Powerhouse Parramatta

I OBJECT to the project. It is contrary to good planning and heritage protections.

I have not made any reportable political donations.

I’m making a submission to state that I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta Project.

The reason

My family and I visited Parramatta this time two years ago to see a lost relative at the St John’s Cemetery in Parramatta – Ann Davis.

The history that surrounds our family is all located within Parramatta including – Willow Grove.

Ann Davis came out from one of the ships from the First Fleet which based itself in Sydney.

A book has been written about our family called – ‘Convicted’ by Peter Bradley which indicated our history in Sydney and Parramatta.

I would hate to see history / family heritage / be destroyed for future generations – my family generations - where we can stand and say we are a part of this place.

I hope you consider other options for our family history and other families who like us can’t believe this was even considered.

We are part of the First Fleeters – my father who is 78years was devastated when I told him what was considered.

I wish to raise my objection to the Powerhouse Museum being moved from Ultimo to Parramatta.
There is not enough area for all the exhibitions at Ultimo to be displayed at the Parramatta site. It is not suitable for displaying of overseas exhibitions as the climate controlled area is only 25% of the climate controlled area at Ultimo.
Overseas visitors are not likely to visit Parramatta to the same extent as they do in the city. Currently, there is about 900k visitors to Ultimo. It is unlikely that the 2m visitors estimated to go to the Parramatta museum will be achieved. I am aware there are other reasons to visit the Parramatta site other than going to the museum, however, if Parramatta needs an entertainment centre, then this should be built and the Powerhouse Museum left in Ultimo.
There seems to be no economical reason if the sale of Ultimo only achieves $200m and the Parramatta development will cost $1.5b. Former Premier Baird stated there would be zero net cost for relocating the museum.
My objection also includes the demolition of the heritage listed sites - the Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace heritage structures.

Ever since the Powerhouse opened at it's current site it has been an important part of my Sydney.
I have visited the Powerhouse often to look at it's collection of steam engines and other locomotives, and have been terribly disappointed that this will end.
I am sure that leaving the Powerhouse where it is aids Sydney's tourism from interstate, overseas, regional, and local.
I live close to Parramatta but I do not want a new museum here. It won't provide the same experience or resource, and will not necessarily mean more people visiting the West. It WILL mean less visits to the MAAS. It will also mean the destruction of two rare historic buildings in Parramatta. So wrong.
Spend a lot less money upgrading the current premises where they are easily visited by anyone in Sydney or elsewhere. Use any savings to build a different sort of museum experience here in Parramatta or elsewhere, and to help with other regional museums.

The riverbank at Parramatta floods on a regular basis during heavy rains. The EIS has the building 23m from the riverbank with no changes to that area to prevent impacts of rising waters. I see this as a major concern to the viability of the project on the whole.
The EIS proposes no parking available at the museum while also taking away a carpark by demolishing Riverbank carpark. This isn't tenable for the Parramatta community in my personal opinion.

I cannot imagine how in good conscience that this development of a " Museum" is proposed to take the place of the Power House (it will have to be renamed) to be built on the flood plains of the Parramatta River. You intend bringing down Willow Grove, St George Terraces, etc for this glass box monstrosity that will take so much power for air conditioning and be inadequate for displaying objects of our heritage. The actions of this government are alarming - the stadiums debacle, old trees coming down, the huge blowouts (by billions) on ridiculous projects (read tram to Randwick that takes so much longer than a bus) and many many others. So much space will be dedicated to bars, restaurants, social spaces to the detriment of real museum displays. There are so many (too many) places to eat and drink now, you only have to see the turnover and failure rate of some start-ups. I have not spoken to one single person who agrees with your proposal - we all would like you to reveal the business model to support this.
By all means build a museum of some kind in Parramatta but people down south and to the east, Wollongong, the Mountains, etc. will not be diverting to Parramatta by a number of different modes of transport when they could go to Central and walk. We are all wondering about how much money you are getting from developers - it must be a great deal as I don't think the Museum to Parramatta is altruistic - there must be a bob in it somewhere. You have destroyed my area. 6 storey units to our back fence and one house away on side fence. What is happening to this city is a disgrace, a very ugly ugly disgrace. Please don't censor these comments as they are from the heart and so many of us have the same sentiments. You have a perfect excuse to not go ahead with this project because of the pandemic. Take it!

I have lived in the Parramatta region since 1986 and in that time Parramatta has become an important part of my life.
Parramatta's history is crucial to our understanding of settlement in NSW but even over recent years we have lost so many historic sites.
I am very disturbed that Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace are to be both sacrificed to build a museum that does not need to be built.
The Powerhouse at it's current location is close to the hub of Sydney, is accessible for everyone, local, regional, interstate, and overseas, and provides a building which showcases the excellent steam and other vehicular collection.
Willow Grove is the last house left of the amazing buildings that used to follow Parramatta River near Lennox Bridge. It is still a building that my family and I visit and look at, to try and imagine how the area looked and operated in the 19th century, and to appreciate the history of our town. That it will be unnecessarily knocked down is shocking.
St Georges Terrace is a rarity, a 19th C terrace that is singular in Parramatta. How can anyone visiting our town reflect on what there was here if all evidence of prior living is removed. Photos and archeological studies do not replace the the reality of the original building, in situ.

I have seen no strong case yet for moving the Powerhouse. Small reasons do not a big reason make, and the cost and difficulty of destroying old to build and move to the new makes this project unsustainable.
Save our dwindling heritage. Save Willow Grove and St Georges Terrace.

The heritage-listed buildings including Willow Grove are unique and should be retained during any future development.
They provide important social history and a sense of place relevant to Parramatta, which has not been adequately studied or noted within the Environmental Impact
Statement.
Willow Grove provides a rich history that should not be lost to future generations, including as a maternity hospital over several decades until the 1950s.
As the nature of the Parramatta CBD is rapidly changing, it is important to retain Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces as a tangible artefacts that can continue to provide historical relevance into the future, and provide valuable educational material to be studied by future generations to come.
Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces are increasingly rare examples of architecture of the past that no longer exists in the Parramatta CBD and should be retained.
Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces could enrich any future museum that would incorporate them.
It would be absurd and quite lamentable to destroy valuable heritage buildings in order to create a brand-new museum dedicated to artefacts of the past.
Willow Grove and St Georges Terraces could, and should be the proud centrepieces of any new museum.

I strongly object to the proposal to close the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo. I do not object to the proposal to create a museum at Parramatta but do object to the proposed site. The reasons for my objection are as follows.
1. The existing Powerhouse Museum is world renowned and is part of a complex of museums, galleries and tourist attractions all within a 2km walking radius of the Sydney GPO. There is no valid reason to close it, in fact it should be enhanced at its present site.
2. The present proposal is clouded in secrecy – What is proposed for the Ultimo site? Where is the business case? Which items are going to be moved and displayed at Parramatta and how?
3. A new museum (in fact a whole complex) should be created in Parramatta and there are sufficient items that could be displayed from the Powerhouse collection as well as from the Art Gallery and the Australian Museum. This could also incorporate an Indigenous Culture museum
4. There is no information on what is being proposed with the world class exhibits eg – Boulton Watt steam engine, Catalina Flying Boat, Locomotive No 1 – how can these be moved safely and continue (for the engine and loco) to be run in their historic steam form. How are these large items to be transferred and installed
5. The Parramatta proposal includes the destruction of two historic heritage buildings – how can a Government support such vandalism.
6. How can the government also use a flood prone site to house such invaluable and irreplaceable objects.
7. The proposal has received numerous objections which the government has ignored. It is another example of poor planning and government hubris and based on the government’s record and lack of concern this objection will no doubt be ignored as well

This is a fantastic project that is much needed in Western Sydney.

I object to this project for the below reasons
I feel it is a total waste of money which could be spent elsewhere
Demolishing listed houses is unacceptable, it could be built somewhere else
I live on the Parramatta river and and we are just cleaning up the river foreshore, this will be an eyesore
Will this be another football stadium white elephant?
Or a cross city tunnel fiasco
Or light rail disaster.
Please keep the museum where it is.
It is a tourist attraction at Darling Harbour and tourists will not go to Parramatta

The proposal on exhibition should not proceed.

It appears to be a shiny bauble, capable of housing a few aspects of the current institution, which will be sufficient to satisfy a strolling gawper or to act as a backdrop to a corporate function.

It will be remembered not for what it does but for the heritage that was trashed to create it:

- Willow Grove
- St George's Terraces
- the Ultimo Powerhouse building
- the Powerhouse’s ability to not just exhibit steam era artefacts but to exhibit them working under steam power.

The creation of a new bauble can not justify so much destruction.

The museum that Parramatta deserves is one that displays and celebrates its own history and extant heritage - like the Grove and the Terraces and the Female Factory and precinct.

The colossal expenditure on destruction makes no sense, and the material on exhibition makes no case for it. Particularly when the same or a lot less could do something wonderful with Parramatta’s own heritage and allow expansion and opening up of the MAAS annex at Castle Hill.

Given all of that, the only reasons for proceeding with the proposal on exhibition must be some combination of pig headedness, incompetence, or undisclosed promises to undisclosed interests.

I object to the Powerhouse Parramatta project as we are not getting the same size museum as the one in Ultimo. Where are all the large objects like Locomotive No.1 and other exhibits going to go? The site is next to the Parramatta river which has a history of flooding.
I also object to the demolition of Willow Grove and The George Street Terraces. Here in Australia we have so little of our history left standing. Why would you demolish our history? When you go to Europe they take pride in their heritage buildings and are protected. Look at it this way, when they discovered the Rome Colosseum, what if someone decided to demolish it because they where old and wanted to build brand spanking new, what a tragedy that would have been. I would like my grand children to see and touch Australian history. PLEASE DO NOT DESTROY THESE LOVELY HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

Subsequent to making my initial comment I have perused the Heritage report and was struck by the apparent narrowness of the consideration of alternatives to the destruction of Willow Grove and St Georges' Terrace, and the lack of any thought on how the presentation of Phillip St could be improved.
The loss of Willow Grove in particular hurts. Urban Parramatta is pretty ugly, Willow Grove is one of the nicest parts. It’s in a big green garden, well set back, and lovely to look at. If space is needed for the new museum/function centre boxes, Infrastructure NSW should buy and demolish the Park Royal Hotel and the 70’s ugliness of the GE building adjacent to Willow Grove.
Demolishing the Park Royal and GE and saving Willow Grove and St Georges' Terrace would create space for the new building and improve Phillip St.
Why do the documents not price and discuss this obvious option??

Please see document attached

I object to the project on the basis of destruction of two valuable and irreplaceable heritage buildings. These building are of utmost significance to Parramatta and the nation as identified in the EIS documents. Short term Economic matters should not trump the heritage of our nation.
integration of the heritage buildings must be mandatory if the museum is to be placed on this site. I believe there are issues with the height of the building first level due to the flood zone and request investigation to include the heritage buildings within the larger structure foyer area. Much like Coops shot tower in Melbourne. These buildings do not need to be mutually exclusive.

Ridiculous idea! Preserve Parramatta's Heritage and leave the Powerhouse Museum (with improvements) where it is and can be accessed readily by Australian and overseas visitors.

I have lived and worked in Sydney and Summer Hill for many years and visited the ‘River City’ on my days off.
More and more we live in confined concrete jungles. Historical and green spaces become a quiet Oasis for the mind, the eyes and create a sense of belonging. Willow Grove: an established green Oasis - supplying oxygen to polluted city air and a much needed refuge for birds.

Heritage and history is and always will be important. It is not enough to put sentences of respect for the land on a bras tag of a new building or create new playgrounds.

Is it not important for State Heritage and for future generations to preserve and honour historical buildings and parks like Willow Grove, St George’s Terrace, the ‘old Parramatta’?

We have responsibilities in life and they are not just about making money!

I urge you to re-consider this project, save the billions for the new Parramatta Powerhouse Museum construction as well as the move and use this money for preserving history and natural established parks. I also know for a fact that many people in the community think that way…

Sincerely,

Tanya Iseli

I fully object to the parramatta Powerhouse project. It doesn't make any economic or social sense and it is at the expense of beautiful heritage buildings that cannot be replaced. Even if you are benefiting financially from this, those benefits do not outweigh the costs on any level. It is a travesty to our future to knock down so many stunning heritage buildings that have immense character. When Jack Mundey marched the streets of The Rocks, he was undermined for being antiprogressive. Please think about what The Sydney Rocks would look like today if Mundey had not been successful in his opposition to 'progress' ...

And i will leave you with a short video of the home my parents once lived in adjacent to Parramatta park. They were told when Parramatta Council removed the many trees from the verge that the result would be way better. It's now exactly what my parents told council it would become ... a junk yard for old couches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ9a6zp4FT0&list=PLzZ6deJHpszg623CCd9AYq0wntnrHebog