Local identities form alliance to take action over Manly Oval plans

An alliance of local identities has rallied together to battle Manly Council’s controversial Oval carpark plan.

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An alliance of local identities has rallied together to battle Manly Council’s controversial Oval carpark plan.

With selective tenders set to close next Tuesday for the design and construct of a carpark under Manly Oval and the redevelopment of the Whistler Street site, the Save Manly Oval Alliance has been formed to make one last ditch effort to put a halt to the plans.

The Alliance is made up of identities from state politics and local government, former council staff and long term local businessmen.

President, Jack Steggall, said the group’s aim is to conserve and protect for the public interest, the heritage and environmental values of Manly Oval.

“We will fight this all the way to the Land and Environment Court if we have to,” he said.

The alliance has a number of concerns with the plans, including the heritage loss of the “village green” oval, the traffic chaos caused by the closure of two lanes in Sydney Rd and the loss of convenient CBD parking in the central Whistler St carpark.

Alliance member John Humphrey, from Humphreys newsagency said removing the Whistler St carpark will have huge retail implications.

“The Manly area in a retail sense is a second phase shopping centre,” he said.

“So the people that rely on us come down for bits and pieces if they don’t need to go to the mall.

“Most of these people are either elderly or parents with young children and parking under the oval, across the road from Belgrave St will just be a massive turn-off.”

A Manly Council spokesman would not comment.