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“ Heritage Tourism
If Heritage Tourism is to be beneficial to local businesses in the long term, we should try and find consensus across the political divide to enhance these future opportunities. Entertainment, sports, theatre, shopping and interactive parks are all entities and magnets to our city. So is car parking, transport infra-structure and most importantly the need to go there in the first place and hopefully return. Go anywhere in the world and you will find that the go-to places are the tourist magnets. In Parramatta we have a once in a life time opportunity to become a Heritage Tourist destination.
So what can we work with to achieve a positive outcome for Parramatta's future, four words come to mind; tourism, education, service and technology. The last three will happen naturally because in this part of the world that's what we are good at. Our ‘tourism business’ future on the other hand will need everyone on the same page.
We are now at the cross roads of a battle to save our Heritage Tourist magnets. This relates especially to the North Parramatta precinct and its Urban Growth development plan. The historic story of Parramatta’s development over the last 200 years is too precious to squander on short term solutions. A charter of principles based on the NSW Better Planning model was signed by Labour, Greens and Independents prior to the State Elections and an extension on consultation was agreed to by the Liberals.
Now is the time to take up the challenge of this charter and make sure it reflects the importance of our Australian beginnings. We need development that doesn't crowd out the skyline with soulless avenues of steel, glass and concrete. Heritage and development can work together, but only if our important sites are secured and/or occupied by adaptive re-use per businesses or public museums and art precincts from the outset.
The recent talk of the 90 storey Aspire Tower (subject to air space protection legislation), has pros and cons attached to it. Yes its tourism potential is terrific, look at the Empire State building in New York, but we don’t want it to jeopardise the sight line guides of the world heritage listed Old Government House in Parramatta Park, another important tourist magnet. If we win this challenge, Parramatta will be the beneficiary. If just 1% of the Sydney tourist dollar came Parramatta's way we would be in front, imagine if we received 10%?
Thank you
Gary Carter ”
