Society > Parks and Playgrounds > Interim Park
Interim Park
Interim Park flourished from 1991 to 1997 on Point Street, overlooking the Water Police site. With no official status it was initiated by residents to create a community garden on waste land scheduled for residential development.
Organised by Jean Stuart, residents formed a committee and built and cultivated the park: they also built a barbecue (with a manhole cover as the hot plate), held tip-and-run cricket matches, and applauded the leading bands who rehearsed here with musicians living in the Cross and Scott Street squat.
When the area was fenced off, it was the only secure playing area in the neighbourhood. (James Watkinson Reserve’s location was unsafe and the equipment dangerous.)
Residents wanted their park to continue. Briefly this seemed possible as they assembled promises of $2.5 million; but the site went to auction and fetched $9 million. It was then redeveloped as apartments.
Interim Park was physically demolished in 1997, but residents resolved to protect and preserve a Chinese flame tree which was ideal for climbing. The tree was fenced off, but residents surrounded the work site in protest. Bill Burton asked them to charge at the gate: when they did, distracting the workers, Bill threw a blanket over the barbed wire and shinned up the tree. Police were called, and negotiations began with the residents’ committee.
They had to agree that the other trees be removed, but this tree must be saved. The compromise was that the tree was dug up, and moved to an end of the park, where it remains. The headland was also saved from the development, as one of only two open headlands on the harbour.
With the destruction of this social hub, neighbours and gradually dispersed.
