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June 2007 - RWA Update - text version
Redfern Waterloo Authority Redfern-Waterloo Update June 2007
Redfern public housing gets $27 million boost
Community markets to open by April 2008
Construction training commences at Yaama
Future development of surplus lands
BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT GROWTH
Sponsorship for Tribal Warrior Association
Australian Technology Park keeps growing
TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS
Indigenous jobs initiative goes from strength to strength
Contributions Plans to fund public infrastructure
Redfern public housing gets $27 million boost
The NSW Government has announced a major new public housing redevelopment at Elizabeth Street, Redfern. The $27 million, 106 dwelling project will include 40 terraced houses with backyards for families, medium density units and custom-made apartments for the elderly. There will also be common recreation and green areas and environmentally sustainable initiatives such as water tanks and energy saving measures.
The new public housing will replace the older style apartments which were built in 1953. “The new designs are modern, eco-friendly, sustainable and attractive. We’re honouring our commitment to improving social housing,” said Matt Brown MP, Minister for Housing.
All existing residents will be offered alternative housing in the area and will have the option of returning to housing appropriate to their needs in the new accommodation.
The Redfern-Waterloo Authority has welcomed the Department’s significant investment in revitalising public housing. The area’s social mix will also be enhanced by the sale of adjoining Department land for the development of 158 new private dwellings. The proceeds of the sale will contribute towards the cost of the new public housing.
A development application is to be lodged with the City of Sydney and the 18-month construction period is expected to commence in early 2008.
Diagram: Artist’s impression of the new public housing in Elizabeth Street, Redfern.
NORTH EVELEIGH RENEWAL
Community markets to open by April 2008
The Redfern-Waterloo Authority has lodged a development application for the $2.9 million refurbishment and adaptive reuse of North Eveleigh’s heritage Blacksmiths Workshop to create a new multi-purpose community market, arts space and small car park. The proposed 109-stall undercover community market is scheduled to commence operation by Easter 2008, with additional open air market capacity at the nearby former rail traverser. Significant local employment is expected to be created by the exciting development of a flourishing food, produce and arts and craft market, commencing initially on a Saturday and Sunday basis.
The new weekend markets will operate alongside the recently-developed $40 million CarriageWorks contemporary performing arts space and the RWA’s Yaama Dhinawan Indigenous college/cafe, which is likely to transform the formerly dilapidated industrial site into an iconic community, cultural and culinary destination for surrounding residents.
The Blacksmiths Workshop: the current site where the new community markets are proposed.
Eveleigh Heritage Walk
The precinct will also get a major boost when the RWA’s Eveleigh Heritage Walk is completed in about 2 years’ time. The $6 million Heritage Walk will be a pedestrian/cycle bridge linking Wilson Street, Darlington and North Eveleigh with the Australian Technology Park and suburbs beyond, and will provide a magnificent aerial perspective of the rail history of the Eveleigh site as pedestrians walk between the northern and southern sides of the rail corridor. The bridge will also play a significant role in facilitating the research and innovation zone connecting the University of Sydney with the Australian Technology Park.
The RWA has lodged a preliminary environmental assessment with the Minister for Planning for the pedestrian/cycle bridge and has just completed a tender process for the design consortia.
Construction training commences at Yaama
The RWA’s Yaama Dhinawan Training College is a hive of activity as the first 8 week Koori Job Ready course commenced on 30 April 2007. 15 Indigenous students are engaged in construction industry training in the first of what will be three courses for this year. Upon successfully completing the course, the graduates are expected to be offered employment under the RWA’s Indigenous Employment Model on various Redfern-Waterloo building projects.
Meanwhile, the hospitality industry training is now into its third course, with 15 Indigenous students expected to graduate on 8 June. A further 3 courses in hospitality industry training will be run out of Yaama Dhinawan this year. Significant on-the-job training and employment opportunities are also expected when the RWA commences operation this year of a commercial café from the building, subject to development approval.
Photo: Participants and staff on the Koori Job Ready course at North Eveleigh.
Future development of surplus lands
The RWA is working closely with State Rail and RailCorp on the preparation of surplus North Eveleigh lands for sale. The first stage is expected to be the marketing of the western end of the 10.5 hectare site in early 2008 for future residential development. Proceeds from this sale will be committed towards preparing the remainder of the site
for disposal and development in accordance with the planning vision developed by the RWA under the Built Environment Plan. Residual proceeds from the completed sale process are expected to be committed towards the future provision of essential public infrastructure in Redfern-Waterloo.
BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT GROWTH
Sponsorship for Tribal Warrior Association
The RWA has stepped up its business support for the Tribal Warrior Association’s Indigenous harbour cruise enterprise with a $40,000 sponsorship deal over two years. The sponsorship will assist Tribal Warrior in establishing and growing its business in the highly competitive Sydney Harbour cruise market. Tribal Warrior operates two vessels and is based at Lawson Street Redfern. The not-for-profit organisation provides training, employment and life opportunities for unemployed Aboriginal people as well as assistance to needy Aboriginal families.
Tribal Warrior has stated it “is appreciative of the support RWA has provided to the Association and its efforts in promoting the overall advancement of Aboriginal people under the RWA’s urban renewal charter.”
Photo: Tribal Warrior vessels sailing on Sydney Harbour.
Australian Technology Park keeps growing
The RWA’s $47 million development of an 11,000 m2 research building at the ATP remains on track for completion at the end of this year. The building will house about 600 employees from National Information Communication Technology Australia (NICTA) and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). Upon completion, it will be the first building to have been developed at the ATP in more than six years.
In other ATP development news, the RWA’s $6.5 million roads and infrastructure project, including a new road entrance from Henderson Road, is scheduled for completion in August this year. Preliminary archaeological works have also been conducted for the $123 million private sector development to house Channel 7, Pacific Magazines and other media players – which on completion will create about 2000 new jobs in Redfern.
Illustration: An artist’s impression of the Seven Network building on the western side of the Australian Technology Park.
TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS
Indigenous jobs initiative goes from strength to strength
The success of the RWA’s groundbreaking Indigenous Employment Model continues as other sectors of Government are now using it to employ Aboriginal people on their construction projects.
The City of Sydney is to be congratulated for working with the RWA to employ Aboriginal apprentices and trainees on its Redfern and Regent Street upgrade and the Redfern Park redevelopment. The contractor, Ford Civil, has created seven apprenticeships, traineeships and labouring positions specifically for Aboriginal people. The RWA has worked closely with Ford Civil and My Gateway to find suitable people to fill these positions. Once in the job, the RWA mentors the employees, visiting them and their bosses at the workplace on a weekly basis. The City recently pronounced the RWA’s initiative to be a success.
The Commonwealth Government, through the Indigenous Land Corporation, is working with the RWA to employ 7 Aboriginal people for the construction work on the Black Theatre site on Cope Street. The Indigenous Employment Model will also be used to employ 20 Aboriginal people for the construction of the National Indigenous Development Centre on the site of the former Redfern Public School.
Other State Government agencies are expected to use the RWA’s assistance, including the Departments of Commerce and Housing, and the Transport, Infrastructure and Development Corporation (TIDC).
The RWA’s Indigenous Employment Model makes it easy for employers to employ Aboriginal trainees and apprentices, by recruiting, providing pre-apprenticeship training and valuable mentoring support. The RWA will use the model to fill over 80 new positions over the next 18 months.
The RWA does this with the help of its partners: TAFE for the pre-apprenticeship training; My Gateway Group Employment, which takes care of the payroll, insurance and paperwork for the apprentices/trainees; community organisations, Job Network employment agencies and the Aboriginal Employment Strategy to recruit suitable people.
The RWA employs Terry Kelly and Rohan Tobler to mentor the apprentices and trainees as they embark on their careers. They visit them on-site regularly to check that things are going well for both the employee and the employer. This intensive mentoring support has resulted in an impressive retention rate of over 70%.
Raymond Russell from Waterloo was profiled in the December 2006 issue of the Redfern-Waterloo Update when he had just completed the Koori Job Ready course in construction. He now works as an apprentice shopfitting carpenter on site at the RWA-owned Australian Technology Park. Rohan Tobler is his mentor and visits him on site each week. He says that Ray is going really well in his new career – he’s happy and enjoying his job.
Ray Russell says that having the job has changed him for the better, he is learning new things every day and is extremely proud of himself and his work. The company he works for, Commercial Aluminium, is also pleased with Ray. They say that he is attentive, willing to learn, reliable and has settled in well to be an important part of the team.
Photo: Raymond Russell (left) with mentor Rohan Tobler.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANS
ILC Invests More in Redfern
The Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) is about to step into the local limelight yet again, with the proposed $8 million redevelopment of the historic Black Theatre Site at Redfern. This follows on from the ILC’s $35 million investment in redeveloping the former Redfern Public School site.The ILC hopes to start construction at the old Black Theatre site by mid 2007 with completion by March 2008.
Vacant for some 20 years, the site in Cope Street was home to the first Aboriginal theatre in Sydney. The ILC plans to construct a three-storey mixed commercial development that will provide benefits to the local Aboriginal community. The development will incorporate a purpose-built radio station and recording studios for Gadigal Information Services, local broadcaster of Koori Radio.
Illustration: Artist’s impression of the $8 million development at the old Black Theatre Site.
Contributions Plans to fund public infrastructure
The Minister for Redfern-Waterloo, Frank Sartor, has approved the RWA’s two plans which will raise monetary contributions from future development on strategic sites in the area.
The RWA Contributions Plan 2006 came into effect on 16 May 2007 and will enable developers to be required to pay a levy for the provision of public facilities and amenities within the RWA’s operational area. The Plan is expected to raise about $36 million from future development in accordance with the RWA’s Built Environment Plan.
The RWA Affordable Housing Contributions Plan 2006 came into effect at the same time and will enable developers to be required to pay a contribution for the provision or refurbishment of affordable housing. The Plan is expected to raise about $35 million over the next 10-12 years.
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
Quick cooking on a budget
The Redfern-Waterloo Authority, in partnership with Sydney Day Nursery (SDN) Redfern, recently ran an ‘Easy Cooking on a Budget’ course for six young mothers on low income within the area.
The course operated in four weekly sessions, where participants learnt how to prepare and cook low cost, quick and nutritional meals for their families. In addition participants also learnt about basic health and nutrition, food handling, reading food labels and meal planning.
The course also included a field trip to Flemington Markets, where participants spent a morning buying bulk fruit and vegetables with volunteers from the ‘Connect Redfern Food Co-op for Families’.
The success of the course so far can be seen in the friendships that have begun to cement and the mothers fielding the idea of a small group food co-operative to enhance the fruit and vegetable program.
Three further courses will be run in 2007. The courses are held at ‘Our Place’ community centre at Poet’s Corner, Redfern. The next course will run from 1 to 22 August 2007.
Top: Participants in the ‘Easy Cooking on a Budget’ course preparing a healthy and affordable meal. Above and Left: Participants and SDN staff shopping for fresh ingredients at Flemington Markets.
$1 million for new PCYC
The Redfern-Waterloo Authority and the Department of Housing have jointly offered a $1 million contribution towards the construction of a new Redfern Police and Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) as part of the Indigenous Land Corporation’s proposed redevelopment of the former Redfern Public School.
The RWA’s $500,000 share of the contribution is contingent, in part, on the new PCYC also serving as a one-stop-shop for youth services in accordance with the Cabinet-endorsed Human Services Plan (Phase 1).
Discussions are continuing between the RWA, the ILC and the PCYC on this exciting proposal that should deliver a wonderful new community facility to the people of Redfern-Waterloo.
Illustration: The new PCYC will be a wonderful community facility.
UPGRADING REDFERN -WATERLOO
Human Services Plan update
The RWA’s Human Services Plan (Phase 2) is expected to be considered by State Cabinet shortly, following a process of community consultation late last year, and the recent election. The draft Plan that went on exhibition identified eight priority areas for reform of the human services system, including in key aspects such as dementia support, aged and health care for older Aboriginal people, homelessness, migrant services and disability services.
The establishment of an RWA Trust Fund, an important component of the earlier Phase 1 of the Human Services Plan, is set to be implemented in July this year following the finalisation of all legal issues.The RWA Board has approved seed funding totalling $250,000 over the next five years to enable the Fund to be established under the umbrella of the Sydney Community Foundation (SCF).
The SCF is a private not-for-profit organisation established to support social development projects in Sydney. The RWA’s sub-fund will have the specific purpose of funding projects designed to meet the needs of children and families, young people, Aboriginal people, the aged, people with disabilities, homeless people and migrant communities in the Redfern-Waterloo area. The Trust Fund, with its tax deductible status, is intended to provide a vehicle for private sector involvement in supporting local initiatives that will deliver benefits to these groups, consistent with the objectives of the Human Services Plan.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE
Illustration: The new health centre will open in early 2009.
Progress towards the construction of NSW Health’s new $10 million community health centre at the former Courthouse/Police Station site in Redfern Street remains on track. Development approval is anticipated for August this year with construction slated to commence in November.
The community health centre is therefore expected to become operational in the first half of 2009.
The new health centre is to be funded by the RWA’s concept planning and sale of the former Rachel Forster Hospital site. The concept plan is being finalised and will be lodged with the Minister for Planning in June 2007, with the sale of the site expected to be completed in early 2008.
Need Assistance?
For more information or to send us your feedback please contact the Redfern-Waterloo Authority, Level 11, Tower 2, 1 Lawson Square, Redfern Tel: (02) 9202 9100 Fax: (02) 9202 9111 Mail: PO Box 3332, Redfern NSW 2016 Email: redfernwaterloo@rwa.nsw.gov.au Internet: www.redfernwaterloo.com.au
TfNSW proposal to reverse Little Eveleigh Street - until Sept 10th 2023
