Dear Supporter,
Funding for Moore Park Revitalisation
The Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Bill which was passed by Parliament recently, enshrines in the Act the permanent removal of car parking from:
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the upper or northern area of Moore Park East, with immediate effect,
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the lower area closer to Kippax Lake, with effect from 31 December 2023, and
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the area known as EP3, opposite the Hordern Pavilion and Royal Hall of Industries, with effect from 31 December 2025.
As Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes is now responsible for the completion of the Sydney Football Stadium, for transport access to and around the stadium and for Moore Park itself. In mid-March he wrote advising us that he will be asking Transport for NSW to convene a working group to work through the transport and parking requirements for the Moore Park sporting precinct. You can see his letter here, as well as our letter of 4 February to which he was responding.
In his letter the Minister refers to a $2 million makeover of the area from which car parking has been or is being removed. This contrasts with the $890 million cost of the new stadium. Together with the proposed new Precinct Village and 1500 space Car Park development, the Government and its agencies are investing nearly $1 billion for the benefit of Venues NSW patrons. Compared with this, $2 million for a parklands makeover is insignificant.
The upper or northern area of Moore Park East has already been the subject of much needed remediation, and it has been great to see schoolboy cricket resume there for the first time in more than a decade. (See photos below.) However, this is just the start.
As a sizeable portion of the $2 million will be used to pay consultants, we are concerned the community is unlikely to see much benefit from this expenditure. We’ve therefore written to Rob Stokes asking the Government to commit to the provision of $12 million over the next three years toward implementation of the Moore Park Master Plan, of which $4 million should be in 2022-2023. You can see our letter here. The Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich is supporting us – you can see his letter to Minister Stokes here. We will keep you informed of any developments.
Anzac Day Dawn Service
We will be holding our fifth annual Dawn Service next Monday at the Obelisk in Moore Park. You can see information about it and a great photo of last year’s service here. The service is intimate, short (3/4 hour) and intended to appeal to the local community - adults and children alike. The number attending each year continues to grow and we hope many of you will be able attend. Those attending will be offered a candle and a hand-made felt poppy as a memento.
The ADF will provide a speaker, bugler and lay wreaths, Sydney Boys and Girls High Schools will provide a catafalque party, while Alex Greenwich will attend, together with the Deputy Lord Mayor, Jess Scully and Councillor Linda Scott. We are particularly appreciative that that the City of Sydney’s newly-elected Councillor, Yvonne Weldon, will deliver the Acknowledgement of Country. Representatives of Venues NSW and some of the sporting codes will also lay wreaths.
Three memorial notice boards have been erected and in days leading up to Anzac Day (or after) we invite everyone to complete a card commemorating the life and service of a relative or friend who represented Australia or New Zealand in a theatre of war. Poppies and cards are available on site.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Michael Waterhouse
President, Saving Moore Park
18 April 2022
