City puts pressure on WYD organisers

The World Youth Day Co-ordination Authority have bowed to ongoing pressure from the City of Sydney and agreed to not carry out major works on the Parkham Street Reserve in Surry Hills in preparation for World Youth Day.
The organisers had planned to remove mature trees at the reserve despite community objection, to make way for the large number of pedestrians passing through the area and attending events at Randwick Racecourse in late July.
The City’s CEO met with WYD representatives last week to reaffirm the Council’s objection to the plans and negotiate an alternative.
The WYD Co-ordination Authority later announced that it will protect most of the reserve’s landscaping while still allowing pedestrian access.
The revised plans specifies that no mature trees will be removed (spefically Robinia, Macadamia and Blue Berry Ash species); a 1.5 metre ramp and deck will be built over the garden bed to protect plants; only small shrubs on the gallery side of the reserve will be removed, while the rose, Macadamia and Wisteria plants will be pruned and covered with a protective mesh; and the removal of all seats and parts of the pergola.
According to Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the City will be commissioning work on upgraded landscaping in consultation with the community after World Youth Day. This will include new seating, turf and garden beds.
The City has also told the Catholic Church that they will not be allowed to use Hyde Park during World Youth Day events unless it pays a $100,000 bond to meet the cost of repairs to the park. The City believes that it should not have to cover the costs, even though both the Catholic Church and State Government have indicated they, too, are not prepared to pay.