For several years the 3068 Group has monitored and reported the saga of the proposal to build a multi-purpose facility (sometimes misnamed a library) in the Edinburgh Gardens.
Some councillors and Yarra bureaucrats have had their eyes on the top of the Edinburgh Gardens as a good place to build a Multi-Purpose Facility. The councillors see the new building as a vote winner. The bureaucrats see it as way of avoiding investing in land needed to provide services. The value of the gardens is not measured in this equation, except that it will provide a nice outlook for the buildings occupants.
Council spent $100,000 on a Master Plan and Conservation Plan for the Edinburgh Gardens. This included years of community consultation and expert advice. This Master Plan was unequivocal about the proposal. Don’t build on this site was the plan’s conclusion. When the existing Emily Baker Infant Welfare Centre needs to be restored, restore it to the original design of an ornamental garden.
Maternal and Child Care Centre [ From Master Plan]However, some councillors could not accept the outcome, and the Master Plan remained in limbo for many years. Finally, in the April 12th 2005 Council Meeting, a motion was carried that Council adopt the master plan and:
Feedback:
· Keep the existing centre.
Comment:
· The Centre will be retained until the building reaches the end of its economic life - which is likely to be some considerable time into the future. At that point a substantial capital outlay will be required to renew the premises and consideration should be given to an alternative location outside the Gardens which will enable the land to be returned to Garden open space. The existing building appropriated open space from the Gardens in comparatively recent times (about 30 years ago). It creates a visual and physical barrier along the north west edge of the Gardens, and presents an austere wall to the interior of the Gardens. The building is considered to be intrusive to the heritage significance of the Gardens and detracts from the use of the Gardens for passive recreation.
Recommendation:
· Retain the Maternal and Child Care building until it requires replacement or major upgrading. At such time consider relocation to an alternative site and return of the land to public open space.
Recommendation on Local Library:Establishment of a library facility in this location would simply compound the 'barrier effect', walling the gardens off from their urban context and detracting from the Gardens' historic character. The action also has disadvantages for security in the Gardens by blocking views into the Gardens and reducing informal surveillance by passing traffic on adjacent roads. It is considered more appropriate to locate the library facility within- Section 5.7.6
established urban fabric nearby rather than detract from the long term integrity of the Gardens for the short term expediency of securing 'a readily available' site.
“endorse removal of redundant and inappropriate structures from the gardens such as the Ladies Bowling Club House, International House, adjacent car park and brick shelter, Emily Baker Infant Welfare Centre and adjacent toilets, but consider redevelopment of a single multipurpose community centre in an appropriate location;”The Master Plan has already confirmed, and Council has endorsed the fact that these are inappropriate structures for the gardens and an appropriate location must be now found. So the gardens should now be safe?
At last month’s council meeting, Councillors are again trying to resurrect the building on the site they agreed no building should be. This is not entirely surprising following the most biased push polling this council has ever attempted.
There was a 'consultation' session in Edinburgh Gardens Saturday 19 July.
The consultation pretended to be open to ideas, but the agenda was to force this building back onto the agenda. The questions were clearly drafted to achieve one outcome to the exclusion of alternatives.
“Council seeks feedback from residents on the possibility of:Why combine and co-locate these services? Why in the northern, most sensitive and least appropriate part of the gardens? Why even suggest a site that has been ruled out by the Conservation Management Plan? Does the Maternal and Child centre actually need to be upgraded or is merely in the way of the proposed monument?
· Upgrading and combining the current Maternal and Child Health Centre and
International House buildings in the northern area of Edinburgh Gardens
· Providing the Yarra community with a new and improved North Fitzroy Library
· Co-locating a new North Fitzroy Library as part of this upgrade in the Gardens
or obtaining a suitable site for a North Fitzroy Library in the St Georges Road
precinct.”
This latest move on the gardens is to call for a feasibility study prior to the consultation findings being released to the public!
The proposal relies on the absurd proposition that the Maternal & Child’s Health Centres, International House and the North Fitzroy library need or even benefit from co-location. These are total separate services targeting different community members with different needs. Will a Kiosk or café also be shoehorned into the gardens?
The proposal relies on the proposition that Heritage Victoria will provide a heritage permit despite the Maternal & Child health centre and International House being uses that are in conflict with the Crown grant for a public park and gardens. These gardens are unique to Australia.
The proposal relies on the outrageous proposition that there will be a net gain of open space, as if a Victorian landscape can be balanced against another scrap of land to balance the open space ledger. It also fails to acknowledge the parking needs of the combined centre.
The proposal relies on the proposition that an expanded site for the North Fitzroy Library is not only required, but is a higher priority than providing library services to areas of Yarra deprived of an accessible library, including Cremorne, Alphington, CLifton Hill and Fairfield. The evidence from a consultant report into North Fitzroy Library showed the library performed very well on most metrics, and moving it into the gardens would take it even closer to the large and well equipped Carlton North Library than the present 1.4km distance between the libraries.
The Emily Baker Infant Welfare Centre performs a valuable service to the community, but has no requirement to be located in the Gardens or in a library.
International House users have no desired to moved, but have no real need to be located in the gardens.
Placing the building "on the periphery of the gardens", is actually more problematic because of the important interface with Alfred Crescent which defines the gardens. A building behind the grand stand would have much less impact on the gardens than on the northern border.
The proponents of the multi-purpose facility at Yarra argue that they have looked at alternative sites and there are none. But this is based on an unwillingness to raise money to purchase land. It is also driven by an ideology to shoehorn local services into a few very large hub buildings for the convenience of the staff. This is demonstrated in the latest 'consultation' Bringing Staff Together to Improve Services
When buildings have become available for council to purchase or even lease in Queens Parade for services there, council has sat on its hands. Why purchase or lease land when there is a garden option going for nothing.
3068 Group calls on it’s members and friends of the Edinburgh Gardens to act now to let the council know that the gardens are not available for an unrelated building. Don’t let the City of Yarra trash Edinburgh Gardens with a multipurpose folly.
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