6thApril 2018 Edition One. In this edition:
Presidents Message, Ahimsa open 15th April,
AGM , brothel in Beecroft, Cheltenham oval update,
Cr Emma Heyde news, Trust Autumn Walk 6th May.
Message from the President The
Trust had its 54th AGM last week. We managed to get the required ten
residents elected on the committee but not the requisite three from
Cheltenham. This has been an issue for as long as I have been on the
committee. And that’s over 20 years! The various committee
positions will be decided at our next committee meeting next week. So
currently I’m an acting President. I attended the David Shoebridge
talk at Hornsby Library last week. Having studied planning during my
career I can say that David provided a good perspective of how the
planning legislation has evolved since 1979, when the Environmental
Planning and Assessment Act was enacted. Planning legislation is not
easy to negotiate and over the years legislative changes have favoured
development over the environment. He also strongly encouraged all
community groups to communicate with one another where there were common
interests. Perhaps it was a coincidence but two weeks ago I met with
Janet McGarry and Noel Oxley, presidents of Epping and Pennant Hills
Civic Trusts, respectively. The meeting was fruitful as it informed each
of us what is happening in our broader area. We definitely have a lot
in common. Epping Civic Trust intend to update their constitution and
adopt many of the key elements in our constitution, like election of a
president for only three years and adopting an apolitical position.
This week I met Damien Tudehope to discuss matters pertaining to
Beecroft and Cheltenham. There is an issue at Cheltenham Oval with the
Metro project and a legal issue regarding a brothel in Beecroft. The
Trust is also investigating an opportunity to apply to Veterans Affairs
for the Community War memorials grant to assist maintenance of the war
memorials at Beecroft. In all the above matters we are liaising closely
with Hornsby Council and our Member for Epping.
Celebrate Heritage Week at Ahimsa on Sunday 15th April –
the home of Marie Byles Almost
exactly 118 years after her birthday, an event to showcase the
extraordinary life of a former resident of Beecroft–Cheltenham will be
held on Sunday 15 April 2018. Marie Byles was a prominent
conservationist, adventurer, Buddhist and the first practising woman
lawyer in NSW.
“Her former property ‘Ahimsa’ at the end of Day Road Cheltenham is the
location for a talk about her amazing life by biographer Anne Mcleod,
and will be followed by a walk around the bushland property. There will
also be a short walk in Marie Byles’ footsteps in adjoining Lane Cove
National Park which she was passionate about preserving “, says Martin
Fallding, who is co-ordinating the event.
Marie Byles (1900 – 1979) left her property ‘Ahimsa’ to the National
Trust of Australia (NSW) and it is recognised as of State heritage
significance.
The event, on 15 April 2018, will be followed by another in September
2018. It is being organised in conjunction with the Beecroft-Cheltenham
Civic Trust, National Trust, and Byles Creek Valley Union.
“The event provides an opportunity to reflect on protecting the local
bushland environment, and walks are suitable for children”, says Martin
Fallding.
Martin will also talk about childhood and family recollections of Marie
Byles and the Cheltenham bushland during the day. The activities start
at 10.30 am and finish about 4.30 pm. Bring your own picnic lunch.
All welcome.
People interested in attending the event please register by emailing Martin at info@calli.com.au.
A brothel in Beecroft Late
last year the Trust was notified by residents that there was an brothel
operating illegally in Beecroft shopping centre. The Trust immediately
contacted Hornsby Council who are in the process of closing the
operation down. The Trust has quickly learnt that removing an illegal
brothel in not easy, not fast and not a cheap process. They are often
associated with criminals who know how the system works and will often
reappear somewhere else in the area if the demand remains.
After discussing the matter with Hornsby Council staff, Councillors and
Damien Tudehope, Beecroft is not alone in dealing with this
problem. We have been informed it is a legal issue. In simple
terms a brothel is defined under the planning legislation as having two
or more workers. So a sole operator does not require development
approval and can operate anyway, including next door to a child care
centre or school. The Beecroft operation had at least two workers. There
have been and still are similar problems at Pennant Hills. So we
are not alone. Because the problem appears to centre around the
definition of a brothel in the Environmental and Assessment Act, then
this issue potentially affect the whole State. The Trust is writing to
Damien, seeking his help in correcting the ongoing problem.
Three does not go into two. The tale of Cheltenham Oval, the Metro and Epacris In
the last Metro bulletin readers would have read that the project is on
target to open in December 2018. At Cheltenham Oval the project managers
have been consulting with the local sporting groups, the Trust, as well
as the local bush regenerators. Everyone wants the project completed.
Twelve months ago the community and sporting groups were informed that
the tuck shop and toilet block can’t be incorporated into the Metro
administration building, as originally proposed. Instead the
sporting facility would be positioned between the top car park and the
playing field, and the building cut into the existing sandstone
embankment with some loss of vegetation.
All ok except that 12 months ago the bush regenerators identified a rare
plant called Epacris ( like a native heath) growing on the edge of, but
within, the construction zone. Nine months later and minimal
communication, the project announced to all parties before Easter, that
construction will commence in two weeks! This lack of communication for
nine months has not just been with community groups but also with
Hornsby Council, the owner of the land!
Currently Council is frantically working with the Metro project team,
discussing options of how to do a recovery plan in two weeks for the
Epacris or perhaps shifting the building slightly to avoid the Epacris,
or both. Apparently Epacris is very hard to propagate or
transplant and this time of the year is not an ideal time. In the
meantime the sporting clubs want their courts and facilities back.
We will keep you informed of progress.
Beecroft is in the top 10 advantaged postcodes in Australia Good
news, postcode 2119 has been measured by the Index of Relative
Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD), published by the
Bureau of Statistics (ABS), as being in the top 10 most advantaged
postcodes in Australia.
The Sydney Morning Herald published the information last Wednesday 28th
March on page 14 . What is worth noting is the definition of
‘advantage’, being access to material and social resources, as well as
the ability to participate in society. Our suburbs’ active social and
community network come to mind.
Well done 2119.
Annual General Meeting Summary The
Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust AGM held on Tuesday 27th March 2018 at
the Beecroft Bowling Club was well attended with almost 80 attendees.
Ten committee members were elected on the night. The various committee
positions will be filled at our next committee meeting in April.
Two Beecroft shop keepers, Jaythene Hiscock and Jean Campbell, spoke
about the health of Beecroft shops and stressed the importance for
residents to shop at Beecroft.
We also had Chris Staples promote his new book on the history of Beecroft and Carlingford.
It was a lively Q and A forum with the Member for Epping Damien
Tudehope, Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock, Hornsby C Ward Councillor Emma
Heyde and Hornsby B Ward Councillor Robert Browne participating.
There were apologies from Member for Berowra Julian Leeser, C and B Ward
Councillors with legitimate reasons ranging from parliament sitting in
Canberra to family commitments.
Life memberships were presented to Michael Stove and Colin Johnston;
both were past presidents but also both very active on the executive
committee for many years.
The ten elected committee members are Michael Book, Harkirat Dhinsa,
Neil Donovan, Janet Hayes, Michael McAuley, Nina Mital, Bill Rankine,
Glynn Rogers, Brian Shirley, and Ross Walker.
Hornsby C Ward Councillor Emma Heyde Update Hornsby Councillor Emma Heyde has distributed another email update.
Below is a link to our website that contains her latest email that she sent to her followers.
The Trust supports Emma’s initiative in keeping the local community informed. CLICK HERE for the letter.
The Trust Autumn Walk 6th May – Advance Notice Residents of Beecroft and Cheltenham are
very fortunate to live in a healthy, bushland environment. After all we
are custodians of this special asset and to fully appreciate its value
the Trust has been regularly holding autumn and spring walks through our
bushland for over 50 years. We intend to continue the tradition.
On Sunday 6th
May at 2pm the Trust will lead a walk commencing and finishing at the
end of Welham St Beecroft. This year we will pass through Chilworth
Reserve and along Orchard Rd to Ray Park. Then return via Kirkham
Street. The Trust will point out recent changes to the bushland in
Chilworth Reserve but more importantly changes around Ray Park.
Just
turn up at Welham St. at 2pm. It will be a fairly long walk so
wear sturdy walking shoes, a hat and carry some water. Afternoon tea
will be served at 4.30 pm at the Scout hall below Welham St. All
welcome.
In case of inclement weather contact Ross Walker on 0412 257 556
Scam Alert The Trust has added a new section to our website. http://www.bcct2119.com.au/news.html We will attempt to inform the community of current fraudulent scams.
If you hear of any new ones we have not covered, please report them to comment@bcct2119.com.au
Annual Memberships for 2018 are now Due... CLICK HERE
Keep our two suburbs strong and informed by being a member!
To support or join the Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust, please visit our website. CLICK HERE.
The
eNews has become our main method for disseminating information to the
community. Currently we have over 1040 email addresses, up from 900 two
months ago. We encourage residents who receive the eNews to tell
their neighbours and friends. The eNews letter is available to all
who subscribe. Trust Membership is not a requirement.
The eNews archives are available HERE. To subscribe to the eNews: CLICK HERE.
At this stage, the Trust will continue to distribute the printed bulletin as not everyone uses the internet. We
are continuing to looking for volunteers who like walking and who may
be able to distribute approximately 100 Bulletins a couple of times per
year, as this is all done by kind members of our community. If you are
able to help out, even as an occasional fill in person, please contact trish@bcct2119.com.au.
The Trust has always had an unwritten policy to assist any resident regardless of their membership status.
