Callan Park Master Plan presented to State Government
Master Plan Highlights
Management of Callan Park
Saving Callan Park
Forming the Master Plan
State Government Responsibility
Commitment of Leichhardt Council
A decade of Council and community campaigning to save Callan Park has led to the development of the final draft of the Callan Park Master Plan, presented on 11 November to the Minister for Planning Brad Hazzard MP by Mayor of Leichhardt, Rochelle Porteous, Friends of Callan Park President Hall Greenland and Vice President Cr Michele McKenzie, in the presence of the Member for Balmain, Jamie Parker.
Master Plan Highlights
Updated Conservation Management Plan
Historic sites, buildings and memorials on the Callan Park site will have added protection under an updated Conservation Management Plan.
The review of the Plan included recording and mapping all of the commemorative items and plaques on site, such as the Aboriginal interpretation plaque by Joe Hurst.
All of the buildings and landscaping have also been evaluated to determine their history and their importance.
The Plan will make sure that future generations know the significance and location of heritage items in the Park.
Mental Health
Mental health consumers will be integral to every stage of the Master Plan’s implementation.
On site cafes will be run as cooperatives or partnerships with mental health consumers, and other projects will include a key mental health aspect – such as the expansion of Glover’s Community Garden, which will include two plots for the use of mental health rehabilitation.
The Master Plan recommends that a minimum of 30% of on site employment be filled by mental health consumers.
Council is calling for a mental health recovery and bridging centre in Callan Park to be given urgent attention by the State and Federal Governments.
Sporting Fields
Council has gained approval from the NSW State Government to take temporary care and control of the Glover Street Playing Field.
This temporary control allows Council to begin work immediately on designs for the reconstruction and upgrade of the disused fields, in consultation with the local community
Local sporting clubs will also be invited to submit an expression of interest for using the field.
Council plans to resurface and level the field before returfing it and installing a new irrigation system. The proposal for the field also includes floodlights, fencing and light weight combination goal posts that can be easily moved.
While Council will supply the majority of funding for the restoration, it is applying for various grants to help fund the remainder.
Council has taken temporary control of the playing fields, however they will eventually be returned to the control of the Trust.
Traffic and Parking
Following intensive campaigning from community groups there will be no increase to parking available in Callan Park.
The existing parking at the NSW Ambulance Headquarters will be retained, which can also be accessed by weekend users of the Park.
The main vehicle entrance to the park will remain at Cecily Street, while pedestrian access will be via the Alberto Street entrance.
Demolition of Buildings
A number of building have been identified for demolition in the Master Plan however, the Trust will conduct further consultation before any demolitions proceed.
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Management of Callan Park
The Master Plan recommends that Callan Park be run by an independent Trust – the Callan Park and Broughton Hall Trust.
Consultation for the Master Plan demonstrated overwhelming community support for the establishment of a Trust to manage the Site.
In recognition of the complex issues the Trust will deal with in governing the Site, it will be made up of the following trustees:
- One appointed by the Governor from the local council area to represent the traditional owners.
- Three appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Premier to represent the relevant State Government Ministers in relation to Heritage, Health and Environmental considerations.
- Three appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of relevant local Council area, at least 1 of who has expertise in heritage.
- One appointed by the Governor to represent Mental Health Consumers.
- One appointed by the Governor from the local council area to represent the Friends of Callan Park.
- One appointed by the Governor to represent Educational /Arts tenants/lessees eg the Sydney College of the Arts.
- One appointed by the Governor from the local council area to represent Sporting Bodies.
- One appointed by the Governor to represent Not for Profit Organisations (NGOs) which are tenants/lessees e.g. WHOS.
Each trustee must also have expertise in at least one of the following areas, and there must be a diversity of expertise within the trust membership:
- park management
- cultural heritage management
- local community affairs
- landscape history
- finance
- planning law
- environment
- mental health
- arts
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Saving Callan Park
Callan Park belongs to the people because it has been saved – on a number of occasions – by the people.
The history of the fight to save Callan Park from developers and to save Rozelle Mental Health Hospital is a proud history of the long collaboration between the Friends of Callan Park and Leichhardt Council.
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Forming the Master Plan
The Master Plan has been structured around the objectives of the Callan Park Act: preserving open space and heritage, providing active and passive recreation space, and developing health, community and education facilities.
Consultation, drafting and Council approval of the final draft of the Callan Park Master Plan has taken 18 months, including a comprehensive community engagement process in which over 2000 people took part through a series of workshops, drop in events and a dedicated interactive website.
There has been strong support for the continuation of mental health services on the Site. The Plan outlines a Mental Health Precinct with mental health related services such as employment and living skills training and education and vocational activities. It will combine mental and physical services in a modern way, adding to the mental, physical and social health of the entire community.
There has also been strong community support throughout the entire consultation process for maintaining the entire Callan Park Site as a single entity.
The Master Plan recommends the establishment of a Trust as the governing body – The Callan Park and Broughton Hall Trust.
Due to the unique nature of the Park, both Council and the community felt that, in order for all stakeholders to be considered, a Trust was the most appropriate governing model. The not for profit Trust will be responsible for the management of the entire Callan Park Site in accordance with the Callan Park Act and Master Plan and will manage Callan Park for the benefit of the entire community.
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State Government Responsibility
In October 2008 the previous State Government announced that it was proposing to transfer the management of approximately 40 hectares of the site to Leichhardt Council through a 99 year lease. The carve up of Callan Park into separate leases is not supported by Council as it destroys the integrity of Callan Park as well as fragmenting its governance.
Leichhardt Council however recognised the urgent need for a Master Plan and asked the State Government to develop this for the entire site as is required under The Callan Park (Special Provisions) Act 2002 and the State Environmental Planning Policy No 56 – Sydney Harbour Foreshores and Tributaries.
The previous State Government was not prepared to fund the development of the Master Plan so Leichhardt Council took on the full financial responsibility for the development of the Callan Park Master Plan and Plan of Management. In the process of this work, it was also necessary to develop an updated Conservation Management Plan.
While Council has funded the Master Plan, it still recognises the State Government’s financial responsibility. Council is requesting that the Premier acknowledge the State Government’s obligations and is seeking to recover half of the planning costs.
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Commitment of Leichhardt Council
Leichhardt Council looks forward to working in partnership with the State Government to ensure the Master Plan is adopted and to then enable its staged implementation through the Trust.
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