Powerhouse Parramatta

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project because..
So much of our heritage is destroyed and not valued for commercial gain What will I show my grandchildren What stories will I share There is a big difference to what is real and not what is in a museum as a relic of a past long ago.
No need to vandalise our community or sell our souls

I am writing to you as Minister of Planning and Public Spaces to express my concerns and dismay that once again heritage items are being destroyed for unnecessary new developments that frankly are a waste of public money. It is important for future generations that important heritage items are intact so they too can understand and treasure part of our history. So please do not proceed with the Parramatta Powerhouse Museum and leave the Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace standing.

I would like to object in the strongest possible terms to the destruction of Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace Parramatta. This is complete vandalism of a beautiful heritage area and must be stopped immediately.

Marcus,
I like thousands of others have, OBJECT strongly to Willow Grove being demolished and an attempt made to reconstruct a building of that age. It’s not built of sandstone blocks, like one or two other local buildings that were “re constructed. “
Willow Grove is brick and plaster, it cannot be re built say the experts Quoting...
“ Willow Grove is a cement rendered brick structure with plaster ceilings that cannot be moved without catastrophic damage......Any relocated building would simply be a bad replica, with the original iron verandah tacked on for a veneer of authenticity.”...
.....So says David Burdon,
Conservation Director of the National Trust of Australia.
You received 95% of objections regarding the placement of a new museum on and around this site.
Common sense would dictate that the NSW Government has got it wrong, and the Minister Responsible, Mr Harwin is attempting to push a open wheelbarrow filled with chickens to market.... all of which, may one day come home to roost upon his head.
MG Stanley.
Merrylands 2160

See attached

Dear Sir,

I have just read an article about the NSW Government plans for Willow Grove and it's 'demolition' by way of moving this beautiful House brick by brick to another location and replacing on the then vacant land another (3rd) Powerhouse Museum to which I wholeheartedly OBJECT. There is already one at Pyrmont and one at Castle Hill in operation.

This action by the NSW Government is against the wishes of the majority of the Community and CMFEU have placed a ban on the demolition and that is what it will be because a House this size and age will (I am informed) only fall apart and what will be left is the front door and iron railing which is not PRESERVING the House but DEMOLISHING it.

PLEASE listen to caring and concerned people in the Community who want Willow Grove to stay where it is and in the condition it is. This is a part of Parramatta's Heritage and History and I plead with you to consider all consequences of your actions and think outside the square of NSW Government decisions by building another Powerhouse Museum (if you have to) on the lands where Parramatta Golf Club used to be situated or somewhere also more suitable.

I would like this to be published and I look to you for a favourable response as set out above as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully,
MRS LORRAINE GRINDROD
BAULKHAM HILLS

Dear Marcus and associates,
I object to Willow Grove being dismantled and relocated because expert advice from Elizabeth Farrelly says it is not only culturally wrong but also scientifically. She said “ there’s a more rational, less invasive alternative: keep the Powerhouse in Ultimo, customise a genuine Parramatta museum within these old and lovely Fleet Street buildings and retain Willow Grove in its lofty garden as a tribute to the women who, for decades, created and ran it.”
Please rethink!!
Thank you,
Lee

Hi Marcus,

As a resident/homeowner/ratepayer within the City of Parramatta, I object to Willow Grove being dismantled and relocated because Willow Grove is a cement-rendered brick construction with plaster ceilings which cannot be moved without catastrophic damage. Any relolcated would be a bad replica with the original iron verandah attached to pretend authenticity.

There are currently NO detailed drawings or plans or a heritage report or a budget to indicate
how this would be done.
There is also NO indication of its planned, precise location in North Parramatta.

Ms Barbara Bryan
Dundas NSW 2117

I strongly object to Willow Grove being dismantled and relocated elsewhere.

This beautiful building should, as a part of Parramatta's heritage, remain in situ in Phillip Street. Any knock-down/rebuild will seriously put at risk Willow Grove's original historical features.

I totally agree with David Burdon - Conservation Director, National Trust Australia (NSW) who stated that Willow Grove is a cement rendered brick structure with plaster ceilings that cannot be moved without catastrophic damage. Any relocated building would simply be a bad replica with the original iron verandah tacked on for a veneer of authenticity.

The people of the west are not being heard, as the NSW Government pushes ahead with this ridiculous agenda. Parramatta's heritage buildings should be valued and stand as original testament to our historical past.

“I object to Willow Grove being dismantled and relocated because …


The arrogance of the NSW state government is breath-taking.


There can be no chance of re-locating Willow Grove with out significant damage. It could not ever be replicated successfully on another site

I strongly object tot the destruction of Willowgrove!

LEAVE IT AS IS!!

Here is an idea … why not find a vacant site for the yet to be built Powerhouse?


I am sickened by the continuing destruction of our heritage in the name of ‘progress’


Sincerely
Karen Armitage

- A project which received over 1300 submissions of which 95% were opposed, should not be considered for approval.
- The modifications made to the design are purely cosmetic and do not change the fundamentals
(a) The flood dangers on the site have not been addressed. Even if the undercroft is now closed people could still drown when trying to escape land flood.
(b) The proposed removal and rebuilding of Willow Grove on another site has been universally derided by experts as “farcical.”
(c) All other problems – size, lack of museum curatorial space, etc… and immense costs - remain.

Stop playing games with our valuable tax dollars and leave the ENTIRE Ultimo Powerhouse precinct intact.

Joe

Dear Sir,

I strongly object to Willow Grove being pulled down “brick by brick” and relocated to an other position in North Parramatta. It is perhaps possible to number the bricks and put them back together like LEGO, but the original rendering will get lost. Further it will be next to impossible to save the ceiling ornaments and cornices. Further there will be unavoidable damage being done to the woodwork like staircase etc. At best a replica building will be constructed on a nearby site ate the estimated cost of 10 million dollars.

I strongly object to the planned demolition and so-called rebuilding of Willow Grove on another site in Parramatta. This can only result in building a replica which is next to useless. Copying a Sydney Nolan painting but keeping a copy somewhere would be considered a crime and probably result in jail time for those responsible. Vandalizing Willow Grove should also be considered a crime !

I do wish my personal information to be published on the department website.

Regards
John Hagedoorn

I object to Willow Grove being dismantled and relocated to another location because it will cause catastrophic damage to this important historic building. The only one of its kind in Parramatta.
David Burdon, Conservation Director of the National Trust Australia (NSW) has stated that a cement rendered brick structure with plaster ceilings, such as Willow Grove; cannot be moved without catastrophic damage. He is an expert in this area. The government should be listening to him. He also went on to say, that any relocated building would just be a bad replica and I completely agree with this statement. Willow Grove needs to be left where it is. I don't want a copy. I want the original building.

There are two solutions: a) leave Willow Grove where it is and build the Powerhouse Museum on another site or
b) leave Willow Grove where it is and change the Powerhouse Museum design to incorporate Willow Grove as part of the Powerhouse Museum.

This would be a win win solution for all. Parramatta can have its world class museum AND its original historic building on the site it has always been situated.

The government's determination to move Willow Grove doesn't make any sense and raises questions on perhaps hidden agendas, which is very troubling considering what is going on with the current ICAC investigations.

Please abandon this absolutely ludicrous plan of relocating Willow Grove and leave it exactly where it is.

L. Hatz

Dear Sir,

I am an Australian Citizen and former resident of the Parramatta area.
I wish to register my strongest possible objection to the proposed demolition and relocation of Willow Grove.
The proposed construction of the new Powerhouse Museum on a flood prone site should be abandoned and Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace should be protected and retained as heritage listed buildings.
I note that a number of experts in the field of conservation and museums have also stated that they strongly oppose this project and have even gone so far to offer much more suitable solutions as far as possible locations and the use of heritage buildings being incorporated into modern museums. This would provide a far better, more appropriate and forward-thinking solution that is more likely to attract the support of the community.
To quote David Burdon, Conservation Director- National Trust Australia (NSW) "Willow Grove is a cement rendered brick structure with plaster ceilings that cannot be moved without catastrophic damage. Any relocated building would simply be a bad replica with the original iron verandah tacked on for a veneer of authenticity." This is what I consider to be an authoritative opinion and one that the NSW State Government should be paying attention to. To ignore this advice and to go ahead with the demolition is nothing short of vandalism.
The fact that 1302 submissions were made in relation to this project of which 96% were objections (my own included) shows that not only the people of Parramatta but people from all over NSW are no longer willing to sit back and watch the destruction of our heritage any longer.
I urge you to take a stand against the desecration of historic buildings and the redevelopment of areas such as The Female Factory into a business precinct and the disturbance to the traditional Darug people's land and artifacts. These important historical sites need to be preserved for future generations, not discarded by short sighted projects that will never hold the same value to the community. We want museums that hold a true sense of time and place that form a connection with our history and do not destroy it in the making but rather respect and acknowledge it There is an opportunity here to do what is morally right, I implore you not to pass that up.
I would appreciate a response to my email.


Regards,

Sarah Jones

We refer to the Major Projects Planning NSW email dated 8-10-20 and wish to make the following submission:

A few Parramatta residents have received this postcard from Infrastructure NSW to say that the Government Response to Submissions to the Parramatta Powerhouse project EIS (24 documents) is now available on their website https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/26576 . It states that “….a series of changes has been made.”

We believe that:
- New decisions on a project design described as “world class” should be publicised to a wide audience, not merely to local residents.
- A project which received over 1300 submissions of which 95% were opposed, should not be considered for approval.
- The modifications made to the design are purely cosmetic and do not change the fundamentals
(a) The flood dangers on the site have not been addressed. Even if the undercroft is now closed, people could still drown when trying to escape land flood.
(b) The proposed removal and rebuilding of Willow Grove on another site has been universally derided by experts as “farcical.”
(c) All other problems – size, lack of museum curatorial space, etc… and immense costs - remain.

Yours Faithfully,
Save the Powerhouse

I object to the removal of Willowgrove house in Parramatta. It is a part of our heritage and moving it to another site is not only destructive but removes any of the History of the site. There must be other options. Why must the powerhouse museum be placed on this site where it would create congestion. If being in proximity to other attractions what about Parramatta Park?
This is a beautiful heritage building and taking it from its lovely setting is not only a disgraceful decision but amounts to no foresight and dictatorship. Listen to the people, please.

Linsey Hall.

Dear Marcus

I object to Willow Grove being dismantled and relocated. As a community, historic sites must be a priority to maintained for future generations.

The proposal to relocate a building brick by brick is a ridiculous expense and serves no purpose. Maintaining historic sites should be your priority. Find somewhere else for your development - not that hard.

We have enough half empty residential towers and office blocks already and dont need more development on historic sites.

Whatever happened to all that livable city rhetoric that was going on for a while which includes being sensitive to factors like historic sites.

Parramatta has something special over other metro cities like Chatswood because of of it's gorgeous buildings and parks.

Please reconsider.

Regard
Lisa Macdonald

Dear Sir,
I still strongly object to the proposal to build a museum as designed at the site in Parramatta for the following reasons:
1: Willow Grove is a cement rendered brick structure with plaster ceilings which cannot be moved without catastrophic damage. Any relocated building would simply be a replica with the original veranda tacked on for the authenticity ! (David Burton, conservation director national thrust NSW ) Relocating at an estimated cost of 10 million dollars is a waste of money
2: The retention of St George’s Terrace on the site will probably the façade only which is not acceptable !
3: Both buildings are not only of significance for Parramatta but also the rest of the nation !
4: It is stated that on a typical weekday that the site may generate parking demand for approximately 140 cars. As 2 million visitors are projected per annum (5.000 each and every day of the year) this seems to be grossly understated ! Parramatta is already not known for easy parking this is going to be nightmare in itself !
5: A project which did receive more than 12000 signatures to a petition requesting not to proceed should not have the petition ignored.
6: A project that received over 1300 submissions from all over the country and of which 95 % were opposed should not be even considered for approval.
7: This area of Parramatta should remain recreational space instead of being filled with an other lump of concrete. The original council approved design as extension of the river walk with Willow Grove as Centre point is a far better idea !

8: It is unbelievable that notwithstanding all the protest by museum experts, environmental experts and local, national and even international ind individual's condemnation this ill-considered project thought up by ex-premier Michael Baird is still on the table at all !

I do not have any financial interest in the Parramatta area nor are member or have any association with any political party.

I object to the demolition of Willow Grove. It is the last Italianate Villa in Parramatta.

Its history is of its women builder and owners. The maternity hospital admitted Darug women at a time when public hospitals turned them away. Its first owner permitted Darug women access to the grounds and riverbank for the conducting of women’s business.

It was in the 1950’s and 60’s a Police Boys Club. They conducted dances for the young people who caught the bus that departed from the Roxy Cinema at the conclusion of the pictures.

The Liberal Government is hell bent of erasing the history of Parramatta in order to build as ‘glorified gin palace’ which is convention centre in disguise. In addition, the glass doors to the river present a disaster waiting to happen.

The Parramatta Powerhouse needs to be built in a place which does not flood.

You, as planner, have a duty of care to build a building which is flood proof somewhere else.

This land always was, always will be Darug land.


Why have presentation spaces been shrunk? Surely the existence of a museum is exhibition space.

Why have the food courts not been halved? It seems that the museum will be more an event venue than a museum. If they want to save costs get rid of the food! Covid will not go away. It is here to stay.

It would be better if the patrons went to Eat Street. Support the local economy.

Why have not the research “apartments” not been reduced to 10, if not got rid of? Again, Covid. They would provide a perfect way to spread Covid. What if one of the researchers developed Covid? Would the whole museum be closed? Are they a health risk? The same applies for the dormitories for school excursions. Have you thought about these two occurrences?

It would be better to support the local Parramatta economy by putting them up in one of the local hotels.

With regard to the glass doors opening onto the riverbank, are they a flood risk? A flash flood (a Parramatta speciality) would force flood waters up into the main building and there would be a lot of deaths. If this occurred, There would be a Coroner’s Inquest. A Coroner’s Inquest has more powers than a Court of Law. Have you ever fronted one? Would you be called to explain how this design was safe? I hope not as they are quite intimidating.

If the flood was a big one, would the force of the water break the glass? Would the glass be strong enough?

What about the exhibits? They cannot be replaced. Do bayou have a duty of care to ensure that the design will protect all the exhibits? I f the new design failed, would you be responsible?

It would be far better to follow standard practice and do a new EIS and submit a new Development Application so that the public of New South Wales comment on it and that it is legal.

You have not conducted a FULL ARCH ALOGICAL SURVEY of the site, despite the Darug people (the true custodians of the site) wanting one. Please do one.

Please will you take these comments on board.

regards alice kershaw


When I worked as Registered Nurse in Cardiothoracic Intensive Care at Prince Alfred Hospital, the hospital’s emergency electricity generators were tested at 11 am on the first Sunday of the month.

Every nurse who was with a ventilated patient with a tracheostomy was aware of the lapse of two to three minutes in the electricity supply. We prepared by hooking up green oxygen tubing to a anaesthetic bag in preparation for the test of the generators.

I can tell you those were very long minutes bagging the patient.

Does the proposed emergency electricity generators at the proposed “gin palace”at Parramatta have a quicker time of kicking in? How much water would enter the open doors fronting the river? Would that amount of water endanger the exhibits or the people in the building? Have you done any calculations?

Are these available to the public, or are they “cabinet in confidence”?

regards alice kershaw

To Whom It May Concern,
I object to the proposal to dismantle and move Willow Grove for numerous reasons:
1. The site was moved off the heritage list while the controversial councils merger was taking place and a Parramatta was under an administrator with no knowledge of Parramatta or passion for it and its history. This decision was made against the wishes of the council preceding the administrator and after the administrator.
2. The building will be destroyed in this process and would only ever be a poor facsimile with no contextual integrity.
3. A stadium stole land from us, the people of Parramatta. The consequent destruction of the community pool has still not been even started six years later. Why would we trust that money to ‘reassemble’ the destroyed Willow Grove ever be allocated? I firmly believe that it would not be rebuilt.
4. Wisteria Gardens, given to replace stolen stadium land, had been neglected. There is no plan for and no funding for its management. Why would we trust that Willow Grove will not lie as a pile of neglected bricks that some future government can wipe its hands off?
5. Willow Grove is beautiful. Part of that beauty comes from its current historical context. It’s an oasis in Parramatta’s CBD. It is nestled between modern buildings and a short walk to the St George Terrace. It is an everyday reminder of our history. And during the Parramatta Lanes food and music festival is a lovely fairy land.
Please please leave the lovely Willow Grove where it is.
Kind regards,
Jo-Anne Nibbs