WRMGA Community Gardens Submission

Waterloo Estate Community Gardens Research Report prepared 25th June 2018

Organised by: Waterloo Public Housing Action Group

Waterloo Community Gardens Research Report 1/58

Facilitated by: Vigilanti Pty Ltd

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3

DEFINITIONS

4

INTRODUCTION

5

OBJECTIVES

5

THE TEAM

6

WATERLOO RESIDENTS MARKET GARDENS INCORPORATED COMMITTEE

6

PRO-BONO SERVICE PROVIDERS

6

THE WATERLOO STATE SIGNIFICANT PRECINCT THE RESEARCH

7 9

METHODOLOGY

9

STRUCTURE OF THE SUBMISSION

10

PART 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

11

BACKGROUND

11

OBJECTIVES

11

RESEARCH FINDINGS

11

HEALTH FOR THE RESIDENTS

12

SOCIAL AND INTERCULTURAL INTERACTION

12

CREATING COMMUNITY

13

SENSE OF OWNERSHIP

14

PART 2: THE WATERLOO COMMUNITY GARDENS

16

HISTORY

16

THE GARDENS

19

COOK GARDENS

19

Cook Garden measured plan

21

SOLANDER GARDENS

22

Solander Garden measured plan

24

MARTON GARDENS

25

NOTABLE FEATURES

29

PLANT LIST

30

MANAGEMENT

31

ORGANISATION CHART

31

GOVERNANCE

32

EXTERNAL PARTNERS

32

TRAINING

33

REGULAR ACTIVITIES

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FUNDING AND MAINTENANCE

34

THE GARDENERS

35

REASONS FOR JOINING

35

EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE GARDENS

35

BENEFITS OF THE GARDENS

36

IMPROVING THE GARDENS

37

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

39

INCREASE SUPPLY OF COMMUNITY GARDENS

39

IMPROVE CONSISTENCY IN SIZE OF GARDENS

39

REDUCE SHADING AND TREE PLACEMENT

39

IMPROVE TOOLS & FACILITIES

40

IMPROVE PROXIMITY & WALKABILITY

40

INCREASE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS

40

PART 3: RECOMMENDATIONS

41

BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY GARDENS TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

41

RECOMMENDATION 1: RETAIN EXISTING COMMUNITY GARDENS

42

RECOMMENDATION 2: DEVELOP AN INTERIM STRATEGY PLAN BEFORE THE REDEVELOPMENT

42

RECOMMENDATION 3: CREATE MORE COMMUNITY GARDENS THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT

43

RECOMMENDATION 4: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE GARDENS ASSOCIATION

43

RECOMMENDATION 6: DEVELOP WATERLOO INTO AN URBAN CENTRAL FOOD SOURCE

44

COMPLIANCE WITH PLANNING POLICIES

46

CONCLUSION & NEXT STEPS

54

REFERENCES

55

APPENDICES

56

MEASURED DRAWINGS OF COOK, SOLANDER & MARTON GARDENS

56

ROUND TABLE SURVEY NOTES

56

WRMGI SURVEY

56

GARDENING TIPS FLYERS

56

WRMGI POLICIES & FORMS

56

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report provides an independent review into the Waterloo Community Gardens, in particular the three largest Cook, Marton and Solander gardens, and presents research, documentation and consultation results detailing the history, present condition and contributions to community within Waterloo Estate. This is conducted in the context of the Waterloo Redevelopment and provides recommendations on the benefits of having community gardens and how best to implement them based on community feedback and academic best practice.

Through a 3 month research process, which included literature reviews, surveys, and workshops, the benefits experienced by the gardeners of Waterloo have been presented from the perspectives of academic research findings, as well as personal accounts from individual gardeners. The benefits revealed not only included sustained physical & mental health benefits to gardeners, but also improved the overall social cohesion and community spirit of the Estate. Those residents who have worked in the garden have reported a more active lifestyle, making more friends through their gardening neighbours, meeting new and more diverse people and gaining a better understanding of other cultures and ethnicities, reducing the racism and discrimination. This has proven vital in the history and context of Waterloo Estate as a culturally and ethnically diverse community with a large proportion of elderly or otherwise socially disadvantaged residents.

The historical accounts provided through literature as well as personal accounts from gardeners have revealed the complex history of how the gardens were established, its historical and cultural significance to the community and its importances as a community asset. From the establishment of the very first gardens in Waterloo in 1991, to the present day, this report provides a detailed account how the gardens have been managed and changed over the last 20 years, as well as a detailed breakdown of the current Waterloo Residents Market Gardens Incorporated, an independent organisation composed and managed completely by residents to maintain the gardens.

Multiple site visits have allowed the research team to gain a better understanding of the existing conditions of the gardens and the amenity they current provide. Through photos, drone footage, and physical measurements, the gardens physical characteristics have been documented and analysed. The current level of amenity, including existing infrastructure, tools and facilities, garden area and plot sizes have been extrapolated and presented in this report and will act as a baseline to compare to future proposals for the gardens.

A series of recommendations have been proposed, with were developed through close consultation with the Gardeners, and a draft very of this report and initial proposed recommendations were reviewed and improved upon through a final focus group workshop. The recommendations outline a clear strategy on how to maintain and expand on the existing gardens infrastructure of Waterloo in the future redevelopment and master planning process.

Moving forward, any proposals surrounding the gardens, open spaces and landscaping should be developed together with the gardeners and other residents to reach a community supported solution. proudly supported by

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DEFINITIONS WRMGI

Waterloo Residents Market Gardens Incorporated, also referred to as the “Gardens Association”

WPHAG

Waterloo Public Housing Action Group

The Estate

Waterloo Public Housing Estate

The Gardens

The Solander, Marton and Cook Community Gardens, as well as all the smaller community gardens within Waterloo Estate.

Gardeners

Members of WRMGA, who are also Residents

Residents

The public housing tenants who reside within Waterloo Estate

DPE

NSW Department of Planning & Environments

COS

City of Sydney Council

SSCC

South Sydney City Council, now amalgamated into COS

FACS

NSW Department of Family and Community Services

LAHC

Land and Housing Corporation

DoH

Department of Housing, now LAHC

Urban Growth

Urban Growth NSW Development Corporation

The Master Plan

The rezoning master plan of the Waterloo Estate proposed as part of the SSP process

SSP

The State Significant Precinct

WRCDP

Waterloo-Redfern Community Development Project

Volunteers

Pro-bono Service providers acknowledged within this submission.

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INTRODUCTION The Waterloo Public Housing Action Group (​WPHAG​) appreciates the opportunity to provide comment on the future master plan of Waterloo as a part of the State Significant Precinct process. WPHAG represents the interests of the tenants within the Waterloo Estate that are directly affected by the redevelopment to be proposed by the Master Plan.

As part of the media release issued by Department of Family & Community Services (​FACS​) on 13th October 2017, “Minister for Social Housing Pru Goward wants residents to contribute their ideas, which will help to shape the future of Waterloo.” This submission is an acceptance of that invitation for the Residents to contribute their ideas.

This submission should be considered an official submission to the Waterloo State Significant Development process.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this report are to: 1. understand the current conditions of community gardens of Waterloo Estate and its impact on the community 2. provide physical documentation of the Gardens and Gardeners, their history and contributions to be used as reference in the future.

3. communicate the ideas and vision of the Residents for the future planning of the Waterloo Estate.

4. illustrate the benefits community gardens have provided to the community of Waterloo and can provide to the future planning of Waterloo.

5. provide recommendations on how to integrate community gardens into the future redevelopment of Waterloo.

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THE TEAM This submission is commissioned and supported by WPHAG, and developed in collaboration with the Waterloo Residents Market Gardens Incorporated (​WRMGI​) and its members. All members of WRMGI are current tenants of Waterloo Estate and are directly influenced and concerned by the future planning of Waterloo Estate as well as the wellbeing of their community gardens now and into the future. Research and writing of this submission was assisted by a number of pro-bono service providers who are providing public support for the tenants of Waterloo.

WATERLOO RESIDENTS MARKET GARDENS INCORPORATED COMMITTEE RICHARD WEEKS President MILA SEREDENKO Secretary, Public Officer ANNA KOVIC Treasurer, Gardens Coordinator PRO-BONO SERVICE PROVIDERS EDDIE MA Architectural Professional, Co-Founder of VIGILANTi LIN SEEN LEE Architectural Professional, Co-Founder of VIGILANTi ESTRELLA SANDOVAL UTS Masters of Architecture student SINTIJA DOBROTINSEK Graduate of Sociology & Urban Planning WALLIS IP Graduate of Environmental Science ROMINA RODRIGUEZ MARTI Graduate of Architecture BERNARD DUBRIA Teacher

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THE WATERLOO STATE SIGNIFICANT PRECINCT As part of the NSW Government’s Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW policy, announced on 24th January 2016, a number of strategic priorities in social housing was established. One of which was to increase the number of social housing stock in NSW. One of the four key program areas established within this policy is the Communities Plus program, managed by the Land and Housing Corporation, which has overseen the redevelopment of several existing social housing sites within Sydney and regional NSW. The latest site targeted for renewal is the Waterloo Estate​.

With the announcement of the Waterloo Metro station by the NSW Government, on 16th December 2015, the renewal of Waterloo Estate has now been combined with the new Waterloo Metro Quarter and nominated as a State Significant Precinct (​SSP​), as announced by NSW Department of Planning & Environment on 19th March 2017. As described on the City of Sydney Council’s website, “The precinct is approximately 20 hectares including state government-owned land (Waterloo housing estate), City of Sydney streets, the block where Waterloo metro station will be built and small parcels of private land. It also includes public open space, residential and commercial properties and heritage-listed items.” (City of Sydney website, 2018)

Waterloo State Significant precinct indicated in yellow

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The State Significant Precinct process will establish new planning controls for the Waterloo Estate and Waterloo Metro Quarter, which will be detailed in a Master Plan and accompanying documents to be released by Urban Growth NSW Development Corporation. The Waterloo Estate Master Plan will be developed by LAHC, assisted by Urban Growth.

To develop the Master Plan, a series of detailed studies will be conducted within the SSP with consultants appointed by Urban Growth, as well as a Visioning process to “ascertain the expectations, needs, hopes, and aspirations for the future of the Waterloo community” (FACS website, 2018) to be conducted by LAHC. The final Waterloo Estate Master Plan to be released by Urban Growth will form part of the State Significant Precinct Study to support the rezoning proposals to be submitted to the Department of Planning & Environment and jointly assessed by DPE and the City of Sydney Council. The Master Plan and SSP Study documents will then guide the future redevelopment and renewal of Waterloo Estate and Waterloo Metro Quarter.

Matavai & Turanga towers looking from Solander Gardens

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THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research for this submission was conducted with a qualitative approach, which included physical documentation, literature review, and interviews with the Waterloo community and key academics.

To achieve the objectives of this submission, the team’s first task was to conduct a series of activities to document the physical conditions of the Community Gardens. This will act as a point of reference to illustrate and understand the current physical conditions and functionality of the gardens, as well as document the amenity provided by the gardens. Although a number of smaller community gardens exist throughout the Estate, only the three largest and most prominent gardens, the Cook, Marton, and Solander Gardens, were documented, and are the focus of the research in this submission. These gardens are also three of the four gardens officially managed by WRMGI, the fourth being Poet’s Corner in Redfern.

However, because Poet’s Corner is outside of the boundaries of the SSP, it falls outside of the scope of this submission. Physical documentation of the gardens was conducted through a number of site visits, which involved both Gardeners and volunteers, to take physical measurements, photos and drone footage of the Gardens. The Gardeners provided access and guidance through the gardens, explaining the planting within their individual plots and provided accounts of their experiences within the Gardens to the volunteers during the visits. The measurements and observations gathered from the site visits were then used to develop measured drawings of each of the Gardens to be used as raw data for various studies.

Following the physical documentation of the gardens, a literature review of publicly available research was conducted to understand the role and nature of community gardens in the context of urban planning, community development, and sociology. A series of international case studies were also sourced and are referred to within this submission. Publicly available information released by FACS, LAHC, Urban Growth and other authorities involved in the SSP process has also be reviewed to form our understanding of the context of the Waterloo Estate redevelopment, as well as our understanding of the requirements of the SSP process and the future Master Plan.

Finally, a series of interviews were conducted with various members of the WRMGI, some informally through general conversation, others through focus group interviews conducted and recorded by the Volunteers. A formal interview was conducted with key members of the WRMGI Committee, the President, Secretary and Gardens Coordinator, to understand the history, structure and operations of WRMGI and the Gardens as well as a group Round Table session with a small focus group of 7 Gardeners to understand their specific experiences, opinions and future vision for the community gardens.

Interviews were also conducted with key academic researchers who have conducted research previously into the Gardens, including Professor Bruce Judd. Professor Judd is a Professor Emeritus of the UNSW Faculty of Built Environment, a researcher of the City Futures Research Centre, a member of the Communities Plus Resident Engagement Advisor Group (formerly the Living Communities Consultative Committee), as well as a key figure that helped to establish the original Waterloo Community Gardens. The interview provided a first hand account of the history of the Gardens, how and why they were built, as well proudly supported by

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as gather his views on the role of the Gardens within the context Waterloo, Australia and internationally.

Additionally, an interview was conducted with Philip Pettitt, the current Coordinator for the Community Greening program of the Royal Botanic Gardens, a key supporter of the Waterloo Gardens for the last 20 years, to understand his role in supporting the Gardens, his experience working with the gardens, and his suggestions as a professional horticulturist on improving the gardens in the future.

Once all the consultation material was compiled and reviewed, a series of recommendations were proposed by the research team, which were presented to a focus group of gardeners for review and approval, as well as incorporate any additional ideas or recommendations.

STRUCTURE OF THE SUBMISSION This submission is structured into four parts, each presenting support for the objectives of this submission from a different perspective.

Part 1: Literature Review​ presents an overview of the publicly available academic research into the role of community gardens and their history and impact on various aspects of urban planning, community development, and sociology, locally, nationally and internationally.

Part 2: The Waterloo Community Gardens​ describes the history and development of the Waterloo Community Gardens as well as its impact on the local community. Information on the management and operation of the Gardens by the WRMGI, and the experiences of the Gardeners is also presented.

Particular emphasis is placed on how the Gardens have contributed to the quality of life of the Gardeners.

Finally the insights gathered during the Round table discussions and other interviews describe the vision the residents have for the Gardens and Waterloo. Data and insights developed through the physical documentation and community consultation are also also presented through measured drawings, tables, graphs and other graphical representations.

Part 3: Recommendations​ analyses how community gardens would fit into the context of the Waterloo Redevelopment, and provide recommendations on how community gardens, existing and new, can be integrated into the future development of Waterloo. The list of recommendations, developed together with the community, should then be considered and integrated into the future Master Plan.

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PART 1: LITERATURE REVIEW BACKGROUND Community gardens have historically played an important role in our society in being able to provide an alternative source of fresh produce to supplement the nation’s diet, particularly in times when conventional food production failed to meet demand. (Bartolomei et al., p. 25, 2003). Although community gardens no longer play the role of being a primary source for food, in a rapidly densifying and urbanising world, community gardens offer access to green space or fresh food to the growing number of city dwellers without access to a backyard or garden of their own. This brings with it a number of important economic, social and environmental benefits that may not be obvious at first. In this review we will highlight existing academic research on how community gardens can contribute the general well-being of communities in an urban environment and, through examples, show providing access to community gardeners can help residents achieve an active, healthy lifestyle.

OBJECTIVES Through this literature review we aim to illustrate the impact community gardens can have on the health, wellbeing and social cohesion of urban communities, particularly those in disadvantaged neighbourhoods within a social housing context like that of The Waterloo Estate. We will also explore the role community gardens can play in ageing communities, as 34% of residents of Waterloo are over 55 years of age, and argue that having access to usable green space in close proximity to place of residence is crucial to the health of residents, particularly those living in small rented apartments like those in the Estate.

RESEARCH FINDINGS Community gardens can deliver a wide range of primary physical benefits to a community. Access to open space, fresh air, easy access to fresh produce, and physical exercise are among a number of the easily observable and tangible benefits of community gardens that are most often cited and form the basis of most research on community gardens. These primary benefits generally form the foundational argument for new community gardens in the past, but there are a number of less obvious and less tangible benefits that community gardens can offer. “​(Community Gardens) was seen more as providing activity and sot of perhaps a means of breaking down social isolation for some the tenants” (Waterloo Redfern Community Development Plan Coordinator cited in Bartolomei et al., p. 34, 2003). Breaking down social isolation is only one of a number of intangible social and psychological benefits that were observed across multiple research papers have been. These benefits contribute in many ways to a better sense of community and social wellbeing, and complement and enhance the physical benefits of gardens in general. These benefits then form a set of intangible of social assets that help to build a stronger community. By distinguishing between the tangible and intangible neighbourhood assets (Shinew, 2004) can help us more holistically quantify the greater impact community gardens can have on urban communities.

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Among the list of benefits we came across in our research, a few common themes continually appeared in across different research papers. These themes have have been collated and elaborated below. We have been particularly selective of examples that are relevant to the context of the Waterloo redevelopment, and that illustrate benefits may not always intuitively connected to community gardens.

Some studies cited are directly studying and observing the impact of community gardens on the residents of the Estate in the past.

1. HEALTH FOR THE RESIDENTS Physical health, physical activity and psychological wellbeing is often reported to be connected with spending time in nature. In a longitudinal study of Environmental Volunteering and Health Outcomes over a 20 - Year Period by Pillemer et al., researchers followed 7000 study participants to measure the benefits of environmental volunteering on physical health, physical activity and wellbeing. Their results confirmed “significant positive relationship between environmental volunteering and health and well-being outcomes”. (Pillemer et al., p. 594, 2010) This outcome is confirmed in research done by Bartolomei et al. where they report that some gardeners find gardening an opportunity to exercise. Evidence of benefits to health are also widely reported in the World Health Organisation report on Urban Green Spaces. Authors of the report find evidence that “using green space for growing food may influence physical activity, social well being and encourage a healthy diet, thereby reducing obesity”. (WHO, p. 7, 2016) 2. SOCIAL AND INTERCULTURAL INTERACTION The highly diverse demographic within the population of the Estate means conflicts often arise between residents of different ethnicities. The Estate has historically been ethnically diverse with high concentrations of people from Russia/Ukraine, Vietnam, China and other Asian countries. In addition, Waterloo is home to a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. (Bartolomei et al., p.14, 2003).​ ​Community gardens offer a place for residents of different backgrounds to come together and share work within a space.

“The Gardens have encouraged an appreciation and acceptance of cultural difference developing understandings of cultural difference through sharing plants, cultivation techniques and recipes" (Corkery p.4-6, 2014).

This has occurred as friendships have evolved through gardening together, swapping recipes, and sharing plants and different gardening practices (Bartolomei et al., 2003).

Gardening, thus, can promote trust between residents as they spend time together, and help to break down racist stereotypes as residents gain exposure to different cultures and opinions, which they may not otherwise have. “For many of the gardeners, their involvement in the Garden is the first time they have met and spoken with a fellow tenant from another country” (Bartolomei et al., 2003); “in their (residents) comments, there is evidence of learning tolerance for people of different nationalities, religious and cultural groups” (Corkery p.6, 2014).

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Getting to know the people that live in your neighborhood can also increase social trust in the community as residents, who would otherwise have no reason to interact with each other, through the sharing of knowledge and exchanging produce from their gardens ( Bartolomei, 2003, Shinew 2004).

“While community gardening provides an opportunity to “bond” with others of their own group, it is purported to also serve as a “bridge” among diverse groups…. because community gardening often occurs in diverse neighbourhoods the “bridging function of the garden has the potential to be particularly beneficial.” (Langhout et al., Sweazy in cited in Shinew, pg. 4-5, 2004).

By working together towards maintenance and construction of the garden, residents can also discuss and address collective concerns such as crime and urban decline. (Glover, Linn cited in Shinew 2004) Participants in Shenew’s study reported they felt a sense of belonging and connectedness to their neighbourhood and thought that gardening contributed towards better interracial relations.

3. CREATING COMMUNITY Green space can play an important role in fostering social interactions, promoting a sense of community (cited in WHO p.5, 2016), and developing feelings of belonging to the Estate, especially for those born overseas. In some instances, the gardens have been the only common ground where Waterloo residents from different backgrounds have worked together to build something as a cohesive community.

By spending regular time working in the gardens with other residents, relationships and bonds slow start to form and connect them into a community. “Some tenants knew each other by sight (initially when they joined the Gardens), but it was not until they started to share a love of gardening that the barriers of shyness and suspicion melted and friendships began to develop” (Bartolomei at al., 2003).

There is also an increasing interest in the role of community gardens in strengthening social infrastructure, particularly in public housing estates, which often have a high level of social disadvantage, unemployment and many residents come from a low income, elderly, and/or single-parent households (Bartolomei et al., 2003).​ ​In a 1995 study, Waterloo was identified within the 10 lowest Census Collector Districts in the ​Socio Economic Indicators for Areas (SEIFA) index in NSW according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (cited in Bartolomei et al., 2003). This is a standardised evaluation system to determine the relative social disadvantage of an area based on a number of factors. The demographic profile of the area includes a high percentage of older people (34 per cent over 55), single person households (18 per cent), and sole parents (28 per cent) (Bartolomei at al., 2003). 52% of the community resides in one of the smallest typology of dwellings, the bed seatters. Bed seatters areas range around the 35 square meters, which restricts the possibility for large social gatherings indoors.

The Gardens have therefore become a focus of activity in the densely populated neighbourhood of the Estate (Bartolomei et al., 2003), because large public green places like the Gardens offer opportunities for different residents to gather in larger groups than is allowed in their small homes (cited in Corkery, 2014). Older adults living in inner-city neighbourhoods especially benefit from the presence and use of green spaces, which appears to promote social ties and a sense of community (cited in WHO p.18, 2016) and offer the chance to develop individual and community capital (cited in Corkery, 2014).

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Waterloo residents also have a proud history of community action and solidarity in the face of adversity (Bartolomei et al., p.14, 2003), which was made evident when the community was invited by the University of NSW to participate in a design studio program and contribute ideas to actively reshape their built environment, in collaboration with students.​ ​Through these consultation programs, the tenants and students jointly developed the idea for community gardens in the Estate, which the students then developed through their design proposals. Subsequent public exhibition of the studio work confirmed the enthusiasm for a garden project on the part of tenants and DoH staff, and the first one was developed in 1997 under DoH’s Neighbourhood Improvement Program (cited in Corkery, 2014). The Gardens therefore embody the history of how the resident’s have contributed to the improvement of the Estate and the betterment of their community’s well being.

4. SENSE OF OWNERSHIP The individual allotment model of the Gardens allow Gardeners to retain full control over their plot of land. They are allowed to decide what is planted, how it is taken care of, and are also able to directly reap the rewards of their efforts. This level of autonomy can be hard to come by in a disadvantaged, public housing context, like that of Waterloo. In dense urban neighbourhoods, community gardens can “engender a sense of ownership and connection to what would otherwise be undifferentiated public space”​ ​(as cited in Bartolomei et al., p. 25, 2003). This senses of ownership can allow people in a socially marginalized situation to feel success, experience being part of a greater shared endeavour, and become closely connected to a place (Corkery p.6, 2014). Residents are reporting that that participation in the Gardens has developed their feelings of connection, belonging, and ownership of the Estate (Bartolomei et al., p. 56, 2003), as well as stronger friendships with other Gardeners.

Due to a number of historical and governmental factors, large public housing estates like Waterloo has, since the 1990’s, typically become occupied by a highly welfare dependent population who suffer significant social problems, such as poor educational attainment, chronic unemployment amongst young people, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependence, and crime and fear of crime (Bartolomei et al., p. 14, 2003). Surveys and community consultations on the Estate have consistently shown that crime, fear of crime and concerns about safety and security are amongst the most important problems faced by tenants (as cited in Bartolomei et al., 2003).

While crime and vandalism continue to increase the residents fear of crime, allowing residents to have ownership of parts of the Estate on the other hand, has been observed to create a strong sense of responsibility for what is owned. This sense of ownership developed through gardening, has led to an observable decrease in the level of crime and vandalism decrease and reduced pressure on facilities management. ​It reduces management issues because the Department inevitably has to manage things like vandalism and... although some of it does occur, I believe it’s significantly reduced because there are more people around and people take ownership of those spaces and challenge things that they may not challenge in other parts [of the Estate]. (Community Renewal Coordinator, Bartolomei et al., p. 47, 2003) ‘Situational crime prevention’ theory explains that opportunities for crime are reduced when ambiguous open spaces are assigned to groups of tenants, thus providing more activity and hence surveillance in such areas (Bartolomei et al., p. 37, 2003). The increased activation of public spaces through the regular gardening proudly supported by

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activities of the residents, acts as a source of passive surveillance in the areas around the Gardens. As there is no fixed schedule for activities, and gardening times differ between gardeners, the Gardeners in essence take “shifts” throughout the day or even night to monitor and deter crime and illicit activities that are more likely to occur in empty open space.

Even when the proposal for community gardens was first presented to the DoH in the 90’s, it was seen as a very cost effective strategy for community renewal, community empowerment and capacity building, as well as a means of addressing open space management issues, including crime and vandalism control, waste management (via recycling and composting), and maintenance cost reduction by the ‘privatisation’ of open space (Bartolomei et al., p. 47, 2003).

However the reduction in crime might tie closer to the resident perception of their safety within the Estate, rather than the actual rate of crime that occurs. “It is uncertain whether the presence of the Gardens, and the increased activity associated with them, have had a significant impact on reducing crime, nuisance and annoyance on the Estate or tenants’ perceptions concerning these issues.... However, it cannot be denied that some gardeners feel safer on the Estate and this is a positive benefit currently being enjoyed” (Bartolomei et al., p. 38, 2003).

Leafy greens & herbs grown in the community gardens

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PART 2: THE WATERLOO COMMUNITY GARDENS

HISTORY Waterloo Estate is one of the largest public housing estates in Sydney with over 2000 dwellings.

Located 2.5km away from the CBD, the Estate was established in the 1950’s and have historically housed low-income working class families. However, over time, the demographics of the population has moved towards elderly pensioners and others on government assistance programs. The Estate is comprised of large high rise blocks of units, two towers, as well a large area of three storey walk-up flats. The community gardens are located within the Estate and service the current population of residents.

The very first community garden in Waterloo was set up by a group of churchgoers from Uniting Church on Raglan Street who were interested in setting up a community food garden in 1991. Headed by Rhonda Hunt, who would later become the Community Gardens Officer of South Sydney City Council. Two other local community gardens would later develop in the area, the Eveleigh Street Garden in Redfern and proudly supported by

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the Angel Street Permaculture Garden, also established around 1991 (Bartolomei et al, 2003). These gardens set the early precedents for the development community gardens in the Redfern-Waterloo area, and lay the foundations for the development of the Solander, Marton & Cook Gardens. The history and features of these three gardens will be the focus for the remainder of this section.

The Gardens were delivered through “a coalition of interests between tenants, UNSW students, the DoH, and later SSCC” (Bartolomei et al, 2003) through the Waterloo-Redfern Community Development Plan, but the original idea for having community gardens in Waterloo was developed through a collaborative design project between Waterloo Tenants and students of UNSW School of Social Work and Faculty of Built Environments, led by Professor Bruce Judd. According to Professor Bruce Judd of UNSW (2018, pers. comms 6th March), The WRCDP was developed in 1995 by Jennifer Westacott, then the Regional Director of Housing NSW - Central Sydney Division, and Tony Vinson, a professor at UNSW School of Social Work, to develop strategies to help improve the situation of disadvantage and social exclusion within Waterloo Estate through improvements in the built environment. Professor Vinson’s findings in his 1995 Community Cohesion study “identified low levels of community cohesion and a particular correlation between this and issues of social isolation and perceptions of safety” (Bartolomei et al, 2003).

Through a mutual connection with Professor Vinson, Professor Judd joined the Program in 1995 and was involved in the program until 2007. Professor Judd role was to represent the UNSW Faculty of Built Environment through this joint venture with the School of Social Work, represented by Professor Vinson. As a professor of architecture, Professor began running socially focused design studios with students of the Masters of Architecture program, that focused on developing innovative built environment solutions to various issues within the Estate, to be developed through communication and consultation with the residents of the Estate. This was conducted through a 2-3 consultation workshops throughout the semester, assisted by students from the School of Social Work, and tenants were also invited to the final presentation of the students designs.

A number of these design studios were conducted over the years, and within one of the early studios the idea for community gardens was developed. The brief for that particular studio was to find ways to make use of the space surrounding the Marton and Banks buildings, which at the time was largely open green space. During one of the consultation workshops, the idea for developing the land into community food gardens was raised, the exact origin of the idea is unknown (2018, pers. comms 6th March), and some of the students integrated community gardens into their final designs. The idea was very popular with both residents and DoH staff and discussion of implementing a real garden followed shortly (Bartolomei et al, 2003).

The project to realise the gardens was coordinated by the then WRCDP Coordinator, Usha Kumbla, a group of interested tenants and a number of DoH staff (Bartolomei et al, 2003). After canvassing a number of potential sites, a disused children’s playground on the corner of Raglan and Pitt Street was selected as the site for what would become the Cook Gardens, and the playground would be close to the new garden and would allow easier supervision by residents. This site was selected as it was used primarily by drug-users and was deemed not safe for use as a children’s playground (2018, pers. comms 6th March).

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Cook garden was the first of the three developed in 1997. Funded through the DoH Neighbourhood Improvement Program and developed the site into a circular enclosed garden subdivided into 28 garden plots. The iconic circular shape of the Cook Gardens follows the shape of the original playground, and led to the plots to be divided in a radial pattern. The Garden was established using the individual allotment model and residents who signed-up would be allocated their own plot within the Garden. The WRCDP coordinator and School of Social Work students assisted the Gardeners in the development of a constitution and regulations for the garden (Bartolomei et al, 2003), and they continued to assist the Gardeners until the end of the WRCDP program in 2016.

By mid 1998, Cook Gardens was fully subscribed, and more gardens were demanded, leading to the development of the Solander and Marton Gardens (Bartolomei et al, 2003). By this time, the UNSW Landscape Architecture program, led by Professor Linda Corkery, took the lead in the expansion of the gardens and developed a new approach to their design (Judd, 2018, pers. comms 6th March).

It should be noted that when the design of the Cook Gardens was original developed, a larger proportion of children and families within the Estate were consulted, while the development of the Solander and Marton gardens involved an older population, and contributed to the difference in functionality and design of the gardens. One example is the implementation of raised planters in the latter gardens as the issue of accessibility and difficulty bending over by the elderly was raised during the consultation process (2018, pers. comms 6th March).

The development of new gardens saw the additional involvement of the SSCC, who appointed two Community Gardens Officers and provided $10,000 in grants for the development of community gardens.

The Royal Botanical Gardeners also provided plants and horticultural advice in support (Bartolomei et al, 2003).

Construction of the Solander and Marton Gardens began in 1998, jointly funded by SSCC and DoH, each with 13 plots, but would be expanded once more in the future to the current layout today.

In 2016, due to the termination of the WRCDP program, the Gardens were left without a formal organisation to rely on for administration and management. It was at this point that the Gardeners formed their own incorporated entity, the Waterloo Residents Markets & Gardens Incorporated, which have since taken up the responsibilities of managing the Gardens. (WRMGI, 2018, pers comms, 7th March).

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THE GARDENS COOK GARDENS

Aerial Photo Cook Garden

The Cook Gardens was the first community garden developed in the Estate in 1997 under the WRCDP at the time. The garden covers approximately 500m², and is bounded by Raglan Street to the north, Pitt Street to the east, James Cook housing block directly to the south, for which the garden was named, and the Joseph Banks housing block to the west, across the Captain Cook Sundial and green space.

A fenced bbq and seating area sits south of the gardens, as well as a children’s playground to the east, which replaced a playground that used to sit in what is now the garden. The garden was designed in a radial fashion, retaining the original playground footprint. A central circular garden bed has been subdivided into 11 individual plots, with 4 smaller separate garden beds along the perimeter. Each of these plots have been assigned to individual or coupled gardeners. The size of the plots vary and range between 3 to 15m², with a total planting area of 160m². Majority of plots are on the ground surrounded by a perimeter of bricks. Each plot is also defined by a line of bricks or timber planks. Raised planters along the perimeter are constructed out of brick and 3 raised planters to the north are constructed of timber. The garden contains essential tools and amenities for the gardens, including a tool shed, composting bins (2), water taps, a shaded seating area, and large areas of common planting areas with trees and various low planting along the fence line, which provide privacy from onlooking from the streets. The garden is also fenced along the entire boundary with 1.8m high steel fencing, masonry columns, and two locked gates for security. A decorative mosaic wall facing the corner of Pitt & Raglan Street identify the garden with signage and a plaque illustrating the history of the Gardens.

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Commemorative Plaque

Ground level garden plots

Sugar cane grown in one of the plots

Seating Area and Composting Bin

Raised planter boxes near boundary fence

Decorative mosaic wall at Pitt & Raglan St

Pergola with BBQ area and seating

Entry gate and relocated playground

Tool shed and perimeter planter boxes

Footpath leading to shaded seating area

Tiles used to divide central garden into plots

Decorative mosaic tile on external wall

Flower blooming inside gardens

Looking towards Cook Garden from Raglan St

Composting instruction sign

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Cook Garden measured plan

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SOLANDER GARDENS

Aerial photo of Solander Gardens

Following the success of the Cook Gardens, Solander Gardens was established as part of an expansion of the community gardens under the WRCDP in 1998. This was also further expanded to the present configuration. The garden covers approximately 470m², and is bounded by Matavai tower to the north, the Daniel Solander housing block, for which the garden is named, to the east, Raglan Street to the south, and Waterloo Green to the west. There is also a shaded bbq and seating area just outside of the garden.

Unlike Cook Gardens, Solander gardens was designed in a linear pattern, with two rows of rectangular plots running parallel to each other, as well as a few additional plots around the perimeter. In total, there are 15 plots, including a repurposed composting area and tool box that was later converted into garden plots by the gardeners. Each of these plots have been assigned to individual or coupled gardeners. The size of the plots vary and range between 1 to 9m², with a total planting area of approximately 102m². The majority of the plots consist of large raised planters constructed of natural stone blocks. The remaining plots around the perimeter are also raised and constructed in timber. The garden contains essential tools and amenities for the gardens, including a tool shed, composting bins (2), water taps, a shaded seating area, and large areas of common planting areas with trees and various low planting along the fence line, which provide privacy from onlooking from the streets. The garden is also fenced along the entire boundary with 1.8m high steel fencing, masonry columns, and two locked gates for security. A decorative mosaic wall runs along the north-western corner identify and signage at the gate identifies the gate.

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Commemorative plaque

Shaded seating area & bbq

Raised stone planters & fruit trees in buckets

Timber raised planters with various herbs

DIY composting bin

Repurposed brick tool box into a small planter

Worm farm set up by the gardeners

Seating area inside the gardens

Tool shed with tools

Central masonry raised planters

Vegetables & herbs grown in planter

Composting bin

Flowers grown by gardeners

Scarecrow grown by gardeners

Turanga & Matavai towers looking from garden

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Solander Garden measured plan

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MARTON GARDENS

Aerial photo of Marton Gardens, looking west

Along with Solander Gardens, Marton Gardens was established as part of an expansion of the community gardens under the WRCDP in 1998. This was also further expanded to the present configuration. The gardens cover approximately 345m² are bounded by Turanga tower to the north, Solander garden across the Waterloo Green to the east, Raglan Street to the south, and the Marton housing block, for which the garden is named, to the west. There is also a bbq area and shaded seating area just outside of the garden.

Marton gardens was designed with a large centralised garden bed, surrounded by garden beds along the perimeter. The garden beds are then subdivided into individual plots. In total, there are 25 plots, including a repurposed composting area that was later converted into garden plots by the gardeners. Each of these plots have been assigned to individual or coupled gardeners. The size of the plots vary and range between 2 to 10m², with a total planting area of 134.5m². The planters are all constructed of timber and raised off the ground. Each subdivided plot is marked by timber planks. ​The garden contains essential tools and

amenities for the gardens, including a tool shed, water taps, a shaded seating area, and large areas of common planting areas with trees and various low planting along the fence line, which provide privacy from onlooking from the streets. A series of particularly large trees line the southern fence line along Raglan Street and provide a large amount of coverage across the whole garden. The garden is also fenced along the entire boundary with 1.8m high steel fencing, masonry columns, and two locked gates for security.

A decorative mosaic wall runs along the south-western corner identify and signage at the gate identifies the gate.

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Aerial photo of Marton Gardens, looking east

Eastern gate to Marton Gardens

Large trees along Raglan Street

Central raised garden bed

Western gate to Marton gardens

Central garden bed with dense planting

BBQ & shaded seating area outside

Tool shed and perimeter plots

Perimeter plots with vertical trellises

Raised timber planters

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Repurposed composting area into plots

Clothes hangers repurposed as trellis

Gardener bending over to garden

Seedlings being prepared for replanting

Herbs being grown

Seedlings donated to Gardeners

External seating area

Corner raised planter

Steps leading to central raised planter

Laundry hangers repurposed as vine trellis

External trees growing into fence

Lavender grown in planters

Flowers grown in planters

Raised timber planters

Taps provided for gardens

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Marton Garden measured plan proudly supported by

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NOTABLE FEATURES 1. Individual Allotment of Plots Unlike some community gardens with shared plots, each Gardener is allocated an individual plot in either one of the Gardens. This is on a first-come-first basis depending on availability and gardeners may not necessarily be allocated to a garden adjoining their residential building.

The advantage of this system is that each Gardener is given autonomy on what one decides to plant on one’s plot. This can facilitate a sense of ownership and achievement which also acts as a self-regulating factor for maintenance.

On the hand, plot allotments vary greatly in size as indicated in the spatial documentation of each garden. This might incite a sense of injustice to some members as all members pay the same amount in membership fees.

2. Common Planting Areas Each garden has common planting strips along the perimeter adjoining the public roads. These strips can take deep soil planting and are utilised to plant trees and other vegetation that might enhance the area with greenery. The benefits of this to extends to not just the Gardeners but to the Estate and the public at large.

3. Pesticide and Inorganic Fertilizer Free The Gardens bars the use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizers under its regulations. This is not only good for the environment but also safeguards the Gardeners from the dangers that can occur from unintentional and intentional malpractice of harsh chemicals.

Several compost bins are provided to the Solander and Cook Gardens, but Marton Gardens is without compost bins. The Association also readily disseminates leaflets on proper usage of compost bins. These are translated to languages, such as Russian, that addresses the demographics of the Gardeners.

4. Locked Gates to Each Garden Each garden is lockable and normally locked for security. Garden keys are made available to all members at the WRMGI office. There is a Garden Key Issue & Return protocol and register in place to keep track of the whereabouts of the keys and the borrower’s contact details.

5. Adaptation to an Ageing Population There was a 5 year gap between the completion of the first garden, Cook, and the subsequent gardens Solander and Marton. The changes between the gardens reflect how then Gardens have actively adapted to the changing needs of the residents, especially as they age. Eg, taller plant proudly supported by

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beds, etc. The Gardens are living testament to how well the Gardens have been utilised and maintained, actively responding to feedback from the members. It serves as a precedent of how community gardens can meet the requirements of an ageing population and what specific features work better for the elderly. Given that a significant proportion of Estate tenants are on disability pensions, this can be further extended in the future to research on accessibility to wheelchair bound gardeners, those with ambulant impairment, sight or hearing disabilities and mental health issues.

PLANT LIST During our site visits, along with guidance and feedback from the Gardeners, the following plants are known to be planted within the three Gardens: Aloe Vera Rose Mary Lemon Grass Parsley Lemon Bailey Chilli Bird’s Eye Coriander Trees (given to church) - Figs - Oranges - Mandarin - Kumquat - Cucumber Taro Chinese vegetables Snake bean Eggplants Kale Tomato Flavers Purple Phlax Fuscia Dahlia Chrysanthemum Roses Thorn of Christ Geranium Figs Pennywort Chinese artichoke Rocket Garlic Chives

Cabbage Mint Sorrel Succulent Grapes Thyme Mandevilla Sunflowers Strawberries Australian Berries Basil Ginger Radishes Spinach Potatoes Longan Bokchoy Olives Indian figs Native Greens: - Finger Lime - Lomandra - Kakadu Plum - Native Violets - River Mint - Tea tree - Midgin Berry - Banksia

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MANAGEMENT Following the cessation of the Waterloo Community Development Program (CDP) in 2017, Waterloo Community Gardens has been run and managed entirely by the Waterloo Residents Markets and Gardens Incorporated.

WRMGI was incorporated as a not-for-profit association on 10 May 2017 under the NSW ​Associations Incorporation Act 2009. It comprises solely of Waterloo public housing residents and is opened to residents of any building on the the Estate. At the moment, there are 75 active members, with another 12 on the waitlist.

While membership to WRMGI is opened to all residents of the Estate, applicants are screened for history of violence or other anti-social issues. This is usually done through word-of-mouth and cross-checking with other residents.

As a corporation, WRMGI has its own Public Liability Insurance Policy.

ORGANISATION CHART

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GOVERNANCE All decision making has to go through the committee members who are elected by the Gardeners during an annual election every November. For dispute resolutions, the Association has a Corporation Constitution that stipulates protocols to be followed.

In addition, the Association has a comprehensive set of policy and procedure documents and forms. These include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

POLICY and PROCEDURE # 1: CODE OF ETHICS and BEHAVIOUR POLICY and PROCEDURE # 2: MARKETS CODE OF CONDUCT and OPERATING PROCEDURES POLICY and PROCEDURE # 3: OFFICE USAGE OPERATING STANDARDS and PROCEDURE POLICY and PROCEDURE # 5: INSURANCE POLICY and PROCEDURE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM MARKETS STALLHOLDER APPLICATION FORM FORMAL COMPLAINT FORM ACCIDENT REPORT FORM OFFICE KEY REGISTER GARDENS KEY ISSUE/RETURN REGISTER

See Appendix for examples.

EXTERNAL PARTNERS LAHC owns the land on which the Gardens are built and provides rent-free usage of the Marton Building Community Office as the WRMGI Office.

The Gardens also receive external support from the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG). RBG holds working bee sessions at the Gardens every three months, bringing new plants and holding horticultural workshops with the Gardeners. In addition, student volunteers attend these sessions and assist with facilitating the workshops and cleaning up the gardens.

The Association’s website (​https://www.waterloo-association.com/about.html​) also credits the following as sponsors: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

UNSW City of Sydney Inner City Voice St. Vincent de Paul dot + pixel (Kim Kennedy - logo designer)

The Royal Botanic Gardens “Community Greening” program have also been a key sponsor of the Gardens since 2000. Current coordinated for Waterloo by Philip Pettitt, who took over from the original program coordinator Steven Paul 5 years ago. The “Community Greening” program is a community proudly supported by

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outreach program to help local communities develop and maintain local gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens website, 2018), in particular socially disadvantaged communities like Waterloo. The Community Greening program provides support to the Waterloo Gardens by leading the quarterly Working Bees to provide training to gardeners, provide seedlings to new gardeners to start their gardens or to provide diversity of produce to existing gardeners, organising volunteers to help with heavy lifting tasks, such as moving soil, or to help maintain the gardens through cleaning, organising and weeding the common areas.

TRAINING New members are assessed by Garden Coordinator and their corresponding Team Leader for their compliance with code of conduct and safety. The Garden Coordinator, Anna Kovic, is mostly responsible for the induction and training of new gardeners.

Gardeners also have hands on training every three months during the working bee sessions. Otherwise, the bulk of training and knowledge come from interaction with other Gardeners, through helping and knowledge sharing.

Gardeners are also regularly from provided with flyers and brochures detailing various gardening tips and advice. See Appendix for examples.

REGULAR ACTIVITIES 1. Working Bees Time and Frequency: Every 3 months, Thursday or Friday, 10-12pm or 1-3pm Location: Marton, Solander, Cook, and Poet’s Corner Gardens Nature of Activity: Knowledge sharing and ‘How To’ Horticultural workshops under the auspices of the Royal Botanical Garden Open To: All Gardeners 2. Committee Meetings Time and Frequency: Once a month, Monday, 6pm Location: WRMGI Office at Marton Building Community Office Nature of Activity: Operations meeting Open To: Association Office Bearers, Committee Members, Garden Coordinator, Team Leader 3. Weekly Markets Time and Frequency: Every Friday 8-11am

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Location: Marton-Turanga Carpark Nature of Activity: Flea market (formerly ran by Salvation Army) Open To: All Resident are eligible to become a Market Stallholder upon registration with and approval by the Association using the ‘MARKETS STALLHOLDER APPLICATION FORM’. Markets are open to the public Notes: The proceeds from the Markets goes back to WRMGI as donations.

The Markets seem to be unrelated to the ongoings of the Gardens even though they are both under the same managing committee. Could be interesting if the produce from the Gardens were sold in the Markets. An issue would be the food safety certification.

4. Christmas Party Time and Frequency: Once a year, December Nature of Activity: Year end thanksgiving and appreciation party Opened To: All Gardeners, their families, and people who support the association 5. Annual General Meeting Time and Frequency: Once a year, November Nature of Activity: Election of committee members Opened To: All Gardeners FUNDING AND MAINTENANCE The Gardens are mainly self-funded from the $15 annual membership fees contribution from each member and the proceeds from the weekly markets. FACS is only responsible for the maintenance of the external walls and fencing.

Each gardener is responsible for maintenance and maintenance cost their own plot. The Garden Coordinator and Team Leaders are responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the common planting areas and the compost bins, as well as dealing with neglected plots.

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THE GARDENERS To better understand the needs and wants of the Gardeners, a series of surveys & workshops sought to answer a number of fundamental questions regarding the significance of the Gardens as well as what they wish for the Gardens in the future. A summary of our observations as well as key quotes have been provided below: REASONS FOR JOINING “i like to work in the garden” “For my health and to enjoy my plants and be with people” “I would like to get involved in the gardens” “I would like to be a gardener” “people would plant vegetables for themselves and other just in case there was a shortage of food, they would have enough vegetables to feed their family” “i want to be fit” “i am passionate about gardening & need a safe space to teach my son” Common reasons for why Gardeners decided to join the Gardens were to improve physical health, meeting people, socialising, learning how to garden and being within nature. Some gardeners also note that working in gardens is an affordable and interesting avenue for exercise, compared to going to a gym, and have noted improvements in their health. It also provides a natural and enjoyable environment to spend their day, while some Gardeners also describe the Gardens as a safe sanctuary that they can spend time with their children and is a place where they won’t fear of their safety, which can be can be hard to find within the Estate. Being within a structured social group also allows Gardeners to meet other people and engage in meaningful conversation. Some gardeners also note their desire to practice English with other Gardeners.

EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE GARDENS “I grew up in the country. I had a garden before” “I had a garden in Ukraine” “i usually visit daily. I can get lost there for hours on end” “I had a large garden back in Burma, so i was already very familiar with gardening” “i spend most of my spare time in the garden”

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Many Gardeners noted their past experience of having a garden or farm in their past, most from their country of origin. This is reflected in the diversity of plant species grown within the Gardens. Some gardens mention their ability to connect with their culture through gardening, as well as sharing their culture through their plants and recipes. Gardeners also mentioned experience a connection to nature as well as positive emotions seeing the community and plants grow over time. Experimenting with different species, planting methods, and cooking recipes and sharing that with other gardeners were also noted as positive experiences.

Gardeners have also noted to spend a lot of time in the gardeners. Those interviewed mentioned visiting the gardens 2-3 times a week or more, and spending from 15 minutes to 1-2 hrs each visit. One of the Gardeners brings her son to the gardens every day after school as an afternoon activity.

Gardeners are also proactive in maintaining, not only their own gardens, but also volunteering to weeding the surrounding common garden areas and footpaths.

Gardeners also note meeting lots of new friends through the Gardens, mostly through interactions with the owners of neighbouring plots. They also mention spending time outside of the gardens socialising with other gardeners, and also assist each other in everyday life. Within the gardens, gardeners also help their neighbours tend to their gardens when they may be away as well as sharing gardening methods and produce with each other regularly. One of the Gardeners in the Solander garden also grows fruit trees to donate to the church.

BENEFITS OF THE GARDENS “Physical exercise

happiness

I receive a lot of positive emotions”

“Yes, (my life within the Estate has changed) for the best” “I made friends, got physical exercise, vegetables and herbs for budget, positive emotions and use herbs”

how to prepare

“I receive a lot of positive emotions and made friends” “Today the vegetable garden is to save money as vegetables are so expensive” “It helps keep people healthy and active in the world around them” “It connects me to mother earth & my community” “It keeps me active & outdoors. It helps me to deal with my depression & anxiety” “I want to grow more Pawpaw for medicinal purposes, and galangal, it is good for cancer” Improvements to physical and mental health are the most common benefits noted by Gardens. For some, it is their primary source of physical exercise and also an activity they enjoy doing every day. Most of the gardeners we’ve interviewed at upwards of 50 years old and their having an easily accessible and proudly supported by

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regular source of exercise is vital for their health. Working in the gardens also provides the Gardeners with a lot of positive social and emotional experiences, which manifests as greater happiness living with others in the Estate and engaging in the friendly activity with other Gardeners and residents, which offers a clear benefit to their mental health.

Many gardeners also note the rising costs of living, noting vegetables are too expensive to buy from the supermarket. The plants grown within the gardens offer the gardeners a source of healthy and affordable food, and offer a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. Through sharing with their neighbours, Gardeners gain an even wider range of produce that they would otherwise be able to buy in a shop, and learn about the produce from other countries and cultures. Within the Estate, sources for fresh food are rare, and the other supermarkets that stock fresh produce are the small IGA on Wellington Street, which offers a small range at a high cost,, or the larger IGA on Botany Road, which is far from the Estate.

Produce can also be used for self medication and treatments, such as fruits to treat digestions, chili's to increase metabolism, fruit peel for facial treatments, herbs for tea. The gardeners are also able to control the amount of produce they use without wastage, noting that instead of buying a bunch of herbs from the supermarket for one meal, they can just go to the garden and pick off the exact amount. This amounts to huge financial savings.

The benefits mentioned from the Gardeners match and confirm the literature research that have been outlined in Part 1.

IMPROVING THE GARDENS “More space in the front of the garden” “I can (teach other tenants) to be happy in the gardens” “I need a higher plot” “A lot of families have parties, they want to have parties in the gardens. it would be good to have a room next to the gardens for parties” The most common request from Gardeners is to have more gardens. They are aware of that the supply of gardens does not adequately match supply, and even current gardeners would like to be allocated larger plots. This is also evidenced in the growing waiting list for residents wishing to join.

Additional points of concern relate to the physical design and layout of the Gardens. Common requests include: -

removal of larger trees surrounding the Gardens to allow more natural light to reach the plots building higher planter beds off the ground, and are accessible from 4 sides, which would reduce strain & injury to backs from having to bend over. plot sizes should be regular, or built in a way that can be easily subdivided in the future to proudly supported by

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accommodate more gardeners. additional security measures, as there have been cases of people jumping over the fences and raiding the gardens

The Gardeners would also like to see more funding allocated for the maintenance and improvement of the community gardens, as well as developing more gardens in the future. They would also like to see those who help to maintain the Gardens be properly compensated, rather than relying on volunteer and pro-bono services.

Creative suggestions were also brought forward by Gardeners, including a desire for a communal event space connected to the gardens, so that residents can have parties or social events indoors and be able to move out into the gardens easily as well.

Entrance to the Marton Gardens

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AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT 1. INCREASE SUPPLY OF COMMUNITY GARDENS Currently, all the plots available in the three Gardens have been allocated to Gardens. Not all plots are allocated to individuals as couples are required to share a single plot. There are approximately 15 residents on the Community Gardens waiting list at the time of writing of this report, who are showing genuine interest in joining the Gardens. In light of this, the Gardens Association has adapted several areas of the original gardens, like composting areas and tool boxes, into more plots to meet demand. On an Estate level, the majority of the Gardens with plots in the three Gardens live in close proximity, from either the Solander, Marton, Cook or Banks housing blocks. The remaining areas of the Estate are not serviced with community gardens and it is suspected that travel distance and walkability may be an issue in light of the aging demographic of the Estate. More gardens will be required in the future so that residents across the Estate are offered equal opportunity to access community gardens.

2. IMPROVE CONSISTENCY IN SIZE OF GARDENS Across and within the three Gardens, the sizes and shapes vary greatly between each plot.

In terms of area, the net area of plots range from 1m² to 15m², and shapes vary from between squares, rectangles, and circular segments in Cook Garden. This greats a large degree of inconsistency between plots, and a perceived unfairness has been observed between Gardeners depending the sizes of the allocated plots. Also, particularly within Marton and Cook Gardens, large garden beds are later separated into individual plots, marked by pieces of timber or lines of brick.

However, these delineations can be unclear and easy tampered with, which is another point of contention between Gardeners. Solander’s plots are organised by clearly separated raised planters which contain one or two plots. Although there is still variation between each planter, it is still a better outcome compared across the three Gardens. It is recommended that future community gardens should aim to provide consistency in shape and size and consider garden allocation within its layout and design.

3. REDUCE SHADING AND TREE PLACEMENT Although having trees within a garden is important for general amenity, providing shading and sun protecting to visitors, from a gardening perspective, having too many large mature trees can block out much needed sunlight for the healthy growth of plants. Within the three gardens, Solander and Marton suffer the most from a large number of mature trees along its boundary.

These large trees overshadow much of the gardening spaces throughout the year, restricting the number and species of produce that can be grown. In particularly, Marton Gardens has 5 large fig trees along its southern boundary, who’s canopy reaches all the northern boundary, casting the entire garden in shadow for most of the year. A few of the trees have also grown into and damaged the boundary fence in some areas. It is recommended that future gardens pay close attention to the number and mature size of trees to be planted, and ensure adequate sunlight is provided to gardening plots to maximise the amount and variety of plants that can be grown.

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4. IMPROVE TOOLS & FACILITIES Each garden is outfitted with the basic facilities necessary to maintain the gardens, such as taps, tools sheds, and composting areas, as well as seating areas, however, it is not consistent across all gardens. For example, Marton garden is the only one of the three to be without composting bins. Maintenance of the facilities is also an issue. The gardens were constructed between 1992-1998, and many of the facilities haven’t been properly maintained. Examples include broken down bbq areas, inadequate cleaning of seating areas making them unusable, gates to the gardens have be deformed and no long open properly (Solander Garden), damaged fences from tree growth, etc. The Gardens Association has taken over the task of managing and maintaining the three Gardens since 2017 and perform maintenance task themselves, through volunteers or work bees. Gardeners themselves have also used DIY methods and made use of everyday items as tools in the gardens, including making their own worm farms, using clothes hangers as vine trellises.

Individual composting bins and worm towers will avoid the contamination of common composting bins and improve the performance of the individual plots.

5. IMPROVE PROXIMITY & WALKABILITY Through interviews with the Association Committee and other Gardeners, it is noted that the majority of the Gardeners live in housing blocks closest to the three Gardens, the Solander building, Marton building, Banks building and Cook building. There is one instance of a Gardener residing further west across the Estate on Cope St. At the moment, the Gardeners are effectively only servicing the residents in its immediate vicinity. This may also be a sign of walkability issues, due to the ageing demographics as well as the steep topography of the Estate , and many of the elder residents may not be able to walk across the Estate every day to access the gardens. Having more gardens and spreading them out across the entire Estate may improve accessibility to other residents and allow more residents of to enjoy the benefits that community gardens can provide. It is recommended that every major resident building in the Estate moving forward should have a dedicated community garden within 200m.

6. INCREASE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS The benefits of community gardens comes not only from the act of gardening, but also the opportunities for socialisation with other gardens. The more gardeners are allowed to interact and cooperate in common activities, the better the community cohesion and social wellbeing outcomes. Currently the Gardens Association organises some regular activities, such as 3 monthly working bees and annual Christmas parties, but due to funding issues, are unable to support more activities.

In the future, if funding is available, there should be an emphasis of increasing community activities through the gardens, such as group meals as was previously done, or more regular proudly supported by

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workshops to improve the gardeners horticultural knowledge and gardening skills.

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PART 3: RECOMMENDATIONS BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY GARDENS TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT In this report, we have highlighted the various benefits of community gardens that can be experienced by individual residents and a community as a whole. This is supported by both academic research and community consultation results.

Community gardens are found to improve overall physical and mental health to those who work in them, improve social cohesion and harmony, improve security in the community, both actual and perceived as well as allow individuals from diverse backgrounds to intermingle and educate each other.

Within a socially disadvantaged, public housing Estate like Waterloo, it has become an important staple in the lives of residents and those who experienced the Gardens show a great passion towards the Gardens, and acknowledge the important role gardening plays in their lives. This is reflected across time, since their inception in the 1990’s up to 20 years later at present. This is a genuine part of the community and the Estate that the residents want to retain into the future.

As the gardens have evidently been a vital tool to bring together individuals from different backgrounds and foster friendships and understanding, it can be hypothesised that through community gardens, the outcomes of a mixed tenure development can be drastically improved. Through sharing community gardens, private and public residents of the future Waterloo development can intermingle and connect with each other in an enjoyable environment. This has been shown to reduce conflict and improve understanding, which can reduce the friction and prejudice that can be experienced between public and private residents and improve overall social cohesion in the new community.

Aside from the social benefits of community gardens, the physical health benefits of community gardens can also be delivered to private tenants. From the perspective of public amenity, having access to community gardens can help improve the overall help of new residents, improve urban landscape, and create a better, more livable environment for people of all ages. This will likely improve the overall desirability of the development and improve property value prospects. The current community of gardeners also provides an established framework and infrastructure to build upon, and their experiences working in gardens in conditions offered by Waterloo will be invaluable to the success of future gardens.

Finally, the overall goal of the master planning process is to provide the most desirable result for the future of Waterloo. Careful consideration has been given to the needs of current residents of the Estate, particularly the current public housing tenants, which can be seen in the considerable investment in a lengthy Visioning and consultation process.

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RECOMMENDATION 1: RETAIN EXISTING COMMUNITY GARDENS The existing community gardens, Solander, Marton, & Cook Gardens, as well as other smaller gardens, are important historical, social and community assets. They are staples of the urban environment of the Estate and hold immense significance to the residents in their everyday lives. They are considered an extension of personal, cultural and social identity as well as a sanctuary and important connection to nature for the residents.

Therefore it is highly recommended that these gardens are retained and protected before, during, and after the redevelopment of the Estate, and should be retained for the exclusive use of existing public housing residents, as they currently are now. This will ensure that an important part of the community is retained into the future and that the benefits offered by these can be extended to residents in the future.

As a minimum, there should be no loss of area of gardens as per current conditions: Total Garden Area

Total Planting Area

Number of Plots

Average Plot Size

1317m²

396m²

51

7.8m²

RECOMMENDATION 2: DEVELOP AN INTERIM STRATEGY PLAN BEFORE THE REDEVELOPMENT The community gardens are not only a source of food, produce and exercise, but also the key binding component for the community of gardeners and the individual friendships and support networks contained within. Many of the gardeners have developed long term friendships with their neighbours within the gardens, with whom they may also be actual neighbours in the same building. These friendships are not only key to their mental wellbeing, but are also relied on in times of stress for support, which will be likely, during the 15-20 years of redevelopment.

Therefore, any changes that need to be made to the gardens or moving the gardens should try to mitigate the impact on these social connections and try to maintain it as much as possible.

If the original gardens are to be altered or demolished for the redevelopment, interim gardens should be set up to allow the residents to retain the contents of their plots and continue gardening through the redevelopment. There should also be an attempt to keep neighbouring gardeners in the same interim gardens to retain their social connections, and future garden allocations should be made in consultation with the gardeners. As residents may be moved across the Estate to different buildings, they may want to retain the plots in the same location as their existing gardener friends to retain a connection, and provide an opportunity for socialisation.

A strategy plan should be developed in consultation with existing gardeners, and those on the waiting list, to clearly articulate and plan for how the gardens will be maintained throughout the redevelopment and into the future.

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RECOMMENDATION 3: CREATE MORE COMMUNITY GARDENS THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT The redevelopment provides an excellent opportunity to create a better environment for current and future residents. The current supply of community gardens does not adequately provide for the current population of the Estate, and the waiting list and small area of service is evidence of that. As the future population of Waterloo is expected to be increase from approximately five times, adequate public and green space will be needed to support the increased population.

Community gardens offer both an active public space for social gatherings, as well as a high amenity green space for exercise and general wellbeing in one. It will provide increased quality of life for all residents, both public and private.

A dedicated amount of area of the future redevelopment of the Estate should be reserved for the development of community gardens, as part of green space allocations. Consideration should be given to meet the current undersupply of community gardens to current residents, as well as the future demand for community gardens for future residents.

Future community gardens should also reflect the current level of amenity and accessibility offered at present. All community gardens should be at ground level, to offer the passive security, visual amenity, and openness offered by gardens, provide adequate seating space for visitors, provide the necessary equipment required for gardens, as well as offer adequate security and privacy for gardeners.

Rooftop gardens are not recommended as they do not provide any of the benefits mentioned above, as well as reduce the overall accessibility of the gardens. It will be difficult for gardeners to bring produce, equipment and soil, up and down from the roof, as well as reduce the ability of plants to access deep soil nutrients. Based on feedback from Philip Pettitt of the Royal Botanic Gardens, he does not recommend rooftop gardens as a replacement for on ground gardens, and can bring with it a whole range of structural, performance, and maintenance issues. Waterproofing is the key issue, as existing rooftop gardens Phil has worked on, including Cockle Bay, Darling Park, and the NSW Parliament House, have all experienced significant waterproofing issues that resulted in costly repairs (2018, pers. comms 2018).

As a minimum, an individual community garden should be provided for every building within the development, that can provide an adequately sized individual lot to a minimum of ​20%​ of the total number of units in that building. A higher percentage should be allocated to buildings with an elderly population that can support and improve their health needs.

RECOMMENDATION 4: PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE GARDENS ASSOCIATION The current Waterloo Residents Market Gardens Incorporated has done a excellent job so far of managing and maintain the community gardens of Waterloo and Redfern, since the end of the WRCDP program. They are a completely self funded, community driven organisation that consists entirely of current public housing residents of Waterloo. They are driven by their passion and love of the Gardens and are a testament to the integrity and self-organising power of the community. They also act in the best interest of the Gardeners and is headed by a democratically elected Committee of Gardeners. proudly supported by

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With their history and community support, they are in the best position to continue to manage the community gardens, as well as help to design, set up and manage future gardens. As the gardens grow, they can help to educate future residents on the benefits of working in the gardens as well as train them to work on their garden. However, with the increased population, they will require more resources to keep up with the additional work and discussions must be made to ensure that they are well supported into the future.

However, as they receive no external funding, and are self funded by membership fees and market stall rental income, they are currently unable to meet administrative demands. Everyday office supplies, such as computers, printers, and stationery are all donated either by the Gardeners or external organisations.

Additional funding and support will allow them to perform better as an organisation, able to hold more events and workshops for the Gardeners, to provide better services and infrastructure, such as soil, composting, and weeding of the gardens, as well as provide regular upgrades to critical infrastructure, such as gates, fences, plots, etc.

As a minimum, the Gardens Association should continue to retain management rights of the existing Community Gardens and be involved in the future allocation of the green space and community gardens of the redevelopment.

RECOMMENDATION 5: COLLABORATE WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DESIGN GARDENS The overall success of the community gardens can be attributed to the collaborative approach that was undertaken between UNSW, Housing NSW, and the Waterloo community to deliver a space that reflected the communities desires and needs. In the last 20 years, the community of Waterloo has accumulated a vast amount of experience and knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work in the Gardens. They have a very clear understanding of what they want to see improved in the gardens, including details like the height of planters, tree placement, shading, soil requirements, etc., and they are definitely educated and informed enough to contribute to the design of community gardens. Some of the concerns and design suggestions have been outlined in this report, but is by no means extensive.

We highly recommend that existing gardeners and the Gardeners Association are involved in the design of future gardens, and any design professionals engaged to develop future gardens should work closely with the gardeners and the existing community in developing their designs.

RECOMMENDATION 6: DEVELOP WATERLOO INTO AN URBAN CENTRAL FOOD SOURCE With the existing physical infrastructure of the three large gardens, the existing human capital of experienced gardeners and management association, as well as history of support from large organisations like FACS, Royal Botanical Gardens “Community Greening” program and City of Sydney Council, Waterloo has a strong and well developed system for urban gardening and produce production.

With further support and funding, and expansion of the gardens, Waterloo could become a central proudly supported by

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hub for urban food production within inner Sydney. Produce can be sold or donated to local residents, or delivered to surrounding neighbourhoods to share this accessible source of local fresh produce. The existing Waterloo gardens can also be expanded and developed into a local fresh food market, that would improve the local economy, and promote visitors and local tourism.

Through conversations with the gardeners, some have also suggested the need for a nursery to develop seedlings and young plants for the gardeners. A purpose built facility within Waterloo to grow and share seedlings would not only allow gardeners to become more self sufficient in providing seeds to new gardeners, but the surplus can also be sold or donated to other existing or new community gardens in the surrounding area to promote local gardening efforts.

Developing Waterloo as a central Urban Food Hub not only promotes the wellbeing of Waterloo and its residents, but provides many benefits to greater Sydney.

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COMPLIANCE WITH PLANNING POLICIES By considering the research and recommendations presented in this report, it will assist the Master Planning process to complying with the following Planning Policies as required by DPE Requirements Document (revised March 2018):

Communities Plus objectives to: -

build more social housing alongside private and affordable housing to create sustained mixed communities

Community gardens have been shown to promote social bonding and cohesion between groups from different backgrounds and would support the creation of mixed communities

The City of Sydney Council Considerations to: -

ensure that social housing tenants are supported… where practical to retain the strong community connection and cohesion that currently exists.

The existing social housing tenants have a strong desire to have community gardens and gardens are a strong point of connection between many tenants that currently exists.

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ensure the redevelopment process delivers a mix of public, affordable rental and private housing, arranged through the site to promote equity, social cohesion, and inclusivity, with essential tenant support services available locally.

Community gardens have been shown to promote social bonding and cohesion between groups from different backgrounds and would support the creation of mixed communities, and is an essential source of local support between residents.

Greater Sydney Region Plan: Directions for Liveability to: -

increase walkable access to local centres

Community gardens act as a local point for community gatherings, socialising, and forms a centre of activity for the surrounding area.

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provide easier access to services to foster a Community gardens generate an essential source more active, resilient and connected of local support between residents, with gardeners society. regularly providing support to each other in their day to day lives, as well as providing social connection to others in an otherwise isolating environment proudly supported by

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increase access to open space

Community gardens are in and of itself a source of high quality open space.

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to enhance the wellbeing and a sense of community identity by delivering safe, inclusive and walkable mixed-use areas that exhibit urban design excellence and are connected to social infrastructure and open space. These places will respect heritage and foster interaction and healthy lifestyles by encouraging exercise, creativity, enterprise and innovation.

Community gardens have been shown to form a strong part of residents personal identity as well as forming a strong part of the community identity.

Community gardens offer a walkable open space that offers multiple uses, e.g. gardening, exercise, socialising, resting, etc., and positively contribute to the overall urban design excellence of the Estate.

Existing community gardens in Waterloo also have strong heritage value and fosters interaction between residents. Gardening also encourages a more actively lifestyle and offer opportunities to express creativity, enterprise and experimentation in everyday life.

Objective 6: Services and infrastructure meet communities’ changing needs -

Strategy 6.1: Deliver social infrastructure that reflects the needs of the community now and in the future.

Community gardens are an essential piece of infrastructure, economically, environmentally, and socially, in the Estate and is desperately needed by current and future community.

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Strategy 6.2: Optimise the use of available public land for social infrastructure.

Community gardens offer numerous health, social and economic benefits, require minimal upfront investment and are largely self sustaining within much maintenance. It is a highly efficient use of public land for social infrastructure.

Objective 7: Communities are healthy, resilient and socially connected

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Strategy 7.1: Delivery healthy, safe and inclusive places for people of all ages and abilities that support active resilient and socially connected communities by promoting local access to healthy fresh food and supporting local fresh food production

Community gardens deliver proven health benefits to the elderly and those benefits can be extended to younger populations as well. There is historical evidence of gardens improving community activity, resilience and social connection and cohesion.

Community gardens are also a low cost, accessible source of healthy fresh food, grown by the gardeners themselves, using organic and sustainable methods.

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Objective 8: Greater Sydney’s communities are culturally rich with diverse neighbourhoods -

Strategy 8.1: incorporate cultural and linguistic diversity in strategic planning and engagement

Community gardens express the cultural diversity of the community, allowing them to grow and share unique produce from their heritage. Through sharing food and recipes, residents also share their cultural knowledge to others and reduce cultural stigma and racism.

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Strategy 8.2: consider the local infrastructure implications of areas that accommodate large migrant and refugee populations

The Waterloo Estate has historically accommodated a large population of migrant, refugee, and other socially disadvantaged populations. Community gardens forms a strong part of their community identity in a new country as well as gives them access to a support network within the community. Remove the gardens and destroy this network and cause significant damage to the existing community that will be difficult to repair.

City of Sydney Social Sustainability Policy Principles: Sydney is a vibrant city where creative and cultural expression is valued and celebrated

Community gardens offer a rare opportunity for public housing tenants to be able to express themselves through a medium. The healthy growth of their plants and the diversity of the produce is a form of expression. The beauty of the gardens is also a source of pride for the Gardeners that they can share with the wider community.

Community gardens offer a wide range of healthy benefits, that is evidenced by academic research.

Sydney’s environment supports health and wellbeing Sydney is a democratic city where people can participate and influence local decisions

The desire for community gardens is reflected by a large portion of residents of Waterloo and through respecting this desire, it will communicate to the residents that their opinions are respected, valued and can influence local decisions.

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A City for All: Towards a Socially Just and Resilient Sydney An Inclusive City outcomes: -

improve social housing residents’ wellbeing and access to opportunities

Community gardens have numerous proven physical and mental health benefits and have been shown to improve the overall wellbeing and comfort of its gardeners. The produce generated by the gardens are also an economic opportunity for gardeners and help to reduce their cost of living.

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enable community-led solutions to local social issues

The three Community Gardens were born through a community led consultation and design process and are a testament to the impact collaborative solutions can have on a disadvantaged community and the improvement it can have. Although it can not solve the most pressing social issues, community gardens have been shown to alleviate the stress and pressure caused by social issues.

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improve community wellbeing and health equity

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reduce food insecurity

Community gardens offer a wide range of healthy benefits, that is evidenced by academic research.

Community gardens are a low cost, accessible source of healthy fresh food, grown by the gardeners themselves, using organic and sustainable methods, are offer a sustained and reliable source of food that directly reduces the risks of food insecurity for its users.

A Connected City outcomes: -

Increase social connectedness among diverse communities

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Strengthen social networks in urban renewal areas

Community gardens have been shown to promote social bonding and cohesion between groups from different backgrounds and is an essential source of friendships between residents. As Waterloo undergoes a highly disruptive and lengthy renewal process, retaining this network of friends and community will be essential to help existing residents through the process

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Strengthen social connectedness in social housing precincts

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strengthen communities’ resilience in the face of shocks and emergencies

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Improve community safety

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Enhance sense of belonging among diverse communities

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Foster place-based connections among diverse communities

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Embed participatory placemaking approaches to urban renewal

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Strengthen social cohesion among culturally diverse communities

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Improve social harmony in high density neighbourhoods

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Community gardens have been shown to promote social bonding and cohesion for the social housing tenants of Waterloo, have promoted better understanding between tenants and improved the overall feeling of safety for tenants. The friendships and support networks generated through the gardens also improve the resilience of the community as individual residents are more willing to help each other in their day to day lives, and can be called upon to help in an emergency.

Community gardens express the cultural diversity of the community, allowing them to grow and share unique produce from their heritage. Through sharing food and recipes, residents also share their cultural knowledge to others and reduce cultural stigma and racism. Having their own plot of land in the Estate also cements the sense of belonging for many residents, a majority of whom are first generation immigrants or refugees.

Community gardens act as a local point for community gatherings, socialising, and forms a centre of activity for the surrounding area.

The community was heavily involved in the development of the original gardeners, and today they have set up a community based organisation to manage the gardens themselves. They have a strong sense of ownership and actively participate in maintaining and improving the gardens.

Community gardens have been shown to promote social bonding and cohesion for the social housing tenants of Waterloo, have promoted better understanding between a very culturally and ethnically diverse community Community gardens have historically promoted social harmony in the Estate through providing opportunities for interaction and sharing cultural identity. The majority of the residents live in high densified towers or housing blocks and the gardens are a rare space for them to spread out and relieve

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the stress experienced from living in a high density environment.

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Promote public spaces as shared spaces for Community gardens in Waterloo offer a shared space between gardeners for them to share ideas, all produce, recipes and work together in a safe environment. Gardeners also help tend to the plots of neighbours as well as take care of common shared garden spaces. Residents take pride in maintaining the gardens as a beautiful space for everyone’s enjoyment.

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Encourage diverse communities’ active participation in the cultural and creative life of the city

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Deliver place-based cultural and creative initiatives that enhance local neighbourhoods

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Increase community participation in the design and delivery of creative projects

The community gardens add to the cultural and creative diversity of Waterloo, as well as the greater City. The gardens of Waterloo are rare instances of community developed and maintained gardens and one of the oldest and large community gardens in the State. The greater community is encouraged to participate in gardening and the gardens can be viewed by all who pass by and add to the overall beauty of the urban environment.

The community gardens are a placed-based initiative that have enhanced the urban environment through promoting an active lifestyle for its residents, as well as offering a high quality open space for the enjoyment of the community.

The idea for Community Gardens were born through a community led consultation and design process and the continued participation of the residents were integral to the success of the design and delivery of the gardens, as well as its continued popularity and usage. The existing community is very happy to continue to participate in the design and development of future gardens.

A Liveable City outcomes: -

enhance personal amenity in the public domain for people of all ages and abilities

Community gardens deliver proven health benefits to the elderly and those benefits can be extended to younger populations as well. Gardeners with children also regularly bring their children to the gardeners and form an positive part of their

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education and development.

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increase the positive social impact of urban By making community gardens and integral part of the redevelopment of Waterloo, not only will the development and renewal existing benefits of gardens be retained for the community, but will also have a positive impact on the future amenity of the area. Also, retain an integral part of the social infrastructure, it will also have a positive impact on how the community views the redevelopment overall.

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renew social infrastructure to meet The community gardens are currently insufficient in changing community needs and aspirations providing equal access to the existing population of Waterloo, and with the population expected to improve the provision of shared spaces increase significantly, more community gardens will be needed to meet the demand. through new development and the public

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domain -

activate public and private spaces to deliver community benefits

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improve local environmental conditions to support health and wellbeing

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deliver inclusive sport, recreation, health and wellbeing programs through community facilities

Community gardens are highly efficient multi-purposes facilities that offer opportunities for recreation, exercise, leisure, meetings, gardening and wellbeing.

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improve community safety in the public domain

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improve the safety and amenity of social housing precincts

Community gardens have been shown to improve community safety through passive surveillance, improving the overall “sense” of security, and offer a sanctuary for some residents within its walls.

Community gardens act as a local point for community gatherings, socialising, and forms a centre of activity for the surrounding area.

The community gardens are a placed-based initiative that have enhanced the urban environment through promoting an active lifestyle for its residents, as well as offering a high quality open space for the enjoyment of the community.

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This report also contributes to the Required Study Requirements of the Waterloo State Significant Precinct Process including:

8. Local Infrastructure -

existing and currently planned local infrastructure, including health care, retail, open space and community support facilities

This report provides a detailed description of the history of local community gardens of Waterloo, as well as photos, drawings and measurements of its current conditions.

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Community facilities and local infrastructure needed to meet the needs of the future community

This report provides an analysis of the current usage, management, improvements desired by its users.

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Funding arrangements, potential land reservations, floor space provision, estimated costs, timing and delivery responsibilities relevant to the staging of the development

This report provides an overview of the current costs, operation requirements and management structure of the community gardens, as well as provides recommendations on the future needs of the residents based on current conditions.

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Ongoing responsibilities and maintenance of any proposed facilities

This report provides an overview of the current costs, operation requirements and management structure of the community gardens, as well as provides recommendations on the future maintenance and operation responsibilities of the gardens.

23. Social Sustainability Assessment -

profile of the existing community, neighbouring communities and likely future community

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In-depth social needs analysis for the existing, neighbouring and future communities

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Needs of the existing, neighbouring and likely future communities, and changes anticipated as a results of the Precinct Proposal

This report provides an description of a key community organisation within Waterloo and the residents involved within this organisation. It also outlines the impact and influence community gardens have had on the community throughout its 20 year history.

This report provides an analysis of the current usage, management, improvements desired by its users, as well as provides an estimation on the needs and benefits that can be offered by community gardens for future residents.

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27. Consultation -

Engage with relevant target groups including housing tenants, tenants with complex needs, Aboriginal community, linguistically and culturally diverse communities, … local community organisations and local service provides through appropriate, independent, safe and culturally respectful channels.

The research for this report was gathered with strong support from the community, and a large amount of time was spent bonding with and understanding the gardeners involved. First hand accounts of the experiences of gardeners were gathered through casual conversation, as well as answers to specific questions gathered through targeted workshops with focus groups, such as the WRMGI Committee.

CONCLUSION & NEXT STEPS This report seeks to cover as much regarding the history, development, and conditions of the community gardens of Waterloo, but it cannot cover every single residents or gardener’s personal experiences, or wishes for their future. The information contained in this report should be viewed as only the beginning of a conversation about the future of gardens in Waterloo.

We urge those involved in the Waterloo redevelopment process to carefully consider the treatment of the Gardeners and their gardens as it is not only about the plants and earth that is contained within, but also the hearts and lives that is embodied within the gardens. Understanding only begins through empathy and empathy comes only through communication.

A simple first step to take is to have a meaningful conversation with the residents about how they want the gardens to be treated, to hear their stories, to understand how important it is to have a place one can call their own in the world, even if it is just a garden.

The Waterloo Public Housing Action Group will be happy to discuss the contents of this report further and have a conversation on how to incorporate community gardens into the future redevelopment of Waterloo.

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REFERENCES Communities Plus, ​Communities Plus Major Sites: Waterloo, website, ​accessed March 2018 https://www.communitiesplus.com.au/major-sites/waterloo​,

NSW Premier, ​Sydney Metro to Rejuvenate Waterloo, media release, 16th December 2015, https://www.nsw.gov.au/your-government/the-premier/media-releases-from-the-premier/sydney-metro-to-rejuvenate-wat erloo/ NSW Department of Family and Community Services, ​Future Directions for Social Housing , website, accessed March 2018 ​https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about/reforms/future-directions NSW Department of Planning & Environment, ​State Significant Precincts - Waterloo, website, accessed March 2018 http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/State-Significant-Precincts/Waterloo NSW Department of Planning & Environment, ​Waterloo nominated as the new State Significant Precinct, media release, 19th May 2017, ​http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/News/2017/Waterloo-nominated-as-next-state-significant-precinct City of Sydney Council, ​Waterloo Precinct, website, accessed March 2018, http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/vision/changing-urban-precincts/waterloo-precinct Royal Botanic Gardens, ​Community Greening, website, accessed June 2018, https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/learn/community-greening Linda Bartolomei, Linda Corkery, Bruce Judd, Susan Thompson; A Bountiful Harvest: Community Gardens and Neighbourhood Renewal in Waterloo, October 2003. ​https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/10709024 Linda Corkery, Bruce Judd, Susan Thompson; The Role of Community Gardens in Sustaining Healthy Communities, 2007. ​http://apo.org.au/node/60295 Karl Pillemer, Thomas E. Fuller-Rowell, M. C. Reid, Nancy M. Wells; Environmental Volunteering and Health Outcomes over a 20-Year Period, ​The Gerontologist, Volume 50, Issue 5, 1 October 2010, Pages 594–602, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnq007 Kimberly J. Shinew, Troy D. Glover, Diana C. Parry; Leisure Spaces as Potential Sites for Interracial Interaction: Community Gardens in Urban Areas, ​Journal of Leisure Research, Vol.36, No.3, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2004.11950027 WHO, Urban Green Spaces and Health, A Review of Evidence, Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2016. http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/urban-health/publications/2016/urban-green-spaces-an d-health-a-review-of-evidence-201​6

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APPENDICES 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

MEASURED DRAWINGS OF COOK, SOLANDER & MARTON GARDENS ROUND TABLE SURVEY NOTES WRMGI SURVEY GARDENING TIPS FLYERS WRMGI POLICIES & FORMS

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