UPDATE
Parramatta Mission will appeal the decision of the land and environment court, continuing to work towards addressing the needs of some of the most marginalised people in the centre of Australia’s next great city.
Dear Parramatta Mission Community,
Parramatta Mission notes the increasing number of people sleeping rough including the increasing number of women facing homelessness.
Parramatta Mission is committed to a holistic approach to raising hope for people facing homelessness.
Parramatta Mission is appealing the decision by the land and environment court that rejected the DA for the inSpire the common good development of our properties in Macquarie Street Parramatta.
There are a number of matters in the judgement by the land and environment court that Parramatta Mission wishes to address in the appeal. This includes the social benefit and impact of our development that directly helps people facing homelessness, people living with a mental health issue and people facing crisis.
Parramatta Mission, as part of the Uniting Church, has been providing continuous worship and service to the community for nearly 200 years from this land. Parramatta Mission remains resolute as to the importance of the church having an active vibrant community presence that addresses the needs of some of the most marginalised people in the centre of Australia’s next great city.
The redevelopment is for the purpose of enhancing the ability of Parramatta Mission to attend to the issues facing the most vulnerable people in our society.
We will keep you informed of the latest developments.
Grace and peace,
Keith Hamilton
Senior Minister / CEO
Inspiring the Common Good
inSpire the Common Good is the Parramatta Mission vision for its presence in Parramatta.
The five statements, that inform express our vision are:
- A place of life and worship, community and practice established in the hospitality of Christ;
- A public place that seeks to honour the Aboriginal history of being a ‘meeting place’, celebrates the diversity of today, and welcomes the gift of music and the arts;
- A place to pursue the common good where matters that enable the flourishing of all are explored;
- A nurturing place of forgiveness, the healing of life’s wounds, mercy, compassion, reconciliation, love, friendship and grace.
- A place which acknowledges the heritage of the past, is birthed in hope and is open to God’s future.
Parramatta Square has been the gathering place of aboriginal clans for up to 6,000 years and that continues to this day. A key concept for inSpire the Common Good is to be a gathering place and space in the heart of the second Sydney CBD.
This inspires the proposed development of our site at 99-119 Macquarie St Parramatta.
A large glass void on the current fellowship centre site of up to 2 stories high, through which people will be able to see the church and in which will be a gathering and a meeting place for people. We will celebrate the Aboriginal and European heritage in the building. Below ground level there will be a café, a 50 seat interfaith prayer space, and a 200 seat auditorium available for public activity. Above will include residential places, the sale of which will pay for the project. On the Epworth site, below ground level will be a social enterprise cafe, and employment training. Meals Plus and WSLARS will continue here. Above will be a variation of a Common Ground accommodation that provides a ‘one stop’ entry point for people facing homeless crisis and or living with a mental illness. Accommodation will provide for women and men crisis accommodation and affordable/social housing, and what we currently call transitional housing, yet all in the one place, and with whatever wraparound support that people require, so that people will develop not dependency nor independency but interdependence. This expresses our value of dignity. The building will include a community garden and meeting room space. This form of accommodation including Meals Plus and our Leisure Club will cost about $3 million per year, and will be funded through renting out commercial space in the floors above.
The Church will have a new Spire – hence the inSpire – as well as a small internal chapel space near the front right hand side. The gallery would be used as an art gallery. The entrances would be increased to provide cross flow of people, and flow of people around the building. We want the buildings accessible to everyone – in line with our value of inclusion. It is not too hard to see how this connects with our vision of a community transforming lives and our values of grace, inclusion, dignity faith and hope.
We think this is exciting. Our visionary plans are before the City of Parramatta Council now.
We need your prayers and active support in telling others and communicating with Council regarding the merits of inSpire the Common Good.
You can support us in making this vision become reality by accessing the template letters of support, personalising it to suit and send to the City of Parramatta Council
City of Parramatta Council
PO Box 32, Parramatta NSW 2124
or via email
Council@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
It is critical you use the subject line the DA ref: DA/310/2017
The submissions need to be made by by Friday 2 June 2017
Thank you and blessings,
Keith Hamilton
Senior Minister / Group CEO
Parramatta Mission
Our Church and Congregations
Through the life and witness of its congregations, through its delivery of social services, Parramatta Mission is seeking to redevelop its site and be a source of inspiration in the life of Sydney’s ‘central city’.
Le
igh Memorial Church seeks to be:
- A place of life and worship, community and practice established in the hospitality of Christ;
- A public place that seeks to honour the Aboriginal history of being a ‘meeting place’, celebrates the diversity of today, and welcomes the gift of music and the arts;
- A place to pursue the common good where matters that enable the flourishing of all are explored;
- A nurturing place of forgiveness, the healing of life’s wounds, mercy, compassion, reconciliation, love, friendship and grace.
- A place which acknowledges the heritage of the past, is birthed in hope and is open to God’s future.