The Prince Henry Community Centre was officially dedicated today – from Landcom to Randwick City Council. (L-R: Landcom’s CEO Sean O’Toole, Mayor Bruce Notley-Smith, Planning Minister Kristina Keneally, Local Member and Minister for Roads Michael Daley). In his speech, the Mayor declared the centre “OUR KEY CULTURAL DESTINATION”. On Twitter, later in the day, Kristina Keneally said that Landcom had handed over $50 million in community assets, including the $5 million community centre. In the original Masterplan the Centre was to be twice the size and include tennis courts and library. Requests to ensure performance spaces with sgood acoustics were ignored.

The community is still waiting for the promised Medical Centre, shopping and other commercial services. Services such as these make communities sustainable, both ecologically and socially. The key players – State Government, Council, the developer, existing businesses and those interested – need to be brought together to discuss how the Village Vision contained in the Prince Henry Masterplan can be achieved. There was no shortage of ‘will’ to build a new helibase for the Westpac Helicopter. Even though the Government’s Health Department had already signalled big changes ahead in the delivery of such services, an Act of Parliament was brought in, National Park was excised and the Scouts turfed out, to ensure Surf Life Saving was accommodated. Surely a similar effort can be put into getting the basic services outlined in the Prince Henry Masterplan.