And your voice will make this happen.
Ku-ring-gai has announced consultation on its Special Rate Variation (SRV), following suit with many other councils in Sydney, including Hornsby’s 31.05% increase over four years, Willoughby with 15% over one year, and Northern Beaches with 39.6% over three years. Ku-ring-gai is now also considering an SRV, and has reached out to residents for their input. As a council with a very high capital works backlog, this seems sensible.
They have proposed the following options:
- No SRV, which would be an increase of 3%. This would see critical infrastructure such as buildings, stormwater and drainage, parks and recreational facilities, footpaths, roads and more deteriorating. We imagine most residents don’t want this.
- An increase of 22% to maintain critical infrastructure, equating to $7.27 per ratepaying household per week ($378 per year).
- An increase of 29% to fund the St Ives Indoor Sports Centre loan, additional funding for recreational facilities (sports centres, parks and open spaces), new footpaths, and traffic and transport works, with an additional $9.60 per ratepaying household per week ($499 per year).
- An increase of 33% to fund other traffic and transport works, and Marian Street Theatre, including three performance spaces, community and rehearsal rooms, a café and a beautiful, rejuvenated Selkirk Park for an additional $10.92 per ratepaying household per week ($568 per year).
That’s only $1.32 more to fund Marian St Theatre.
While it’s great that Marian Street Theatre is on the cards, it’s disappointing that again, culture and arts are an optional luxury, compared with sport. Ku-ring-gai has the most amount of open public space per resident of all metropolitan NSW councils, and yet has one of the greatest proportions of older residents. Of course sport is vital for healthy people of all ages and healthy communities, but this is completely out of balance. Arts and culture are again last on the list.
Ku-ring-gai has a vibrant, community-driven, grassroots arts and culture scene, but audiences and groups have been forced out of the area, including Marian Street Theatre for Young People, Killara Music Society (the largest music club in Sydney), Pymble Players, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic, Sanskriti (School of Indian Performing Arts), and its many choirs, such as Hummingsong Choir and Challis Singers. Yes, we have private schools with arts facilities, but most community groups can’t hire these, and these schools also have extensive sports facilities. The private schools balance both sport and arts. We need both. We need better.
Marian Street Theatre is that space. It was chosen over 100 years ago by the community for arts and culture, and is a space that brings people together. Regularly, we hear ideas of new theatres being included in other spaces – Gordon, Lindfield, St Ives, you name it. These are “but a dream.” Marian Street Theatre is here. It has over a century of local memories within its halls, and the community would never stand to see it turned into apartments.
The time for options has passed. There’s an approved DA – the result of six years of consultation. Just build it.
The longer we wait, the more it will cost.
Have your say – before 1 September*
*Extended from 31 August
Write now to Ku-ring-gai Council to support Option 4 of the SRV, including reference number S14747-2, and say you support Marian Street Theatre. Submissions can be made via:
- Ku-ring-gai Council’s website
- Emailing: srv@krg.nsw.gov.au
- Sending a letter to: Ku-ring-gai Council, Locked Bag 1006, Gordon NSW 2072
Not a ratepayer or resident? You can still make a submission.
Make your voice heard. Submissions close 1 September