| crag newsletter - december 2000 |
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Update (crag 0003) Where are we up to? |
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As we approach the end of another year there are still no signs of progress on the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve itself, but there have been some behind the scenes happenings that are positive. Ownership... Ownership of the land was formally passed to the NSW Minister for the Environment on 13 August 2000. The reserve will be managed by the Metropolitan Regional Parks Unit of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). This is a significant event as this means the land is now officially a Regional Park and should provide us with some comfort due to the strict controls in place regarding development within designated Regional Parks. Contact details for the Metropolitan Regional Parks Unit are as follows: Chris McCormack Operations Manager Level 1, 10 Valentine Avenue Parramatta NSW 2150 Phone: 9895 7440 Development Approval The other significant event was on 17 October 2000 when the formal Development Approval (DA) was passed by Holroyd City Council with 71 conditions of consent. Although 71 conditions sounds onerous, our advice from NPWS is that most, if not all, can be readily addressed in a timely manner. In fact, NPWS have already raised them with the successful tenderer and no delays are expected. What Next? As for ongoing progress, the word from NPWS is that we can expect to see work commence on the reserve in "early January". The first area to be commenced will be the Gipps Road to Bayfield Road section, so keep your eyes peeled for the first signs of activity. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this time, it will actually happen, as it is important that the $1.3 million allocated is actually spent in the current financial year. We don't want to see a repeat of last years fiasco where the allocation was lost, as it had not been expended. Who's dumping? Despite our many pleas for people to stop dumping rubbish on the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve it still continues. The refuse ranges from concrete dumped by local contractors, through household items and shopping trolleys by irresponsible residents, to grass clippings by naïve neighbours. This activity is not only a visual blight on OUR reserve but it is also causing environmental damage to a beautiful corridor of nature that we have been fighting so hard to preserve for the last seven years. The other impact here is that the NPWS will now need to expend some of our hard won funds on removing rubbish and stopping further dumping rather than pumping the funds into making the reserve ready for our use. If you see someone dumping, "dob them in", get their registration or other details and ring the NPWS Metroplitan Regional Parks Unit on 9895 7440. Annual General Meeting CRAG's Annual General Meeting was held in November and all members of the Executive where returned to their previous positions. CRAG would like to wish you all a Safe and Happy Festive Season. We hope to see you at our first meeting in February next year. |
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