “shifting all the rubbish it doesn’t Managing EditoR Nicholas McCallum Andrew Collis housing within the suburb and Sydney University has also hinted want onto Darlington,” he said. replaced it with sports centres and at plans to expand even further. “Cyclone fencing, demountable The University of Sydney may faculties of Engineering, Business When the North Eveleigh site is sheds, pot-holed streets, containers, well be the best and biggest in and Economics. As time went by, released to tender by the Redfern diesel generators in front of terrace town, although it should be known the town houses of Darlington were Waterloo Association, Sydney Uni houses, metal-clad buildings look- that it has plans to grow even bulldozed but there remains one will be one of the first to pounce on ing like Stalag 13 and endless jack bigger. With its current landmass final strip of houses standing in the the prime piece of real estate. This hammering and disturbance at all large enough to be deemed its way of the University’s domination may be counter to the RWA plans to hours of the day and night,” are just own suburb, Sydney Uni has, for of North West Darlington. have the area primarily developed to some of the headaches he has had some time, been vying for the area Darlington Road is the remaining produce more affordable housing in to tolerate. currently occupied by the tiny and stronghold of houses within the the area, but, as another cliché goes, And although Darlington residents Co-EDIToR Dorothy McRae-McMahon unsung suburb of Darlington. Darlington campus and is surely “money talks”. If this expansion goes may feel as though they are being feeling like a veritable allusion ahead then it would be likely that it treated with contempt by the Uni- The University crossed City Road to the military term: “Divide and is only a matter of time before the versity, they will have to get used in the mid-twentieth century and conquer.” private housing between the North to the beast it has become, and took its place in Darlington.