Apartment block planned for historic ‘Thornleigh Hospital’ site, sparking community outrage
IT HOLDS historic significance as the original hospital in the Hornsby Shire — but the Thornleigh Hospital building is under threat from bulldozers.
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IT HOLDS historic significance as the original hospital in the Hornsby Shire — but the Thornleigh Hospital building is under threat from bulldozers.
A campaign to save the landmark building on Bellevue St has residents calling on the council to grant a heritage listing on the property, which could be demolished following the submission of a $3.9 million development application for a residential apartment building.
Save the Thornleigh Hospital House campaign representative Phil Buckley told the Advocate local history should be preserved and the group was seeking to prevent the demolition of the house.
“This building is one of the last main heritage buildings from the original Thornleigh town centre, and a purpose built hospital building,” Mr Buckley said.
“The land is rezoned for R4 high density development, but the Thornleigh Hospital building should be protected.”
Mr Buckley pleaded for the State Government to purchase the property from the development “as a gift to the people of the Hornsby Shire”.
“This could be a place for a potential museum in Thornleigh,” he said. “The original owner of the property, following her retirement, gifted the building to a local charity to support the mental health of women across the Hornsby Shire — so it should be something that the whole community can enjoy.”
A council spokesman said neither property at 20 and 22 Bellevue St, Thornleigh were listed as heritage items.
“Council’s list of heritage items was created in 1991 by a heritage consultant and has been reviewed five times since then,” he said.
“Council has taken note of community concerns about the historical significance of the building and this will be a factor in the assessment, heritage planners and the local studies co-ordinator will be consulted as part of the assessment before a recommendation is made to the assessment panel.”
KEEP NURSES MEMORY ALIVE
By Christopher Russell
IN the 1920s, nurse Jane Starkey ran the Thornleigh Hospital. She would arrange to bring children from slums in the city to Thornleigh train station for a picnic in the bush.
At the time she said: “I don’t want to leave any money behind me so I am spending it now in the way I think it will do most good”.
Some of the children were orphans after their fathers were killed in the war.
@michaeldaleyMP this is our Thornleigh Hospital and Nurse Starkey who used her own money to build a house for 50 poor children from the city so they can have a bush picnic now a liberal hornsby council has allowed this to be demolished soon it needs to be saved its 1920's era pic.twitter.com/KFn6D3wg1v
— christopher russell (@chrisrussell65) July 8, 2018
She was a remarkable person having also been the first woman to help in starting the Civil Ambulance Brigade that operated out of the Thornleigh Police Station. She stipulated one room was to be left vacant for women — possibly the first women’s refuge.
The rich history of Thornleigh Hospital should be kept in memory of Sister Starkey.
Christopher Russell is a Save the Thornleigh Heritage Hospital member.