Feature Story

A vision for a new Gladesville

WORDS NICOLA RICHES

It’s a village and a main artery to the CBD that requires a 21st century injection to update it, revitalise it, and bring it in line with the needs and desires of a growing, diverse population. Local community members are being urged to contribute to a new vision for Gladesville.

In a recent interview with comedian Carolyn Swindell, she explained why she has spent the last 15 years living in Gladesville. “I love my neighbourhood,” she told us. “I hardly use my car; everything is so close. There’s always someone to say hello to and everyone is looking out for everyone else’s kids. It’s more than a neighbourhood, it’s a community and I really value being part of that.”

As Carolyn says, there is a lot to love about Gladesville; its proximity to the CBD, its tree-lined streets and beautiful mix of architecture and its access to bushland and Parramatta River.

Steps have already been taken to revitalise the area, as Hunter’s Hill Council Acting General Manager Nick Tobin explains, “We have been working with the local residents and businesses, the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Ryde, with whom we share the suburb of Gladesville, on

Steps have already been taken to revitalise placemaking initiatives such as laneway the area activations, street beautification, public artwork, business promotion and local networking.”

However, residents and local business owners will tell you that the retail centre, comprising four blocks on Victoria Road, bookended by Pittwater Road and Junction Streets, is dated, tired and in much need of a refresh. It also presents a major opportunity to cater for new residents, businesses, and open spaces for all generations to enjoy. A masterplan

As part of the Hunters Hill municipality and the City of Ryde, throughout August, and also running into September, Hunters Hill Council has, and will be, seeking public feedback on what a new Gladesville masterplan could look like.

It’s a timely process. Gladesville is on the rise as a desirable suburb for families and people of varying cultural backgrounds. It is a truly metropolitan area: the ‘parents and homebuilders’ (aged 35 to 49 years) category makes up almost a quarter of Gladesville’s population, while data also shows major growth in people with Chinese and Irish ancestry.

The approach undertaken by Council is certainly ambitious. There is a purposeful drive to change the area and to re-develop and update the Gladesville town centre for public benefit, rather than for development interest alone.

The draft masterplan, which breaks down the area into four blocks, was put together by consultants GMU Urban Design and Architecture and allows for housing for mixed incomes, good access to community facilities, public transport and new employment opportunities, as well as large and small retail and a community anchor such as a library/community centre. A landscaped park, an urban piazza and meeting places or informal green space is also at the heart of the new vision - much like what has been achieved in Lane Cove with The Canopy.

Gladesville Shopping Village forms part of one of the blocks earmarked for redevelopment. Feedback from Council, the community and stakeholders is that there is a desire for Gladesville to have a good-sized supermarket with ancillary retail and services, including restaurants and cafes. The perspective of a local

Local resident Catherine Schiller echoes the thoughts of many in the local area, noting that she would like to see underground parking, lots of community space and lots of outdoor dining, as well as linkages between businesses on Victoria Road and Gladesville Shopping Village, potentially through an enclosed glass overpass such as at the one at Gordon.

“(We) would definitely benefit from a nice shopping centre,” Catherine said, adding, “I totally understand we have to have progress and we have to have development and we have to keep evolving.

“I just think they need to be clever with the design.” Elie Youssef, café and restaurant owner, has been in Gladesville for 12 years, operating 2 Doors Down for the last five.

Elie Youssef owner of café and restaurant 2 Doors Down Gladesville at night

Love Gladesville signage

“I’ve been here for a long time, in this strip,” he said. “We do all the right things, spend money on our business to make it look nice.

“But you need something to attract people to the area…a lot of people have this idea that there’s nothing in Gladesville. They get in their car and drive to Drummoyne or Balmain or Lane Cove.”

“If you go to other suburbs like Lane Cove, they did this outdoor area, people walk around, there’s a play area for the kids … it’s created that nice vibe,” he said. How can local residents contribute?

Local residents are being asked to share their vision for Gladesville town centre.

You can do so through the online consultation portal (go to: huntershill.mysocialpinpoint.com.au/gladesville) and submit your thoughts and ideas on the draft concept plans, via the survey or interactive map.

You can also connect to the project web page (go to: huntershill.nsw.gov.au/gladesville) to read more background, view the concept plan documents, find answers to frequently asked questions and subscribe for updates.

Public feedback will form part of recommendations to Council for finalisation of the Gladesville Masterplan. The final masterplan will be placed on public exhibition as part of the exhibition for a new Hunters Hill Local Environmental Plan (LEP). What happens from here?

Local residents A consultation period began are being asked to share their vision in August and will run until midSeptember. Submissions will be assessed before a draft masterplan for Gladesville is refined and finalised and draft planning controls developed, which is town centre. expected to be in early 2022. These will be considered by the Council and the NSW Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment before the masterplan and draft planning controls are placed on public exhibition, which is expected to be in mid- to late-2022. Following assessment of any submissions and a report to Council, new planning controls need to be gazetted before development applications can be lodged by proponents. This is expected to occur from late-2022 onwards. Once the planning controls have been gazetted and come into effect, a landowner/developer can lodge a development application with Council. The redevelopment of the Gladesville town centre will be proponent driven, in accordance with the masterplan and planning controls set by Council. The redevelopment of Gladesville will likely take a number of years.

Love where you live

Proudly bought to you by Lane Cove Council

Discover somewhere new this Spring

Did you know there are more than 90 hectares of bushland to explore in the Lane Cove area? Hidden within are many kilometres of well-established and maintained walking tracks. Most of them run alongside, or lead to attractive river foreshores, creeks and parks, some with stunning views.

Lane Cove Bushland Park

If you’re keen to get out and explore Lane Cove’s diverse native flora and fauna, you might like to download Council’s free Bushwalks Around Lane Cove guide. This book is designed to help you to enjoy and appreciate the bushland at your front or back door and further afield. All developed walks are detailed with maps and there are many minor local tracks for you to discover for yourself. To download a copy, visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/ bushwalks or use the online map. A SELECTION OF HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Ventemans Track: look and listen for the sights and sounds of life along Lane Cove River. Take your phone and enjoy a different reason to QR code as you scan codes along the walk to listen to the bird calls of the Golden Whistler, Red-browed Finch, Sacred Kingfisher and the Spotted Pardalotes. Start your return walk at Blackman Park (at the far end, past the playground) and as you walk along Ventemans Track, you’ll discover nesting boxes and signage with information about some of the birds and mammals that call the Lane Cove River home. Many of these animals rely on hollows for shelter. In urban areas, mature trees that provide hollows are limited. Nesting boxes in parks or household gardens are an important alternative providing the shelter and safety these animals need to raise their young. Due to a track closure further along Ventemans Reach you will need to return back to Blackman Park.

Burns Bay and Tannery Creek: Burns Bay Reserve and Tennyson Park offer pleasant waterside, park and bush valley walks. Most walkers start at Burns Bay Reserve however the walks can also be accessed from Tennyson Park (off River Road West, College Road North or at the end of Best Street) or at Linley Point Reserve along Burns Bay Road. There is car parking at Burns Bay Reserve together with toilets, barbeques and picnic facilities and children’s play >

area. These walks traverse the narrow foreshore reserve around Burns Bay, passing the historic Carisbrook House. Tannery Creek wetlands provide important habitat for ducks and turtles. To the right of the boat ramp, follow the aqueduct across Burns Bay Reserve to a wooden bridge crossing Tannery Creek at the mouth of the channel. Turn left and follow the seawall in the front of the unit blocks and into the remnant bushland surrounding historic Carisbrook House. Explore the adjacent Linley Point Reserve or continue across the park to Burns Bay Road. Cross Burns Bay Road at the traffic lights or alternatively for good river views, walk up View Street turning right into Linley Place and right again into The Crescent. At the children’s playground at Garraway Lookout, use the footbridge to cross Burns Bay Road then detour left to Cunninghams Reach foreshore reserve. Here you can relax or picnic with the gas barbeque while enjoying the tranquil beauty of the Lane Cove River.

Warraroon Reserve: This Riverview favourite bushwalk is abounds in

M.Loong, Captured Photography Participant

Aboriginal heritage and as you walk, you’ll brush past mangroves and wetlands as you follow the creek upstream. A great place to stop for a picnic is at the waterfall and ‘Magic Bridge’, a natural stone bridge named by local school children. This pretty walk will lead you through bushland lovingly restored since the 1970s. Batten Reserve: Head out on a peaceful, ferny walk along Stringybark Creek, which has cascading water, pools, caves and rocky outcrops to admire. You’ll notice native flowers and Grass Trees are dotted throughout the reserve. Night birds such as the Powerful Owl and Boobook are sometimes found roosting along here and Geckoes hide in the sandstone crevices. The upper end of the creek is popular with Brush Turkeys. This walk connects to Yangoora Bushland near the Lane Cove River.

Gore Creek: This trail, which starts from Bob Campbell Oval, features the peaceful Lillypilly Falls, accessible on a short, steep side-track. Keep your eyes out for the vigorous Water Vine which grows in a tangle along the track and depending on the time of year, you will often find harmless Golden Orb Weaving Spiders clustered amongst the lower tree branches. This walk also connects to the bush tracks in Lane Cove Bushland Park.

For the full list of bushwalks in Lane Cove, visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/ bushwalks

Please remember to follow the latest NSW Health advice when exercising outdoors.

BE INSPIRED TO LEAD THE WAY IN LANE COVE Visit www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/greenevents to register

Thursday 7 October 2021 7:00pm – 8:30pm Online

Join us for an interactive Climate Action Conversation

Hear from speakers: Ian Dunlop – former CEO of the fossil industry and now advisor to government on climate change, and Glen Klatovsky – Strategist at Climate Action Network Australia.

P 0431 959 980 E mayor@lanecove.nsw.gov.au

SEPTEMBER 2021

A big thank you to our Lane Cove community for helping to keep our community safe during the current lockdown. These are challenging times for individuals, families and businesses and together we can continue to support each other. If you or someone you know could benefit from advice on how to deal with information overload, tips on wellbeing during life in lockdown or contact details for support services, visit www.headtohealth.gov.au for a range of helpful resources.

Latest News

Here to help: Over the past month Council has been making wellbeing phone calls to our residents to checkin and see how locals are going during lockdown but you don’t have to wait to hear from us. There are a number of ways you can contact Council during lockdown: • Visit our Online Services portal: www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/ onlineservices • Lodge a request via www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/request • Call 9911 3555 24 hours a day, 7 days a week • Email service@lanecove.nsw.gov.au • Send us a direct message on

Facebook @lanecovecouncil Traffic Signals Update: Works to improve pedestrian and motorist safety at the River Road West/Northwood Road/Longueville Road (‘The Diddy intersection’) are almost complete. Last month Council’s contractors moved the poles and traffic lights to their new locations and the new phasing for the intersection was introduced. At the time of print there were some final minor works being completed to finalise improvements to this intersection. Council worked with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to develop a proposal to improve the safety of this intersection with the NSW Government providing a $1 million grant towards the upgrade of this intersection. I look forward to updating everyone of the official completion. In other traffic news, Council has completed its works at Tambourine Bay Road and Burns Bay Road with the next steps involving RMS approving the activation of the lights. You can visit Council’s website homepage for the latest information on timing. Get Gig Ready Free Workshop: Are you a local musician who is keen to find out more about the booking basics? Have you got the music, you’re ready to play but you’re not sure how to actually get a gig? Register for this online session being held from 6:00pm on Wednesday 29 September. You can find all the details at www.lanecove.nsw.gov.au/events

Did you know?

Four times a year Council offers residents free child car seat fitting checks. The current roll-out is via a voucher system which entitles the recipient to have a restraint checked, refitted or fully fitted by a designated local Authorised Restraint Fitter. The current vouchers must be redeemed by 3 October - contact our Road Safety Officer Val Stamper on

roadsafety@lanecove.nsw.

gov.au for more details.

Out and about in Lane Cove

Tambourine Bay Picnic Tables: The upgrade to the picnic settings at Tambourine Bay Reserve is now complete and ready for locals to return when restrictions are eased. Playground upgrades: Residents near to Helen Street Reserve and Tantallon Oval were recently asked for their feedback on upcoming playground upgrades. These will be undertaken this financial year and once the community’s feedback is reviewed our landscape designers will get to work coordinating a construction plan. Improved access to Manns Point Bush Track: Council received funding through the Greater Sydney Crown Land Open Space Activation Program to upgrade the sandstone steps to the foreshore from Manns Point Lookout. This has improved the access to the foreshore and will be complemented by nearby bush regeneration work which will be carried out on the cliffs requiring specialised rope access. Weed Spraying: A reminder to check Council’s website for our seasonal weed spraying. Batten Reserve track entrance: We’ve upgraded the track entrance to Batten Reserve from Mindarie Park. This is to make the surface easier to walk on and to better define the bush from the park. Plants from our community nursery were used alongside the track and existing large sandstone blocks to help soften the edges and create a buffer planting to the park.