Google Street View image of one small section of Addison Road Marrickville with thanks to Kate Webster. There appears to be plenty of opportunities for planting street trees on both sides.
I don’t know whether Marrickville Council reads Facebook, but considering the heaps of comments from locals, both good & bad, about living in the municipality there is a lot for Council to learn if they are interested.
The title of this post comes from local resident Kate Webster who a couple of days ago posted a series of 13 photographs on Facebook & linked them to me. The photos show the streetscape traveling along Addison Road from Victoria Road to the Crystal Street turnoff. She wrote, “This is Addison Rd Marrickville. It’s very sad. It has been ignored for too long. Even the shop keepers have been denied planter boxes outside their shops. There is not a nature strip or verge garden in sight. I’d like to know why Marrickville Council have neglected this street for so long? Are they Green or Grinch? Please Help!”
Some of the comments that went with her photos were as follows –
“Can you believe we are still travelling on the same road – its been about 300 metres with just 1 tree! How sad!!!
Now wait a minute….. is that a tree that I spot on the left? But what about the right!
A big stretch of pavement next to the driveway to the service station….surely a tree could fit here?
Any chance of a tree here? Or a verge garden? Any green at all????
Where are the trees???
Still no trees – plenty of room for them but not a single tree…
…. what about the bare footpaths, they are CRYING out for some life! Why no trees?
But wait…. there’s more….. more of NOTHING!!! Where are the trees????
Marrickville Council are you GREEN or GRINCH?? Please help!!!”
I met with Kate yesterday & after a chat about her concerns we talked to shopkeepers along this strip. What we discovered was very interesting & a little confusing. Within the last 18-months or so $60,000 was spent to do up the streetscape outside the small group of shops located between the corner of Illawarra Road & the entrance to the Addison Road Community Centre. The footpath was tiled & 3 planter boxes installed. A section was left untiled & a verge garden was created & planted with Nandinas. Recently the verge garden was dug up & the plants are expected to be replaced very soon.
Cross Illawarra Road on the same side & walk 20-metres towards Enmore Park. Shopkeepers in this section have the option of phoning Council & having planter boxes installed on the footpath. Cross the road at this location & the shopkeepers here cannot have any planter boxes. One recently received the following email from Marrickville Council on this issue. The bold font is my emphasis –
“Dear _______,
As per your request regarding your shop premises at ___ Addison Rd. I have been advised by Councils Design and Investigations Section that there are no plans to undertake streetscape works in that area within the next 3 years. Additionally, Council has no plans to purchase any additional planter boxes and is not in a position to offer you these.
Planter boxes are outside of the scope of my Sustainable Streets program which is to focus on residential areas only and not commercial business districts. However, your request for planters may be addressed in the future as part of the Public Domain Strategy.
Even though I personally think that plant boxes would help to improve the look of your shop and Addison Rd, I am unable to help you on this occasion.
Kind regards”
______________________
Can you see why we are confused?
I would consider Addison Road one of Marrickville’s gateway connections & a high thoroughfare road. This means it has high visibility & this visibility gives people passing through a perception of what Marrickville is like as a suburb. The perception they get is one of concrete & any beauty is gathered at the small stretch connecting to leafy Crystal Street.
I think Kate is correct in her opinion that Addison Road is in desperately in need of street trees. Verge gardens like those along Sydenham Road (another gateway road) would also help improve the streetscape. The businesses along Addison Road would very likely benefit financially from a greener streetscape because, as I have written here often, shoppers tend to go where it is green & a green leafy shopping area results in around 11% more spending.
Marrickville Council’s tree-planting season has started & lasts until September. Perhaps Council could seriously look at adding some street trees along Addison Road as a priority, with an aim to have the street green within 2-3 years. Everyone I have spoken to grimaces when asked how they feel about the streetscape of Addison Road. It’s not good to have such visible ugliness in a main corridor for more reasons than just pure aesthetics. There are health issues for the people who work & live close-by as well.
This is the collection of photos posted on Facebook by Kate Webster with thanks. The images show Addison Road as being a mostly treeless & harsh landscape. Click to enlarge this image or click the link to be taken to the Facebook page where you can view each photo in more detail – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.399946683369825.93430.100000634897313&type=1&comment_id=4878695
SAVING OUR TREES - Marrickville municipality 
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May 4, 2012 at 10:24 am
Jason
I agree. Addison Road can be great. Marrickville can be greater. Since moving into my home a little over 2 years ago, Council have planted 2 new trees on the nature strip right outside my front door after we made a request for new trees. Too bad some of our neighbours take it upon themselves to prune/vandal street trees which they dont even own!!! Anyway, keep pushing. It will be done!
May 4, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Kate
Thank you Saving Our Trees for posting this blog. This is an important issue for the residents of Marrickville. We all know that trees improve the look and feel of our community, but more importantly they improve quality of life and mental well-being. I urge residents of Marrickville to support any submission to Marrickville Council to “green up” Addison Road.
May 4, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Kristina
Yes we certainly need more greenery on this section of Addison Rd and as you have shown above, there are so many places where trees and verges can be planted.
I keep hearing that Marrickville Council has this one tree planting period – which is great in theory – but I have lived in this area for over 10 years & I have seen more trees come down than planted.
Why doesn’t MC plant trees in barren places such as these? And why don’t they plant all year round? Why don’t they replace trees at the same time as tree removal?… This LGA is a very big area so it’s no wonder that one tree planting session doesn’t make much of an impact.
Jacqueline, you have fantastic and very do-able, sensible suggestions in your “Tree Planting Ideas” – one of your links at the heading of this blog. I wonder why don’t Marrickville council use some of them!?
I think we have a growing community that is ready and willing to be involved. The above situation with the planter boxes shows just that – as do many of the comments on this blog, and facebook.
Marrickville Council would certainly seem greener if they chose to plant first in streets such as these.
May 4, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Fi
I so agree! The council only cares about the residents apparently but the residents want trees in the industrial areas! You cant get to Marrickville from Enmore or Tempe without travelling through industry and it doesn’t give the best impression of our suburb. Give us more trees and less library! Plant them in Addison Rd, and Sydenham Rd too.
May 4, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Gaz Bardic
I unfortunately, have a far more pessimestic view of Marrickville Council.
I’m of the firm belief that Marrickville Council, don’t have their residents, rate payers or anyone for that matter, in the forefront when it comes to issues. They only have each individual corrupt councilors agenda first.
If there is a benefit directly to a councillor, no problem it’s done.
I don’t know why Marrickville Council continues to neglect Addison Road, but, what I do know is the neglect is deliberate. Perhaps the current councillors, who have businesses on Marrickville Road, see Addison Road as a threat to their livelihoods…
I guess the answer would be to merge Marrickville Council with Sydney City, that way, Clover can come plant all the trees! (except with the bicycle lanes)
You only need to be on Addison Road on clear sunny day on any given Saturday, to see the strip come to life, together with the markets.
The potential is there for Addison Road to what Ramsay Road is to Haberfield.
In addition to established trees, the powerlines should be buried. The reinstatement of nature strips from Enmore Rd all the way to Livingstone Road. The road should be narrowed in some sections to accomodate outdoor dining and market stalls.
What Marrickville Council fails to acknowledge, is their priority should be, making every effort to support small business in the area, which ever way.
If Marrickville Council had a shred of intelligence, wit and determination, the former Marrickville Hospital site, which council want to redevelop as a library with ratepayers funds. Could be redeveloped into a “Italian Forum Leichhardt” set up. Where council jointly develop the site together with the private sector. Mixture of commercial and residential spaces. That way they get their important Library done for free!!!
Then they have more money to spend on trees and nature strips….
But hey, Marrickville Councill knows better……
May 5, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Sarah
I also want to add that this section of Addison Road is designated bikeway (according to the maps provided by City of Sydney) and part of my commute when I ride my bike to work. It is a gorgeous ride through Enmore Park, the residential streets of Marrickville and past Henson Park. The one unappealing bit is this section of Addison Road. Not only is it depressing but scary to ride as people drive crazy because it looks so industrial. I suspect that with no trees, grass, only concrete, they forget there may be bikes and pedestrians about.
May 5, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Jacqueline
You are right Sarah. There has been quite of lot of research that shows drivers slow down where there are decent-sized street trees.
May 5, 2012 at 4:28 pm
annapoodle
i agree much of Addison Rd is simply sad, and downright ugly in parts. the industrial section looks like a tip with rubbish everywhere. but there are signs of life with cafes and some new shops starting to en-liven the area …. and they need help!
more trees and planters boxes are a great start. why shouldn’t this become another interesting, lively, quirky, successful shopping street in Marrickville; it wouldn’t be a threat to Marrickville Rd, but would certainly make this part of the area much more attractive and raise property VALUES too!
come on Marrickville Council, this is a long neglected area that needs some TLC. and everybody benefits from having more trees – more shade, more beauty, they filter air pollution, and sequester carbon – they enhance our lives in so many ways.
May 5, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Illo Streimann
I completely agree that this needs to be attended to. The area has been neglected for far too long. MC has done a lovely job in cleaning up Enmore Park, but it appears unfinished.
Addison Rd is a gateway road and represents the area. This has changed significantly in the past 5-10 years and with the popularity of the Sunday Markets people from outside the locality also visit.
I hope that MC does read this blog and place this on some sort of priority. One of the boons of the suburb has been that MC has been approachable and reasonable, unlike their CBD counterpart. I hope this hasn’t changed.
May 5, 2012 at 9:10 pm
Adam
If the Council won’t plant trees, I encourage the businesses to do it themselves. Then go to the media.
May 6, 2012 at 11:31 am
Kristina
And even though this part of Addison Road is mostly industrial – people LIVE there as well! It is not all industrial. Go up one of the side streets & folks live there. Go a closer to Addison Road Community Centre & it is all houses.
May 6, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Zoe
The Addison Road precinct simply fails to represent the progressive nature of Marrickville as a suburb focused on green living. As a resident who walks along this road twice a day, every day, with dog in tow, its always a depressing stretch. I am warmed by the approach to Enmore Park, which has been beautified by the council to amazing ends and is now a family-friendly area that is a pleasure to frequent. A commitment to planting trees along Addison Road would be a massive boost, and would do justice to the park that graces its starting point.
Additionally, it’s a real shame that the thousands of visitors frequenting the Addison Road markets every Sunday are able to represent Marrickville by the industrial, forgotten visage of Addison Road. It is also a stretch where businesses are increasingly opening their doors – and it would really help to support these businesses by making the approach to their doors a green, attractive stretch. Show a bit of love.
Green all the way, Marrickville Council! That’s what we voted for, after all.
May 7, 2012 at 11:06 pm
Cr Max Phillips
Hi everyone,
I agree with the sentiment expressed here. There are still many parts of Marrickville that are treeless and barren. The industrial section of Addison Rd is one of them. The western residential section is much better. I lived on Addison Rd near East Street about ten years ago, and the street trees have grown substantially since then and it seems much greener.
It will surprise no one that the Greens have been working to get more street trees planted. In last year’s budget we allocated an additional $30,000 for street trees and $50,000 to ‘create sustainable streets grant pool for community gardens/bush pockets/verge plantings.
I have asked a question on notice on where this money actually got spent. The answer should appear in a Council meeting paper in the near future.
The Marrickville Greens have also initiated a Council drafting an ‘Urban Forest’ policy with the aim of increasing the canopy of the Marrickville LGA. You can read our tree policy here: http://marrickvillegreens.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/greens-vision-for-more-trees-in-marrickville/
After many years of resistance, I am happy to say that Council has started to jack hammer some of our more concreted areas to plant trees. I will suggest that the eastern section of Addison Road should be targeted for some trees in the near future as I know it gets a lot of pedestrian traffic to the Metro, pool and bus stops.
Regards,
Councillor Max Phillips
Greens – Central Ward, Marrickville Council
0419 444 916
May 8, 2012 at 8:34 am
Jacqueline
Thanks for your support Clr Phillips. I appreciate it.
May 8, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Kate
Thank you Councillor Phillips – your support and understanding is much appreciated.
May 9, 2012 at 2:34 pm
whimsicat
that is great news Max, thanks for you and your colleagues efforts. there is such a lovely continuous stretch of tree canopy from the start of Victoria Rd (near the Metro) towards Enmore Park, and a continuation along Addison Rd would be amazing.
May 8, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Sarah
I also urge the council to put further effort into greening this major thoroughfare. It needs consistency and committment from the council to get it right so residents and visitors can benefit from a greener environment.
May 9, 2012 at 7:09 pm
brenda
Could someone please walk with me along Addison Road while explaining where the logic is in Marrickville Council wanting to spend mega millions on a new library/civic centre for which rate payers will be heavily levied for over a decade.
Aren’t some lovely trees and plants an infinitely much cheaper and better use of funds?
Huh?
May 11, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Richard
I agree, and support the iniative of improving the ‘treescape’ of Marrickville, and particulary Addison Road. Through enquiring about trees on my own property, i was informed that the Council’s Urban Forest Strategy was aiming to considerably increase the number of trees within the area. I say, hurry up! http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au/BridgeDownload/101103_MARRICKVILLEURBANFORESTSTRATEGY.PDF?s=1967674613,docID=70856.10
May 17, 2012 at 7:37 pm
Eliza
This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the foot traffic already along Addison Road and help green up our area