Pavilion redevelopment will push locals out

BY CHRISTOPHER HARRIS

Prominent Bondi locals have taken to YouTube to protest Waverley Council’s redevelopment of Bondi Pavilion, saying it is commercializing vital community space.

The videos include prominent locals including the Australian actor Michael Caton who said that the council’s plan was “freezing” locals out.

“You sting the Bondi community $38 million to do up the pavilion, but then you freeze them out of the finished product, because that is what will happen. You rent it out, to whoever can afford it. Great plan eh? 38 million and you get frozen out,” Mr Caton said in one video.

Musician and artist Reg Mombassa said: “as usual, greedy politicians and their developer mates want to get their hands on it. Keep your grubby hands off it.”

Dave Faulkner from the Hoodoo Gurus said that the plan would see the removal of music rooms, as well as the Bondi Waves program that had nurtured local musicians.

“It’s a resource for local people. A lot of people live here, and this is the only available facilities for them. The tourists get enough, we already make enough money off tourists. Nor do we want to give away a public asset away to private interests, which is what the council intends to do. They are decimating this as a community resource.

Next week the Council will vote on whether it will approve $38 million plans to redevelop Bondi Pavilion, which were announced last year.

As well as the removal of music rooms from the pavilion, the refurbishment will see a loss of the Pavilion’s theatre, as well as community meeting rooms.

It will be replaced with a multipurpose facility, an added on structure at the back of the site.

An open letter from the group Save Bondi Pavilion last Saturday called on national and state heritage authorities to scrutinize the council’s plan.

The letter said that because it was put forward as a concept plan and not a development application, Waverley Council had not been complied to provide much detail for the site, as well as not having to get approval from heritage bodies.

The Pavilion is listed as a site of state significance on the NSW Department of Environment and Heritage.

“Waverley Council’s decision to present these changes as a “concept plan” means that most of the documents necessary to support the more rigorous development application process are missing. The absence of a business plan, heritage and environmental impact statements, interim toilet facilities, tenant relocation plan, maintenance schedule and detailed costings mean that the Council, stakeholders and the ratepayers remain uninformed of crucial details of the plan. Also, a report to the Council on ‘potential commercial rental projections’ of the proposed design has remained confidential.” The letter reads.

The letter also questions the timing of the plan with another proposal for an underground car park on the site.

Kilty O’Brien, from the community group Save Bondi Pavilion said that the council said Mayor Betts had not listened to the community.

She said that the council had refused to put the letter, which so far had 200 signatories, on the agenda at next week’s council meeting.

“Once again the community voice is being shut out at a council level,” she said.

She said one of her biggest concerns was the fact that there was very little community space in Bondi, as well as the Eastern suburbs. Her children attend classes at the Pavilion and she believes that once the community space is gone, there won’t be an alternative place to go.

“It’s not just about the walls, it is about the community, we don’t have anywhere else,” she told City Hub.

A NSW Office of Environment and Heritage spokesperson told City Hub Waverley Council presented the proposal to the office in March.

“The Bondi Surf Pavilion is listed on the State Heritage Register as part of the Bondi Beach Cultural Landscape,” a departmental spokesperson said.

“The NSW Heritage Council is the consent authority under the Heritage Act 1977 for any development within the boundaries of a State Heritage Register listed item,” the spokesperson said.

“The Heritage Council is liaising with Waverley Council to ensure the necessary Conservation Management Plans are in place before formal decisions are made regarding any development affecting this national icon.”

Late last month it was reported that Waverley Council intends to conduct a study which would investigate moving cars into an underground carpark at the pavilion.

Greens Councillor Dominic Wy Kanak said that there were multiple concerns with the plan. Among them, moving the toilets to the side of the pavilion had some concerned about safety as well as congestion, because it was right near the adjacent surf club.

“There is still controversy about relocating the toilets to the lane between the pavilion and the surf club. It could be more dangerous and it could conflict with the activities of the surf club, and at a busy day at the beach,” Clr Wy Kanak said. “The mayor keeps saying that people want the pavilion restored, but it is very contradictory because they are talking about heritage and they will be building a completely new modern design structure in the backyard of the pavilion.”

He said that there were worries for some homeless people that slept on benches at the rear of the pavilion.

Chapel by the Sea confirmed that there was a small semi-permanent population of homeless people who slept behind the pavilion.

The council is expected to vote at next Tuesday’s council meeting. Waverley Council did not respond in time to City Hub’s enquiries for print.