I attended the above workshop arranged by Council at the West Torrens Football Clubrooms on Wednesday 21st April 2010.  There were around 80 people in attendance, with each of the 9 tables of around 8 people having 2 Council staff, plus a number of other Council staff & members, including the Mayor Harold Anderson and the CEO.  The workshop was led by a Gilbert Rochecouste, employed by the to guide us in, I believe, accepting Council’s unmovable point of view.

The workshop commenced with  Mr Rochecouste providing a summary of what was proposed.  His view was that the precinct would be revitalised (with an additional 2,000 new residents & 4 new roads into Woodville Road – which he omitted to mention), by new shops, restaurants, cafes and markets as well as “Indian Traders” (what the?), & multi-story high density housing.  Mr Rochecouste claimed that such developments worked internationally and were warranted in the St Clair development to draw people to the Woodville Road precinct, with a particular target being those on the south side of Port Road (e.g. the QEH district) who currently had difficulty utilising the area.

The workshop progressed with a number of by-table discussions, wherein thoughts were gathered on participants’ vision for the area, and then compiled into lists by council staff.

Some of the key issues raised were:

• The development would totally change the heritage character of the Woodville area, something that was not favored.
• The increase in traffic into Woodville Road from new roads in the development, noting that all who lived there would not necessarily utilise the train station for transport to and from work, given that the rail network access to major employment centres other than the CBD was limited.  Each participant was asked to prepare post-it notes with the 3 major opportunities and  3 major negatives.  By a significant majority, traffic increase was the major concern, with the post-it notes covering over 40% of the window space allocated to stick them.  In summarising the 11 major issues identified however, Council staff produced a point sheet which just simply omitted to include that major issue, that is until I approached staff to rectify that anomaly.  If council does not even take record or notice of the most prominent of concerns, what hope do we have in being listened to and our concerns and opinions being taken notice of and acted upon by this Council?
• The lack of parking facilities.  One Council staff-member suggested the potential for underground parking, however that was quickly ridiculed by those at my table based upon the high ground-water table, which would ensure flooding of any underground parking development with some certainty.  Interestingly, I noted a conversation between one council staffer and a participant wherein the participant suggested Woodville would soon be beachfront.  The council staffer suggested his view that existing coastal suburbs were indeed at risk. If this is the case, what are Council doing about it?
• The security risks to children playing on St Clair Reserve (or what’s left of it), noting that the new high story TOD will overlook  playing and playground areas and form a barrier that Woodville High students must pass through on the way to the train station.  The sort of people that will live in this type of development must be considered in my view. As the high density housing will not have yards for pets or children, the likelihood of a typical family-oriented development is nil.  We must question just what type of people Council are targeting to attract to this area, given they most certainly won’t be families.
• Alarmingly, there was a suggestion by one group that a major shopping centre should be incorporated in the development (where will the space for that come from and how could it compete with West Lakes and Arndale?) and that Woodvile Road should be closed for markets. There was reasonable support for a market atmosphere generally, with stalls and the like.  It was also noted there were no hotels or drinking places in the area, and some support was heard for such facilities.
• Our group strongly supported a full and extensive and fully transparent engineering, roads and planning study, noting the high risk of flood in the area, particularly given that Cheltenham Racecourse, which should be a wetland in its entirety.
• Support was voiced for a significant “buffer zone” between the TOD and Woodville Road, primarily for the safety of children walking from school to the train station.  A council staffer suggested a corridor with a width of a mere 2 metres, grossly inadequate.
• Strong support was voiced for a low density development, which by council’s definition is still comprised of buildings up to 3 stories in height, which is by no means low density. Also that buildings maintain the heritage character of the Woodville area, rather than a Mawson Lakes type development or the dog boxes that no-one wants at the Quays in Port Adelaide.
• There was a call for the plaques council had removed from St Clair Reserve being returned and that significant trees be retained, noting that many had already apparently been poisoned.
• Strong support was maintained for retention of the St Clair Reserve as is, given that Charles Sturt had one of the lowest ratios of open space of any Council in Australia.

During the proceedings, a council staffer started filming participants, until I voiced my objection, as did the participant sitting next to me.  I requested that the video be deleted, however have no assurance this occurred.  For council to video us without authority is a serious breach of privacy in my view.  Our Mayor and CEO did not participate in discussions, but stood or sat at the rear of the room along with what I can only call were a number of “heavies”.  Other council staff and Mr Rochecouste milled around tables listening in on discussions and offering less than helpful opinions.

In summary, this was yet another attempt by a council that will not listen to the opinions of residents and ratepayers, to whitewash the real issues and to justify the corruption of the heritage of Woodville in favor of new residents, who won’t be families, who have never paid a cent in rates.

The heritage character of the suburb is in serious risk, as is the safety of children near such a development, and the resultant effect on traffic in Woodville Road will simply be horrendous.  Its all about a pack-em and stack-em development on a park that was given to the people, but stolen by the council. They are merely engineering a future slum in my opinion.

Why can’t council address the area the other side of Torrens Road and the housing opposite Arndale Shopping Centre which is ripe for development and refurbishment? The area is also in dire need of much more green space, something the City of Charles Sturt is determined to take from us all. Let council develop a Village there, instead of stealing our pristine park (which was never theirs to take) while giving us much less valuable contaminated land in return.

This proposal is all about stealing from existing ratepayers and residents and making money to their detriment.

Mark Walker

Note: Council will hold 3 more events as part of this review process:

1. Monday 17th May 2010 7.00 to 9.00pm at the Civic Centre
2. Wednesday 19th May 2010 7.00 to 9.00pm at the above venue
3. Saturday 22nd May 2010 2.00 to 5.00pm at Council (Open Day)

Phone 1300 116 747 to register attendance – all are encouraged to come along and voice their opinion and to fight for our heritage and open space.

Just a reminder everyone the feedback to the council needs to be done by Friday the 16th of April 2010 at 5pm. Things that you could write about are the increase of traffic on Woodville Rd if there was to be a road coming out onto there, the increased risk of flooding, the unfair exchange of land as it isn’t one for one (roads and already allocated space does not equal 4.7 hectares) the disadvantage to existing residents by moving the new park onto the Cheltenham racecourse making it really a backyard for the new residents and the TOD.
Also reading in last weeks messenger the 170 people that went through the community day want a pooch park and an outdoor adult gym! well those things also eat into the open space. Why can’t we have the open space that already exists in St Clair and add those things onto the Cheltenham site?

The feedback form can be downloaded from the following link, filled out electronically and emailed to council@charlessturt.sa.gov.au – Note: We do not recommend using the “email” link at the bottom of the form as it is set to access multiple links and may pose a computer security risk.
Download Link: http://www.charlessturt.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Community_Open_Day_-_Feedback_Sheet.pdf
Kelly Thomas

Please click on the link below to download a “How To Vote Card” for Max Gallanti, who is standing against Michael Atkinson in Croyden.

Remember, Max stands for saving St Clair, while Michael Atkinson is in favor of building high density housing on our pristine park and giving us contaminated land without grass or trees in its place.

HOW TO VOTE CARD FOR MAX GALLANTI IN THE SEAT OF CROYDON

The following letter sent to us has been forwarded to The Advertiser & other newspapers for publication, as well as TV channels (other than Channel Nine as Google gave a warning that it’s site may harm your computer, which may have been a temporary aberration attributable to hackers, detected malware or a virus):

Letter to The Editor
30 December 2009
I challenge you, Premier Rann, Treasurer Foley, Attorney General Atkinson, Minister Hill & Ministers Maywald & Gago to a debate on national television.  The only condition I seek is the full protection of Parliamentary Privilege; not that I intend to disclose anything but facts & my opinion of them.

I wish to debate you all on the following issues within South Australia:
* Water policy & the River Murray, including related taxation;
* Desalination vs Storm water recycling & purification & expansion of existing water storage facilities with reverse pumping back to the Murray in times of overflow;
* The impact of desalination on power use (see rail electrification below) & the coastal environment;
* The missed opportunity at the recent Premier’s conference to put water use of our river Murray water (being used by the eastern states to grow rice & cotton) on the table as a priority;
* TOD’s;
* The proposed light Rail system & public transport in general;
* The impact of rail electrification on CO2 emissions & potential blackouts to households during peak electric power use periods (see desalination above);
* Revocation of Community land at St Clair & the Barossa;
* Councils increasingly ignoring their constituents on issues like land revocation, Chelsea Cinema, Cheltenham Racecourse and other local issues;
* State Government & Councils refusal to ban “donations” from developers – we the taxpayers & ratepayers donate far more in the way of taxes, duties, GST & rates, allegedly resulting in South Australia being the highest taxed state in Australia;
* State Government’s position in declining a need for an Independent Commission Against Corruption in this State, which refusal allegedly has the strong support of Councils like the City of Charles Sturt;
* Freedom of speech, Internet censoring & media reporting in general, from a State perspective;
* The proposals for the former Mitsubishi site & the former Clipsal site;
* Mental Health facilities in this state and the impact of the Glenside redevelopment on our capacity to care for the mentally ill.  Included in this would be reference to existing government policy to relocate the mentally ill to within the community (mostly in substandard facilities like cheap pubs and community housing) without allegedly the provision of proper care and rehabilitation activities;
* The alleged singling out of “bikies” as an illegal group, noting the vast majority of crime in this state appears to emanate from other sources;
* The proposed “Marj” (Royal Adelaide Hospital) redevelopment;
* The proposed redevelopment of Adelaide Oval;
* Government’s previous push to close Country Hospitals in favour of 4 “Super Hospitals”;
* The state of our City & Country roads – e.g. Goodwood Road, South Road & roads to the mid-north, when fines, registrations & taxes are purportedly allocated for such purposes;
* The financial position of this State; recalling that Treasurer Foley previously advised at the height of the Global Financial Crisis that SA had suffered financial losses. I have witnessed nothing subsequent to this than ad nauseum grandiose announcements on how you, our State Government, will spend our money in the billions.  Is the money there or will we see increased taxes akin the water rate rises to pay for a desalination plant nobody wants (or needs)?;
* Treasurer Foley’s plan to import skilled labor from the Phillipines as opposed to increasing re-training & education facilities for the unemployed and those who have lost their jobs during the GFC;
* The ability for a labor dominated Council like the City of Charles Sturt to command the protection at their meetings numbering in the 10′s of Police Officers, at least 2 paddywagons & 6 police cars + 2 designated Police Negotiators & then lock out all but 30 or so selected ratepayers to public meetings;

I could go on but guess you all get the idea. Hell, I’ll even let you bring along the alleged 130+ taxpayer funded media staff contingent under your command to back you all up. Hey, why not bring along our City of Charles Sturt Mayor Harold Anderson & Councilor Sykes (who allegedly works for Mr Atkinson) for good measure?

I have never been a Politician, a lawyer or held community office.  I am a self funded retiree with some experience in the finance industry. I will stand totally alone in a debate with you all. Will you all stand accountable & debate only one?  If you do not, I can only accept that you all fear only one thing – the truth.

Mark Walker
West Lakes

Members and supporters of the St Clair Reserve campaign,

This is the Reserve & here are some of the Trees we are fighting to keep for the enjoyment of residents & ratepayers.

This Thursday at 5.00pm, there will be a rally on the steps of Parliament House at 5.00pm.

You might have heard today’s news that the Government has backed down because of our legal challenge and that they will be having an “independent” review of Minister Gago’s decision.

How independent can that review be if it is conducted by another Minister in the Labor Government, Minister John Hill, you might ask.

While the St Clair Reserve Ratepayers Association Committee (St Clair RRA Committee) welcomes the Governments decision to review the decision, we cannot but wonder what motivated the government to move so quickly.

Could it be that they knew they were going to get court orders against them and they wanted to avoid the embarrassment?

Could it be that they wanted to avoid being questioned about it in Parliament?

Or could it be just a delaying exercise to drag this on till after the next election when they will simply “plough ahead” despite any community protest?

We can but hope that Minister Hill, once he looks at the facts will feel compelled to direct the Council to engage in a much more widespread consultation process.

You should e-mail him immediately, demanding that he calls for a ratepayer’s poll to properly judge the feelings of the community.

John Hill can be contacted at:-

kaurna@parliament.sa.gov.au

Tel: 08 8326 6055
Fax: 08 8326 4389

With this decision, now more than ever, we need to be there at Parliament House this Thursday to demand that they take note of the community opposition to this proposal.

Come along on Thursday and bring at least 5 of your friends to show this Government that we, the people have had enough of being ignored in preference for the interests of the DEVELOPERS.  Who knows what else they have promised them in parks and open space near you?

The colour theme is GREEN while we still have a little green space left. Bring your banners, and your loudest voices and let them hear your concern.

Catch the train in and march from the station to Parliament House.

We have several speakers including we understand Isobel Redmond, leader of the opposition who can be contacted on:-

We suggest that you contact the Leader of the Opposition and recommend that she gives a clear commitment not to touch our park.

Please click on this link to See This Article on the Independent Weekly Website.

Some of the 600+ protesters who Charles Sturt Council wouldn't let in to hear their unjust decision about the St Clair Land Grab.

Please click on the following link to see Channel 7′s Today Tonight story on the St Clair Land Swap:

Today Tonight Covering the St Clair Reserve Land Swap issue on YouTube

There are currently 1,143 fans on FaceBook of the Save St Clair Reserve issue & growing Daily.

At 10am on Thursday morning (26^th November) in the Supreme Court (the Moores Building in Victoria Square) the case for a judicial review on the government’s alleged mishandling of the approval process for the St Clair land swap, will be heard.

Please Note: if you have the time, Please try to attend court and bring your friends.

St Clair Reserve Ratepayers

Save St Clair Update

What a busy week we are having on the Save St Clair front.

Today is the day that the Charles Sturt Council will vote for the second time on the motion to swap our community parkland of St Clair for development. In exchange we will receive the previously owned industrial site of Actil with its associated problems of soil contamination.

This second vote follows after Woodville Ward Councillor Robert Grant rescinded the motion at the last council meeting on Nov 9^th.

Councillors who voted against the proposed swap were Robert Grant and Brian Massey both representing Woodville Ward and Mick Harley of Beverley and Stuart Ghent of Semaphore Park.

The remaining 12 councillors all voted to go ahead with the land swap – in the words of the residents who were there to see the vote; shame!

We encourage you to join us in a rally together to make our voice heard against this proposed swap. Council decided NOT to survey all its residents, or, to have a public meeting to discuss this matter. Come along and show council we do care about our community open land. Our councillors have a duty to act on their ratepayers behalf as custodians of this land.

Bring your family and friends!

The Save St Clair Rally

Where: Carpark opposite Charles Sturt Council chambers on Woodville Road

Time: 6.30pm- arrive a little earlier if you are able

7.00pm -Charles Sturt council meeting.

Rally outside after to hear speakers and show your support – we promise that you won’t be disappointed by the show!

Remember that together we can make a difference.

Web and facebook sites

A lot is happening on our www.charlessturtratepayers.org website, our Ratepayers & residents discussion forum and Save St Clair facebook page.

Be sure to look at them and make a comment if you haven’t already.

It’s also a great way to keep informed with latest developments!

Government response

You may have noticed a sudden urgency on the Government’s part to put glossy promotional fliers in our letterboxes and adverts in the paper to inform us of the benefits of the TOD development. They have certainly been caught “on the back foot” and are trying to discredit any opposition to their development. It seems both government and council believed this development would proceed without opposition.

Many concerns have been presented regarding the land swap. Plans for Woodville Road include high-density apartments and offices that will go on the current shady park with a new road exiting onto Woodville Road quite close to the railway line (further increasing traffic problems). It is interesting to see that in the glossy brochures they are still maintaining the “fact” that we do not lose any open space, when in fact we lose about 2 hectares in the swap due to the inclusion of roads as open space, together with the elimination of a large part of the mandatory 12.5% of open space on the Actil site; these details have been provided to the SA Ombudsman.

The government is emphasising the TOD benefit and green corridor. Need we point out that much of the area between Woodville, Torrens and Cheltenham Roads and the railway line is currently open space and the intended development plan will increase the local population resulting in the open space per head of population being further reduced. Taking away St Clair significantly reduces the green corridor available between Cheltenham and Woodville Roads; one only has to take a drive along Woodville Rd to see this. The government and the Council have a fantastic opportunity here to do something wonderful with this area for future generations and they are squandering it for the benefit of developers, who end up with the “crown jewels” of Woodville – St Clair Park in exchange for a contaminated dust bowl with no trees. Great deal for them!

No one seems prepared to answer the question; Why the land swap is essential for the TOD to go ahead? We have no problems with TODs or improvements to our public transport system, but why on earth would you take a park when you have industrial land available immediately adjacent along the railway line? Did you know that a representative of TriMet in Portland, Oregon (where the TOD concept came from) has confirmed that none of their TODs were located on parks. Clearly it is only our government that are short-sighted enough to think that this is a good idea.

Why not relocate one of the Woodville station platforms further west, or put a new station in? Even easier, while you are busy blowing your trumpets about the new light rail; why not build a new tram stop at the Actil site? (And don’t bother telling us this is too expensive – we are not that naive!)

As a committee representing concerned ratepayers we believe a truly democratic decision can only be made by a ratepayer’s poll.

Letters and Petitions

We ask everyone to write a letter to Mr Rann this week.

We are particularly keen to write many letters to our politicians and encourage you to do this. Check the website today and download the proforma for sending a letter to Mr Rann then pop it in the post. Every letter should be answered. The more letters written will help to keep our politicians on their toes. Make your voice heard.

Letter writing is more effective than petitioning and at this stage we encourage you to do this.

Ombudsman Inquiry and Questions over Land Value

Hon.David Winderlich MLC has moved for an Ombudsman’s inquiry into the influence of the ALP over Charles Sturt Council’s decision to swap St Clair. The vote will be 3^rd Dec .

David asks to be sent any information regarding conflicts of interest to him at winderlich@gmail.com and if the information is credible he will read it out in parliament.

Questions have also been asked in Parliament over the relative land values of the two sites and the government have stated that the value of St Clair is $17M and so is the Actil site! Really?!! We understand that the value of the Actil site is closer to $10M and it doesn’t take much to calculate what St Clair is really worth as prime residential real estate in Woodville! Should we say $40M??

If it is developed for high rise apartments, probably more!

Donations and Membership

We thank everyone for their support. We are currently establishing a group membership base.

Please fill in a form. They will be available at the rally and to down load on line from our web site.

We ask also for a $10 joining fee to help subsidize our ongoing costs including photocopying and banner making not to mention legal fees!

We will have donation boxes at the rally.

Please help us financially if you are able.

Our apologies to anyone who received multiple copies of our update last week.

We really are trying our best to pull everything together in a short space of time and naturally we are encountering teething problems. Please be understanding and aware that we value any offers to help in any way.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the rally tonight

The Charles Sturt Ratepayers Committee

Please click on the “play audio arrow” below to hear experienced Planning Lawyer the Hon Mark Parnell MLC (Australian Greens) talking to David Bevan on ABC Radio today (20/11/2009) about questions raised in Parliament:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Here is the Hansard Transcript referred to:

Hansard Transcript involving Minister Gail Gago & the Hon Mark Parnell MLC re St Clair Reserve Woodville