President’s report
Community activism has proven its effectiveness with Chief Minister Andrew Barr announcing the rejection of GWS/Grocon’s ‘unsolicited’ proposal to build a massive development around Manuka Oval. The scale of the development – 650 apartments plus retail and commercial space – was grossly out of proportion, and 7-storey apartment blocks would have loomed over the Pool and its lawns.
The idea of handing over highly valuable public land to an out-of-town football team and property developer attracted not just public anger but public disgust.
Friends of Manuka Pool teamed up with the Kingston and Baron residents Group, led by Rebecca Scouller, to prepare a petition firmly rejecting the proposal and calling for proper planning and protection of public lands in the area.
Within the first three days, including stalls at Manuka Shops (on a GWS game day), the Bus Deport Markets at the Kingston Foreshore, citizens signed up eagerly.
With over 500 signatures collected in the first three days we are convinced many thousands would have expressed their opposition within a few weeks.
Barr Humbug!
Standing at the stalls was a great form of “retail politics” because we spoke to hundreds of Canberrans. One thing became very clear – in addition to the resounding rejection of the Manuka Oval development. And that is that the Chief Minister is on the nose. He is seen as out of touch and much too close to developers. As the Canberra Times write: “Mr Barr has never seen a development he did not like”.
Many too were offended by his dismissive approach to community anger. He told us that people who oppose the development hate sport (which is “unAustralian”) and that he never takes any notice of the opinions of anyone over 40.
We think the Labor Party should send Mr Barr back to the School for Out-of-Touch Politicians. He could start by enrolling in Humility 101.
Not dead yet
But we are not relaxing. The scuttling of the GWS/Grocon bid is a Round 1 points victory for the community (see, we know about sport and some of us love it) but the fight continues. Mr Barr is setting up a Community Panel to draw up a Master Plan for the precinct and surrounding areas. Sounds good? Maybe. But it could also be used by Mr Barr to get what he wants, that is, flogging off public land to put some of the funds into an Oval upgrade. Remember, when he announced the end of GWS/Grocon he said “there needs to be development at Manuka”.
We at FoMP are watching carefully to make sure that:
- the Panel is not stacked with pro-development people chosen by the Government;
- the process involves genuine community engagement;
- the process isn’t veiled in secrecy through Panel members having to sign confidentially agreements; and
- the process is not dominated and manipulated by the Land Development Agency.
In fact the LDA should have nothing to do with the Master Plan as it is a planning matter not a land development matter.
It all comes down to a lack of trust. We no longer trust the Barr Government to protect the interests of the community and respond to its wishes. The community will have an opportunity to let Mr Barr know what it thinks at the October elections.
Remembering Don Tier
You’d have to expect to have done a fair bit in life to get to your 95th year on this planet. Don Tier did that in spades; living a charmed but productive life that included, in no particular order, mathematician, Brigadier-General, screen printer and CONEHEAD.*
Don was born in New York City in 1921 to Australian Vaudeville parents and was exposed to the good life from an early age. NYC in the twenties was the great age of flappers, skyscrapers and Babe Ruth!
Returning to Australia in the 1930s, Don found himself on military shore duty in Sydney when war was declared in 1939. As a military cadet Don decided to join up immediately and was fast-tracked through the service, impressing one and all with his mathematical abilities. He soon became a Lieutenant. The Army at the time sent its best cadets, Don included, to London to learn the ins and outs of a new system . . . Radar . . . but that’s another story for another time.
Don began swimming at Manuka Swimming Pool in 1961 and that’s where our friendship first began. Don remembered me as a cheeky little boy with knobbly knees who was never out of the water.
Year after year, the Number One ticket holder was Don the Diver – he who broke the ice every year on chilly October mornings to start a new season. Don had the love and respect of one and all for his unbounded energy, his always sunny disposition, his grace and verve when on the diving board and his knowledge about everything in the known universe.
He and his good mate, Cecil Carr, would be found up the deep end discussing the universe and some, whilst happily treading water for half an hour.
MY MATE DON THE DIVER, never a sentimental bloke, HELL DON NEVER BOTHERED TO VOTE HIS WHOLE LIFE . . . would not want me to wax on an on.
John “Tav” Taverner
I can hear him now . . . ‘let’s open another!’
His credo is as good as anybody else . . . “CLEAN LIVING & WHISKEY”.
Vale Don Tier
PS This month marks the 90th anniversary of the first woman to swim the English Channel. Gertrude Ederle was a 19-year old in 1926 when she swam from Griz-Nez, France to Dover, England in 14.5 hours, thereby beating by more than two hours the time of the previous 5 males who’d completed the swim.
So what? Well, it was Gertie who taught Don to swim!
PPS The first person to greet Gertie in England was a Customs officer wanting to see her passport!!
*CONEHEAD – an informal grouping of older (male) swimmers who loved treading water and discussing the world in the pool’s “philosopher’s corner”.
Heritage Election Forum – 7-9pm, 22 September, St Johns Church Hall Reid
The National Trust is hosting a candidate’s forum. Most of the major parties have accepted the invitation and some independent candidates too. Each candidate will have the opportunity to outline their party’s Heritage Policy and the initiatives they would take in the next term of Government. This will be followed by a Q&A session.
Meet the Kurrajong Candidates Forum
7pm, 27 September, EastLake Football Club, Griffith – for further information please visit ISCCC . The Inner South Canberra Community Canberra is the peak body for residents groups in the Inner South.
MOCCA to stay in Manuka
FoMP welcomes the news that Manuka Occasional Childcare Centre no longer needs to relocate from its home of 53 years. Several community groups joined forces last year to lobby against the ACT Government’s ‘land swap’ proposal to relocate MOCCA to the Telopea Park School tennis courts.
After continued lobbying and a motion passed at a town hall meeting in April, the Chief Minister finally confirmed in June that the childcare centre no longer needs to relocate, and that the Canberra Services Club still has the rights to the lease of its spiritual home on Shellshock Corner adjacent to Manuka Oval.
The Club has not decided on its intentions to rebuild on its original site and has a temporary club located in Blackall Street, Barton.
Lake Burley Griffin Guardians
A meeting on 27 June was attended by over 250 people at the Hughes Community Centre. Several motions against the West Basin proposal were passed and a motion calling for an ICAC.
Pool season isn’t far away- any ideas on how to celebrate
What would you like to see happen at Manuka pool this season? FoMP, working with Bryan, hope to organise some events this season. If you have some ideas email friendsofmanukapool@gmail.com. Also let us know if you can help bring these ideas to fruition.
What do you want for the Manuka Precinct
We want to know what you want for Manuka Oval and its environs so we can best represent Manuka Pool Patrons. So start thinking about what you want – is it no changes, some change, apartments, no apartments, active living space, parkland, a design competition, competitive tender, more seating, more games, less games, concerts, no concerts, expanded pool complex, protection of the heritage, upgrades in line with a boutique oval or large scale upgrades, private or government funding of any upgrades – and the list goes on.
Meetings
We met with the Friends of the Albert Hall who assisted us with some great advice on how to save a Canberra icon. We will also be meeting with the Friends of Dickson Pool shortly to exchange ideas.
Correspondence sent/ received
- 7 June – FoMP made a submission on DA 201629581 for an assessable car park behind Manuka Oval Cricket Nets –submitted 7 June. We have not received a response as yet
- 24 August – FoMP submitted a letter to Chief Minister Andrew Barr on the community panel proposed for Manuka Oval. We are still awaiting a reply.
Friends of Manuka Pool 