And our response dated: 19/02/2009

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Dear Lord Mayor, Councillors, and Concerned Individuals.

I write regarding the Lord Mayor’s response to the issue of disability access on the north side of Oxford Square.

There are a number of things that concern me with this response, not the least being that it seems that positive action by this current Council only occurs when issues are raised or lobbied upon them by the community. This is remarkably unfortunate, as one could interpret this as an emerging stimulus/response pattern that is educating the community to engage with council only along these lines, as all other ways rarely lead to action.

Before succumbing to the temptation to respond with all the broad actions this council are intending to implement, such as bike paths, Sustainable Sydney 2030, Local Actions Plans etc, I urge you to consider my point, taking into account the backwards direction the City Economy is sliding, the unrest that is becoming apparent in the community with regard to the decline of our once vibrant villages and the loss of much of the character that the inner-city suburbs of Sydney once had vs the homogenised bland, grey slate based platforms we now have.

With regard to the point I was trying to make about Oxford Square, and while understanding the Council has a desire to provide equal access for all, I must remind you that the slope and bollards I was referring to have been there since well before the 2006 upgrade and through the whole upgrade that only created more steps for those less nimble amongst us to negotiate.

It seems that only upon my letter to all and sundry did anything suddenly happen, being the removal of these bollards that stymied disabled, or even mothers with prams etc, genuine access from Oxford Square through to East Sydney.

As such, I do not understand the statement in your letter that 'The City considers disabled access during all upgrades, and for the 2006 Oxford Street Upgrade, retained the disabled access on the east side of Burton Street' as this is simply not the case at all.

My concern, Lord Mayor, is that as we are investigating a citywide policy/view on access, such as the Disabled Access/ Footpath Trading consultation and community discussion that has enormous potential to penalise business operators, Council seems to be adopting a 'do as I say' not 'do as I do' philosophy and we are seeing an incredible amount of mixed messages and aloof passing of genuine community concerns.

As the Darlinghurst Business Partnership has been pushing with Council for the last two years at the least, it is our belief that Council needs to form genuine Partnerships with the community where issues like this could be discussed openly and productively and we could start the path of Active Management of the area vs the Passive Interference we seem to have bestowed upon us currently.

Clover, while understanding your love and desire for a connected, accessible and productive City, it seems to many that this is not being flowed down into the administration at Council.

Whilst applauding the immediate response to my letter by the removal of the bollards impairing access for those in who need access wider than one metre, I do have to point out that the actions detailed in your letter, are not necessarily what occurred.

With kind regards

Stephan Gyory
Vice President – Darlinghurst Business Partnerhip