Campaign to Save Marian Park - May 2006

Residents of Redfern’s Watertower building are fighting to save a small but rare piece of open parkland from the Redfern-Waterloo Authority’s redevelopment plans.

The green space between the Watertower and Gibbons Street, known to locals as ‘Marian Park’, has become the subject of an active campaign to prevent it becoming an 18-story commercial development.

When the Draft Built Environment plan was released in February 2006, many Watertower residents were shocked to find the park earmarked for buildings up to 18 stories high - the TNT towers in Lawson Square are only 11 stories high. In response, residents created a website, organised information sessions and secured a meeting with RWA CEO Robert

Domm. With submissions now closed, they will have to wait until the RWA finishes its review process and submits its recommendations to Redfern-Waterloo Minister Frank Sartor, which could take a number of months. At a public information day held in the park on April 8, locals shared their concerns over the park’s future. Lyn Shoemach, a Watertower resident of 20 years, said the RWA was difficult to deal with because it has “no checks on its powers”.

Another long-time resident, Bruce Gordon, claimed that the activism “took off” following the meeting with Robert Domm, because “people came away realising that changes won’t be made” from the draft plan. However, Mr Domm said recently that, “I’ve made it [publicly] clear – that aspect of the plan will change”, but he couldn’t specify how that would happen until the review process was conducted.

Aside from writing submissions and attending feedback sessions, activists greeted potential developers at the Plannex Development expo in March with letters claiming the existing plan is unfeasible.

One of the key concerns they highlighted was that, under the plan, green space will be reduced to less than 3 square metres per capita, compared to the existing average in Redfern of 5.9 square metres.

While the Draft Plan allocates more green space nearby at the Australian Technology Park, local residents are adamant that Marian Park should remain, and with submissions now closed, they hope for changes to the plan that will keep the status quo.