Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong New Blogspot

The 'SAVE ANZAC PARK' campaign is over.

"WE SAVED ANZAC PARK"

New Blogspot for Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong:
http://faptoowong.blogspot.com.au/

'Like' the new post-campaign Facebook page HERE

Contact the Community Liaison Group member representing Friends of ANZAC Park if you would like to raise any matters about the tunnel project over the construction period with Transcity and/or BCC - Email: faptoowong@gmail.com

Thanks to everyone who helped to save our park.

Transcity Updates

Contact details HERE 
Sign up for project updates HERE

Legacy Way underground power supply cable

We Saved ANZAC Park. However, at the moment there is another tunnel project issue affecting ANZAC Park which is the Legacy Way underground power supply cable proposed to run from the sub-station on the corner of Wool and Miskin Streets, along Wool Street, crossing ANZAC Park at the top of Wool and Cross Streets, across the area near memorial plantings above the stone-walled road, over the hill where the project’s monitoring instruments are located near the Dog off-leash area, then across the freeway to the Legacy Way western worksite near the Botanic Gardens.

The week before supporters were advised on 5 April that BCC would no longer be “pursuing” ANZAC Park as the site to locate the Legacy Way construction workforce car park, surveyors were seen working in Wool Street. At a meeting with Transcity on seeing the Energex plans it was noticed that the cable route is proposed to cut across ANZAC Park in the area where there are memorial plantings believed to be part of the Avenue of Honour.

BCC had discarded the memorial significance of the park last November, however during the campaign to save ANZAC Park supporters spent considerable time researching the history of the park and discovered that the Avenue of Honour in ANZAC Park is listed for restoration on the BCC ‘Avenue of Honour Research Report’ of 2007. Strangely, this was not mentioned in the Northern Link Cultural Heritage Environmental Impact Statement of September 2008. Also not mentioned in this document were the ashes scattered in Jack's Gully in 1999 and the well known practice of the scattering of ashes in the park of Diggers over the decades. There is also other information missing. It appears that this document, as far as ANZAC Park is concerned, has relied on the information provided to the author by amateur local history groups rather than on primary research which should have been undertaken by qualified experts. Transcity and BCC are to consult about the cable supply route and its impact on the Avenue as ANZAC Park is listed on the BCC Heritage Register and it is a condition of the Coordinator-General that this occurs. Input from volunteer community consultation means FAPT are discussing with Transcity and BCC the best possible route so that this power supply cable won’t interfere with the future restoration of the Avenue.

The installation should happen in July and residents will be notified.

ANZAC Park Research Project

Image: ANZAC Park Avenue of Honour

Our campaign is over, we have saved the park, but the history of ANZAC Park, corner of Wool and Dean Streets, Toowong, continues to be researched and the file is growing thicker.

Did you know ANZAC Park has an Avenue of Honour planted at the beginning of last century? Some of the palms and other trees are still there.

• Treenet 'Avenues of Honour' Project 1915 - 2015 HERE
• BCC 'Avenues of Honour' Research Report 2007 lists ANZAC Park HERE
• The 'Avenue of Honour' in ANZAC Park was not mentioned in the Northern Link Cultural Heritage EIS of September 2008 HERE

Subscribe to the new FAPT email list for updates about ANZAC Park and/or the Legacy Way Tunnel Project: faptoowong@gmail.com

Image: Florence Hamilton (c1923) beside memorial palm and plaque in ANZAC Park, Wool Street.

Legacy Way Community Liaison Group Meeting Tonight

Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong (FAPT) has a Community Liaison Group (CLG) Member representing FAPT and the wider community at the western connection, who attends the CLG Meetings along with ten other representatives from the local community, BCC and Transcity. The purpose of the CLGs is to provide communuity input on a range of matters. The CLG's provide an advisory role to Transcity on community issues, concerns and values.

At the moment the main issue for ANZAC Park is the Legacy Way underground power supply cable which will run from the sub-station on the corner of Wool and Miskin Streets, along Wool Street, crossing ANZAC Park near the dog off-leash park to the Legacy Way western worksite. We are discussing the best possible route so that this power supply cable doesn't impact on the remnants of the Avenue of Honour. Our other concern, of course, is our friends across the pedestrian/bikeway at Mt Coot-tha.

Email the FAPT CLG Representative if you have any questions: faptoowong@gmail.com

Next CLG Meeting: tonight 11 May 2011, then 6 June 2011.


Also sign up for Transcity Legacy Way emails and/or updates HERE

Celebratory Picnic in SAVED ANZAC PARK

Thanks to everyone who came along to our celebratory picnic on Saturday in ANZAC War Memorial Park.

It was great to catch up in the park saved as a result of a five month campaign by the local community and others who worked vigorously and passionately against Brisbane City Council's pursual of our well-loved green space and memorial park. The proposal in December which was refused by the Coordinator-General, and the return in February with Option 4 Dog off-leash area ANZAC Park & Option 5 ANZAC Park North, came from the administration of Lord Mayor Campbell Newman; Graham Quirk, Deputy Mayor & Chairman for Infrastructure; Cr Peter Matic, Chairman of Environment, Parks & Sustainability, and the post Brisbane flood title of Chairman, Environmental Recovery Sub-Committee; BCC Major Infrastructure Projects Office; and BCC Northern Link ‘Legacy Way’ Consultation Team.

Best wishes and thank you to everyone who helped to SAVE ANZAC PARK! See you at the park sometime.

Westside News Anzac Park carpark ruled out

Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong is not aligned with any political or religious organisation

We are simply a collection of locals and others who objected to our local heritage listed public park being used as a private construction workforce car park by the Northern Link Road Tunnel Project 'Legacy Way'. We come from all walks of life and we wanted the situation created by the Coordinator-General's imposed condition for off-street parking and BCC's disrespectful approach to it resolved in the best possible way for the community and the tunnel workers. We were not willing to accept any options for a car park to be located in ANZAC War Memorial Park, Toowong - our well-loved green space and war memorial park.

Celebratory Picnic this coming Saturday, 7 May, 2011

We saved Anzac Park! Come and celebrate!

Saturday, 7 May, 2011, from midday in ANZAC Park, Wool Street, Toowong.

BYO Picnic

A children's face painter will be at the picnic on Saturday between 1 pm and 3 pm (Thanks to Andrew Fraser)

LEST WE FORGET - Dawn Service, Toowong

ANZAC DAY Monday 25th April Toowong Service

The service will be at Toowong Memorial Park, Sylvan Road, 6:30am

Toowong Memorial Park, Sylvan Road, was opened in 1918. The park contains the Soldiers' Memorial on top of the hill and an RSL memorial is located near the Memorial Gates on Sylvan Road.

Anzac Park, Wool Street, was established in 1916.

ANZAC PARK - TOOWONG - TO THE EDITOR. Sir - Soon after the outbreak of the big war Mr. Walter C. Harding, solicitor, initiated the idea of planting trees in Anzac Park, Toowong, the first place in the world to bear that historic title, it is understood. This he did at his own expense, and at the present time over 3000 trees have been planted, 1600 of which are in memory of fallen sailors and soldiers. The only charge made to the persons who desire a tree planted in memory of a soldier “gone west’ is for the plate which bears the battalion colours, rank, name, unit, date of enlistment, and date and place of death, the cost of such plates ranging from 2/ to 3/6...(The Brisbane Courier, Monday 27 January 1919, page 5.)

 

Brisbane City, Monday, April 25, 2011

Midnight Service: Time: 12:00am

Venue: Shrine of Remembrance, Anzac Square, Ann Street, Brisbane

Dawn Service Time: 4.28am

Venue: Shrine of Remembrance, Anzac Square, Ann Street, Brisbane
Details: This traditional dawn service commences at 4:28am, the time of the original ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915.

Anzac Day March Time: 10:00am

Venue: March will start at the corner of George and Elizabeth Streets, Brisbane
Details: The march will proceed along George Street, right into Adelaide Street, right into Creek Street, where the parade will disband.

We Saved ANZAC Park - Enjoy Easter

The western worksite for the Legacy Way tunnel project is being set up now on the northern side of the Western Motorway in Toowong. This photo was taken from inside the Botanic Gardens looking over to ANZAC Park.

A large section of our park would now look like this if we hadn't have fought so hard for the past five months to save it. Instead it still looks like the below photo. Sadly, more often than not it is the other way around. Remember Diggers Drive. We still have our green space and our memorial park. Enjoy your Easter break - we all deserve it! Remember to keep Saturday May 7, 2011 free for our celebratory picnic in ANZAC Park - will keep you posted.

MEDIA: Worker parking plan not popular

Westside News 13 April 2011 by Vanessa Croll HERE

Transcity Construction Notifications

We Saved ANZAC Park! (Can you imagine what could be happening now to our beautiful park if we hadn't saved it from BCC?) It's all starting to happen at the Western Worksite. Keep up to date by taking "TRANSCITY CONSTRUCTION NOTIFICATIONS' under LINKS on the right or HERE

Celebratory Anzac Park Picnic

Anzac Park is Saved!

Celebratory picnic in Anzac Park

7 May 2011 commencing middayish

All welcome

Friends of Anzac Park!

We will be holding a celebratory picnic at a date to be fixed. It has been 5 months and 1 week since we found out about the first proposal, and a long and hard campaign but, “WE SAVED ANZAC PARK!” Thank you to all of you, the friends of the park, who with your support and fervour have made this happen. It took a lot of people and a lot of time and energy to save ANZAC Park, and we are very grateful for the assistance. We will keep you posted.

Message from Toowong RSL

My most sincere congratulations to the Save Anzac Park Team,

This is a huge success for you.
You can now have that break and get your life back.

Warmest regards,
Kerry Gallagher
President Toowong RSL Sub Branch

To the Vocal Residents 5 April 2011

You will soon receive a letter from our local member claiming that he has represented local concerns. Who is our Local Member? Our Local LNP Member is Cr Peter Matic who holds the title of Chairman of Environment, Parks & Sustainability, and the post Brisbane flood title of Chairman, Environmental Recovery Sub-Committee. NOTHING CAN BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH THAN WHAT HE CLAIMS IN THIS LETTER - NOTHING CAN BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH PETER MATIC, NOTHING CAN BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. Really Peter, please show us how you have represented the community, please explain this to us. Read Peter's letter HERE and ask him to tell you specifically how he has represented local concerns over the past five months by contacting him HERE

MEDIA: tonight

Watch the NEWS tonight - Ten, 9 and 7. We were interviewed and filmed today at our favourite location, ANZAC Park, Toowong - Save ANZAC Park - done!



Thanks for the great coverage!

MEDIA: Westside News 'Anzac Park carpark ruled out'

5 April 2011 - Vanessa Croll - Local Comedians HERE
Submit your comment.

Local dogs ecstatic - our dog off-leash park is saved!

ANZAC Park Dog-parkers and especially all the local dogs and other dogs who come from far and wide to meet and exercise at the park are ecstatic - our dog park and our community meeting place has been saved. Woof woof!! Grrrr BCC!!

WE HAVE SAVED THE PARK

After five months of defending ANZAC Park and fighting with BCC to SAVE ANZAC PARK this email was just received: "Dear Workforce Parking Consultation Group, Today Brisbane City Council will announce their preferred workforce parking solution. After community consultation and feedback Council has decided not to pursue either of the options in Anzac Park. The workforce vehicles for the project will be spread across two car parks – the Mt Coot-tha Road Park ‘n’ Ride and the Mt Coot-tha overflow car park – during the day shift (6:30am to 6:30pm). A third car park in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha will house worker vehicles during the night shift (7pm to 7am from March 2012) to reduce the impact on local residents. An extra 100 car parking spots will also be built on Scenic Drive, Mount Coot-tha, in the upper cleared area only (not the lower shoulder), to accommodate an increase in vehicles for approximately 18 months when construction reaches its peak in late 2012. Thank you for your participation, feedback and comments during the process, which have allowed us to get to this result. Legacy Way Consultation Team"

We support our friends from Mt Coot-tha Residents’ Group - As usual the spin is not quite right (but what else would we expect by now!?). Putting some of the cars coming and going at all hours right next to a residential area (at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens) will not ‘reduce the impact on local residents’ – it will of course INCREASE it. Looks like Transcity, BCC and the Northern Link Consultation Team will have to be very very nice indeed to our MCRG friends across the overpass. Transcity can build a tunnel – what’s a few swings and slides to keep the neighbours happy?. What about our beautiful Botanic Gardens - where are the details for this and the community consultation?

Local poster

SAVE ANZAC PARK !!!!!! Notice the famous flying-fox in ANZAC Park is included under 'WE DO WANT'. BCC please take this as feedback from the community for the Legacy Way parking plan community consultation. What it says is very clear and precise.

WE DO WANT - 'GOOD'

WE DO NOT WANT - 'BAD'

Heed call of 'Lest We forget' from 'Speak up' page 8 today's Westside News.

"As an ex-serviceman I get increasingly annoyed with the lip service some organisations show to our servicemen who served, and also paid the supreme sacrifice. Too often war memorials all over the place have been moved because it was not convenient for roads, and far too often trees planted to venerate memories have been removed at bureaucratic whim. The latest desecration is to allow the hallowed ground of Toowong Anzac Park to be used as a car park. A war memorial has its place in the community all year round. We should take care to heed the call of Lest We Forget...because by its behaviour the Brisbane City Council has!" JM Barnett.

To find out what's going on in our local community grab a copy of this week's Westside News.

Toowong RSL Sub Branch launches website to save ANZAC Park

Visit the Toowong RSL blog HERE

In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

MEDIA: Westside News 'Car park not settled'

'Car park not settled' Westside News, 29 March 2011 by Vanessa Croll. Read the article and make a comment HERE

Who are Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong?

We are simply a collection of locals and individuals who object to our local heritage listed public park and our much needed green space being used as a private construction workforce car park by the Northern Link Road Tunnel Project 'Legacy Way'. Read more HERE

45 action groups now under the one umbrella

Breakfast with Spencer Howson - Forty-five community action groups are forming under an umbrella organisation called Brisbane Residents United HERE

Note comments made on lack of community consultation and then if the community consultation does happen, Council arrives with a pre-done plan, and we are supposed to just tick the boxes - sound familiar Toowong?

Brisbane Residents United HERE

Westside News - Comment

"Post a comment about Anzac Park on the Westside News story." HERE

"High degree of hypocrisy here" - say Toowong RSL

If you missed last Friday’s article 'Legacy of Diggers worth fighting for' in the Courier Mail read it HERE

Last weekend, the Toowong RSL sub-branch voted unanimously against the carpark. And, just like his forebears, sub-branch president Kerry Gallagher is mounting "vigorous protest" at the proposals.

"There's a high degree of hypocrisy here," Gallagher says. "On one hand we're calling it Legacy Way, we're naming it after the widows and widowers of service personnel who have passed away overseas, and yet we trash their memory by parking on top of their symbolic burial ground."

BCC ‘MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS’

On Tuesday 15 March 2011 at the Meeting of Brisbane City Council, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman was asked a question in relation to the proposed BCC desecration of ANZAC Park, Toowong. The question from Cr Sutton was:

LORD MAYOR. Why are you ignoring the groundswell of opposition to your plan to desecrate Anzac Park, Toowong, during the construction of your next toll tunnel? The local residents group has said, and I quote, “The ashes of soldiers that lie within this green space will be defended with the same spirit that made the meaning of Anzac to be revered and respected.” Why are you so fixated on your toll tunnels, which are not working, that you are willing to trample over the ashes of our fallen soldiers?

Read the Lord Mayor's response ‘MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS’ on page 11 & 12 HERE

Lord Mayor, we are not aligned with any political party.

Members of Friends of Anzac Park Toowong cover a broad spectrum of people with one thing in common: a desire to save Anzac Park.

MEDIA: 'Veterans vow street protest'

Westside News 22 March 2011 by Vanessa Croll HERE
WAR veterans and senior citizens have vowed to lay in front of bulldozers if council goes ahead with plans to use Anzac Park as the site for the Legacy Way tunnel’s construction carpark...

Next step...

The BCC Legacy Way Parking Plan 'Community Consultation Sessions' have concluded and the 'Feedback' period closed Monday at 5pm. BCC said they will ‘prepare a report capturing the feedback’ by mid week. BCC have stated that they will decide which one of the five options will be selected and proposed to the Coordinator-General in an Application for evaluation of environmental effects of proposed change. Under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 when this document is lodged with the Coordinator-General and the public notice decision is made, the community will have three weeks in which to make 'properly made submissions' to the Coordinator-General offering our thoughts on the proposed site for the parking plan.

The Coordinator-General must take into account these 'properly made submissions' when making the decision to allow or refuse the proposal as satisfying the Imposed Condition for off-street workforce car parking. Last December the Coordinator-General directed BCC to fully explore all other options for its parking plan.

Let’s see which option is proposed to the Coordinator-General!

Feedback due Monday 21 March 2011

Find the Legacy Way car parking plan 'Feedback Forms', 'Fact! Sheets', and details for the 'Community Consultation Sessions' HERE
Email your feedback to Northern Link directly today or by close of business, Monday 21 March!

What concerns the Lord Mayor is all in the past

Read what the Lord Mayor said in 2007, 'Campbell Newman attacks ALP over war veterans' HERE

MEDIA: newsbytes

'Lord Mayor denies desecration of ANZAC Park' By Siobhan Chapman — Friday, March 18, 2011 HERE

MEDIA: The Courier-Mail Friday, March 18, 2011

'Legacy of fallen Diggers worth fighting for in latest Anzac skirmish' - article by Matthew Condon, page 34-35
"...Anzac War Memorial Park at Toowong being turned into a car park? Can't do."

Love your work Matthew!

Read the article here.

Last chance for signs and bumper stickers

Last chance to grab your sign and bumper sticker this Saturday 19 March at 9.00am on Wool Street, next to ANZAC Park.
Be quick!!

Feedback due Monday 21 March 2011

Find the Legacy Way car parking plan 'Feedback Forms', 'Fact! Sheets', and details for the 'Community Consultation Sessions' HERE

Return your Feedback Form to BCC Northern Link 'Legacy Way' by 21 March 2011 - this coming Monday!
Take the link on the left and print out a Feedback Form and send by post or email your comments directly.

Reconstructing Queensland (People’s Question Time, 18 March 2011)

Queensland Government. Ask your question HERE

The panellists answering your questions about reconstructing Queensland are:
•Premier Anna Bligh
•Treasurer Andrew Fraser
•Major General Mick Slater, Chair, Queensland Reconstruction Authority
•Greg Hallam, Chief Executive Officer, Local Government Association of Queensland
•Greg Goebel, Executive Director, Australian Red Cross

Brisbane Residents United

Group Launch and Press Release HERE

MEDIA: Channel Ten Wednesday 16 March 2011

Another SAVE ANZAC PARK mention on Channel Ten News last night!
RSL goes to Canberra!

Warren Snowdon MP HERE

It's time to revisit 'God TV'!

'Time for some entertainment - The Lord Mayor giveth and the Lord Mayor taketh away' HERE

BCC don't have Development Approval to locate car park in heritage listed ANZAC Park

BCC intends to first determine where the Legacy Way construction workforce car park is to be located through the complex process of ‘Community Consultation Sessions’, an Application for evaluation of environmental effects of proposed change, the Coordinator-General’s public notice decision and 50K fees, and the community’s ‘properly made submissions’ which the Coordinator-General ‘must’ take into account under the SDPWO Act 1971, when making the decision as to whether BCC’s proposal will satisfy the Imposed Condition 18(k), before even having development approval - BCC is certainly putting the cart before the horse.

The Coordinator-General stated in the Coordinator-General’s Report Northern Link Road Tunnel released: April 2010 ‘Report evaluating the Environmental Impact Statement’, pursuant to section 35(3) of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971, that development approvals are required for all aspects of development on a local heritage place.

ANZAC Park was listed on the BCC Heritage Register in 2004 therefore the Heritage Place Code under the BCC City Plan 2000 applies and reports must be made, for any development, in accordance with the Burra Charter. Under the Burra Charter a construction workforce car park within ANZAC Park is not a ‘compatible’ ‘use’ of a ’place’ of ‘cultural significance’.

How does BCC expect to be given development approval to destroy ANZAC Park? Will they just give it to themselves without following the proper process?

Another Statutory Declaration in relation to the memorial significance of ANZAC Park

Read the Statutory Declaration HERE

Earlier Posts:

'Statement of SQUADRON LEADER BEAUFORT MOSMAN HUNTER PALMER' HERE

'Two more Statutory Declarations from residents of Wool Street confirm ashes were indeed scattered in ANZAC Park' HERE

'Statutory Declaration of Arthur Palmer - Ashes of Returned Soldiers in ANZAC Park' HERE

FRIENDS OF ANZAC PARK TOOWONG WRITE TO THE COORDINATOR-GENERAL, 11 MARCH 2011

"NORTHERN LINK TUNNEL PROJECT – ANZAC PARK REPORT ON PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS" ESSENTIAL READING HERE
“We are writing to inform you that:
1. contrary to your recommendation, the BCC has not genuinely or properly investigated or considered a range of options to satisfy the project’s construction workforce parking requirements for the western works;
2. contrary to your recommendation, the BCC has not properly or genuinely undertaken consultation with the community on its parking plan...”

You Tube - Check out what Campbell Newman's BCC is doing to a local park - named in honour of the ANZACs!

HERE

MEDIA: Westside News 'Tunnel car park too far'

HERE or page 3 of this week's paper. Make your comment online at the end of the story.
Read 'Speak up' on page 8 and Web words on page 9.

'Community Consultation Sessions' end soon

Attend one of this week's 'Community Consultation Sessions' - details HERE

Option 1 - Hoop Pine Area with shuttle bus to the worksite - smart! What do you think?

Return your Feedback Form to Legacy Way by 21 March 2011.

After the 'Community Consultation Sessions' BCC will choose one of the Options, (but the Coordinator-General said that ANZAC Park can only be used in conjunction with other parking solutions not provided in the Reference Design?) and will lodge an Application for evaluation of environmental effects of proposed change with the Coordinator-General. The Coordinator-General's public notice decison will give the public the opportunity to make our objections in 'properly made submissions' to the Coordinator-General, which 'must' be taken into account in the decision - which is what we did last November when BCC's first proposal to destroy ANZAC Park was refused by the Coordinator-General...soldier on!

What sort of community consultation do you call this when BCC have already said they want to use ANZAC Park? The outcome of the community consultation is already decided, it appears!

What's the drama all about? - The Coordinator-General’s Imposed Condition 18(k)

18 (k) The construction workforce must not park in local streets. A dedicated and adequate construction workforce off-street parking area must be provided. All construction workforce vehicles must be directed to project construction workforce car parks. To avoid construction workforce car parking in local streets, shuttle transport between construction workforce car parks distant from a construction area must be provided for the duration of the period the construction area is in use.

Above is the Coordinator-General’s Imposed Condition which must be satisfied by BCC and constructed by Transcity. Note the Imposed Condition states – ‘All construction workforce vehicles must be directed to project construction workforce car parks.’

Cr Quirk said on Channel Ten News on 3 March 2011, ‘It’s a free country and in the end people can park wherever they want to park, so if we make it too difficult I fear that they’ll end up parking in those local streets.”

Transcity said on 9 March 2011, that there is no legal way to enforce this condition on the workforce, but as employers they will do everything possible to have the workforce comply.

But the Imposed Conditions states – ‘To avoid construction workforce car parking in local streets, shuttle transport between construction workforce car parks distant from a construction area must be provided for the duration of the period the construction area is in use.’

So the use of shuttle buses is an Imposed Condition to avoid workers parking on the local streets, but BCC wants one of the ANZAC Park sites to avoid the cost of shuttle buses, and will also breach the Imposed Condition. The workers will still need to be shuttle bussed from either site in ANZAC Park as the distance from ANZAC Park is too far for the workers to walk to the worksite. Shuttle buses are being used at the Eastern end of the project where BCC has already taken green space in Victoria Park. Not making any sense? Raise your concerns!

Coordinator-General’s Report Northern Link Road Tunnel released: April 2010 ‘Report evaluating the Environmental Impact Statement’, pursuant to section 35(3) of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 - APPENDIX 1, Schedule 3 – Imposed Conditions 18 (k) - messing with our lives!

Transcity - Western Community Liaison Group Meeting - Minutes and Meeting Slides

HERE

At this meeting the Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong Community Liaison Group Meeting Representative and other community representatives were prevented from asking questions in relation to Legacy Way's tunnel project workforce parking plan - under directions from BCC to the Chair. Strangely, Workforce Parking was on the meeting agenda and BCC spoke about their current 'Community Consultation Session' but our questions were not allowed - this will be followed up with the Coordinator-General as the CLG is an Imposed Condition of the project.

Statement of SQUADRON LEADER BEAUFORT MOSMAN HUNTER PALMER

"I wish to confirm that I was born at ‘Dovercourt’ Toowong in 1919 and have had a close association with ANZAC War Memorial Park since I was a small child.

I have been aware all of my life that this War Memorial Park contains a sacred avenue of palms and other trees specifically planted as memorials to individuals Servicemen who were killed at Gallipoli and in France. All of the trees bore official brass plaques with the names, serial numbers and unit badges. I am also aware that many returned servicemen’s families have placed the ashes of their loved ones in this park in good faith over many decades as a continuing practice.

It is appalling to contemplate any desecration of this sacred ground in ANZAC War Memorial Park Toowong." Read the statement HERE

World War Two Service SQUADRON LEADER BEAUFORT MOSMAN HUNTER PALMER HERE

Image: (Right) SL BMH Palmer DFC & FO Ted Reynolds Dec.1944 PIVA Strip Bougainville
Image: BMH Palmer RG Menzies PM Aug.1940 Archerfield Brisbane Formation ex Amberley

Fifth generation Toowong resident Arthur Palmer is the son of BMH Palmer. Arthur Palmer's great-grandfather, Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer, was Premier of Queensland 03/05/1870 – 08/01/1874.

Read Arthur Palmer's Statutory Declaration HERE

SESSIONS

Find the Legacy Way car parking plan 'Feedback Forms', 'Fact! Sheets', and details for the 'Community Consultation Sessions' HERE

Option 1 - Hoop Pine Area with shuttle bus to the worksite - smart! What do you think?

Return your Feedback Form to Legacy Way by 21 March 2011

SAVE ANZAC Park campaign goes viral!

Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong campaign-workers would like to thank all supporters and the local community for all you have done and will do to SAVE ANZAC PARK. Great signs, bumper-stickers, letters to the editor, flyers... Join us. We are just getting started. You ain't seen nothin' yet BCC!

Feel free to contact us if you have some ideas or would like to offer your help in any way, or 'just do it!'

MEDIA: Westside News 'Speak up' 9 March 2011 'Save our park'

Today I swelled with pride to be among Toowong residents (Friends of ANZAC Park), who are taking it upon themselves to save the dignity and character of Anzac War Memorial Park in Wool St, against Brisbane City Council, who are pushing to create a car park. Shame on council for even thinking of making the memories of our ancestors a car park for the Northern Link tunnel project (Legacy Way). Yvonne Li via westsidenews.com.au (After attending the FAPT Meeting in ANZAC Park 27 February 2011)

Japan

Our thoughts are with those affected by the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Since the campaign began last November to SAVE ANZAC Park we, the global family, have lived, and lost, through the Brisbane Floods, Brazil Floods, Cyclone Yasi, Christchurch Earthquake and now the devastating tragedy in Japan. Yet BCC still want to take our well loved local ANZAC Park and haven and use it for a car park. Bad karma BCC. Leave us in peace.

Image: Kyoto? No, our very own beautiful Japanese Gardens at our local treasure, the Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha, Toowong HERE

'Japan says sorry to former Australian POWs' HERE

What a complex world we live in, which is why we and our children need our green space more than ever.

Looking for some answers?

For more information about workforce parking consultation contact the Legacy Way team - Email: info@northernlinkeis.com.au

BCC's Four Month War to Desecrate ANZAC Park

The war over ANZAC Park has now gone on for over four months. It's time to revisit the Friends of Anzac Park Toowong 'Hall of Shame' HERE

We will do whatever it takes to stop the desecration of ANZAC War Memorial Park. Join us. ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men and women do nothing’. What sort of a Council does this to a community who is about to live with a tunnel project on their door step for the next four years? What sort of Council does this to the memory of our Diggers?

'IT'S ALL PART OF COUNCIL'S PLAN'

Escape the bungle

Had enough of the Legacy Way workforce car parking bungling to last you a million life times? Then visit one of our local treasures this weekend and change your view of the world for a moment.
Summit Restaurant & Kuta Cafe HERE
Botanical Cafe HERE

Letter to the Editor

SAVE ANZAC PARK - Write to the Editor of The Courier-Mail HERE

'Legacy Way' Parking Plan 'Community Consultation Sessions' 8-18 March

Details HERE

Cultural significance means aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations.

Cultural Heritage expert to attend 'Community Consultation Sessions'

ANZAC Park is listed on the BCC Heritage Register
'Cultural Heritage' is a Term of Reference and must be addressed in the parking plan. The BCC's Cultural Heritage expert will be at the following 'Community Consultation Sessions' to answer your questions as to why BCC believes it can locate a private construction workforce car park within an almost century old heritage listed ANZAC memorial public park, on top of the ashes and urns of our Diggers: Thursday 10 March: 6.30 – 8.30pm, Brisbane Botanic Gardens Auditorium, Mount Coot-tha Road, Toowong; Saturday 12 March: 12 – 3pm Queensland Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology lecture theatre, Bywong Street, Toowong; Wednesday 16 March: 6.30 – 8.30pm Queensland Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology lecture theatre, Bywong Street, Toowong.

Good luck getting the answers! We have been trying to get some answers for the past four months!

Note the Cultural Heritage Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) completed for the project states on page 373 - 10.2.3 Construction Access - Any vehicles involved in construction activities must not use Anzac Park as a means of access to the project area nor can it be used for the storage of construction materials. So instead BCC have decided to turn the park into a car park. Don't believe it? Read it for yourself HERE

The Burra Charter HERE

Voice your objection and SAVE ANZAC PARK

Attend the BCC Northern Link 'Legacy Way' Workforce Parking 'Community Consultation Sessions' 8-18 March and fill in a Feedback Form. Details HERE

MEDIA: ANZAC Park Battle II

How's that for a front page and a page 5! Grab yourself a souvenir copy of this week's Westside News. Read Page 8 SPEAK UP for some wise words from locals.

'Tunnel options stir anger' 8 Mar 11 HERE

Have your say - SAVE ANZAC PARK

Northern Link Newsroom March 2011
Workforce Parking fact sheets and feedback forms HERE

Attend the Workforce Parking Community Consultation Sessions from 8-18 March. See BCC's Newsroom for times and locations HERE

SAVE ANZAC PARK

Option 4
With the plan to relocate the dog off-leash area to inside the circuit track the dogs will now be defecating on the ashes of our Diggers. There will also be car spaces made for dog park patrons which essentially creates a car park in the main part of the park. They fail to mention this on the fact sheet.

Option 5
With this option the workers' cars will be parked on the ashes and urns of our Diggers.

Keep a photocopy of your feedback form before you send it in.

MEDIA: Westside News - 'Tunnel options stir anger'

'Tunnel options stir anger' 8 Mar 11 HERE

Note the article states that the two cheapest and closest options are located in the park. This is actually incorrect. ANZAC Park as it turns out will be the most expensive site.

MEDIA: 'Banks face huge loss on Clem7 as value plunges'

The Courier-Mail March 08, 2011 HERE

Friends of ANZAC Park Toowong is not aligned with any political or religious organisation

Who are FAPT? We are simply a collection of locals and others who object to our local heritage listed public park being used as a private construction workforce car park by the Northern Link Road Tunnel Project. We come from all walks of life and we want this situation created by the Coordinator-General's imposed condition for off-street parking and BCC's disrespectful approach to it resolved in the best possible way for the community and the tunnel workers. We will not accept any options for a car park to be located in ANZAC War Memorial Park, Toowong.

Who is our Local Member? Our Local LNP Member is Cr Peter Matic who holds the title of Chairman of Environment, Parks & Sustainability, and the post Brisbane flood title of Chairman, Environmental Recovery Sub-Committee.

What is Cr Peter Matic doing to represent the wishes of his constituents?

Two more Statutory Declarations from residents of Wool Street confirm ashes were indeed scattered in ANZAC Park

'ANZAC Park' is certainly a memorial park.

"Wool Street contributed many men to the Second World War, including Arundel Wilson, a grandson of Judge Harding, my brother, Lieutenant Bernard Bolger, Lieutenant Clive Purcell and his two brothers, RAAF member Keith Waller, and several others." HERE

"I have observed gatherings of people in Anzac Park which were solemn occasions, which I observed were people gathered to scatter ashes and hold a ceremony in remembrance of their loved ones. It was the solemnity of the occasion which drew my attention to the scattering of ashes and I have observed groups which were in Anzac Park for this purpose." HERE

Brisbane City Council only recently in 2004 listed ANZAC Park on it's very own BCC Heritage Register. The park satisfied 3 criteria to be listed - one was 'as a place for remembering the fallen from the district in the Great War, it has a strong or special association with the life or work of a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.' We have a copy of the BCC Report 'Conservation Management Study Site Report September 2002' which recommended ANZAC Park be listed on the Register, which it went on to be in 2004.

It would appear BCC are ignoring this memorial significance and in fact recently have denied the memorial significance of the park in a letter to residents HERE. ANZAC Park was also mentioned on the Avenue of Honour Project in 2007 which aims to honour the memory of the fallen by documenting, preserving and reinstating the original tree plantings and establishing new Avenues of Honour by the Centenary of Anzac in 2015. We have a copy of this report also, 'Avenues of Honour Research Report Produced for the national 2015 Avenues of Honour project'.

Something very peculiar seems to be going on here.

Read the Statutory Declaration of Toowong resident Arthur Beau Palmer HERE

Supporters Packages

Supporters packages for sale again Sunday afternoon at 4 pm Wool Street entrance to Anzac Park.

Not many signs left, but lots of stickers.

Be quick!

Subscribe to our email list for updates and information about purchasing signs and bumper stickers. Email: saveanzacpark@gmail.com

Did you believe ANZAC Park was off the agenda?

Wondering why there are now 'SAVE ANZAC PARK' signs and bumper stickers around Toowong? Were you one of the locals who read one of the 14,000 letters distributed on 16 and 22 February 2011, which said that BCC were looking at 'alternative' sites because last year the Coordinator-General had refused BCC's proposal to locate the Legacy Way construction workforce car park in ANZAC Memorial Park? Well you have been misled it would seem. BCC now have 2 options to destroy our park.

Two options to destroy ANZAC War Memorial Park HERE

Council moves further to desecrate Anzac HERE

Update – Yesterday’s Meeting of the Workforce Parking Consultation Group HERE

Skitch 'em Rex!

“Over our dead bodies! BCC will not take our dog-park!”, say ANZAC Park Dog-parkers. Dog-parkers oppose both options to destroy ANZAC Park. Option 4 proposes to destroy the Dog off-leash park in the western corner of ANZAC Park which has been a meeting place for dog-lovers and dogs since 1997. It is enshrined in Qld legislation that a person in charge of a dog that is closely confined for a continuous period must ensure the dog is exercised or allowed to exercise itself.

BCC mentioned that they intend to relocate the dog park within ANZAC Park, and guess where? – on the hill area where the Diggers' ashes are scattered. So our dogs will be going to the lavatory on the ashes of our Diggers!

We love and care for our dogs and we have made some great new friends over the years at the dog-park. This is an important community meeting area in Toowong. Over our dead bodies!

No mention by Cr Quirk of the ANZAC Tradition

Channel Ten News has covered the Save ANZAC Park story for the past two nights on their 6:30 News. Cr Quirk has featured both times but without mention by him of the issues associated with the Anzac Tradition and the ashes of returned servicemen which are scattered in the Park. Raise your concerns with Graham Quirk, Deputy Mayor, Chairman for Infrastructure HERE. What is it about 'ANZAC' that he doesn't understand?

'SAVE ANZAC PARK' - Signs go up!

Get your signs and bumper stickers today.

Click here for details

Thanks Toowong! Signs and bumpers stickers going up everywhere!

MORE MEDIA!: The Courier-Mail

'Park faces new threat in car space fight' HERE

'Providing parking for workforce on $1.5 billion Legacy Way tunnel project could cost council extra $8m' HERE

Both articles by Robyn Ironside and Sarah Vogler, The Courier-Mail, March 05, 2011

Read the story and make a comment online.

TRANSCITY – Construction and Preliminary Works

Construction of Legacy Way (formerly Northern Link) is expected to start at the western worksite, on the northern side of the Western Motorway in Toowong, by early April 2011. HERE

As part of preliminary works, Transcity need to realign a section of the trunk water main located on Council land in the vicinity of the pedestrian footpath located behind Banyan Gardens at 111-113 Elizabeth Street, Toowong. This water main requires realignment beneath the Western Motorway and surrounding areas to allow for the construction of the entrance ramps to the tunnel. The actual realignment works are due to occur mid-2011. HERE

This is not connected to the work BCC did last week to fix sinkholes found in the area between the Dog off-leash area and the bicycle/pedestrian path near the townhouses. It is not connected with BCC Legacy Way’s option 4 to destroy the Dog off-leash area and use it as a construction workforce car park for the tunnel project. It is also not connected with BCC Legacy Way's option 5 to destroy North ANZAC Park and use it as a construction workforce car park for the tunnel project.