Local Action Plan 2012 – Our Vision for Pyrmont

31 January, 2012

Ms Monica Barone,
CEO
City of Sydney,
GPO Box 1591,
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Dear Ms Barone,

Local Action Plan 2012 – Our Vision for Pyrmont

Pyrmont Action Inc, together with other members of the Pyrmont community participated enthusiastically in the development of the 2006 Local Action Plan for Pyrmont. We put forward 10 projects, some of which were adopted by Council and have been completed or are in progress. A number were not adopted, including:

• renovation of Pyrmont Community Centre for community use
• renovation of the Maybanke Youth Centre
• commencement of planning of the Wattle/Fig Street depot site to provide services and facilities not provided elsewhere in Pyrmont and Ultimo
• involvement in the redevelopment of the Bank Street Public Recreation area for public parkland and passive (non-motorised) boating facilities
• Development of a “brand” image for Pyrmont with community involvement

Additional projects were also proposed most of which have not yet been acted upon:

• Establishment of a Heritage Walk in Pyrmont and Ultimo
• Provision of additional childcare facilities
• Working with NSW Government towards a 24 hour police presence in Pyrmont and establishment of alcohol-free zones in Pyrmont and Ultimo
• Development of a traffic plan for the John Street Square precinct and working with the NSW Government to extend public transport in Pyrmont and Ultimo, including new ferry services
• Education campaign for Pyrmont and Ultimo businesses and building managers on responsible disposal of cigarette butts

In providing recommendations to Council in 2012, members of the community are constrained by the lack of data. The 2011 census data will not be available until mid June, 2012, and the Integrated Facilities Plan, commenced in 2007 has not yet been made public which is regrettable.

In the intervening six years since the last LAP was developed, members of the Pyrmont community have continued to press for action, particularly regarding provision of social infrastructure, recognizing that the residential population has, or will shortly, exceed the projections made in the original redevelopment plans for Pyrmont and Ultimo. Even in the absence of 2012 census data, it is clear that the number of families with young or teenage children are moving, in increasingly large numbers, into near-city apartments. This trend, too, was not anticipated when the redevelopment of the area was planned. It should be noted that the 0-4 demographic doubled between 2001 and 2006 and is likely to have at least doubled again in 2011. The only local public school, Ultimo Primary, has had to reduce its student intake catchment in the past few years as it has no room to expand. There are vacancies at Fort Street Primary, yet there is no public transport to Millers Point. Pyrmont has only 3 childcare/pre-school facilities, Star City having closed its work-based childcare some years ago.

The Local Action Plan provides the Council with the opportunity to address the shortfall in facilities and we trust that the following, now urgent, projects will be adopted and implemented over the next LAP cycle:

1.0 Redevelopment of Wattle/Fig Street Depot Site – This is the last large, publicly owned, undeveloped site in Pyrmont. It is zoned Mixed Use and has the potential to provide much of the missing social/youth/sporting facilities needed to support the communities, not only of Pyrmont and Ultimo, but also of Glebe and possibly Chippendale. This project was put forward in 2006 and has been promoted on a regular basis by the community in the intervening years. We have been advised that the Property Division of Council is preparing a Master Plan for the site, with no community consultation, and that it will be released in the fullness of time. In the meantime, the community has held a workshop and continues to consult widely. New developments in the vicinity of the site eg the Affordable Housing development in Bay Street (with only 100 sqm of community space proposed), and the proposed redevelopment of the Davey Flour Mill site (adjacent the depot site) as a large apartment building provide further evidence of the need for additional community facilities. The outcomes of the workshop included the following recommendations:

• that any development should aim to be at least revenue neutral to local ratepayers
• that the site be kept in public ownership
• that the development should integrate commercial with community facilities
• that the development should complement facilities at Wentworth Park
• that the views from Jones Street should be maintained.

It is proposed that the site could be used in a number of ways including:

• Commercial – park and ride for light rail; parking for Wentworth Park Sporting Complex (thus freeing up public parkland); offices; childcare centre; retail/cafes/restaurants; cinema
• Educational – alternative or additional site to enable the expansion of the Ultimo Primary School including multi-purpose buildings which can be used by the public after school hours (eg after school care, vacation care, performance/meeting space, adult education); playgroup facilities
• Social – indoor recreational facilities; mens’shed; women’s shed; local Sports Club; rooftop sporting facilities including tennis/netball courts
• Cultural – performance space; arts centre
• Community garden – allotments; kids’garden

Recommendation: that the Council work with local community representatives to develop a mixed commercial/educational/community use development on the publicly-owned Wattle/Fig St depot site with a view to commencing construction within the next Local Government election term.

Bank Street Public Recreation Area – We recognize that both 3-5 Bank Street and 1 Bank Street are currently owned by Roads and Maritime Services and Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, respectively. Nevertheless, the City of Sydney has a role to play in working with these Government authorities to ensure that these sites are used appropriately and in accordance with the existing Master Plan and the draft City Plan zoning. In particular, as one section of 3-5 Bank Street is proposed to be a public park, and negotiations for the transfer of care, control and management by the Council are underway, we seek a commitment by the Council to the realization of this public park, working with the community (Pyrmont Ultimo Landcare Inc and other volunteers).

As a first step, PUL has applied for a NSW Government environmental grant which, if they are successful, will enable the installation of a rainwater collection system and some initial landscaping on the southern section of 3-5 Bank Street. Before this project can proceed (from April, 2012), formal arrangements between RMS and the City will need to be completed and the site remediated. In addition, alternative parking arrangement for the dragon boaters will have to be found.

Recommendation – That the Council commits to supporting the development of the proposed public park, in cooperation with the community, as a green, open passive recreation area, with public access to the foreshore on the southern section of 3-5 Bank Street.

In the event that the proposed Sydney Heritage Fleet shipyard and tourist facilities are relocated to an alternative foreshore site (desired by local community groups, residents and other stakeholders), the Council is asked to consult with the community and stakeholders regarding the use of the northern end of the 3-5 Bank Street site, noting that the proposed passive boating facility proposed by the Community Water Sports Centre has still not been given certainty that it can be located at 1 Bank Street (owned by SHFA) and could be located there. Development of 3-5 and 1 Bank Street should incorporate extension of the foreshore walkway to Rozelle from the CBD.

Recommendation: That the Council support and help facilitate the establishment of a passive boating facility on land zoned Public Recreation in Bank Street; extend the foreshore walkway from the CBD to Rozelle.

3.0 Pyrmont Community Centre Refurbishment – Pyrmont residents have been working to improve the amenity of the Pyrmont Community Centre and have recently completed what we hope is the first stage of the transformation of the PCC from a user pays venue for outside providers of primarily fitness training to largely non-resident customers, into a centre which provides facilities to meet the needs of the Pyrmont community. We note that the Council has moved away from the “activity hub” concept (in our case based at the forecourt of the Powerhouse Museum) to “village centre” planning which recognizes Pyrmont and Ultimo as two separate villages (M Barone 25 May, 2010) although the reference to a “civic and community hub around the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre” in the latest “Have your Say” brochure, leads us to believe that the village centre concept has not yet been widely adopted within Council. As the City has also approved a policy that no resident should live more than 10 minutes’ walk to “childcare, health services and leisure, social, learning and cultural infrastructure” (Target 8 in Sustainable Sydney 2030, 2011 p22) we are amazed that the “hub” idea still has currency. We welcome the distance policy but do not find the notion of “Village Groups” very helpful in planning for our Village centre which is not based entirely on Harris Street, but also incorporates Union Square, Union Street and Miller Street, as well as the precinct around John Street Square.

In planning amenities for the Village Group, it is necessary to recognize the disparity between the residential populations of Pyrmont, Broadway and Ultimo, the presence or absence of amenities in each of these suburbs, and accessibility issues. For years now, Pyrmont residents have been urged to get themselves to the Ultimo Community Centre if they want services and facilities, despite the lack of public transport, parking and difficult walking/cycling/driving access to UCC. The over-55s officer is located at UCC and is only allocated to PCC 1-1/2 hours per week. We have requested the presence of such an officer one day per week to engage in consultation and outreach activities but this has been rejected.

The Pyrmont Community Centre is on land whose classification was changed from “community” to “operational” around 18 years ago. We are advised that land classified as “community” is for public use and involvement but that land classified as “operational” is normally for functional and investment purposes (P Cooper 27 Jan 2012). This represents the root cause of Council resistance to efforts by the local community to reclaim the PCC for community use. Since this change in classification the Meeting Room has been transformed into a space full of gym equipment, and the aforementioned focus on hiring out space for fee-paying fitness training has been initiated. With the completion of the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre which houses a huge gymnasium, and also King George V Recreation Centre at The Rocks, plus the proliferation of private and commercial gymnasiums, and the changing demographic towards families in Pyrmont, we believe that it is time to change the land classification back to “community”.

The PCC is not a purpose built centre and much needs to be done to optimize the space available. A large part of the PCC is taken up with the SDN Early Childhood Learning Centre. It is therefore unavailable for public use. Much of the remaining space provides limited access as it is used for After School and Vacation Care. The Arts and Crafts room is unable to be used for meetings or other activities that require soundproofing, as one wall is only at half-height.

Following a community-initiated workshop where a range of ideas for improvements and new activities was proposed, a number of residents have formed Friends of Pyrmont Community Centre. FoPCC applied for the Council grant to undertake artwork and repainting of the Ground Floor corridor, now launched as The Link (all undertaken by volunteer members of the community, with additional support from local businesses), and has demonstrated local community commitment to the transformation of the PCC to a community-focused facility. Over 150 people attended the official opening of The Link by Clr John McInerney on 19 December, 2012 and a number of new activities have been initiated – again, by the locals. But this is just the first step. We note that the 2011-12 budget for repainting the PCC was diverted elsewhere but much more than a paint job is needed to transform the Centre into a true community facility.

Recommendation: That the Council (a) reclassify the land occupied by the Pyrmont Community Centre as “community”; (b) give priority to the complete refurbishment of the PCC as a Local Action Plan project in 2012, to enable it to operate as a community centre; (c) that staff with qualifications in provision of social services be allocated to work with the local community at the PCC in order to identify and cater for their needs.

Whilst space will remain a limitation in the redevelopment of the PCC, we note the use of mobile playvans to provide valuable activities for small children in local parks in some adjoining municipalities. Marrickville Council has been running the Magic Yellow Bus for more than 30 years and a similar mobile playvan services Burwood communities. We are advised that the Community Services Division of Burwood Council is interested in hiring out the Playvan on a regular basis to other Sydney Councils. With the growing population of babies and toddlers in the Pyrmont area, a regular playgroup session in, say, Pirrama Park, would be a very popular addition to the two playgroup sessions per week now operating from the PCC.

Recommendation: That the City of Sydney negotiate the hire of the Burwood Council Playvan one day a week, to be located at an appropriate local park in Pyrmont.

4.0 Renovation of Maybanke Youth Centre – Whilst it is recognized that this facility, like the Pyrmont Community Centre, is small and not purpose built, it, nevertheless provides a much-needed meeting place for young people in Pyrmont. The upper court continues to be mostly unusable and the condition of the whole Centre needs to be reviewed, in consultation with the users, with a view to improving the range of services and facilities that can be offered to this growing demographic.

Recommendation: that Council undertakes a major review of the Maybanke Youth Centre in order to address the current lack of community space for organized forms of social and cultural engagement, and the lack of sporting and recreational facilities for Pyrmont’s youth.

5.0 Branding of Pyrmont – We have continued (unsuccessfully) to seek Council’s assistance in the development of a “brand” image for Pyrmont, with community involvement. Pyrmont remains unbadged, with most signage referring to Darling Harbour, the Sydney Fish Markets, The Star, or Parking. With the improvements to a section of Harris Street in Pyrmont, and the installation of banner poles, there is now the opportunity to work with local businesses, educational institutions, and residents to design banners which clearly identify Pyrmont as our Village. The Shop Local banners which were produced with no community consultation refer in small lettering to Pyrmont and Ultimo, do not distinguish between the two separate villages, with their own identify, and have a universal design, rather than one which captures the spirit of Pyrmont. It would be understood that such local banners would only be displayed when not required to promote City of Sydney events.

In addition, we seek signage at each road entry point to Pyrmont, including at the Pyrmont Interchange on Pyrmont Bridge Road, the corner of Harris and Fig Streets, and at the corner of Darling Drive and Murray Street (near the end of the Pyrmont Bridge) and would appreciate the assistance of Council in negotiating with RMS, as required, to achieve this outcome.

Recommendation: that Council work with the Pyrmont community to develop a “brand” image for Pyrmont to be incorporated in local banners; that the City work with RMS to provide identifying Pyrmont signs at road entries to Pyrmont.

6.0 Access to Wentworth Park – We greatly appreciate the joint efforts of the City and the Wentworth Park Sporting Complex Trust in undertaking the improvements which have assisted in integrating the Sporting Complex with the rest of the park. However, access to Wentworth Park from Pyrmont and Ultimo remains difficult and circuitous, because of the complex road system, the Western Distributor, and steep topography. The proposed public access proposed in the Davey Flour Mill apartment building DA will be one step towards providing improved access, if approved and constructed. The community has identified a potential direct route from the southern side of the railway station, under the W Distributor, and up to Bulwara Road. This would not only link the area of Pyrmont and Ultimo south of Pyrmont Bridge Road with Wentworth Park, but also provide easier access to the light rail station, and provide an alternative route to the Sydney Fish Markets. The land is owned by the Ministry of Transport and Council is asked to commence negotiations with the NSW Government to enable a path, with safety fence, to be constructed along the side of the railway track, with steps or disabled ramp up to Bulwara Road. Pyrmont Ultimo Landcare Inc is willing to undertake landscaping along the path.

Another important project which will assist in improving access to Wentworth Park is the continuation of the foreshore walkway from Bank Street, along the Fish Markets and Blackwattle Bay foreshores. Council is asked to work with the various government agencies and the Sydney Fish Markets to expedite planning for the completion of this important pedestrian and cycle link between Pyrmont and Glebe, including Wentworth Park.

Recommendation: that the City work with NSW Government agencies, in consultation with local communities, to improve access from Pyrmont and Ultimo, to Wentworth Park and surrounds, including continuation of the foreshore walkway along the Blackwattle Bay foreshore.

We will welcome the opportunity to further advance these projects at the proposed workshops and trust that they will be included in the agenda and draft plans when they are finally exhibited. They have wide support within the Pyrmont community and have been thoroughly workshopped over a number of years.

Yours sincerely,



Elizabeth Elenius

cc All Councillors