Protesters show up against the lopping of trees in Buruwan Park, but workers only arrive later that night
Protesters rallied at an Annandale park yesterday against plans to cut down trees to make way for WestConnex. But contractors showed up later that night to begin work.
Inner West
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Contractors set to work chopping down about 70 trees under the cover of darkness at an inner west park overnight Monday.
It followed a protest at Buruwan Park in Annandale early Monday morning, which will be “flattened” for WestConnex.
About 70 protesters attended the rally which was planned to coincide with the tree cutting beginning at the site but no workers showed up at that time.
Instead initial works for the M4-M5 Link and Rozelle Interchange, which included removing the trees, began at 10.30pm Monday night.
The Road and Maritime Services plan to clear all the trees around White’s Creek this week.
Leichhardt Against Westconnex coordinator and protest organiser Christina Valentine visited the park this morning and said a 25 metre gum tree had already been brought down along with a big palm tree, and about 30 other trees.
But she wasn’t suprised contractors came in last night.
“Its the modus operandi, they came with the chainsaws close to 10pm last night,” she said.
“We got messages from people who could hear it.”
At the protest on Monday, people held signs which read “WestConnex won’t work! Public transport will!” and “No polluting toll roads. End the corruption”.
Three large fig trees were wrapped with signage saying “Save me”, which will be removed in later September or October.
Protest organiser Christina Valentine of Leichhardt Against WestCONnex said they weren’t aware of the “full extent” of the tree removal until the modifications for the Rozelle interchange, which included the construction of an 800m elevated overpass, were submitted late last month.
“Two years ago, we just saw a line on a map but now we know this park will be completely demolished. All the trees along the bay will go down,” Ms Valentine told the crowd.
“All of the trees along the length of the City-West Link (Rd), some 2km have already been removed.”
“The purpose of today is to make sure this destruction does not go undocumented,” she said.
Coalition Against WestConnex, which incorporate LAW and 10 other anti-WestConnex community groups, called on the State government to halt the removal of the trees until the public consultation period for the ‘Los Angeles-style’ overpass ends on September 18.
Ms Valentine called on the protesters to object to the modification and suggest ways to “scale-down this intersection and save the vegetation”.
Balmain MP Jamie Parker will suggest building a slot trench underground instead of above the ground in an ‘objection guide’ for residents.
“A project should not be approved during drought and climate change that includes the removal of a critical green space,” Ms Valentine said.
David Lawrence, who is part of a Rozelle Bay community bushcare group, comes down to Buruwan park every Friday to ‘tidy up’ through weeding and gardening.
“I don’t think I’ll come down here anymore. It’ll be heartbreaking,” he said.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said: “ (Buruwan) park is required to undertake significant local traffic improvements in preparation for the M4-M5 Link and Rozelle Interchange.”
“Transport for NSW is aware of the importance of public open space in the Inner West. The completion of Rozelle Interchange will see a new park for residents on the site of the former Rozelle Rail Yards,” the spokesperson said.
“This park will be up to 10 ha and include pedestrian and bicycle links to the surrounding area, including to the Rozelle Bay light rail station.”