As you can see above, there is plenty of room to build a station without demolishing the Hills Centre, especially now they are using the Hills Shire Council Offices.
March 2013 - EI2 Submissions Report
Submissions Report Part 1
Stage 2 – Stations, Rail Infrastructure and Systems
Section 3.3.4 The Hills Centre users were not listed in having a community forum.
Section 3.4 Consultation on theNWRLwill continue as designs are refined. The detailed design, particularly of station precincts, will continue over time and be undertaken by TfNSW in partnership with the selected contractor(s) and the future operator of the rail infrastructure.
http://northwestrail.com.au/document/show/191
None of the individual submissions were recorded or were results of conversations with North West Rail. There was no mention of concern over the demolition of the Hills Centre.
Submissions Report Part 2
Community Submissions
7.2.12 Community facility impacts
“Concerns regarding the demolition of the Hills Centre, and request to avoid demolition if possible. This is an important landmark as well as being the area’s largest performing arts centre. If the Hills Centre cannot be maintained, suggestion to build a new performing arts centre with similar facilities and overall aesthetic slightly to the west.”
Response – “Both the Hills Centre and the Council Chambers have been acquired for the station site to allow for efficient functioning and layout to reduce other potential impacts to the Showground. Due to their layout, it is not viable to retain the Hills Centre in favour of the Council Chambers, as it would result in fragmentation of the Showground Station site. The provision of a new performing arts centre is outside the scope of the NWRL project and would need to be undertaken by The Hills Shire Council. A range of other cultural and community facilities exist across the Local Government Area.”
There are NO similar facilities in the area. Various groups now need to go Penrith/Strathfield from as far away as Maralya. We are not suggesting demolishing the Council Chambers, we are suggesting use the Southern option or go behind the Hills Centre. There would be no fragmentation.
7.3.2 Station / stabling location
Suggestion to construct the proposed Showground Station further south to avoid demolition of the Hills Centre. The spoil road could also be moved south to utilise Carrington Road.
Response - The rationale for the proposed location of the Showground Station is documented in the North West Rail Link Modification to Showground Station SSI-5100 (TfNSW, October 2012). The acquisition and demolition of the Hills Centre for the Performing Arts is required to make way for the new station and construction site.
The proposed Showground Station location supports the future of the Castle Hill Showground and facilities and has been determined following consultation with The Hills Shire Council, key stakeholders and the local community Section 9.6.6 of the EIS 2 notes Carrington Road would be utilised as a secondary construction heavy vehicle route. The primary route would be via Showground Road.
Having the station at the Southern end of the showground would give a better outcome for all. It is incomprehensible that a few old sheds, that Mr Gooch (President of Show Committee) said on 8 Feb 2012 “it could be a win-win situation where the government would rebuild the facilities to the community and patrons' benefit”, are going to be kept while a multimillion dollar facility is demolished at the cost to the government of 10's of millions of dollars. The CWA ladies who use these facilities were fully supportive of retaining the Hills Centre. Wouldn't it be better to create a better facility for them with alfresco dining near the Hills centre or station that could be used more frequently for station patrons and users of the Hills Centre.
7.3.4 Station design
Suggestion for the internal and external architecture of the proposed Showground Station to resemble one of the pavilions, and reference the Hills Centre and Council buildings to achieve integrated design. Murals for underground stations, portraying the local area, should also be considered.
Response - Design principles for stations and service facilities are presented in
Section 6.5.3 of EIS 2. The project aims to support place making by, inter alia, providing urban areas and public spaces that are informed by local character including natural systems and the surrounding built environment.
Section 6.5.4 of EIS 2 describes the principles of public art for NWRL.
The stations, interchanges and precincts are social places and the NWRL would incorporate public art as a way to link communities to new public places. Public art would connect the stations with the communities they serve and contribute to the success of the NWRL through promoting station identity, amenity, safety, security, community values and the public domain, as depicted in Figure 6.3, which describes the functional interfaces of public art.
The provision for public art aims to keep stations and interchanges alive and create interesting public spaces. It is envisaged that public art works would evolve over time through ongoing community arts activities during the operational phase to sustain a community sense of ownership of the public domain.
7.3.7 Community facilities
Concern regarding the loss of The Hills Centre as a valuable cultural and community resource.
Response - Both the Hills Centre and the Council Chambers have been acquired for the station site to allow for efficient functioning and layout to reduce other potential impacts to the Showground. Due to their layout, it is not viable to retain the Hills Centre in favour of the Council Chambers, as it would result in fragmentation of the Showground Station site. The provision of a new performing arts centre is outside the scope of the NWRL project and would need to be undertaken by The Hills Shire Council. A range of other cultural and community facilities exist across the Local Government Area.
This doesn't make sense. We want a guarantee that if the Hills Centre is demolished it will be rebuilt. Council have already said they are not replacing it. How can you justify making this decision when you KNOW there will be NO replacement. The range of existing facilities are far too small.
7.4.2 Heritage
Concerns about demolition of The Hills Centre for Performing Arts for the construction of the planned Showground Station and the visual impact of Kellyville Station on the heritage values of the Old Windsor Road precinct.
Response - The demolition of the Hills Centre for the Performing Arts has been considered and assessed in the Modification to Showground Station Report. The demolition of this building is required in order to allow the station precinct to move south and minimise impacts on the wider Showground area.
It is not required as I have spoken to a representative from North West Rail regarding this who said it is possible to go to the southern side or behind the Hills Centre, but the southern side would require them to dig another 5-10 m deeper and build another escalator. If they built behind the Hills Centre they were worried about being dark at night and no-one around.
There are people at the showround every night and if there was alfresco dining that is available at night for the Hills Centre patrons and people returning late at night and wanted to go for a coffee then there would be plenty of people around. Also if the council chambers were turned into a training facility with accommodation, then there would be plenty of people around.
7.8.4 Property value
Concerns relating to impacts and duration of construction of Showground Station (formerly Hills Centre, recently moved to Council Chambers / Hills Centre location) on renters and rental income of a property in Castle Hill. Property owners are reliant on rental returns to pay mortgages.
Stage 2 – Stations, Rail Infrastructure and Systems
Section 3.3.4 The Hills Centre users were not listed in having a community forum.
Section 3.4 Consultation on theNWRLwill continue as designs are refined. The detailed design, particularly of station precincts, will continue over time and be undertaken by TfNSW in partnership with the selected contractor(s) and the future operator of the rail infrastructure.
http://northwestrail.com.au/document/show/191
None of the individual submissions were recorded or were results of conversations with North West Rail. There was no mention of concern over the demolition of the Hills Centre.
Submissions Report Part 2
Community Submissions
7.2.12 Community facility impacts
“Concerns regarding the demolition of the Hills Centre, and request to avoid demolition if possible. This is an important landmark as well as being the area’s largest performing arts centre. If the Hills Centre cannot be maintained, suggestion to build a new performing arts centre with similar facilities and overall aesthetic slightly to the west.”
Response – “Both the Hills Centre and the Council Chambers have been acquired for the station site to allow for efficient functioning and layout to reduce other potential impacts to the Showground. Due to their layout, it is not viable to retain the Hills Centre in favour of the Council Chambers, as it would result in fragmentation of the Showground Station site. The provision of a new performing arts centre is outside the scope of the NWRL project and would need to be undertaken by The Hills Shire Council. A range of other cultural and community facilities exist across the Local Government Area.”
There are NO similar facilities in the area. Various groups now need to go Penrith/Strathfield from as far away as Maralya. We are not suggesting demolishing the Council Chambers, we are suggesting use the Southern option or go behind the Hills Centre. There would be no fragmentation.
7.3.2 Station / stabling location
Suggestion to construct the proposed Showground Station further south to avoid demolition of the Hills Centre. The spoil road could also be moved south to utilise Carrington Road.
Response - The rationale for the proposed location of the Showground Station is documented in the North West Rail Link Modification to Showground Station SSI-5100 (TfNSW, October 2012). The acquisition and demolition of the Hills Centre for the Performing Arts is required to make way for the new station and construction site.
The proposed Showground Station location supports the future of the Castle Hill Showground and facilities and has been determined following consultation with The Hills Shire Council, key stakeholders and the local community Section 9.6.6 of the EIS 2 notes Carrington Road would be utilised as a secondary construction heavy vehicle route. The primary route would be via Showground Road.
Having the station at the Southern end of the showground would give a better outcome for all. It is incomprehensible that a few old sheds, that Mr Gooch (President of Show Committee) said on 8 Feb 2012 “it could be a win-win situation where the government would rebuild the facilities to the community and patrons' benefit”, are going to be kept while a multimillion dollar facility is demolished at the cost to the government of 10's of millions of dollars. The CWA ladies who use these facilities were fully supportive of retaining the Hills Centre. Wouldn't it be better to create a better facility for them with alfresco dining near the Hills centre or station that could be used more frequently for station patrons and users of the Hills Centre.
7.3.4 Station design
Suggestion for the internal and external architecture of the proposed Showground Station to resemble one of the pavilions, and reference the Hills Centre and Council buildings to achieve integrated design. Murals for underground stations, portraying the local area, should also be considered.
Response - Design principles for stations and service facilities are presented in
Section 6.5.3 of EIS 2. The project aims to support place making by, inter alia, providing urban areas and public spaces that are informed by local character including natural systems and the surrounding built environment.
Section 6.5.4 of EIS 2 describes the principles of public art for NWRL.
The stations, interchanges and precincts are social places and the NWRL would incorporate public art as a way to link communities to new public places. Public art would connect the stations with the communities they serve and contribute to the success of the NWRL through promoting station identity, amenity, safety, security, community values and the public domain, as depicted in Figure 6.3, which describes the functional interfaces of public art.
The provision for public art aims to keep stations and interchanges alive and create interesting public spaces. It is envisaged that public art works would evolve over time through ongoing community arts activities during the operational phase to sustain a community sense of ownership of the public domain.
7.3.7 Community facilities
Concern regarding the loss of The Hills Centre as a valuable cultural and community resource.
Response - Both the Hills Centre and the Council Chambers have been acquired for the station site to allow for efficient functioning and layout to reduce other potential impacts to the Showground. Due to their layout, it is not viable to retain the Hills Centre in favour of the Council Chambers, as it would result in fragmentation of the Showground Station site. The provision of a new performing arts centre is outside the scope of the NWRL project and would need to be undertaken by The Hills Shire Council. A range of other cultural and community facilities exist across the Local Government Area.
This doesn't make sense. We want a guarantee that if the Hills Centre is demolished it will be rebuilt. Council have already said they are not replacing it. How can you justify making this decision when you KNOW there will be NO replacement. The range of existing facilities are far too small.
7.4.2 Heritage
Concerns about demolition of The Hills Centre for Performing Arts for the construction of the planned Showground Station and the visual impact of Kellyville Station on the heritage values of the Old Windsor Road precinct.
Response - The demolition of the Hills Centre for the Performing Arts has been considered and assessed in the Modification to Showground Station Report. The demolition of this building is required in order to allow the station precinct to move south and minimise impacts on the wider Showground area.
It is not required as I have spoken to a representative from North West Rail regarding this who said it is possible to go to the southern side or behind the Hills Centre, but the southern side would require them to dig another 5-10 m deeper and build another escalator. If they built behind the Hills Centre they were worried about being dark at night and no-one around.
There are people at the showround every night and if there was alfresco dining that is available at night for the Hills Centre patrons and people returning late at night and wanted to go for a coffee then there would be plenty of people around. Also if the council chambers were turned into a training facility with accommodation, then there would be plenty of people around.
7.8.4 Property value
Concerns relating to impacts and duration of construction of Showground Station (formerly Hills Centre, recently moved to Council Chambers / Hills Centre location) on renters and rental income of a property in Castle Hill. Property owners are reliant on rental returns to pay mortgages.