By Neighbourhood Forum 1 convenor Warwick Erwin

Council is seeking feedback on the Draft Helensburgh Park Crown Reserves Plan of Management (PoM). The Crown land under this PoM includes Charles Harper Park, Rex Jackson Park and Helensburgh Memorial Pool. The Department of Planning and Environment - Crown Lands identifies these places as ‘Helensburgh Park Crown Reserves Numbers 500345 and 500340.’ To comply with the Crown Land Management Act 2016 (CLM Act), Council has prepared the Draft Helensburgh Park Crown Reserves Plan of Management.

This Plan of Management is below standard compared to PoMs of other NSW councils. There is no future thinking or proposals and it does not show what the community is wanting for the future of the Helensburgh Park area. Numerous NF1 members and members of community have said that the Helensburgh Park is a sporting area and they believe Council only wants the permission to build a Community Centre and Library for the area in front of the swimming pool so that Council can build a cheaper building than if it was to build a new centre either at the existing site or the blocks of land next to the current Library that Council bought for $3.6 million.

Go to Council's community engagement site Our Wollongong – page 27 of this document gives a plan view of Council’s site for the new centre that may indicate Council has preliminary plans for allocations of the new building/s. It would be good it Council was transparent with the plans.

Do you want the new Helensburgh Community Centre and Library at the swim pool?  Phone Council on 4227 7111 and ask for Council’s Community Land Management Officer Martha Tyndall and tell her. Email engagement@wollongong.nsw.gov.au and use “Draft Helensburgh Park PoM” in the Subject Title of the email. Or complete the online feedback form.

Have your say on the PoM – submissions close tomorrow (30 August).

If you don’t tell Council your opinion, don’t complain later.

More info at Our Wollongong.