Issue 630
Issue 630 |
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More Ballina Highrise Planned A $30-million Ballina waterfront development described by opponents of the Riverside project as "best practice” is currently on display for public comment. While the Riverside project has gone back to the drawing board (see story page 5), the Martin Place proposal, on the former Ballina slipway, is passing through the approval process without attracting the same vehement opposition. Brisbane-based developer, Fobeca Pty Ltd, is planning to build an 88-unit complex that includes a 397-space basement carpark, 7000m2 of retail space at street level and a further four stories of accommodation. Fobeca intends to develop the area in four stages. The first stage would include the carpark, retail section and a 20-unit block. Fobeca spokesman Nati Stoliar said the company wanted to build “something special”, while maintaining the public’s access to the riverbank. “With this in mind the design includes a glass-roofed atrium running the length of complex and providing views of the river from River Street, a boardwalk between the river and the building and a commitment to reserve retail outlets closest to the river for restaurants and cafes,” he said. Mr Stoliar said Fobeca was also holding talks with the State Government in the hope of having a small parcel of Crown Reserve at the end of Martin Street incorporated into a public plaza between the development and the boat harbour. Other features include a first-floor rooftop garden with a pool, lawns, trees and water feature set about the four-storey unit blocks. With the basement carpark the development is one storey lower than the existing Dockside development and the rejected Riverside proposal. But what has many Ballina people talking is that the project’s carpark contains 57 spaces more than required. At Riverside, the developers preferred to pay council financial compensation for the site’s lack of parking space. Many protesting against Riverside at last Thursday’s council meeting pointed to Martin Place as the right direction for highrise development in Ballina. As one anti-Riverside protestor put it, “if Martin Place gets the nod we’ll be able to hold it up as best practise to all who follow”. Fobeca is also seen to be taking a realistic approach to the Ballina high-rise market by opting for a four-stage development of the site. With only half the units in Dockside sold and the yet-to-be-completed Pelican Waters project behind schedule amidst rumours of financial difficulties, Fobeca’s plan seems to be the most cautious amidst the rush to develop waterfront property in Ballina. - Dave Fawkner No Dog Day Afternoon... Lynlea White Heather has been treading the boards on the cat show circuit since she was 12-weeks-old.. This Saturday the Foreign White, now almost six months, will be making an appearance at the Northern Rivers Cat Club’s seventh annual Championship Cat Show at the Alstonville Entertainment and Leisure Centre. A Foreign White is a Siamese with a dominant white hair gene, which means that the points usually found on a Siamese’s ears, feet and tail have been masked, according to owner Barbara Hayden. Barbara has been showing cats since 1994 and is one of the organisers of this years show. Lynlea White Heather’s colouring will blend in perfectly at this year’s show, which has a Christmas in July theme, with all the trimmings, except for snow white fur rather than snow. The club is also using the event to hold its first Companion Cat Show, as well as a small art exhibition. The show runs from 9am to 4pm this Saturday. Admission is $2, with children free. While it’s not Shaggy’s cup of tea, it’s nevertheless a good day out. Youth Takes to the Airwaves Year 11 students from Ballina’s Southern Cross K-12 School got a real taste of how the media works when they launched the new ABC radio youth initiative, Heywire, live on-air. On the basis of their mock-up radio editorial, the school was selected from more than 100 entries statewide to launch the program, now in its third year. The students were also given a chance to discuss youth issues with statewide broadcaster and former Model (the band, not the job) James Valentine, as well as preparing and producing their own stories for the program. “It’s just really nice that people want to hear what we have to say,” said student, Mark Engel. “This gives us a chance to get national radio exposure about the things we consider important and that we believe we should have input into. People have this impression that because we’re young we’re hooligans. We’re normal people who are no different to adults... just a bit younger.” Story & photo: Terra Sword Bus Tragedy Claims Schoolboy Police have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the tragic accident to come forward. Phone 6623 1599. Throughout the week flowers and cards - many of them made from sheets of paper torn from exercise books - have been taped to a nearby post (see picture right). The messages are simple: “I miss you already”, “You’ve been a wonderful friend since you were in kindy”, and “To my class mate and friend, see you in Heaven”. Denis was buried in Lismore on Wednesday.
Water Seminar Best of Bentley A record number of student entries has boosted this weekend’s Bentley Art Prize. Organiser Reg Hartley said that at last count more than 150 student works had been entered in areas including painting, photography, drawing and sculpture. It’s sure to mean the Bentley Hall, on the Kyogle Road west of Lismore, will be packed. Judging of the artworks will take place at the Bentley Hall tomorrow, July 28, with a wine and cheese tasting, plus entertainment, to follow at 7.30pm. Magistrate Jeff Linden (who’s a good judge of what he likes) will open the Bentley Art Prize at 2pm on Saturday. But the Art Prize is not just about art. For the second year in a row the Richmond Valley Council and Northern Rivers Regional Cuisine have got to together and will use the event to showcase some of the best regional cuisine produced in the Northern Rivers region. The exhibition and regional cuisine expo will be open from 10am on the weekend, closing at 5pm on Saturday and 3pm on Sunday. Categories include open painting, Aboriginal Art, amateur, ceramics, pottery, sculpture, woodwork and photography. There is a $1000 prize in the open painting section as well as the Richmond-Upper Clarence Regional Library acquisition prize. The Echo has sponsored the Aboriginal student art prize. Works in all of the senior sections is for sale. All proceeds will go to the Rescue Helicopter Service. Story & photo: Dave ‘Renaissance man’ Fawkner
Plant a Tree on Sunday The Wilson River Landcare Group are inviting everyone to get their hands dirty - and keep their environmental conscience clean - by planting a tree on National Tree Day this Sunday, July 30. The group will have 600 tress ready to planted on the banks of the Wilson River near the corner of Molesworth and Zadoc Streets. “The river is the reason Lismore is here and it’s time the riverbanks played a larger part in the Lismore lifestyle,” said Vanessa Ekins, the group’s spokesperson.“If you have an interest in trees, or even if you’ve never planted a tree before, comes down to the site, near the police station, and we’ll show you how. “Then you can pass by each day and see how your trees are growing.” The Landcare group will be planting a number of trees species - many found on the riverbanks 150 years ago - from 9.30am until 12pm. Bring the kids, hat and suncreen, and make a morning of it. Morning tea has been provided by local businesses. For more information phone Vanessa on 6622 1460. Confessions of a Late-Life Republican Given his well-known support for an Australian head of state appointed by two-thirds of Parliament, it did not come as a great surprise to hear former Governor-General Sir Zelman Cowan, declare his support for a republic during a visit to Lismore. What did cause comment, however, was his revelation that the person whose words had finally won him to the republican cause came from none other than Paul Keating. The sentiment that every Australian should be able to aspire to the top job in the land touched a receptive nerve, Sir Zelman told a gathering organised by Southern Cross University’s School of Law & Justice on Monday. “Keating’s speech profoundly influenced me,” he said. “”It was splendidly stated.” It convinced him to change his view and now he insists that he would never revert to the one he held in the early 1980s when, after serving five years as Governor-General, he believed the opposite and that a break from England was unlikely. Now Sir Zelman believes that “The republican issue won’t go away, despite the setback of last year’s referendum... although history can’t be made, or unmade, in a day, the issue will not remain on the too-hard or the rejection heap.” Noting that John Howard’s government “was, and still is, divided” on the issue, Sir Zelman sketched the history of Australian republicanism since the milestone event in November 1975 that had “brought it to the national attention” - the dismissal of Prime Minister Whitlam by a forerunner Governor-General, Sir John Kerr. “This was seen as a Constitutional deficiency,” Sir Zelman said, somewhat wryly, “but insufficient to create change.” By 1997 he was convinced that “the symbolic change to a republic was desirable”, even if no-one could agree on how to elect a president or define just what he/she might actually do. On the subject of what a Governor-General does, Sir Zelman was more adamant. Contrary to the image of being a ribbon cutter and fete opener, the job was extraordinarily demanding - on both incumbent and their spouse - he said. It required long hours, extensive preparation and the ability to mix with a wide range of people, not least the “powerless”. “I was stretched to the limits of my understanding,” he confessed, despite impressive qualifications and experience. “Holding that position does not prescribe a diet of colourless speeches.” The candour of this great Australian reached a peak when he mused on the reason for his vice-regal appointment. “Why did I become Governor-General? Because I was asked. As to why I was asked, all I can say is I don’t know.” Yet the answer was all too clear to those who listened to this admirable octogenarian’s address. - Robin Osborne Tourism is Kids Stuff As part of Tourism Week, July 22-30, the Lismore Visitor and Heritage Centre launched their new School Kit to educate students about tourism and the history of the local area. The School Kit contains a series of questions and a colouring activity relating to the centre’s Indoor Rainforest and Historical Display which school groups complete back in the classroom. “One of our main aims during Tourism Week is to focus on tourism education,” the centre’s communication’s officer, Lisa Murphy, said. “The School Kit is a fun way for students to learn about the history of the local area and how valuable the tourism industry is to the local community and economy. It helps teach kids about the local fauna and flora, Aboriginal heritage and the whereabouts of local tourist attractions such as Mt Warning and Rocky Creek Dam.” The School Kit was designed by Southern Cross University student, Kyona Luff, who is currently doing a tourism internship at the centre. Story & photo: Terra Sword Moore Moves on Riverside The meeting, packed with ratepayers who spilled five-deep into the foyer, was noisy from the start and mayor David Wright was forced to resort to the gavel, repeatedly warning councillors to address their remarks to the chair and for the gallery to remain quiet. It was clear that councillors saw little chance of swaying their opposite numbers, but went through the process anyway, and in doing so got to play to the gallery. Cr Margaret Howes told the meeting she had gone to the protest rally the previous Saturday, but had not seen a prominent A Riding councillor who supported the development there to defend it. “Well I wasn’t hiding under your skirts Margaret,” Cr John Felsch shot back. Cr Felsch then took the opportunity to present a rambling history of development in the Shire. When the Mayor advised Cr Felsch that his time had run out, Cr Rich moved an extension so that “Cr Felsch can finish the hole he’s digging”, “I’ll second that,” cried Cr Howes, “why stop a man when he’s raving.” Cr Sue Dakin. attempted a saner course by arguing that, as all councillors had been present for the original motion and no new material had been presented, there was no justification for rescission. At one point she drew a short sharp rebuke from Cr Rich when she asked why he hadn’t rescinded his decision to vote against the Lennox Head skatepark. Cr Rich’s response led Mayor Wright to demand he apologise to Cr Dakin immediately. Cr Rich, who appeared as shocked as anyone by his outburst, steadied himself with a deep breath and apologised. But there was never really more than one vote that counted in all of this and in the end it was left to the deputy mayor, the ever thoughtful Cr Peter Moore, to admit that he had agonised over the decision for the past three weeks. “I believe the development complies with the DEP, but I also believe my role as a councillor is to carry out the wishes of the people who elected me,” Cr Moore told a suddenly hushed chamber. “Over the past few weeks, in phone calls, by letter, fax and email, and in numerous private conversations, the people who elected me have made it clear that they do not want this development in its present form.” Cr Marilyn Perkins, whose right of reply had been eclipsed by Cr Moore’s announcement, told the meeting that the challenge for the developers was to ensure a profitable return for investors, while protecting those values held dear by the community. “I do not see a single indicator of an awareness of this obligation in the application or the building design before us,” she said. Cr Wright then put the rescission motion which was carried five votes to four. The gallery erupted with cheers and applause. Outside the chamber, the chairman of Fawcett Park Pty Ltd, Mr Ian Mills, said the company now faced the option of revising the plan or taking the matter to the NSW Land and Environment Court. “The Land and Environment court is not our preferred option,” Mr Mills said. - Dave Fawkner Airport Full o’ Beans As well as running the café, Caddies will provide tourist information on local attractions, including interpretive displays on the tea tree farm surrounding the airport. Health CEO Begins Mr Crawford, who has law and business qualifications, has been running St George Hospital and Community Health Service in urban Sydney - an area with a population of similar size to the Northern Rivers - for the past six years. Married, with two children, he intends to spend the first month in the job travelling to hospitals and community health services throughout the region to familiarise him self with the issues facing the region. The Echo will publish a more detailed interview with Mr Crawford next week.
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A model of the 88-unit Martin Place development for the old slipway site, currently on show at Ballina Council. 
Cat owner Barbara Hayden with her good friend Lynlea White Heather, a Siamese know as Foreign White. 
Launching ABC Radio’s new youth initiative, Heywire, yesterday were Southern Cross K-12 School students (front l-r) Lucas Pevy, Amanda Skeen and Cassie Gordon, with (rear l-r) Mark Engel, broadcaster James Valentine, Matt Hawkins, ABC Radio’s regional manager, Martin Corben and Mick Harley.
The schoolmates of Denis Sams have said it all a makeshift memorial to the 12-year-old student who died after being struck by a school bus in Lismore last Friday morning on his way to school. Ever since, the spot where he died at the intersection of Brewster and Uralba streets has been the focus of an outpouring of grief for the Year 6 student from Blue Hills College at Goonellabah.
Reg Hartley prepares to hang some of the entries in this weekend’s 16th Bentley Art Prize.
Those whacky (baccy) racers in the Freedom Ride were down antagonising the good citizens of Tamworth this week with plans to burn an effigy of Tamworth’s correctional centre as part of their protests against the drug laws. But things didn’t go to plan, and when the police arrived they took one look at the protest bus, dubbed ‘Happy Wheels’, and declared it unroadworthy. Remember chaps, cars don’t kill people, drivers kill people... If you’re keen, follow the shenanigans of their meanderings at 
Ready for National Tree Day on Sunday are Landcare members (l-r) Vanessa Ekins, Vanessa Tallon, Kristin den Exter and Phil Murray with young helpers (l-r) Nicholas and James Ekins, Liam Brunner, Ahri Tallon and Max English. They’re planting a Red Kamala, one of the trees species known to exist on the riverbank 150 years ago.
Sir Zelman Cowan
Year 4 students from St Carthages Primary School checked out the new Tourism School Kit, launched on Monday, with Lismore Visitor Centre’s communications officer, Lisa Murphy, and University student, Kyona Luff, who designed the kit.
Barista extraordinaire Vicki Sheaffe, Lismore City Council’s Business Enterprise manager Craig Kelly and big bean Bill Sheaffe enjoyed a cup of Caddies coffee on the site of the new $2 million Lismore airport terminal this week. Caddies will run the café at the terminal, which is expected to be completed by the end of August. 
The new Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Rivers Area Health Service, Chris Crawford (pictured) took up his position in Lismore on Monday, replacing Dr Tony Sherbon.
