Congratulations to our new City Council team The Glebe Society congratulates the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, and all other council- ors on their recent election, and looks forward to a productive relationship with the new Council. The clear vote by residents against introduc- ing a ward system settles that question, and it is no doubt appropriate that councilors need to focus not just on their local area but on the broader issues that face Sydney as a global city. However, it does mean that we now have only one councillor who is a resident of Glebe - Lord Mayor Clover Moore at our meeting Meredith Burgmann, the sole Labor member on 13 September. Photo: Edwina Doe of Council. In the last Council the Glebe So- ciety was able to approach both Robyn Kem- mis and Verity Firth with confidence that they Meeting the Candidates already had the background, as local resi- Sixty people attended the public meeting on 8/2008 September/October dents, to issues of concern for us. The Soci- 3 September, to meet the candidates in the ety must accept that it will need to work a Mayoral election. Four candidates addressed little harder to keep councillors informed the meeting: about Glebe issues, and must build a good Meredith Burgmann (Labor) working relationship with all councillors. We Chris Harris (The Greens) have no doubt that good will is there. Shayne Mallard (Liberal) - Jan Macindoe Clover Moore (Clover Moore Independent Team) City of Sydney Election Results The Glebe Society provided four questions As a result of the election on 13 September, which the candidates were asked to address in the following Councillors will be serving their comments to the meeting. As all four of with Lord Mayor Clover Moore on the City the candidates who addressed the meeting are of Sydney Council: now on Council, their views are still of inter- Phillip Black (Independent Team) est. The main points made by the candidates on the four issues are summarised below. Meredith Burgmann (Labor) - Jan Macindoe Irene Doutney (The Greens) Chris Harris (The Greens) Marcelle Hoff (Independent Team) Candidates’ responses Robert Kok (Independent Team) Shayne Mallard (Liberal) Heritage protection John McInerney (Independent Team) Burgmann: The new planning laws have not Di Tornai (Independent Team) changed protection of heritage. Councils still have control over procedures to protect heri- Former councillors and Glebe residents tage. Robyn Kemmis and Verity firth did not stand Harris: The Glebe area has a Heritage Study for re-election. with detailed mapping, and what is in the LEP A majority of voters (58%) voted ‘no’ on the is legally protected, although the State Gov- referendum about wards. ernment laws have been strengthened. Coun- cil is very positive towards heritage. The City Don’t forget the Trivia Night on has a large heritage team, and amazingly de- Wednesday 15 October, tailed work has been done. There is nothing to worry about in Glebe as the City is in a supporting Glebe Public School’s strong position to protect heritage. th Glebe Society Bulletin 150 anniversary. See Page 8. Continued on page 4 ... A publication of THE GLEBE SOCIETY INC PO Box 100 GLEBE 2037 www.glebesociety.org.au 39th Annual General Meeting Meeting Report President's Report - Jan Macindoe It was very much ‘business as usual’ The Society has been involved in two alliances, and working with any other at the Glebe Society’s AGM, held at major events this year which have residents who share our passion for Benledi on 31 August. captured the imagination and involve- strengthening community ties and Our President Jan Macindoe chaired ment of the broader community, and preserving and enhancing existing the meeting, which was attended by resulted in considerable positive pub- heritage and amenities. 35 Members. Jan’s report to the licity. These of course were the Went The Blue Wren project is another meeting is on this page of the Bulle- -worth Park Day in May, and the Blue model of such collaboration. The tin. Sub-committee Convenors’ re- Wren planting in late July. It seems to project began spontaneously from the ports have been published in recent me that both these events demonstrate shared interest of some neighbours Bulletins and there were no follow-up some very healthy trends in the way living around St James Park. They questions about them. the Society is operating. put together a submission for a City of Sydney Council Environmental Grant. As there were no nominations for the The Wentworth Park Day was hugely To receive funding they needed to be position of President, Jan agreed to popular, with something like 2000 linked to an incorporated organisation stay in the job until the end of the people taking part, and it received – becoming a sub-committee of the year, when she will have to retire on wonderful media coverage, largely Glebe Society allowed them to meet completing her two year term. because the Mongrel's Cup was such a that condition. The Society gained by wondrously enjoyable and photogenic Bruce Davis agreed once again to being joined to a group of such enthu- event. Preparation for the event went serve as Vice-president, until another siastic residents who put in the hard on over a very long period, and in- Vice-president is found, ideally some- yards, followed through with persis- volved challenges that Anne Fraser one who will move into the Presi- tence and commitment and showed dent’s role in due course. Liz Simp- and the committee probably don't brilliant skills in using the media to son-Booker continues as the Society’s want to be reminded of. I'll just gen- promote their cause. It has given us Secretary. tly hint at insurance, security and first some fresh insight into the kind of aid. There were changes to the rest of the environmental project that can capture And the Day itself was only the most Committee. Dorothy Hoddinott and people's interest and involvement conspicuous public promotion of the Lesley Lynch have joined the Com- which I hope we can build on for the considerable changes that had already mittee and Simon Fraser has stepped future. I hope that the group itself been achieved in relation to Went - down. found the experience of working with worth Park – the improvement to the Glebe Society to be helpful. Dorothy Hoddinott AO was also our paths and recreational facilities, and There are further examples of the guest speaker. Her talk about the edu- the opening up of the greyhound race- Glebe Society working as part of a cation system and the experiences of track, which has made such a differ- broader group towards a specific goal refugees held the audience spell- ence to the visual impact, and public – with the end point coming up later bound. We will feature an article by perception, of those buildings. this year. One example is the Glebe Dorothy in a future Bulletin. Wentworth Park Day and the other Society lending its support to the for- We all then took the opportunity to significant improvements to the Went mation of a City of Sydney U3A. The catch up with friends, while enjoying -worth Park complex were, of course, small working group preparing for the refreshments provided by Events not achieved by the Glebe Society. this includes mainly Glebe Society Coordinator Dorothy Davis and her The major player was BCC – the members, but also representatives helpers. Blackwattle Cove Coalition – which from Ultimo, Prymont and Surry includes a large number of Glebe So- Hills. However, once the CoS U3A is ciety members as well as representa- launched at a public meeting planned tives from Pyrmont and Ultimo. And for November, it will have a much BCC itself was hugely indebted to the broader membership and role, and the Wentworth Park Trust and greyhound involvement of the Glebe Society will racing fraternity for making Went- be finished, but we can be proud of worth Park Day possible at all. The having played that 'midwife' role in bringing it into the world. more extensive changes were funded jointly by Council and the Wentworth A second example is the support that Park Trust. the Glebe Society is providing to Glebe Public School for the celebra- This, however, is my point. I believe tion of their sesquicentenary on 3 that the effectiveness of the Glebe November. Our members, Katherine Society, its ability to respond to the Vernon, Lyn Collingwood and others, emerging opportunities and challenges are planning a memorable event to that constantly arise for inner-city enable Glebe Primary ex-students, Dorothy Hoddinott at the AGM. residents, depends on forming new Photo: Bruce Davis teachers and parents to reflect with 2 Glebe Society Bulletin 39th Annual General Meeting pride on the school's 150 year history. Fortunately being part of the Glebe And all members will be invited to Society isn't all dedication and hard ‘Thank you' to Chris attend a fund-raising trivia night, be- work. The Society's social calendar Hallam ing organised by Dorothy Davis and has plenty to offer, and the popularity Chris Hallam has retired from the Simon Fraser for 15 October, to pro- of our social events continues to grow. position of convenor of the Society's vide a Glebe Society donation to mark We do, of course, have the benefit of the school's historic anniversary. Transport and Traffic Sub- some wonderful venues, some of them committee, due to pressure of work. These special collaborative projects generously offered by members. Late Chris has brought his professional emphasise another important quality last year, the High Tea at The Retreat, expertise and local commitment to that allows the Glebe Society to and the Christmas party at Lyndhurst the position since 2004, when he achieve the success that it does, and were memorable events of this kind.