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Sitting On The RSL Fence
Pearl has mixed feelings about the protest against the Bronte RSL development. Not one to shirk a passionate protest rally, I can’t help but look upon the protest with an uncomfortable feeling of cynicism. With a catch cry of “Save Bronte Village”, I am immediately tormented by visions of 4WDing yummy mummies with their organically indoctrinated kiddies, all looking to mould their little patch of the Eastern Suburbs into a gentrified utopian paradise, complete with dog poo and neighbourhood arguments over parking, DAs and noise.
The issues surrounding the development are unfortunately indicative of property developer greed and reflective of how gentrification destroys the “quaintness” that attracted affluent families to suburbs such as Bronte and Clovelly in the first place.
On one hand I want to give my overwhelming support to a protest against a development that contravenes the council’s height and density controls and will surely bring more affluent tossers into the area with their 4WDs and unquenchable thirst for trendy cafes, botox and baby stores. I’m prepared to take a stand against the greed of developers looking to take advantage of yet another RSL club on the brink of financial ruin whilst maximimising their profits at the expense of the community by providing inadequate customer parking and loading spaces. Just look at the horrendous traffic mess created by Westfield Bondi Junction, a mess that was approved by a council that knows all too well that yuppies don’t walk anywhere, let alone lower themselves to taking public transport.
On the other hand I cannot support any protest associated with the mythical “village” people, those bright young newcomers with their fashionably clad children who are educated and affluent enough to know that spray tan clinics, furniture stores, coffee emporiums and stylish baby stores are far more essential to their families’ lifestyles than butchers, delis, traditional bakeries and greengrocers. Those people who, up until now, probably viewed the RSL as an eyesore. And those same people who drive 300 metres to take their kids to school and park dangerously in side streets yet have no qualms complaining about the development’s potential traffic chaos and the danger it poses to their children.
The hypocrites, who have ensured that Clovelly and Bronte no longer have essential services, now think they can deny people like Pearl the convenience of walking to a greengrocer because it doesn’t suit their agenda, an agenda that involves patronising Westfield for groceries whilst leaving CloBaby Road and Macpherson Street free for cafe outings, trendy shopping and beauty therapies.
I’m one hundred percent sure that those yummy mummies protesting against the development will forget what they got all worked up about once Harris Farm starts stocking gourmet organic food and a baby store and homeopath are slipped in as the new building’s other tenants. And wouldn’t a unit in the development be a wonderful investment for Kalahari’s future?
So sweeties, I’m on the fence with this protest. I’d love the RSL converted into low cost housing or a retirement village, complete with a Maloney’s style greengrocer. And I’d love to see the yuppie “villagers” put the same passion and gusto behind a protest against the sale of bottled water in the Eastern Suburbs, although I know that no yuppie is complete without a bottle of Fiji Water in their trendy baby bag!
Pearl x
I wonder why the Save Bronte Village has deliberately chosen to misrepresent the streetscape by leaving out of it’s branding picture the large block of units 50 metres away from the RSL? Could it be that many people in the organisation are owners in the block who’s motivation to save the village coincides with saving their view of the ocean????? A little more accountability and disclosure from the group is needed if it is to have any credibility.
Posted by: Ralphy | February 11, 2013, 10:43 AM |
I don’t live in the Oceanview Apartment building, and I am completely opposed to the proposed WLB-RSL development. Most supporters of Save Bronte Village don’t live in the building and are not just trying to protect their views.
The proposal is grossly overscaled and will bring in an enormous amount of the traffic that will disrupt and damage our neighbourhood. It will be a monstrosity in the streetscape.
I don’t understand why people like Beast writers Pearl and Duncan Horscroft, and your reader Ralphy, are so up in arms about a bunch of locals exercising their right to protect their neighbourhoood. I mean, what is the agenda? Especially Pearl, who’s articles I’ve always enjoyed.
Contrary to Pearl, the locals protesting against the proposed development are not the 4WD driving yuppie yummie-mummies. Many have lived here for decades. In fact the yuppie yummie-mummies are probably the ones who love the development and a big local supermarket to drive their 4WDs to.
Pearl – you of all people should be supporting us!
Posted by: Tomas | February 11, 2013, 4:54 PM |
hey ralphy, i don’t live in the oceanview either and i can’t stand this WLB-RSLout proposal. it is a monster that the RSL wants to impose on our community despite the vast majority of residents saying we don’t want it.
And talking of accountability, what about some accountability from those in favour of the proposal and the council? as SBV says, why do those in favour of the proposal always pretend it doesn’t exit? i’ve even had emails from waverley councillors pretending it doesn’t exist. i mean, come on, we are not idiots. and how come the council helped the developer organise his presentation at the rsl on Nov 1st? i hope they helped SBV organise their rally opposed to the development a few weeks later. and how come the proposed truck route in chesterfield lane was recently resurfaced after years and years of neglect – just a coincidence that the council fixes this long neglected road when a developer is spruiking a major development? accountability? – yeh, i’d like to see some.
cheers
Posted by: bronte boy | February 12, 2013, 11:17 AM |
In response to Ralphy,
I have no idea if any of the unit owners in the Ocean View Apartments are active in the Save Bronte Village.
But surely, as residents of Bronte, they have as much right as any other local to object to this huge development. The Save Bronte ill age group is made up of people from all over Bronte, not just residents of that building and the people that live in the most immediate streets.
as written in the last SBV newsletter:
“Save Bronte Village is a group of local residents from all over the suburb. We are apolitical. We come from all age groups, different socio-economic backgrounds, and have wide ranging political views. Song are long term and some are short term locals”
It is ridiculous to suggest that this is simply about one building and the loss of their views.
Should this overdevelopment go ahead, the entire suburb is adversely affected with increased traffic & lack of parking. There are very real safety issues in regards to The Clovelly Public School and the St Thomas Street Childcare Centre.
It will put many small family owned shops out of business and change the entire feel of Bronte from a small local community to a mini-Bondi Junction Westfield.
Posted by: Bronte Lou | February 11, 2013, 1:56 PM |
Dear Ralphy
Our logo-drawing does not include the Oceanview high-rise as this building is an anomaly in the street. It was built decades ago. It is the single standout high-rise building on Macpherson St where the height of most buildings is 2 stories. Council have told us it is not a precedent which can be followed. The Save Bronte Village group does not want to see the Oceanview mistake being repeated.
Save Bronte Village is not a secret society. We now have over 1600 supporters who come from all over Bronte and the surrounding suburbs. Our group consists of locals from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many have lived in the area for decades. You cannot pigeon hole our supporters. We are a very diverse bunch who are united in our opposition to this WLB-RSL shopping mall proposal that is too big, and is inappropriate, for residential Bronte.
Most of our supporters are concerned about the increase in traffic and trucks in our residential neighbourhood and they are worried about the safety implications of this massive increase in traffic driving past the Clovelly Public School and Bronte Child Care Centre. Our supporters know that we do not need another shopping complex in our neighbourhood. We don’t need it and we don’t want it.
Regards Save Bronte Village
Posted by: save bronte village | February 11, 2013, 4:17 PM |
Hi Ralphy
I am a save bronte village supporter and I don’t live in the Oceanview high-rise. I am concerned about the increase in traffic in the surrounding streets that will make the area unsafe for my children. It is already difficult to cross St Thomas St safely to get to the childcare centre and getting across Chesterfield Pde can also be dangerous. I would hate to see truck after truck plus all the extra people who will shop at the centre driving down our residential streets. It will only be a matter of time before a serious accident happens.
Regards
Posted by: Rachel | February 12, 2013, 11:37 PM |
Pearl,
You seem to have a ‘thing” about yummy mummies in 4 wheel drives !
Well old girl I’m a ugly old bastard and I think the RSL proposed development is a sell out of our diggers by a bunch of “wanna be” property tycoons who have got control the sub-branch, don’t worry about 4 wheel drives its the black BMW’s that have me concerned.
Posted by: Oden | February 15, 2013, 12:24 AM |
Sweetie, please read my closing paragraph – I want a retirement village (or, even better, low cost housing!) in the RSL. I’d be definitely buying into that. And, the kids at both Clovelly Public and the childcare are already in danger of being run over by parents driving and illegally parking black BMW 4wds! Never attempt to be a pedestrian along Arden St at school pickup and drop off…
Posted by: Pearls | February 15, 2013, 2:58 PM |