[Please use the list of articles at the top of the email to find what is of interest to you. We do not expect you to be interested in everything. Depending on your email programme and computer settings these headings may also give you a link to jump directly to the story of interest.]

In this Update:

Rachel Forster Concept Proposal on Exhibition until 24^th August 2007

Friends of Eveleigh produce Large Erecting Shop Concept Plan for the Tourism Review

RailCorp to move Heritage Carriages from the Paint Shop North Eveleigh to Chullora

Redfern Street Business Map & Business Development Evening – 7^th August 2007

South Side Story - The Pride of the League – ABC TV 8pm Tuesdays Starts 7^th August 2007

Community Report Back on RWA Human Services MAC - Thursday 16th August 2007 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm

RWA Ministerial Advisory Boards (MACs) Update

AHC Pemulwuy Project Presentation – 4.30pm, 14^th August 2007 at RCC

Public Forum – Unpacking Social Enterprise - 1-5pm 14^th August 2007

Redfern Local Command – Waterloo Green Safety Audit Report

Urban Design Studies

Factory Community Centre 30^th Anniversary – 31^st August 2007

Have your say – Summary of Current Consultations

Coming Events (look at the new local events entered on the REDWatch website that are not covered here)

Rachel Forster Concept Proposal on Exhibition until 24^th August 2007

The Concept Plan for the housing development on the Rachel Forster site has gone on exhibition and the community has until 24 August to make any written submissions about the proposal. The RWA propose to finalise the sale of the Rachel Forster with the Concept Plan to a developer in early 2008. As the site will pass to an independent developer it is important that any issues concerning the project, including preservation of historically important elements and associations, be raised now. The Department of Planning web site describes the proposal as follows:

“Redfern Waterloo Authority proposes a redevelopment of the former Rachel Forster Hospital site for multi unit housing. The concept proposal includes reusing an existing 5 storey building on the site and creating an additional 3 new building envelopes. The building being retained on the site is proposed to have an additional level so that it becomes 6-storey in height. All other building envelopes would be a maximum of 3 storeys above the ground level. Approximately 160 car parking spaces are proposed with vehicular access being maintained from Pitt Street. Approximately 1,060m2 of the site, adjacent to Pitt Street is proposed to be dedicated by the proponent for the purposes of public open space.”

The concept plans can be viewed

• at the Department of Planning, Information Centre, 23-33 Bridge Street, Sydney
• at the City of Sydney Council, Town Hall House, 456 Kent Street
• at the Redfern Neighbourhood Centre, Level 1, Tower 2, 1 Lawson Square, Redfern or
• from Major projects part 3A on Exhibition on the Department of Planning website (The documents available can be found at the View project documentation link)

Even if you are not concerned about the proposed re-development of the site you may find the 200 page Heritage Assessment of interest. The Heritage Assessment documents the history of the site and The Women and Children’s Hospital. It includes details about the fund raising undertaken by the community to build the hospital and details of the pioneering role the hospital performed in women’s health and for training women doctors. Included also are some articles from 1941 & 1942 about the hospital. If you know people who were associated with the hospital we are sure that many memories will be stirred by some of the photos and other material collected in the Heritage Assessment.

Friends of Eveleigh produce Large Erecting Shop Concept Plan for the Tourism Review

The FOE submission for the Review of Tourism in NSW has mapped out a Concept Plan for the Large Erecting Shop at Eveleigh as both an operational heritage site servicing heritage rail throughout NSW, as well as a tourist destination and museum in Eveleigh. With a foreword by Associate Professor Lucy Taksa, the submission shows how the site could be adapted with a mezzanine and elevated viewing platforms to provide both a museum display space, as well as allowing visitors to view an operating heritage workshop. The FOE Concept Plan is important because it outlines how RailCorp or the RWA could continue the heritage use of the building and increase its ability to be a self supporting heritage asset instead of the building being adaptively reused for a non rail use or pulled down as is currently allowed under the RWA’s Built Environment Plan.

Along with some history of the site and a vision for its future for tourism, heritage and the maintenance of unique skills, the FOE submission includes an informative map of Eveleigh today which shows the buildings which have already been removed from the Eveleigh rail site. The excellently produced 12 page colour submission with photographs can be downloaded from the REDWatch website - Friends of Eveleigh Submission to Review of Tourism in NSW July 2007 (PDF 960Kb).

Other submissions to the Review of Tourism in NSW that we are aware of include submissions from REDWatch, 3801 Ltd and the Rail Tram & Bus Union. We understand from Brian Dunnett, who attended the regional tourism forum conducted by the Review, that transport infrastructure was one of the key areas of concern raised by many at the forum. We will add any further submissions received to the REDWatch website at Review of Tourism in NSW - Some Submissions concerning Eveleigh on the REDWatch website.

RailCorp to move Heritage Carriages from the Paint Shop North Eveleigh to Chullora

With the RWA working to have some of North Eveleigh with an approved Concept Plan sold off to a developer in early 2008, the pressure is on RailCorp to move all its rail heritage equipment out of the Paint Shop next to Carriageworks. The collection includes electric rail engines and carriages, which can not be used at Thirlmere as it is not electrified. The news emerged on Railpage on 19^th July 2007 (see http://www.railpage.com.au/f-p866713.htm) that all the carriages from North Eveleigh are to be moved to Chullora in the near future. We have now had this story confirmed from other sources. We understand that some new lines are to be put down at Chullora to help accommodate all the carriages. There are around 60 carriages that will need to be moved out of Eveleigh along with spares, signalling equipment and other heritage rail items presently stored in the Paint Shop. We are sure rail enthusiasts will keep their eyes open for a rare glimpse of some of the states heritage asses as they leave Eveleigh – you will probably read about it on Railpage.

As with the movement of some of the heritage carriages from the Large to Thirlmere earlier this year, carriages previously stored undercover will be stored in the open in an area where there have been recent problems with vandalism. It looks like adequate care of the RailCorp heritage collection is a secondary consideration to quickly clearing the heritage items out of Eveleigh for its sale. Like the Large, the Eveleigh Paint Shop is the other location where the RWA Plans show a conflict between a recognised heritage building and the permitted height controls. The Paint Shop is zoned to allow a re-development of up to 5 storeys in height.

Redfern Street Business Map & Business Development Evening – 7^th August 2007

With the Redfern Street upgrade nearing completion the City of Sydney is looking to kick start local business activity after the disruption of the last year. As part of this, the City has produced a map of the Redfern Shopping area with an index showing where to find local shops, galleries and services. Currently a scanned version of Redfern Map Flyer (PDF 1.5Mb) can be downloaded from the CoS website or obtained from the Council’s Redfern Neighbourhood Service Centre. We have spoken to the CoS about making available a searchable PDF copy of the map so search engines can turn up the Redfern map when people search for a particular shop or service.

The city is also holding a Redfern Business Development evening at Mr Mary’s Hotel from 6-8pm on Tuesday 7 August 2007 for retailers and businesses in the area. The evening will include looking at future marketing and business development opportunities that are being organised by the City and the Redfern Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. Following the forum you will also be able to stay behind and watch South Side Story (see below) on the big screen! For further information contact the City of Sydney Economic Development Officer, Jan Campbell on 9246 7515.

South Side Story - The Pride of the League – ABC TV 8pm Tuesdays Starts 7^th August 2007

You may have seen the Story Russell Crowe rips it up at Redfern in The Daily Telegraph about Russell Crowe removing a sign from in front of Redfern Town Hall for a better movie shot. Beyond Productions have been filming a six-part observational documentary series for ABC TV about the takeover and rebuilding of South’s called “South Side Story”. The series “closely follows the intimate goings-on behind a famous rugby league club as it prepares to re-invent itself leading into its centenary year. From the change rooms to the boardroom, from the terraces to the bar, on the training track and the playing field, South Side Story is an in-depth look at two bold men's attempt to transform an historical and cultural phenomenon into a superclub fit for the 21st century” according to the ABC Background on the Series.

Community Report Back on RWA Human Services MAC - Thursday 16th August 2007 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm

Helen Campbell, the Director of Redfern Legal Centre, has been the representative of local community organisations on the RWA’s Human Services Ministerial Advisory Committee (HSMAC) and its Redfern Waterloo Partnership predecessor. In recent changes to the HSMAC the Minister has decided to not reappoint Helen or have a local community organisation representative. The Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development is hosting a Community Forum to enable Helen Campbell to report back to community organisations and community members about her time as a member of the RWA HSMAC and to discuss how she and the local community organisations should respond to the latest HSMAC changes. Helen has already provided a brief report back to the last REDWatch meeting.

As the RWA does not make public updates on their progress in “Reforming Human Services” nor reports on how the implementation and evaluation of its Human Services Plan is progressing, this report back promises to provide a rare insight into the RWA Human Services process and its current status. The Community Forum is being held on Thursday 16th August 2007 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm at Inner Sydney Regional Council for Social Development Rear of Waterloo Town Hall, 770 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo 2017. RSVP by Wednesday 15 August Phone 9698 7690 or Email innerv@iinet.net.au .

RWA Ministerial Advisory Boards (MACs) Update

Following our report in the last RWIU we have been advised that the NSW Council of Social Services (NCOSS) will continue to be represented on the RWA Human Services MAC, but will no longer co-chair it. It has also been pointed out to us, following our comments about the RWA dropping the full list of HSMAC members on its website that the full memberships of the Ministerial Advisory Boards are listed in the RWA Annual Reports. With this as the only public listing, the current changes to the MACs will only become public in 18 months time when the 2007-8 Annual report becomes public. Since the establishment of the MACs the REDWatch website has carried the details of who is on the various MACs. We have updated these MAC listings to reflect the latest changes and as usual we appreciate any information on recent changes that may have taken place since the last RWA Annual Report. The links for each of the MACs are - HSMAC Membership, EEMAC Membership and BEMAC Membership.

AHC Pemulwuy Project Presentation – 4.30pm, 14^th August 2007 at RCC

A reminder that The Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC) will do a presentation to the local community at the Redfern Community Centre at 4.30 pm on Tuesday 14th August 2007. Come along to the presentation; see what is proposed and what has changed as a result of continued input from the community during the preparation of the concept plan. It is expected that the concept plan will go to the Department of Planning in late August and, following assessment by the Department, will then go on formal exhibition for further community comment.

Public Forum – Unpacking Social Enterprise - 1-5pm 14^th August 2007

Social enterprises are businesses that have social purposes. This seminar proposes to focus on primarily on youth, enterprise and Indigenous Affairs and how social enterprise can benefit the Sydney community. The forum is being organised by Social Alchemy and The Mercury Centre from 1pm to 5pm on 14^th August 2007at the Barnet Long Room, Customs House, Circular Quay. Places are strictly limited, and early RSVP to Social Alchemy at matt.jones@fusemail.com will ensure attendance at this free forum.

The key note speakers supporting the event are:

• John Pearce flying from UK, author of Social Enterprise in Anytown
• Damian Ferrie from Melbourne, Executive Director of Community Programs & Volunteering within Department of Victorian Communities.
  

Two panels of nationally recognised experts will also provide valuable insights during plenary sessions, including:

• Alan Grieg, Director Ownership Strategies, The Mercury Centre (plenary moderator)
• Steve Lawrence, CEO WorkVentures (plenary moderator)
• Tom Calma, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
• Tom Dawkins, National Coordinator, VibeWire
• Mark Lyons, Adjunct Professor School of Management, UTS
• David Mason, Leader - Urban Agriculture, Sydney Region, NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Therese O’Dwyer, Senior Project Development Manager, GROW Sydney ACC
• Peter Gow, Creative Capital

Redfern Local Command – Waterloo Green Safety Audit Report

We made mention in our last RWIU of the Waterloo Green Safety Audit and the maintenance that the Department of Housing needs to do to significantly improve community safety. We have now seen the final report. So everyone can see what problems were identified and what needs to be done to address the problems we have put it on the REDWatch website - Redfern LAC - Waterloo Green Safety Audit - 14 June 2007.

Urban Design Studies

A reminder that the public meeting for the Urban Design Study for Urban Design Study for Erskineville, Alexandria (West) and Newtown (South) is being held on Tuesday 7 August 2007.  The Council is posting the presentations so if you miss the meeting you should find the presentation on the CoS website at the above link within a couple of days of the forum. The Presentation from the Chippendale, Camperdown, Darlington, West Redfern and North Newtown is also available on the CoS website.

Factory Community Centre 30^th Anniversary – 31^st August 2007

The Factory Community Centre is holding a 30th anniversary celebration lunch at 12 Noon on Friday 31st August 2007. This is the day in 1977 that The Municipality of South Sydney recognised "The Factory" as a local organization. Though activities occurred at The Factory for some years previous to that, The Factory believe that this day is worth celebrating, and reliving some memories some of which will be on display, some of which you may like to retell over lunch with their many supporters and local community representatives. If you would like to attend please contact Patrick Russell the Coordinator on 9698 9569.

Have your say – Summary of Current Consultations

Below we have listed consultations currently open for community input and provided a link for further information: 

• CoS - Urban Design Study for Chippendale, Camperdown, Darlington, West Redfern and North Newtown Questionnaire - NOW
• CoS - Community Workshop - Urban Design Study for Erskineville, Alexandria (West) and Newtown (South), Tuesday 7 August 2007.
• CoS - DA Redfern Neighbourhood Service Centre Move - until 7th August
• DoP - Rachel Forster Hospital on exhibition until 24th August 2007
• CoS - Chippendale Traffic Study - until Friday 14 September.
• CoS - Cultural Diversity Strategy Community Consultations - Invites Community input.