A metro for Glebe? Well, maybe Many members will probably groan, and mutter ‘Not another pie-in-the-sky railway project!’ Believe it or not, it’s a fact that planning of Stage 2 of the Syd- ney Metro Network - a 24 km underground line from Central to Westmead - has begun. While it’s also a fact that funding has not been found for this ambitious project (the only funded metro project at present is the line from the CBD to Rozelle), members should be aware that a consulta- tive process is underway, and take the chance A modern metro train in the French city of to inform themselves on what is planned. Lyon. Photo: Bruce Davis The public consultation is part of the process modest ‘shop front’ building. of drawing up a draft environmental impact The construction phase will also have signifi- statement for the project. Already meetings cant local impact as it will require major ex- have been held in a number of centres, and an cavation in the park, and may also require a information session will be held at Leichhardt works depot on the northern side of Par- Town Hall on Saturday, 28 November (see ramatta Road between Derwent Street and p.2 for more information). Derwent Lane. Another aspect which will 10/2009 November/December 10/2009 November/December This was planned as the last of the current require careful management is the design and series of community briefings, but representa- positioning of several exhaust stacks servic- tives of Sydney Metro’s consultants who ing the underground station. briefed CoGG last week undertook to arrange A consultant working with the environmental a briefing for residents of Glebe and nearby assessment process tells us that a second areas. round of community information sessions is The Metro, should it be built, will have a sig- planned to take place in February, before the nificant impact on Glebe as a station is Environmental Assessment is lodged with the planned under Victoria Park adjacent to the Department of Planning towards the end of main entrance to Sydney University, and it is March. expected that this station will be connected to The full project assessment will then be the Broadway shopping centre. The main placed on public exhibition for a minimum of entrance to the station is proposed for the four weeks, and members of the public will southern side of Parramatta Road, opposite be invited to make submissions that will be Derwent Street, and is planned as a relatively taken into account in the formulation of the final plan. What’s coming soon? There is no need to make an appointment for the Leichhardt information session – just drop Saturday 28 November, 10am-2pm - Syd- in at Leichhardt Town Hall any time between ney Metro Community Information Session, 10am and 2pm. Leichhardt Town Hall. The Leichhardt session represents the start of Tuesday 1 December, 7pm - Musica Viva the consultation process in the local area, with concert, Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Road. the session for residents affected by the Vic- Wednesday 2 December, 6.30-7.30pm - toria Park station expected in coming weeks. Harold Park community update meeting at As this session will take place before the pub- St Scholastica’s College. lication of our first Bulletin for 2010, the Sunday 6 December, 3pm - Coro Innomi- Glebe Society will do its best to inform mem- nata at St Scholastica’s Chapel. bers through email and our website, Friday 11 December, 7pm - midnight – www.glebesociety.org.au. Glebe Society Christmas Party Dinner, Wen- - Bruce Davis tworth Park. Glebe Society Bulletin ISSN 1836-599X More Metro information on next page ... A publication of THE GLEBE SOCIETY INC PO Box 100 GLEBE 2037 www.glebesociety.org.au A metro for Glebe? Fencing off the Lord Mayor seeks to protect open space foreshore The Blackwattle campus of the Sydney The following is an extract from Chippendale and Darlington residents Secondary College has notified residents Clover’s e-news dated 20 November: already have low levels of open green that it plans to build a fence along its space and the CBD metro extension Ferry Road boundary near the rowing Stage 2 of the Sydney Metro includes must not result in a loss of vital open clubs. The fence will close off public a Broadway-University of Sydney green space. Sydney Metro must access through the school grounds to the station that would service the foreshore between Ferry Road and Pyr- examine alternative sites. Broadway Shopping Centre, mont Bridge Road. Chippendale, Darlington, Glebe and The City submission to the CBD This section of foreshore is the location the University of Sydney. Metro project recommended that of the final stage of the Glebe Foreshore Stage 1 of the Metro system be Maps show that station platforms will Walk and Cycleway, and originally was extended to the intersection of City scheduled by the City Council for com- be beneath Victoria Park and open Road and Broadway to serve the pletion soon after the section to Ferry space in the University of Sydney University of Sydney, Glebe Point Road. Unfortunately this did not occur, adjacent to Parramatta Road, with Road, Broadway Shopping Centre and partly due to complicated negotiations station entrances on existing green the Ultimo, Glebe and Chippendale between the City and the Education De- open space. neighbourhoods. partment, and partly because the City deferred funding for the project. I have asked the Minister for - Cr Clover Moore, MP, Lord Transport to work with the University The Blackwattle Cove Coalition (BCC) Mayor of Sydney of Sydney, the City and local residents raised this matter with the City’s chief to review suitable locations for this executive, Monica Barone, at a recent meeting and was assured that design metro station and protect green open work on the uncompleted section is pro- space. Community Information Session ceeding, but at this stage funding has not Victoria Park provides essential Sydney Metro been allocated – ‘maybe next year’. parkland in this precinct. While it is understandable that the school Network Stage 2 wishes to control access to its grounds (Central – Westmead) pending completion of the foreshore Why a station at walk, the Society sought an assurance Broadway-Sydney Stage 2 (Central – Westmead) is a that the fence will not impair completion University? 24km underground metro with of the project. stations at Westmead, Parramatta, The school Principal, Jill Collier, told the The proposed Broadway-Sydney Camellia, Silverwater, Sydney Bulletin that some members of the gen- University metro station will Olympic Park, Strathfield, eral public currently use the school as a provide: Burwood, Five Dock, Leichhardt, thoroughfare, and the temporary fence on Camperdown and Broadway- Improved access to Sydney Ferry Road was intended to prevent Sydney University, University, Victoria Park and the this. She said local residents would still Broadway Shopping Centre. There is a Community Information be able to use the steps and gate on Tay- Session on Saturday 28 November, lor Street to walk in the school grounds Access for Glebe, Darlington and 10am – 2pm at Leichhardt Town and to exercise their dogs, but they would Chippendale residents to Hall. There is no need to make an have to leave by the same gate. employment opportunities in the appointment – just drop in at any When the foreshore walk was extended Sydney CBD and to the west. time. past the school, this gate would be Reduced bus congestion on For further information about the moved further into the school grounds, Parramatta Road. project, please call 1800 636 910 or she said. Overhead or underground access visit www.sydneymetro.nsw.gov.au. BCC is also seeking information about across Parramatta Road, allowing - Sydney Metro invitation plans for the Blackwattle Bay wharves. easy access between suburbs to the Members may recall that an artist’s im- north and to the south. pression of the preferred plan was re- leased earlier in the year, but no further The preferred location for a station details have emerged. Public access at Broadway-Sydney University is in The other Abbey sold through the wharves is a vital part of the Victoria Park on the southern side of The Abbey in Johnson Street Annan- plan to extend the foreshore walk through Parramatta Road, west of City Road. dale, which the Glebe Society visited to Pyrmont and the city, and is included A worksite for station construction is in July, was sold at auction recently in the master plan for the wharves. The City is also interested in this section of also proposed in this location. for $4,800,000. I believe the buyers Pyrmont Bridge Road as part of its cycle were a family from Balmain. - Sydney Metro Community way strategy. Information display panel - David Mander Jones - Bruce Davis 2 Glebe Society Bulletin The Bays Precinct Saga – the last episode! John Brooks (Chair of the Blackwattle It had been our expectation that we process has been the strengthening of Cove Coalition) and I have put a lot of would be able to work until the end of linkages across community groups in effort into convening a sub-group of February to develop options for the Glebe, Balmain, Rozelle and Pyr- the Bays Precinct Community Refer- whole of the Precinct – as long as we mont/Ultimo. ence Group (CRG) to see how far we met the Government’s timeline on the To be fair, I would like to note that could go in developing a set of strate- Passenger Terminal. Our work sched- Verity Firth and her office have, at gic principles for the Bays Precinct ule has been premised on this.