Greetings Friends,
if you haven't already heard the bad news Minister for
Transport Gladys Berejiklian has announced that the GreenWay has been
indefinitely deferred. The full press release can be found
here.
Funding for the light rail construction has been maintained although the
completion date has been been pushed back to 2014.
We are bitterly
disappointed as the opportunity for an innovative, integrated solution now seems
to be lost.
The Save the GreenWay Campaign is more important than ever.
So far:
- Over 3500 signatures have been collected for the petition (over 400 signed
in one day at the Addison Rd markets)
- 20 schools have been contacted to be involved in the campaign
- ABC 702 has interviewed Friends spokesperson Jud Agius on Simon Marnies
program and Marrickville Mayor Fiona Byrne on Adam Spencers program
- Articles about the GreenWay have appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, the
Inner West Courier and the Cooks River Valley Times
- Hundreds of cyclists attended the ArtCycle I (Heart) the GreenWay ride on 28
August
- The Inner West Mayors (Leichhardt, Marrickville, Ashfield and Canterbury)
have issued a press release condemning the decision
- Marrickville Council has agreed to provide $3000 cash for the campaign and
Ashfield Council will provide $3000 in kind
Upcoming events in the
campaign are:
- On October 11 Minister Berejiklian has agreed to meet with a delegation from
the councils about the GreenWay.
- 10,000 Save the GreenWay flyers have been printed and will be letterboxed
through the GreenWay catchment. 1,000 A4 posters are being distributed to be
displayed in local shops and businesses
- The GreenWay Festival will be held from 23-29 October, including a rally
event on 29 October
- Friends will be having a stall at the Marrickville Festival on 23
October
Most importantly we need your help. The GreenWay has its
origins in the local community and if it is going to be saved it will be through
the efforts of the community. Here's what you can do:
- If you haven't done so already, go to our website and send a letter or
e-mail to the Minister or the Premier. Better still, write your own letter and
send it off
- Keep collecting signatures for the petition.
10,000 signatures will force a debate on the issue in Parliament
- Attend the GreenWay
Festival to show your support for the Greenway. Encourage your friends to go
as well
- Like our Facebook
site, keep up to date with what's happening on our website
- Volunteer to help. We need help for the stall at Marrickville Festival on 23
October, the GreenWay Rally on 29 October and letterboxing the Save the GreenWay
flyers over the next two weeks. Reply to this e-mail if you would like to help.
Please do whatever you can to help save the GreenWay.
Regards,
Friends of the Greenway Committee
http://www.friendsofthegreenway.org.au