I OBJECT TO THE POWERHOUSE MOVING TO PARRAMATTA AND THE DESTRUCTION OF WILLOW GROVE AND THE ST GEORGE TERRACES.
This is the submission from
Mrs Mary Richard

Maroubra 2035.

I appreciate and value the little bit of History in Australia which is still remaining and I strongly believe that too much has already been demolished, destroyed or ruined. Our Historical buildings and areas need to be protected for us and future generations.

We cannot afford to destroy the wonderful ‘one of a kind’ Willow Grove plus the St Georges Terraces (and both of their potential archaeological sites) as they are rare examples of architecture that will no longer exist in Parramatta’s CBD when they are demolished.

We have so few places with such high Heritage value left in this State and their worth both in places to visit and understand how Parramatta & indeed how Sydney began is too important to destroy for us and future generations.

I believe that the importance of these buildings in Historical terms can never be duplicated and therefore they must be preserved and cared for as their loss will be a irreversible loss of conservation values that constitute the heritage significance for Parramatta’s CBD.

The Wonderful heritage gardens containing some 55 substantial trees around these buildings will be a unacceptable loss for the Community and wildlife alike if this relocation proceeds. The mature trees provide a picturesque garden setting of a substantial size and are in good condition, thereby detrimentally impacting the cultural significance of the area if they are removed.


The sad recent loss of the Heritage Royal Oaks Hotel and other buildings due to the unwanted Light Rail (a total failure in the CBD SE line) will see another 2000 trees removed from the Cumberland Estate and along the route. This is unacceptable to me and a large portion of Australians.

I cannot understand how the State Government can ignore our important History and the Communities objections with a recent petition signed by 14,000 people wishing to protect Willow Grove and the St Georges Terraces; along with Historic House Association and National Trust of Australia (NSW). All have condemned the Governments decision to continue on this path of destruction.

My enquiries have shown me that there has been a lack of any consultation that was genuine and meaningful with the Community regarding what cultural precinct and museum they wanted or needed.
How can the Government intend to spend $1.5 billion to move a museum, when half of these costs are going into relocation of exhibits, storage for years while Parramatta is being built and flood mitigation of the unsuitable site?

Plans on a massive scale which will see the western building being 17 storeys and the eastern building 14 storeys). A monstrosity that will dominate the streetscape and will be out of character with the surrounding area.

I want to keep the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo a location that I, my children and grandchildren have visited over the years and learnt and experienced new and exciting things that have left us with special memories.

A smaller museum in Parramatta will never have the same impact and experience as the varied and wonderful exhibitions displayed at the Powerhouse in Ultimo. It has delighted and opened the hearts and minds of my family and friends for the last 50 years or so.

Keep it where it is and how it is and Save Willow Grove and the St George Terraces at the same time.

A Win for good planning and just the way that the Community have said (loud and clear) that they want to see this proposal, CANCELLED and the beauty, heritage and culture to remain as it stands today.

Mrs Mary Richard

Maroubra 2035

This will ultimately lead to selling the historic site to developers for high-rise apartments. Not to mention loss of heritage-listed Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace. Back-flip to come for sure from the Premier as soon as the current site is closed. What an incredible waste of our history! All for what? Another Meriton sign?

I find that the proposed destruction of and the breaking up of the MAAS collection as one of the greatest government sanctioned vandalism of Heritage items held in trust for the people of NSW. To use the word "Development" implies a positive change, but this is noting more than heresy. How this government could possibly consider that there is any voter support for this shows that there is no understanding nor interest in public opinion.

The current rampage on Australian Heritage is despicable and verges on cleansing all traces from what was once a beautiful city.

To sell off the Ultimo site shows again that the money is far more important to this small g government that the livability of our city.

As a current member of the MAAS, I would also like to know how you will reimburse my family and how do you suggest that I continue the education of my young daughter in the sciences with the Powerhouse closed?

This project just proves that Sydney is no longer in the hands of the residents and is a place to move away from.

I'm absolutely disgusted.

I strongly object to this project going ahead. The Powerhouse should remain at Ultimo. It contains valuable and important items that will not be able to be displayed at the proposed Parramatta site. This move does not serve the commumity and its best interests. Indeed, it will cost billions. For what?? An inferior museum!! This is madness! And Willow Grove historic home would have to be destroyed in the process. STOP DESTROYING OUR HERITAGE!! ONCE IT'S GONE, WE CAN NEVER GET IT BACK!! For what?? Apartments at the Ultimo site?? That is not in the best interests of the community! STOP THIS GREED!! I strongly oppose this move. The Powerhouse Museum is an important historic, educational and touristic facility that should remain at Ultimo. It contains incredible scientific and historic displays that deserve to be appreciated. Retain the Powerhouse at Ultimo and value this nation's heritage!!

This project does not appear to respect the historical or natural significance of the area. The design completely disregards that it is on the river shore and fails to blend in with its natural surroundings, namely Parramatta River. It also completely disregards the surrounding architecture, requires the destruction of two of our heritage sites and sticks out like an eyesore. A design that is meant to become an icon should not have it's main selling point as "simple" and "cost effective". An icon is something that represents the area, this design fails to represent or respect any of its surroundings.

This project also feels very out of touch with what we need and want. We don't want a museum moved from the Sydney CBD to be put into Parramatta when it has no significance to us and even destroys the heritage sites we already have. If you truly want to give Parramatta a new icon that we can appreciate, give us a museum/facility that actually respects the area its being built on and integrates the two heritage sites instead of destroying it.

I strongly object to the proposal to move the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta. It seems that not a day goes past without us hearing of the ongoing destruction of much of the built heritage of both Sydney and Parramatta cities. Most recently, I understand that that the Parramatta site will be more ‘pleasure palace’; than museum (SMH 21/6/20), with greater focus on changing exhibitions and ‘events spaces’, restaurants and cafes. What will happen to the Catalina Flying Bird, the largest suspended flying plane in any museum in the world and similarly, what will happen to Locomotive No1 and the Boulton and Watt steam engine that were housed in purpose-built galleries of the current powerhouse Museum? Are these priceless artefacts of our history being sold off overseas – surely not?

The Powerhouse / Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences is a great institution and has earned world renown and respect. It does not have a direct connection to Parramatta itself. Nor should it. Leave the Powerhouse where it is AND develop another museum to showcase Parramatta and its heritage. Surely we do not need to ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’?. Why should it be a case of ‘either/or’? The current museum is in a central location in Sydney, is well loved and well visited, and more easily accessible for more people than the site in Parramatta.

Parramatta is a wonderful city with unique and important heritage for all of Australia. We need to promote Parramatta’s unique heritage internationally, and to encourage many more visitors to explore this city. We do not need to lose two more valuable heritage sites in Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace. We have already lost too much of our heritage, the actual history that both Australian and International visitors value and visit. Leo Schofield is correct when he asks us to ‘brace for cultural destruction’ (SMH 21/6/20). Imagine Sydney without The Rocks precinct? In 2016, more than 10,000 Sydneysiders presented to the government a signed petition to review the decision to close the Powerhouse and ‘relocate’ it to Parramatta. This was overturned. I am certain that many more people would protest this decision today, given the chance. Sydney has enough office towers and high-rise apartments. These should never be at the expense of valuable heritage which will also provide considerable revenue into the future.

Additionally, the site proposed for this new museum is too small, and it floods. The architects have supposedly overcome these constraints. Moist air promotes mould and the corrosion of metal. Can we be confident that have they overcome this and the potential for that ‘rising damp’ smell and the resultant deterioration of priceless exhibits? It is a great shame that the architects for the new museum were not required also to apply themselves to a non-negotiable design requirement for retention of Willow Grove and St George’s Terrace.

Additionally, the proposed move is not needed and is financially questionable. A new, more focused, museum in Parramatta is certainly warranted, but this can and should occur without disrupting the current Powerhouse Museum and its precious exhibits. Doubtless, it would involve lower cost for the NSW Government, essential during these precarious times. This would seem an ideal time to change a decision made under different circumstances.

- Willow Grove Villa and St George's Terraces are part of our history and culture and must not be demolished.
- The social impact of their destruction has not been studied or reported upon in an Environmental Impact Statement. Personally, I would be deeply saddened, devastated.
- Parramatta is loved for its historical buildings and they are a great part of the sense of community. Loved not just by locals, but by others who value our history.
- I remember as a child, my Aunt, now deceased, would take us for a day trip from Bankstown to see the beautiful old buildings, but at the time I didn't know the names of those buildings. They must be maintained for future generations to know our roots.
- There is ridiculous irony in the proposal to demolish historical buildings to make way for a museum.
- Willow Grove and St George's Terraces are our heritage and must be maintained in the landscape of Parramatta.
- Willow Grove, built in the 1870s is significant aesthetically and historically.
- St George's Terraces, built in 1881 are a terrific asset to the streetscape of Phillip Street.
- They are a drawcard for tourism.
- Parramatta is becoming a wind tunnel with so much high-rise development and the historical buildings must not be demolished.
- Willow Grove and St George's Terraces are a major and important part of Phillip Street and must be kept.
- I cannot imagine the number of babies born in Willow Grove when it was a maternity hospital and I cannot imagine how they would feel if their birthplace was demolished. Social impact!
- Willow Grove and St George's Terraces must be retained as they are rare architectural examples from our history.

I am writing that email in the hope that, even so all the planning of the new Parramatta Powerhouse seems to call for the destruction of important sites of Parramatta heritage such as Willowgrove villa and St georges Terraces, you and all the teams involved should know that Parramatta residents strongly object to the destruction of those sites.

How can anyone agree to the demolition of our heritage is beyond all understandings ?

I have not much hope that my objection or any others who will take time to object, will be even taken in any kind of consideration but be assured that by destroying the past you are taking away the culture of Australia.

Regards
Annick Fogg

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta Project because it will remove even more of the suburbs historical buildings through the demolition of Willowgrove and St Georges Terraces.
With so few historical buildings left in the area - to lose even more is unfathomable.
People thought that doing this to The Rocks area in the 70's was a good idea and now look at the place. We must preserve some of our colonial history in local areas, the same way we should preserve Aboriginal and Indigenous history where ever possible!

I object to the Powerhouse project.

I, like many others would like a world class museum in Parramatta. That museum should be a new concept, like a museum dedicated to the people’s origins and stories. I object to this MAAS proposal in its current form, and the closing of the Powerhouse in Sydney.

My objections are based on the following:

1. The heritage impact statement denigrates the heritage of Parramatta, by commenting that removal of these heritage items only has ‘minor cumulative impact’ , this is incorrect, as they are the last remaining Victorian Italianate free-standing villa and Victorian terraces in the Parramatta CBD.

2. The size of the MAAS precinct building at Parramatta has been continually misrepresented in public statements and media releases as larger than the real Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo. It is not. The Powerhouse Museum’s exhibition space is being downsized at Parramatta by 75%.

3. That the Council and fourteen thousand plus members of the local community continue to object to the removal of these heritage items.

4. The project originated during administration of the council and did not allow for community consultation and an elected voice.

5. That contrary to the architect’s statement, that the civic link ‘contain and release’ for the pedestrian experience, the current proposed design funnels pedestrian movement and blocks and impedes the Civic Link to the River.

6. The site sits in immediate proximity to the 1820 National Heritage Female Factory, our World Heritage Old Government House and Domain, and our diminishing 18th and 19th century heritage homes like: Brislington, Perth House, Harrisford, Houison Cottage, Blaxland Cottage, and many more. Parramatta was at the heart and the crossroads of 19th century enterprise and trade and all connections to the history needs to be respected.

7. This site is large enough to include the retention of the heritage items if it was to face and engage with the urban fabric of the CBD instead of the River.

In summation, Parramatta is the Cradle City and first food bowl of the Nation. We are now the central city of multi-cultural growth and wealth, and as such deserve and demand respect for our history and our story. Leave the Powerhouse where it sits, give us a Parramatta museum of heritage and culture, at a place that respects our first nation, colonial and immigration history.