Thank you for the opportunity to feedback on the Darlington Public School Redevelopment. The level of design and thought is outstanding I feel this is an excellent redevelopment.

However, after looking at the plans I am wondering if there isn't room for a dedicated "Indigenous Food Garden" space? Possibly on the rooftop of the current library? Or elsewhere within the current grounds?

This would fall in line with the NSW Governments Greener Places policy as reported here.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/nsw-government-releases-shared-backyard-vision-for-greener-city-20200624-p555m3.html
"The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment will release its draft Greener Places policy on Thursday, outlining guidelines for open spaces including parks, sporting fields, open corridors and rooftop gardens. It will inform planning controls at every level of urban development across state and local government."
As a member of the Darlington Public School P&C I am aware of some of the problems that the school faces.

I feel if we have an Indigenous Food Garden it would help the school in the following ways.

1. Indigenous lead development for the school - which would integrate, not just indigenous visual arts, but actually lived local knowledge, customs, and flora into the school's fabric.
2. Opportunity for our children to engage in growing, experiencing nature, and seeing local Indigenous customs in a lived real-world and holistic way.
3. Creating habitat for local species of birds and insects thereby increasing our local area/community's resilience going forward.
4. Opportunity for the school to fundraise money through selling produce to local Restaurants or Markets or possibly by hosting events.
The P&C has seen the great work being done by Clarence Slockee/Christian Hampson at Yerrabingin Indigenous rooftop farm as an example.

https://www.yerrabingin.com.au/
We understand Clarence Slockee has an existing relationship with FJMT architects, who are designing the Darlington PS Redevelopment. We hope to work with him or other appropriate parties to see this developed included in the Darlington Public School Redevelopment.

If there is currently no funding allocated to make this happen the Darlington Public School P&C is keen to explore ways to fundraise or apply for Grants to facilitate this.

Kind Regards

The existing school complex is a well-maintained example of 1970s educational architecture in NSW, and tells an important part of the story of the local area. As such, prior to any works commencing, a condition of consent should be that full professional documentary photography is undertaken in order to preserve a permanent record of the architectural and local significance of the existing school buildings, which can be incorporated into City of Sydney archives and be displayed in the new building.

I am very pleased to finally see the Darlington Public School being invested in and the school's capacity being increased given the master development plans for Darlington, Eveleigh and Redfern. Having schools will keep the area populated by families and ensure it maintains a sense of community. My only query is in regards to the number of bike/scooter parking spots being provided. Under section 3.10 Page 42 of the environmental impact statement it states that 70% of the current student population ride to school; Given the new student population of 400 if 70% were to ride to school that is 270 students but yet only 67 bike/scooter spaces are being provided. Given the focus on riding to school, can more spaces be considered? At least enough allow for 1/2 of that 70% or 140 spaces? 67 spaces will note ensure equal access for all. Please reply as to if an additional 73 minimum are able to be provided. Regards Rebecca Link

Submission attached, plus Annexures A - C.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing to strongly object to this development. As a local resident of William St I do not want to see:
1/ 40 trees cut down. The property is beautiful. I enjoy walking past the trees every day and feel that WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE MORE TREES! In our current mode of decimation of our natural environment we should not cut down more trees. The council planting 25,000 trees is a start- but it will take these trees 40-100 years to reach the majesty of the ones that are at 1 Rosemead. If there were a was a way of keeping these trees, monitoring and loping them for safety, that would go a long way to alleviating my concerns. Just cutting them down is not acceptable.

2/ Increase of traffic. The neighbourhood is already packed with cars. People park for the station directly in front of our house. It is very difficult to drive down William St if there is any oncoming traffic. My mother who is 91 crosses the road directly in front of our house. I am already concerned for her safety due to the number of vehicles. She is less attentive and capable due to her age. I cannot imagine how this scenario will be impacted with the proposed increase. How is she even to begin to cross the road at peak times? This will be something that will impact her negatively with potentially disastrous consequences.

3/ Right now that property and corner and beautiful. It is really picturesque and quiet. I walk around there almost daily. It will only be ruined by the erection of a fence and the huge increase in numbers of people. It will change the character of the entire neighbourhood. All of us are here because we love the quiet bushland appeal. This project will utterly remove our very reason for enjoying this part of Hornsby so much. It is a very sad thing for our quiet local area to have something beyond our control be introduced purely for financial gain.
It proves the council's lack of care of it's residents. This is reflected too by the difficulty in registering to be able to add input. I spent over an hour firstly trying to find the project and was then unable to register using multiple email addresses once I found the correct page. If you have few comp[laints it's because your website is broken and will not allow new comments.

This alone should be reason for extending the time to register our opinions as it has become an illegal process.

I urge you to reconsider this development and to take this letter of complaint to whomever can action my concerns directly.

Yours,
Don Watt
XXXXXXX
Hornsby, 2077