Alternative Media Group

Family says no to depot at Hugh Bamford Reserve

Author:

Pam Walker

Posted:

Friday, 15 January 2010

The family of the late Hugh Bamford have come out strongly against a proposed plan to build a depot on the Hugh Bamford Reserve. Waverley Council has been considering the relocation of a “satellite sub depot” from its current Zetland site to the reserve.

The relocation would result in the excavation of Hugh Bamford Reserve so that a building could be constructed to house 120 staff from parks and beach operations, public place cleansing, maintenance and construction. The council’s garbage truck fleet would be housed outside the municipality.

Louise Bamford, granddaughter of Hugh Bamford, said the council was wrong if it thought the Bamfords were all dead and gone and they could do as they pleased with the land.

“I’m not happy about it at all. When my grandfather died, his wish was that the land would be kept for the Bondi United and Bondi Boys Club to play football on, and as a reserve for people to enjoy with their families,” she said. “The whole thing is just wrong.”

Her son Shane Bradbery agrees and the plan has met strong community opposition. A group formed to fight the proposal has used social networking site Facebook to voice its concerns. The Facebook page Hugh Bamford Reserve: HB Protection Group has more than 1500 members.

Marietta Davis, Bondi local and spokeswoman for the group, said the large response on Facebook was indicative of the proposal’s “incredibly poor planning”.

The group has also set up a site, “Save Hugh Bamford Reserve”, detailing their grievances with the plan and supplying in depth analysis of the Report on Environmental Factors for the proposed depot.

Concerns include noise, both from construction and future use of the facility, increased traffic, decreased parking spaces and devaluation of property as well as the destruction of the reserve itself. The reserve presently houses the Ben Buckler gun battery, a rare intact concrete gun emplacement constructed in 1892, and registered rock engravings of Aboriginal cultural heritage significance.

Waverley Mayor Sally Betts said the plan had been proposed several years ago and the council was weighing up the savings the relocation would generate in productivity against the community opposition. The move would save 100 hours of work each day because it would decrease the time council staff had to travel to perform their duties.

“We want to put people close to where they work and have been looking for a little depot on the northern side,” Cr Betts said.

“But if residents don’t want it, we won’t have it. Community views will always take precedence in Waverley.”

But Ms Davis said the answer from the community was a resounding ‘no’: “How much opposition do they need before they realise the current plan is unpopular?”

She also questioned Waverley Council’s willingness to explore other proposals.

“I would love to know what other sites the council has been investigating,” she said.

Greens councillor Mora Main agrees that other options should be researched.

“Machinery for mowing grass, planting and pruning trees and raking the beaches should be kept and maintained in an existing commercial location, not dug into a precious foreshore area with some of the highest environmental and heritage values in Waverley,” Cr Main said. “A local works depot for servicing the Waverley community should be centrally located in the Bondi Junction CBD, or on land already zoned for commercial use, either in Waverley or very close to it.”

The release of the plan just before the holiday season raised concerns that council was not providing enough time for community consultation. In response the council has extended the submission period until February 19.

A report is expected to come before council in March listing community concerns and other options for the relocation.

- By Liam Kinkead

Opposition is mounting to setting up a depot in the reserve