On Wednesday 15^th February 2012 Friends of the GreenWay joined local Mayors and MPs representing the whole of the GreenWay catchment to present our petition to Save The GreenWay to the NSW Parliament. Watch the event video here.

Supporters of the GreenWay came from all across Sydney, representing many communities and voluntary groups – another demonstration of the way the GreenWay is already connecting people across Sydney.

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition, and a special thanks to those volunteers who went to dozens of local events over the past months collecting signatures.  The GreenWay is a true grassroots project!

Along with the many other supporters of the GreenWay were:

• Carmel Tebbutt, MP for Marrickville
• Jamie Parker, MP for Balmain
• Linda Burney, MP for Canterbury
• Charles Casuscelli, MP for Strathfield
• Rochelle Porteous, Mayor of Leichhardt
• Lyall Kennedy, Mayor of Ashfield
• Morris Hanna, Mayor of Marrickville
• Brian Robson, Mayor of Canterbury

Our local MPs will now present the petition to Transport Minister Gladys  Berejiklian, and the petition will be debated by Parliament on 31 May 2012.

Videos of all the speakers at the Save the GreenWay rally are now available on our YouTube channel. Below is one of those videos – of local school children Michaelie and Luca explaining why they want the GreenWay built now:

Stills of the day are also available in the Save The GreenWay gallery.

Bernie Hobbs, the science and technology broadcaster best known for ABC’s New Inventors will MC the Save The GreenWay rally from 12-1pm on Saturday.

Join Bernie at Johnson Park in Dulwich Hill at noon this Saturday 29th October, and send a clear message that we all want the GreenWay built now!

Bernie will introduce speakers including local school children, politicians, and Friends’ speaker Jud Agius. Children from Kegworth School will also be performing on the day.

State MPs from Marrickville, Balmain and Canterbury will be attendance, along with councillors and local identities who all want to Save The GreenWay.

Friends of the GreenWay will be on hand during the rally (look for the bandicoot hats!) to let you know how you can help get the GreenWay built.

Thousands of signatures have been collected on the Save The GreenWay petition. Staff at Carmel Tebbutt’s office are still counting signatures, but it is already clear there has been a huge response since the petition was launched in August with around 3,000 signatures counted already.

If you haven’t sent your petition to Carmel’s office there is still time – we will continue to collect signatures to show the overwhelming community support for the GreenWay. Please send petitions to Carmel Tebbutt’s electorate office at 244 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville 2204.

If you haven’t signed the petition yet, please print a copy, and ask your friends and neighbours to sign – you support is crucial, and every signature counts!

What else can you do to support the GreenWay?
If you have signed the petition, (and sent an email or letter or both!), then you can print out your own copy of our Save The GreenWay flyer and post it in your window, or show your friends and neighbours.

Thousands of copies of the flyer will be printed soon – if you can help to letterbox these, or can help distribute them to your local shops, please get in touch.

Marrickville Mayor Fiona Byrne today issued a statement supporting the GreenWay – her mayoral minute recognises the shared commitment of local Councils and community groups surrounding the Greenway.

Fiona and Marrickville council support the integrated, cross-border, network based solution for active transport in our area.

Marrickville Council has also pledged funds to support a community event, and will be contacting Canterbury, Ashfield, and Leichhardt councils and encouraging them to support the ongoing campaign.

 

Local MPs Carmel Tebbutt and Linda Burney have been mailing copies of the GreenWay petition and a letter of support to their constituents.

Please ask your friends and neighbours to sign the petition and return it to Carmel Tebbutt’s office at 244 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville 2204. All signed signed petitions should be sent to this address by 30th August 2011.

You can let us know if you haven’t received your copy by emailing us at take.action@friendsofthegreenway.org.au, or print a out a copy here.

Last Saturday some of the Friends took Greens MP Cate Faehrmann on a guided tour of the GreenWay – you can see what Cate thought of the tour on her blog.

We have also offered to take Premier Barry O’Farrell and transport minister Gladys Berejiklian on the same tour, to show them our vision for the GreenWay!

And today we were also front page news on the Inner West Courier – read the latest here.

Only people power will help save the GreenWay. The State local members Carmel Tebbutt (Marrickville) and Linday Burney (Canterbury) have started a petition which they hope to get into NSW Parliament to force a debate on this important issue.

Please take the time to print the Petition, get your friends and neighbours to sign it and then return it to the office of Carmel Tebbutt. Post it to 244 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville 2204. All signed signed petitions should be sent to this address by 30th August 2011.

The petition must be physically signed by people and only original petitions are valid – emailed or electronic versions are not accepted.

Four State electorates either cover or have borders within the GreenWay. Contact your local inner-west MPs to show your support:

Marrickville
Carmel Tebbutt, ALP – marrickville@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Canterbury
Linda Burney, ALP – linda.burney@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Strathfield
Charles Casuscelli, Liberal – strathfield@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Balmain
Jamie Parker, Greens – balmain@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Update 7th September: We are still collecting signatures for our petition – more than 3,000 have been received at the last count! Please keep sending petitions to Carmel Tebbutt’s office at the address shown above.