"A Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse..." Omar Khayyam

 

A Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse — and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness —
And Wilderness is Paradise enow.
Omar Khayyam

Time for ALFRESHCO  dining  

After exploring your refrigerator for cold cuts and leftovers, hunt and gather from delicatessens and cafes around Mosman to complement your picnic.

PROMENADE – “Concrete mad”, they all said.

BALMORAL PROMENADE WALKWAYS, PAVING AND SEATING WORKS – SOUTH OF BALMORAL RESERVE

Monday 6 August – Friday 30 November 2018 

Council Contractor, Design Landscapes Pty Ltd will be undertaking the seating works at the southern end of the Balmoral Reserve between the Public Dinning Restaurant/Swimmers Club/Kiosk Building and Children Play area.This work will be undertaken during the period of August to November 2018.

With the work on the promenade progressing well it's interesting to look back to the 1930's when the promenade was first built as a Depression employment project.

Extract from 'THROUGH THE HEADS to Balmoral, Sydney'  

The Tramp Tramp Tramp of Workless Men 1929 'The Great Depression seized the world An economic 'ogre' crippled industry,Threw workers to the streets - and having vent its worst fury,lingered in the shadows until WW11. Hardship endured, depression employment yielded the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Balmoral beautification scheme; Rotunda, Bathers Pavilion, Promenade. "Concrete mad!" they all said. “…  Later, a promenade was built, which made a big difference to the area. .. they used to have to shovel the sand off the tramlines after heavy winds and rough seas…” Ted  Pethebridge The public campaign of opposition to the development meant that many councillors did not survive at their next election, being accused by the electors as being ‘concrete mad’.  Not everyone welcomed the exchange of the great sand dunes and the cutting of many more trees, for an English –style promenade. “Well, it was our beautiful sand dunes.  To spoil it with that cement structure was shocking. The same as we hated when they built that monstrosity there.  We thought the bathing pavilion, was the ugliest thing we’d ever seen.” Margaret Ewart   ‘Mosman Voices’

However, many did grow fond of the promenade from the baths to the pavilion, with the beach on one side and the Morton Bay and Port Jackson Figs on the other.

Safe from future threats of council amalgamation?

I am in agreement with Penelope Pryke (Mosman Daily July 5  2018 – Your Say) that the threat “is far from over”. See transcript below.

In the Newsletter 04 Sept 2017, on the MAFA2016 site, it’s stated that “We are very much relieved and pleased that Mosman has avoided council amalgamation.  However,  we should not be complacent  and convinced that the current state of affairs is necessarily permanent.”   

Reasons are given as to why MAFA remains wary, concerned and  prepared to reactivate its anti-merger campaign. Dennis Bobyn on behalf of the MAFA team, looks to our new council to continue to defend Mosman and build our community  to be ever more efficient, strong, safe and enjoyable.

Claire Mitchell   Foreshore Flavour

TRANSCRIPT

Last year, an Upper House Bill on banning future council mergers, including Mosman, without community plebiscites was defeated by the Berejiklian government.

David Snedden (Your Say, 28/6) says that the council amalgamation “threat has passed”. David, the threat is far from over. A Liberal state government election win will mean Mosman will once again be threatened. The Premier has denied this and Felicity Wilson will too but the coalition promised no mergers before and deceived us. Communities know the Government listens intently to the Property Council, the Urban Task Force, Committee for Sydney and Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, all supporting future council mergers and expanded development.

The only barrier to that is Mosman volunteers who fight consistently for us. Let’s not forget the hard work of now Mayor Carolyn Corrigan, councillor Tom Sherlock and council staff who prevented us being delivered to Willoughby and North Sydney decision making.

Council safety work wasting money? No. State Government? Yes. Road work spending is peanuts compared with your taxpayer’s money on local government reform of over half a billion dollars to make Mosman, North Sydney, Ku-ring-gai etc do what their developer mates want.

Penelope Pryke, Mosman