I was taking in some rays on the banana lounge beside the pool, pina colada in hand, listening to the Mayor on the phone asking my advice about Bathurst heritage. He told me council unanimously had resolved never to agree to demolition of another heritage building, to keep the 12 metre height limit in the heritage CBD absolutely, and put any special big buildings on the fringe of the city in appropriate precincts with room to grow. He was saying that we absolutely must respect and preserve our heritage streetscapes and that all Councillors were adamant that happens from now on.
On and on he went … “we will restore the TAFE building, adaptively re-use the ambulance station for community, restore and adapt the McPhillamy Park stone cottage, imaginatively repurpose the gasworks, fund the McPhillamy Park conservation Management Plan and implement it, repurpose the Agricultural Research Station Farm Square, get going with public art, and create a proper people centric Town Square, just for starters. We will also develop The History of Bathurst project.”
My shoulder was roughly shaken, and I heard Mrs Heritage saying “Humble, you’re dreaming, wake up you silly old thing!” Startled, I plunged into the pool forgetting it was May and about 0 degrees, but vowing I would rid myself of such seditious thoughts.
Thought of the week “conviction and willpower needed?”
by a humble heritage advocate – May 2022
