I will never forget the first time I flew into New York. Our aircraft descended over a Gotham City of skyscrapers as the sun set – from sleek silhouetted office towers to rundown Bronx apartments. Nestled amongst it all was Central Park, a surprising and gorgeous mass of green every bit as extraordinary in scale.
Later in my trip, I discovered the park was a place where you could utterly lose yourself, leaving behind all the bustle to the point you may as well have been in the Alaskan wilderness.
Parramatta Park plays a similar role in our city. Unlike say, the Royal Botanic Gardens that pours into the harbour, ours is a haven that’s landlocked. It’s hemmed in by the ever-rising CBD skyline, sprawling Westmead medical precinct and residential development in Northmead, North Parramatta, Wentworthville and Mays Hill.
During the pandemic, I’ve lost count of the times I’ve gone for a quiet jog or walk in the dusk. As the Parramatta CBD fringe is overrun by apartments without so much as a patch of open space for kids to kick around a soccer ball, the justification has always been – well, Parramatta Park’s right there.
It’s 164 years old, UNESCO World Heritage-listed and the only large public open space we have. Which means every blade of grass needs to be defended from the proposal to carve off about 30,000 square metres in the West Domain to build an 86-space car park.
Together with the addition of 44 new parking bays at the Queens Road Gatehouse along Park Avenue, 60 mature trees stood to be demolished. Thankfully, the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust – a new super agency bringing the city’s parklands under a single auspices – has halted the plan following a community backlash. This includes a 1200-signature petition led by the North Parramatta Residents Action Group.
The intention was to remove all cars from the inside of the park to create a “People’s Loop”, allowing families, joggers and cyclists to move around safely and unencumbered. However, the plan was foisted on the community without consultation. The tree canopy along the western edge currently provides a dramatic vista and point of entry; yet not even residents along Park Avenue were told what was happening, let alone an opportunity given to other park lovers to make a submission.
While facilities will always be needed to assist people to enjoy our open space, it’s important the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust consider alternatives to lopping off precious greenery (notably, no car-parking is allowed within Central Park in New York). Street car parking could be expanded or new facilities built below ground. Better still, encourage active transport or give Parramatta’s CBD and attractions a genuine shuttle bus service. Of course, Westmead station is only a couple of hundred metres away. The area will also be eventually comprehensively serviced with a light rail line and Metro stop.
Parramatta Park has already been encroached upon by the new Bankwest Stadium. It’s surrendering another 20 hectares to make way for a replacement pool. And other moneyed interests eyeing off a piece of the park abound. The ultimate affront would be the introduction of paid on-site car parking.
Most people accept Parramatta’s commercialisation and evolution as a city. But don’t we have to draw the line somewhere? Parramatta Park shouldn’t be run like a business. And large unaccountable agencies shouldn’t decide its future without strong local input.
Alan is a journalist and communications specialist. He writes a weekly column for Parra News.