Powerhouse Parramatta

I very strongly object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace are unique and highly important buildings in the Parramatta CBD and their loss would have a significant impact on the community's connection with heritage, histyory and community.
This includes my own personal heritage but these buildings belong to everyone in NSW and indeed Australia.
There is a very simple solution, which I implore Planning NSW and the NSW State government to implement immediately.
This three point plan involves:

1. Keep the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo
2. Create a brilliant Museum and cultural destination at historic Cumberland Hospital Precinct in North Parramatta.
3. Save historic Willow Grove & St Georges Terraces, and realise the existing Parramatta Council vision for a public square alongside the river.

This plan would also generate a lot of long term jobs not only in construction but also in all the professions related to museums, history, conservation and more.
This plan would also support domestic and international tourism.
I personally visit Parramatta with family, friends and international visitors to Parramatta to see important elements of Australian history and again, I implore you to adopt the above 3 point plan.
Your sincerely
Louise Marcroft

To whom it may concern,
As a frequent visitor to Parramatta I am greatly concerned about the proposed plan to demolish the heritage houses at Parramatta. These houses are part of Parramatta's tangible past. They also offer an opportunity to become part of the communities future if they become part of the new museum. They will be able to physically share Parramatta's cultural history and heritage of the area in a concrete form. As a school teacher and parent I have seen the appreciation the younger generations have for this form of learning. There is no other way this can be substituted. Regional towns can make the most of the wonderful gift heritage buildings can provide. I hope you take the opportunity to embrace th opportunity you have instead of loosing it forever. Yours sincerely

I object to the Parramatta Powerhouse on multiple grounds which are outlined below -

* RETENTION OF HERITAGE. The unique value of Willow Grove and St George's Terraces has been well documented. The latter in particular has a very well-documented ownership and usage history, dating back to the 1880's/ The original builder, George Coates was a true Parramatta identity and losing the building loses the heritage left behind by Coates. If the museum must be built on this location (which I do not agree - see below), it MUST incorporate Willow Grove and St George's Terraces. A wonderful example and precedent was recently incorporated into the recent WA Museum design, which has incorporated a number of historic buildings into the design.
* FLOOD PLAIN. As a resident of Parramatta for over forty years, I have seen this location flood many times. It makes no sense spending millions of dollars on flood mitigation when other sites are better placed and more suitable.
* The 'POWERHOUSE' name. there is one Powerhouse Museum - which is built in a heritage Powerhouse location at Ultimo. Now the government has sensibly decided to retain this at its natural home, the 'Powerhouse' name is now longer appropriate and should be uniquely retained by the Ultimo location.

An ALTERNATE design and location is surely the beautiful Fleet Street Heritage precinct. A museum incorporating the existing historic buildings with sympathetically designed buildings to house the colonial museum exhibits - many of which currently reside at Castle Hill. The adjacent old Parramatta Jail complex could be incorporated to include a First Nations component of our heritage.

I have a wide range of Parramatta-based friends, relatives and associates - over 150 in number. Since this museum has been proposed, I have not found one of those people in support of a museum on the riverfront location. That's zero resident out of 150 in support. How can any respectful politician or public servant ignore the opinion of the people?

Please do not destroy these heritage buildings.
Please do not build the museum on the riverfront location.
Please consider the Fleet Street and Jail precinct as an alternative.

Thank You for your consideration.

I object to the demolition of heritage houses to make way for the Parramatta Powerhouse.
Two heritage homes are being knocked over to build a new building to contain heritage items. It makes absolutely no sense.
The whole process has been a basket case but to seriously tear down two homes with such history is absurd.
The new Western Australian Museum had the same 'problem' so they incorporated the homes into the museum.

I object to the impacts the proposed project will have on heritage listed buildings (Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace).
Demolishing these heritage items contradicts the objectives of Heritage Legislation designed to protect and preserve unique and valuable heritage.

Whilst Powerhouse Parramatta has the potential to boost tourism and economic value of the Parramatta area, it should not come at the expensive of Heritage structures that add value to the unique character and charm of the city.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because it would be a tragedy to lose historic Willow Grove.
I was fortunate to work on that house and know it well. Destroying such a beautiful part of our history would be nothing short of criminal.
I have not donated to any political party. I have no objection to this email being published. The more that are made aware of this failure to protect one of our treasured historic buildings the better.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because..the plans destroy our heritage buildings Leave the current museaum at ultimo and utilise the cumberland hospital precint for an historical museum

Please find the following as attachments:
1. Submission objecting to the proposal
2. Report on the National Trust Survey on the Powerhouse Museum
3. Location of National Trust Powerhouse Museum survey respondents

The Powerhouse Paramatta is an important addition to the ecology of Western Sydney’s cultural offerings. This ecology is rich and includes local council run arts centres, independent arts organisations such as UTP and artist run organisations. There is an opportunity for an intuition like the Powerhouse to further strengthen this ecology.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project and the potential demolition of Willow Grove and St Georgres Terrace at Parramatta.

I am an architectural graduate, who is extremely passionate about Sydney's built landscape; old and new. As a city we need to embrace our historically and culturally significant buildings. The recently completed award-winning Marrickville Library is a perfect example of how to provide a great new facility for a community whilst repurposing a building that has already provided so much for that same community. The Marrickville Library maintained and repurposed the old Marrickville Womans Hospital as the main collection areas of the library with a new building and roof formed adjacent and ajoining the old heritage building. The result is a combination of old and new structures, providing a state-of-the-art facility that is grounded in the history of that specific place.

There is no reason the site of Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace in Parramatta reason shouldn't be developed, but I ask you to please make the retention of these two significant buildings compulsory. The community of Parramatta deserves a state-of-the-art new museum (not a relocated powerhouse). By retaining Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace the museum will have its two best collection items before is even begins construction.

I would like to see a new, site specific musuem for the community of Parramatta. I would like to see the retention of the Power House Musuem in Ultimo - We don't need more multi reidentail buildings along the Ultimo Pedestrain Network. If you would like the UPN to be a thriving area, then it needs more cultural buildings; not less. I would like to see the retention of Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace and that they are listed on the state and national heritage registery so that this conversation is not even possible in the future.

Thank you,

Samuel Williams

I OBJECT IN THE STRONGEST TERMS THE DECISION TO DEMOLISH HERITAGE-LISTED WILLOW GROVE AND ST GEORGE’S TERRACE IN PARRAMATTA FOR A NEW POWERHOUSE MUSEUM.
Find another site for this new museum. This is cultural vandalism on a grand scale, and is not necessary.
This current NSW Government has an extremely poor track record in demolition for “progress and development” at any cost.
For example, the demolition, in the dead of night, of the Royal Oak Hotel in Parramatta. Shame on you.
Along with the demolition in 2018 of the Sydney Football Stadium (still a hole in the ground) and the proposed demolition of Sydney Olympic Stadium (now a refurbishment) leaves Sydney and NSW residents wondering about the transparency of the whole development process and expenditure of public funds.
It is laughable the signage on the hoardings of some of the Metro stations currently under construction.
For example, at Crows Nest, the signage is:
- “Rich Heritage, Always Evolving” - that is, demolishing heritage
- “We’re Building Tomorrow’s Sydney” - by demolishing heritage
- “A Look Back In Time” - with a photo of Crows Nest in the 1950s. Enjoy the photo, because those lovely buildings have gone.
DO NOT DEMOLISH WILLOW GROVE AND ST GEORGE’S TERRACE.
FIND ANOTHER SITE

I would like to lodge my objection to the destruction of historic ‘Willowgrove’ and ‘St George Terrace’ at Parramatta to make way for the construction of the ‘Powerhouse Parramatta’.
As much as I appreciate the idea of a museum in Parramatta I am outraged at the decision to destroy our historical buildings for this new structure. It is totally inappropriate for our suburb that is steeped in the early history of this country that we should be celebrating. How this was even a consideration is abominable. We should be preserving the amazing history of this area and selling it to the world not creating appalling inappropriate architectural monstrosities amongst the rare and unique historical ambience of this area.
My objections:
1. We simply do not need to have our history destroyed to make way for a totally inappropriate modern structure to house the very history that you intend pulling down. It does not make sense.
2. We have enough historical buildings that could easily be used for museum purposes thus preserving our history and buildings in an appropriate way and celebrating the uniqueness of the history of Parramatta and its place as the birthplace of our nation.
3. I also object to the name the Powerhouse as there is only one Powerhouse museum which was named appropriately at the time. At Parramatta we should be celebrating our uniqueness as the historical heart of Sydney and the name of a museum should be appropriate for this historical area. A more appropriate position for this structure should be highly considered.
4. Stop inflicting ugly modern structure (eg. the stadium) in the midst of a uniquely historical area. Stop destroying our historical buildings and our links to the past.
5. The destruction of unique and important historical structures eg Willow Grove and St George Terrace to make way for a totally inappropriate modern structure is atrocious and must not happen.

Like many in Parramatta and surrounds I am appalled and saddened that our State government could behaved as architectural hooligans hell bent on destruction and obliteration of our valuable past. As much as the idea of a museum is a good one more thought and consideration must be given to the position so that our unique history is not destroyed in the process. That a museum reflects the history of this area.

Kind regards
LIZ ASHARD

Dear Sir/Madam/NSW Planning Department,

It is my "Expressed Will" that these two heritage buildings and surrounding grounds, located at the proposed Parramatta Power House development site NOT BE DEMOLISHED OR DAMAGED IN ANY WAY!

There is precious little heritage of early Australian development left these days, for the State Government to willfully destroy that which is in good condition and easily preserved and maintained for history and the current community, IS SIMPLY CULPABLE and smacks of a complete disregard for those that have gone before us and have done so much to build this nation!!!

These buildings and grounds must be preserved, maintained and made available to the wider community as examples of our early history.

There appears to be suitable alternative location(s) available nearby.

If this State Government wishes to be re-elected in the future and they choose to persist with this mindless destruction of history, THEY WILL NOT BE RECEIVING MY SUPPORT, where previously always given at the ballot box.

Further, I will be motivated to pursue every legal opportunity to see this government fall, including being very active and vocal leading up to and including polling day!


Yours sincerely,

Mr. Dale Eder. (5 Werna Place, Hornsby. NSW)

21st July 2020. 12:10pm.

Historical Heritage listed buildings such as these should be protected for now and future generations as examples of earlier life and beautiful buildings. Once destroyed the history is lost forever.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because of the failure to adequately explain why the need to destroy the heritage buildings exists, and the fact that a better alternative site should be sought, brought and developed in order to achieve a bigger and more acceptable development proposal. For destroy the past in the name of the future is dismissive of the efforts of those who went before us in developing what is the greatest state in the nation.
These proposed demolitions, when placed alongside the recent hotel removal for the light rail is, in my opinion vandalism at it’s best and ranks up there with the following;
.1. The original coalition proposal to build massive housing on Clarkes point at woolwich. A move defeated thanks' in part to the actions of both the community and the late Jack Mundey and the B.L.F.
.2. The original proposal to rebuild the Glebe estate into high rise, which would’ve destroyed the fabric of those areas.
.3. The proposal to develop the original Lane Cove Valley Freeway under the County of Cumberland plan dated 1947 which had it been completed required the demolition of housing that ran parallel with Victoria Road which started at the bottom of Druitt Street to Harris Street, the new Gladesville, Tarban Creek and Figtree bridges. The latter requiring either the relocation or demolition of the former residence of Mr Joubert whose name is remembered by the street that ran from the Hunters Hill Hotel to the old Figtree bridge.
.4. The original Askin Government proposed reconstruction of the historic Rocks area of Sydney would have totally destroyed what is now our best tourist attraction.
.5. The original coalition proposal to build the second international airport at Cowan in the middle of the national park and a railway to the city. And I have the details of this as well along with other failed coalition policies.
To sum up this current Government, along with past coalitions have so much disdain for the buildings that our early citizens have left us it concerns me that my only viable option is to vote against any such proposal coming from and party that would destroy the very fabric and history of the early development of the greater Sydney, New South Wales and Australia as a nation.
It is my humble opinion that after being involved with the Liberal party from late 1987 through 1995, when I was actively involved in the electorate of the then Member for the seat of Ryde in my capacity of delegate to his S.E.C a delegate to the F.E.C of the Member for Bennelong, and that was most enjoyable.
The respective Members were, for the seat of Ryde Mr Michael Stephen Photios and for Bennelong Mr John Winston Howard. Mr Photios’s contact number was[at the time was 888.5723 [private after hours] and electorate office 808.3121 and Mr Howards residential address was 19 Milner's Crescent Wollstonecraft and I believe his number was 439.4360 or something like that.
In short, I will never vote again at any election for the coalition should this destruction of our history and heritage proceed in the name of development and job creation when the same could be achieved by the restoration and preservation of these building to be appreciated by this and future generations, and in this I also include the original women’s factory.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because as a resident of Parramatta and historical connections I feel we must keep as much history as we can!
My great (5times removed ) grandmother Anne Marsh was a resident of Parramatta and had the first boat up and down the river to Sydney town. We would never have had the tools to find our ancestor if all the history had been removed. Often wander around Parramatta toking in the historical significance if buildings.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because:

• The Powerhouse Museum as it is now rests on the place that gives it its name. It is historic!
• It is central for everyone to visit especially tourists
• Its full of amazing exhibitions and is truly loved by the public especially school children who look forward to going there as a school excursion.
• The proposed Parramatta project requires the demolotion of the few remaining beautiful historic buildings that that remain in Parramatta and that is criminal. Its a crime and all Australians should rise up against it.

I do not support the demolition o the Heritage listed buildings St George Terrace and Willow Grove in order to build that ugly building for housing the Powerhouse Museum. I have lived in the Parramatta are for over 50 years and seen the loss of our heritage time and time again, once these parts of our heritage are gone we will have lost the connection with our ancestors and the history of our country. I fail to see why we cannot preserve these buildings in the precincts of the museum as part of the history of Parramatta. There are plenty of other sites owned by the state in the area that are not flood prone as is the current site, which (I have witnessed over the years) has been inundated by the flooding of the Parramatta river.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because..we should preserve the historyin Parramatta. These buildings are all history & belong to the people of NSW. Make them part of a unique display of heritage/ history. Don’t destroy them for an unwanted museum that should be left where it is. The Powerhouse is in a unique building, the best building to display the unique exhibits. This building is also heritage. Leave it alone Leave the heritage buildings alone too in Parramatta. It’s our heritage. It’s ours to enjoy. Please don’t destroy these. Thankyou. Concerned citizen who loves history. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼