Canal Reserve Action Group Inc.

crag newsletter - february 2004

So Long, Farewell, Au'voir,
Auf Wiedersehn, Adieu, Goodbye!
(crag 0401)

Triumphant Return

On Sunday 4 September 1994 a group of concerned community members attended a meeting at Boothtown Reserve Greystanes. They formed the Canal Reserve Action Group (GRAG) and vowed to save the Canal Reserve.

Sunday, 15 February 2004 saw CRAG return to Boothtown Reserve, triumphant.

After nine and a half years the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve (LPCR) has been saved, designated as a Crown Reserve and handed to Holroyd City Council as Trustee.

The day was celebrated with a bbq, guided bike rides, displays and an official ceremony to hand responsibility for the Reserve to Holroyd City Council. The LPCR was officially opened by Steve Norton – President of CRAG and Clr Mal Tulloch – Mayor of Holroyd.

The Journey

CRAG has had a long struggle to save the LPCR but has always been determined to see it through. In the end the NSW State Government was persuaded to provide $23 million to open the Reserve to the public.

Along the way CRAG was involved with many community activities that affected the Reserve. These included Cleanup Australia, Holroyd State of the Environment Report workshops, Parramatta to Liverpool Transitway workshops, a NPWS steering committee, the Boral Estate Community Advisory Group. CRAG even won the prestigious Keep Australia Beautiful 2003 Metro Pride Award for it‘s work with the Reserve.

It has been an eventful and interesting journey.

Over the years CRAG has endeavoured to keep the community informed of progress by a number of means – countless meetings, information evenings, newspaper articles, stalls at community events, talks to local community groups, production of an edited aerial video of the reserve, an internet site and the delivery of newsletters to approximately 4000 residences along the canal reserve. This is the 28th and final of those newsletters.

CRAG has managed to do all this with a budget of approximately $2,700 raised by two garage sales.

Not a bad effort – even if we do say so ourselves.

Thank You

Saving the LPCR couldn‘t have happened without the help of many, many people. The list of names is too long to print here, but we have attempted to list them all on the CRAG website on the “roll call” page.

To each and every person who helped and assisted the effort – thank you, you should be proud.

And Finally...

At CRAG’s Annual General Meeting on 18 February 2004 a motion was passed to disband the group.

CRAG’s charter has been fulfilled and CRAG leaves on a high, as one of the most successful community groups in Holroyd.

We feel confident that the LPCR is now safe. But, we are equally as confident that should the threat arise again, the community will rally and CRAG could easily rise from the ashes.

Goodbye from your retiring Committee – Steve Norton, Brett Meade, Cathy O’Keeffe, Judy Norton, Fred Crowe, Helen Norton, Lesley Neuhaus, John Merrick, Sandra Merrick and Bruce Moore – and please enjoy, and care for the reserve.

Caring for the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve

A number of residents have had discussions with Holroyd City Council with the aim of forming a bushcare group to help look after the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve by being involved with bush regeneration activities.

If you are interested in being involved, please contact Maree Costigan, the Council’s Bushland Management Officer.

Maree can be contacted by email at

maree.costigan@holroyd.nsw.gov.au

or by mail at

Holroyd City Council,
16 Memorial Avenue,
Merrylands NSW 2160.

Who do I Contact

As Crown Land the Lower Prospect Canal Reserve is owned by the NSW Department of Lands.

The Department of Lands has appointed Holroyd City Council as trustee for the reserve.

Contact details for all reserve issues is:

Holroyd City Council on (02) 9840 9840

To report fires ring 000

To report anti-social activity ring Merrylands Police on (02) 9897 4899

The CRAG website will remain as a record of the reserve’s history and CRAG’s successful struggle to save it: www.crag.jacketts.com

Friends of CRAG

Jacketts - for your next family holiday at beautiful South West Rocks.
www.jacketts.com

Please lend your support to those who support us.

CRAG
4/9/1994 to 18/2/2004

THE END

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