About 60 residents gathered at Guyatt Park on Saturday 20 February to discuss impacts on the park if that location is selected by Council as the preferred option for a St Lucia to West End Green Bridge.

Organised by the Save Guyatt Park group, speakers included local Councillor James MacKay, planning academic, John Brannock and David Pincus who is president of the Save Guyatt Park group.

Organised by the Save Guyatt Park group, speakers included local Councillor James MacKay; planning academic, John Brannock; and president of the Save Guyatt Park group, David Pincus.

Adjunct Professor Brannock said Guyatt Park is the most used park in St Lucia but is nevertheless the Council’s preferred option for a St Lucia bridge because it will come as less cost than other proposed sites.

“There’s something that the engineers see in recommending Guyatt Park as the preferred option for the bridge, that is, there are no acquisition costs,” A/Prof Brannock said.

 

Councillor MacKay, who represents the Walter Taylor Ward for the Liberal National Party (LNP), is at odds with the LNP Council in taking a strong position against a Guyatt Park landing for St Lucia bridge.

“I haven’t made any friends with the Lord Mayor or Ryan Murphy the Public and Active Transport chair, when I came out and said I don’t support the bridge in Guyatt Park.”

Cr MacKay said on Saturday that sadly the consultation process has been pitting neighbours against one another. He said he understands that there is support for a Guyatt Park landing as well as against, but that his position will remain firm due to the impacts on public green-space.

David Pincus said there will be loss of important greenspace on both sides of the river if a Guyatt Park to Orleigh Park crossing is selected as the preferred bridge landing sites. He told the gathering that each of the four elected representatives whose electorates are involved in the proposed bridge locations, Cr MacKay, Cr Jonathan Sri, Amy MacMahon MP and Michael Birkman MP,  have made assurances that they would not support the loss of greenspace in Guyatt Park.

He told the gathering that each of the four elected representatives whose electorates are involved in the proposed bridge locations – Cr MacKay, Cr Jonathan Sri, Amy MacMahon MP and Michael Birkman MP – have made assurances that they would not support the loss of greenspace in Guyatt Park.

“We asked each of those in turn, what they think about a bridge going into Guyatt Park, and each of them said they would not approve of the greenspace of Guyatt Park being used for a bridge,” Mr Pincus said.

During the open mic session there were a few voices in favour of a St Lucia Bridge and they were listened to politely, but the general feeling of those gathered seemed to be no bridge landing in Guyatt Park with many supporting a No St Lucia Bridge option, or a one bridge only option, i.e. preferring a Toowong bridge only.

During the open mic session there were a few voices in favour of a St Lucia Bridge, some strongly so, and they were listened to politely, but the general feeling among those gathered seemed opposed to a bridge landing in Guyatt Park, with many supporting a No St Lucia Bridge option, or a one bridge only option which favoured a Toowong bridge.

There was vocal opposition to a Boundary Street landing in West End, which would involve home resumptions, by representatives of the No Mega Bridge on Boundary Street.

Audrey Guyatt, aged 83 said her family had their home at Guyatt Park resumed by Council in 1963 and it was an emotionally impactful experience, but she said the park should be preserved.

Council was criticised by a number of those gathered, as it has been throughout this process, for not providing a ‘no bridge’ option on its online survey, and for providing only limited space for comments.

A suggestion for a free kittycat service crossing between West End, the University, and Guyatt Park as an alternative was warmly received.

There was some surprise among those spoken with after the event, that West End has not mounted a similar, Save Orleigh Park action.

Note

The Westender has submitted questions to Council and to local West End community groups about the issues raised on Saturday.

Councillor Jonathan Sri is hosting a discussion on Saturday 28 February at with Greens MP’s Amy MacMahon and Michael Birkman.