Good morning, everyone. I’d like firstly to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional custodians of this land.
This morning has a two-fold purpose: to mark the practical completion of our local improvements in Chippendale – the traffic calming, footpath widening, the rain gardens that will filter the stormwater going into Blackwattle Bay, and these new community gardens for both ornamental and food plants that the green-thumbs among you will be taking care of.
The second purpose is to thank you all for your tremendous patience and forbearance during the works – even though it became rather strained towards the end! I also want to acknowledge the contribution of Michael Mobbs to this project and the sustainability projects in this precinct.
Street works of necessity are highly disruptive – as it’s been said, you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs! In this case, our works came right on the heels of extensive works by Sydney Water, which meant that some residents had disruptions for the best part of a year, and that would try the patience of a saint.
So thank you all for your co-operation. Chippendale ultimately is the beneficiary, and I think you’ll agree that it’s a better place now for pedestrians and cyclists and the appearance and amenity of this special area has improved.
We’re pleased that our rain gardens will contribute to a cleaner environment and these plant gardens will contribute to local sustainability, while building a stronger sense of community.
There’s any amount of research to show that working in a garden not only keeps people physically fit but boosts their sense of well-being and mental equilibrium. So to those of you who have volunteered to take on a garden, you’re doing yourselves a good turn, as well as beautifying your neighbourhood.
Thank you. And thank you all once again for your forbearance.
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