Grim Reaper, pallbearers and coffin turn up to Manly Council in fight to stop oval carpark decision

THE Grim Reaper and his flock of black-hooded associates heralded doomsday for a Sydney council today as they descended on it to silently protest against the death of democracy.

Locals from the Save Manly Oval Alliance protest outside Manly Council Chambers, and Manly Oval dressed in black with the Grim Reaper, pallbearers and an special coffin. Picture: Braden Fastier

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IT was doomsday outside Manly Council chambers yesterday with the Grim Reaper and his black-hooded associates holding a silent protest about the death of democracy at the council.

Members of the Save Manly Oval Alliance were dressed up in their finest black attire to call for a stop to the Manly Oval carpark and the redevelopment of the Whistler St site.

Alliance secretary Roger Freney said the protest was an “impromptu and spirited uprising” showing the community’s concern over the project.

“The protest is about the appallingly bad process that Manly Council has been through,” he said.

“It’s upset the community enormously because of the lack of consultation, lack of information and the council not following the process that the office of local government requires of them.”

Mr Freney said the plans to build a carpark under Manly Oval and demolish the Whistler St site would have consequences.

The group on the move to Manly Oval. Picture: Braden Fastier

“It’s going to cause enormous traffic chaos through Manly and is going to load the community with debt,” he said.

Mr Freney said the group, who started their protest at Manly Wharf at 8.30am yesterday morning, had handed out around 3000 flyers.

“There’s been huge community support for our cause,” he said.

“People are terribly worried that the council is going to go ahead and choose one of the tenders and allocate them for work.”

The protesters are also calling for a business case to be provided by the council before a decision is made on the successful tender.

Mr Freney said a business case would provide the community with a reasoning for the project and the financials to prove that it was viable and would not lift rates.

“We think council has seriously­ underestimated the initial capital cost of doing this and seriously underestimated­ the operating cost of how the two are going to work.”

Selective tenders closed on March 15 and a decision on the successful bid is rumoured­ to be made at Monday night’s council meeting. A Manly Council spokesman was unable to confirm this, but said in response to the protest: “In a democracy, the right of individuals to peaceful protest is respected.”