Concord foreshore trail kept a secret
"The good news is you can walk the Concord foreshore trail - but you’re not allowed to tell anyone about it.
In a bizarre move, the Sydney South West Area Health Service (SSWAHS) has said the trail will remain open to the public - with conditions.
A statement sent to the Courier from SSWAHS states: “Out of respect for the patients of the Thomas Walker Hospital and Concord Hospital, access to the foreshore area is not actively promoted”.
This means signs redirecting amblers away from the foreshore trail, up through the hospital grounds and carpark will stay up. It also means the Walking Volunteers, who have been working for years compiling maps of harbour foreshore walks, will not be allowed to include the Concord route on their maps.
Walking Volunteers member Leigh Shearer-Heriot said the decision was “breathtakingly weird”.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think this would be a problem,” he said.
“This is the jewel in the crown of the walking trail, and with all the social history of Dame Eadith Walker opening her estate up we thought this would remain open.
“It’s like China’s views on Taiwan, they know it’s there, we all know it’s there but we’re not meant to talk about it.”
Drummoyne State Labor MP Angela D’Amore said she supported the decision because it provided protection for patients while maintaining public access.
But Philip Jenkyn, foreshore activist and member of the Walking Volunteers said the government’s use of patient safety as a reason was inadequate.
“If walkers are redirected through the hospital grounds they are more likely to come into contact with patients,” he said.
“That cannot be the real reason, there are hidden agendas and they are connected to that land.”
In a further twist a plaque unveiled in 1985 by the then premier Bob Carr when the track was opened to the public has been removed.
A spokeswoman for the SSWAHS said the hospital was unaware of the removal."
- Craig writes:
Posted on 11 Jul 10 at 03:40pm -
"This reads like an episode of Yes Minister... I suspect Sir Humphrey Appleby is lurking somewhere in the background."
Socrates tends to agree with Craig who made this insightful comment soon after the Courier publication was posted. Can any of you tell Socrates of any other hospital where the public are refused entry to any hospital grounds. I wonder how many community members are refused access if they have to attend the SSWAHS hospitals for medical services or to visit family and friends who are patients of the hospitals in the SSWAHS Empire.
