1 Jun 2017

Helping hand for green thumbs – Developer to provide water for organic garden

Alush community-run organic garden at Randwick looks set to receive a helping hand from the developer of the old Inglis stables site.
Paine Reserve’s Randwick Community Organic Garden (RCOG) has substituted on water run-off from the roofs of the neighbouring stables but its managers are worried about its future without access to the water.

After an appeal by Greens councilor Matson, Randwick Council passed a notion to “facilitate the future collection and rufuse of rainwater and blackwater directly on the Newmarket redevelopment site and as irrigation for the adjacent gardens.”
Cbus Property has confirmed to Southern Courier it had opened up dialog between the council and the community group.

“We are already coordinating with council as part of our design development process to ensure there’s great connection between Newmarket Randwick and Paine Reserve, which includes the community garden,” Cbus Property chief executive Adrian Pozzo said. “We believe a long term partnership with RCOG is a very important element for the success of the whole development”. He said the garden would remain integral,”We certainly intend to support the great work that RCOG does and see how we can contribute to enriching a space that’s already clearly such a popular part of the local neighbourhood.”

Garden co-ordinator Elsie Edgerton-Till hopes for a strong relationship with the real estate giant. “We know we need greater urban density,” she said. “There is, however, a great potential for cross-pollination, with people who live in those new apartments becoming involved in the community garden.”“I live in an apartment, as do many people in the community. The health benefits are proven.” The garden has 150 to 200 active members from diverse backgrounds.”We’ve got aquaponics, chickens, native bees,” Ms Edgerton-Till said. “The eco-diversity, how everything works together, is special. It’s enriched my experience of living in Sydney.”

Cbus Property concept masterplans for the site identify the need for water detention, which Ms Edgerton-Till said could double as their water source.
The plan has identified a new public park north of Paine Reserve to provide an on-site detention basin for Rainwater.

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