the Newssheet of the Balmain Association PO Box 57•Balmain•NSW•2041 www.balmainassociation.org.au Vol 53 No 3 Issue 348 Founded November 1965 September 2018 Balmain Telephone Exchange Yet Again - Fergus Fricke he first world war was fought over five years and the second world war over seven. This latest TBalmain Telephone Exchange campaign has been going for eight years and still there is no end in sight. That is not to say that nothing has been happening, it has but it is slow and like most wars there are retreats and stalemates as well as advances. Four Balmain Association members be permitted went to the IWC Council meeting on to speak and 12 June expecting to speak to subsequently Councillors about which of two options telling offered by Telstra should be decided supporters not upon. Telstra had given Council the to go, Helen second option earlier this year. The Balmain Telephone Exchange demolition supporters before a rescission Carter insisted motion was passed by the Inner West Council that resulted in the reallocation original option had an area of about 150 we go. Four of finance for the original demolition agreement. square metres and the new offer was a of us (Helen, Photo by Danny Aarons courtesy of the Inner West Courier. slightly larger version of the first at an Gill Delbridge, extra cost and time taken to completion David Liddle and me) set off at motion was passed. Councillors unknown. Having not been notified 5:45pm to attend the 6:30pm Council Stamolis and Porteous subsequently of the second option until late in its meeting held at Ashfield. As it proposed a rescission motion at the evaluation by IWC staff a quick round turned out I was permitted to address 26 June Council Meeting after a lot of of consultations with some Balmain the Council thanks to the support negotiating with other councillors. All Association members gave a clear of Councillors John Stamolis and councillors were emailed giving the majority in favour of proceeding with Rochelle Porteous. I spoke about case for the BTE that included the two the original proposal. I registered to what we and some other councilors photos shown on next page. Michelle address Council about our preference had thought was the purpose of the Hacking and I spoke to the rescission for the original proposal but was told item ie decide which of two options, motion and then waited for four hours I wasn’t permitted to speak as I hadn’t put to Council by Telstra, should be with seven other supporters while registered in time. (I had registered in adopted. We supported going ahead prior agenda items were dealt with time for the 12 June meeting but as the with the original planned area because before the rescission motion was put item had originally been on the agenda we thought that a further delay would and passed and the money allocated nd for the May 22 meeting and even end in tears given Telstra’s rapidly back to the “Exchange Square” (or though the matter had not been dealt declining share price, amongst other whatever other title is given to it). with at that meeting I was required to things. I presented our case and we Continued on page 2 register before it in order to speak at the were advised to leave because the item following meeting. The fact that I wasn’t would be dealt with in camera later in IN THIS ISSUE in Sydney at the time had no bearing on the meeting. P 1& 2 Balmain Telephone Exchange Yet the matter but eventually it was agreed Again Unbeknown to us and some of the P. 3 Have your Say that councillors would be given a written councillors the motion that was put P 4 & 5 Edward Harman Buchanan copy of what I wanted to say. I wrote my later was not about which option to P 6 Coming events - Open Gardens, submission and emailed it to an IWC choose but was about withdrawing Broughton Hall, Life and Death in staff member to copy and distribute. Balmain all funding from the BTE project P 7 Knitting Nannas, Climate Change Despite hearing late in the afternoon ($1.3 million) and allocating it to the Balmain Rozelle, Rozelle Against that there was no point in my going repair, upgrading and maintenance Westconnex to the 12 June meeting as I would not of the Dawn Fraser Pool. The P 8 Exhibitions, Back to Balmain Day Balmain Telephone Exchange Yet Again contd. I have not popped open a bottle of champagne yet. After eight years of negotiating on behalf of the Balmain Association to get Leichhardt Council and Telstra to reach agreement on the terms and conditions for demolishing the front of the Balmain Telephone Exchange I am not holding my breath for it to occur next week or even next month. I understand from Telstra that further matters must be discussed with Council before the demolition is started. As far as I am concerned that discussion can’t happen soon enough but, as a former swimmer at the Dawn Fraser Pool for many years, I can also Photo of the 1914 Telephone Exchange which was at the rear of the current exchange appreciate the concerns of current site until it was demolished in 1957. swimmers about their continuing use of the pool ahead of an estimated $5 million renovation. Some money has already been allocated to repair “Dawnie” and it seems possible that the repairs and upgrades that need to be done could be addressed over a few years. I hope so. and the latest yet again and again The latest estimate of when the demolition of the front of the BTE will be started is June 2019 and it will take 12 to 16 weeks to do. The cost of the demolition is $1.1 million. The cost of constructing the square is $0.5 million. The funding proposal will probably go to the second Council meeting in The current 1957 Exchange at the front and the 1971 multi-storey extension at the rear. August (this year!!) for approval. Below is a copy of the email message I received yesterday from Brooke Martin who is “Group Manager, Properties, Major Building Projects and Bruce Petty’s idea of what the and Facilities” and whose job it is to public square could look like. find funds for the demolition of the front of the BTE. As advised a couple of weeks ago a report to council is planned for the 28th August. This report will identify options to fund the gap of $300k in the current financial year. If the funding strategy gets endorsed then the demolition works will be undertaken over the next 6 months and the public square works to follow. 2 Balmain Association AGM Wednesday 7th November 2018 With the demise of the Precincts it is important as individuals or organisations, 6pm at the Watch House that we keep up to date with issues/proposals from Inner West Council that will Join us for drinks and affect our local amenity. The Council provides information about current plans/ nibbles proposals on the website with an accompanying survey “Have Your Say”. Notice and Nomination Access by going to the IWC website then under Community to the RHS “Your Say Inner West” and scroll down to the issue. June Lunsmann form enclosed. Amalgamation of Archives The Establishment of Advisory Our History Your Say Groups (recently closed) (open until 29 August) A recent survey affecting Balmain This is a current very important survey residents concerned the re- on exhibition which is relevant to the establishments of advisory groups. Balmain Association. This survey closed on 29th June. The proposal is to amalgamate all Council will receive a report archives from our Leichhardt area in detailing community responses to this one place and may even store off site engagement at its meeting scheduled on 14 August 2018 and decide on the somewhere. final advisory group structure. The survey is quite long about 10- The proposed new advisory group 15mins and some questions are structure includes advisory committees, We are looking for members who can strangely worded and confusing. working groups and a business forum, spare 3-4 hours, 11.30am to 3pm The BA committee at our last meeting which will meet three-six times per on a Saturday afternoon to assist discussed this proposal to amalgamate year. Council had endorsed 11 advisory with history enquiries and sale of the archives of the three LGAs and committees, five working groups and a publications. unanimously agreed that the Balmain quarterly business forum for community Assistance will be given to familiarise Archives, with all our information feedback: you with access to our archives and about various community activities ADVISORY COMMITTEES book sales. as well as Issy Wyner’s collection, • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander email to should remain at Balmain library. Advisory Committee [email protected] From the IWC site • Access Advisory Committee or phone June 9810 6885 We invite you to have your say regarding • Arts and Culture Advisory Committee location options for the Inner West Council • Environment Advisory Committee Nominations are open for History Collections and the forthcoming • Housing and Affordability Advisory strategy to guide planning and delivery of Committee 2019 Built Environment Awards history services over the next ten years. • Multicultural Advisory Committee Nominations are now open for the This information will be used to ensure the • Planning and Heritage Advisory Inner West Built Environment Awards History Service meets the needs of current Committee 2019 that celebrate the local area’s and future users.