Battle lines drawn over Clifton park plan

By Paul Fahy

PLANNING for the upgrade of Clifton's Rube Hargrave Park is pushing forward, despite a wave of protest from local residents.

Wollongong City Council has lodged a development application (DA) to refurbish the park, which is located just south of the new Sea Cliff Bridge.

The DA incorporates the construction of car parking, a playground, picnic shelters, landscaping and a self-cleaning style toilet block.

The proposal encountered fierce opposition from Clifton locals at a community meeting in August.

Residents have since argued that the park plan would create an unnecessary eyesore in their small

community.

But representatives for the council maintain that the new facilities will cater to both the needs of residents and the increased numbers of tourists drawn to the Sea Cliff Bridge.

"There is a clear need for improved public amenities which are located in close proximity to the Sea Cliff Bridge in order to handle the large numbers of visitors and to minimise the impact on the nearby (Clifton) School of Arts building," the council's works and services manager John Shepherd said.

"However, the provision of these facilities needs to be taken in balance with what residents require.

"Under our proposal, they will gain improved play and leisure areas as part of the project on land which hasn't been accessible in the last few years."

Rube Hargrave Park was assumed by the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) during the bridge construction for use as a staging area and

compound.

It was recently returned to the council's ownership, with the council taking over responsibility for the reinstating' of the park.

An intercept survey' conducted by the council at the bridge in September found that 85.5 percent of the 90 respondents, more than half of which were from Wollongong, agreed with enhancement of the park's facilities.

A number of suggestions for additional facilities such as a caf? and seating were also made.

Despite such results, Clifton School of Arts chairman Michael Cook said Clifton residents remained dead against the park proposal.

"Many of the people they were surveying could have been tourists from Bondi," he said.

Mr Cook has spearheaded community protests against the park upgrade.

Last month, the walls of the School of Arts were splashed with signs condemning the council plan.

A petition opposing the refurbishment has also been circulating throughout the northern villages and Mr Cook said as many as 600 signatures had already been collected. The community will soon be invited to comment further on the development application for the park, with the council expected to place the plans on exhibition within the next month.