The Leichhardt Hardt Edition 15

Happy Friday everyone!

Leichhardt’s history has layers: our suburb has changed its name, boundaries and shape over time - all the while holding on to a strong sense of community. Civic milestones such as taking the Leichhardt name and becoming a municipality are only part of the picture, alongside the continuing connection of Gadigal and Wangal peoples and the institutions and movements that have shaped local life since. This long history of change makes the attention around council’s proposed "Our Fairer Future" plan feel very current (so get involved in that below).

In other matters, we had a letter from a new resident asking if there are there are any meetup or board game groups in Leichhardt. Are there? Please send them through (hit reply to this email). Thanks!

Inner West Council's Fairer Future Plan is open for comment until 28th October. The Greens are running an information session tomorrow (Saturday) at Leichhardt Town Hall if you want to learn more and don't fancy reading the 1,000+ pages. Alternatively, you can book some time in to discuss the plans with a council planner. The plan includes rezoning areas and the voluntary acquisition of some properties on Loftus and Foster streets for green space. You can search your address on the interactive map and lodge a submission on the Council's website. A hard copy of the plan is on display at the library. (Source: Inner West Council - Our Fairer Future Plan)

The 40th Norton Street Italian Festa is on this Sunday! First organised in 1986 by the priests at St Fiacres, this year you can expect cooking demos from Italian chefs and nonnas, carnival rides for the kids, live music, classic cars and more gelato stalls than you can shake a cannoli at. It's one of the biggest street festivals in Sydney - right on our doorstep. Well worth a wander down Norton St with the family. (Source: Italian Festa website)

Eloise and her mother run a Christmas toy drive every year for children in care and families doing it tough. This year they're collecting for about 750 kids, looking for new toys, pre-loved books and children's items in good condition and baby clothing. They are also collecting new toiletries for women's shelters. Eloise works in Leichhardt and is offering to set up a local drop-off point for this generous community. (Source: Leichhardt Facebook community group)

A nice bit of local history worth sharing. In 1871, 98 ratepayers petitioned the Governor under the Municipalities Act to create the Municipality of Leichhardt, covering one and three-quarter square miles and about 500 people. The first aldermen chose Frank Beames as mayor at their February 1872 meeting, gathering in a former wayside inn (which by contemporary accounts still had bottles of liquor in the windows) until the Town Hall opened in 1888. But the boundary never sat still. Annandale petitioned out in 1894, then returned with Balmain in 1949. Glebe joined in 1967, left in 2003, and the 2016 merger folded Leichhardt into Inner West Council. (Source: State Records Agency, A brief history of early Leichhardt)

Inner West Community Energy is putting on a free event at Leichhardt Town Hall on Saturday 24 October. Doors open at 10am, with Mr Midnight Oil himself former federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett kicking things off at 11am and journo and Gamilaroi woman Brooke Boney chairing the Q&A from 11:15am. Solar installers, battery and hot water companies, the CSIRO's home energy expert and the Energy and Water Ombudsman will all be on hand. If you've been curious about going solar or getting a battery, could be a good morning out. Register free at Humanitix. (Source: Leichhardt Facebook Community Group)

While we’re on electricity, there’s a new buzz at the Italian Forum continues with the carpark becoming home to six fast EV chargers. The Forum offers two hours of free parking with no validation, so there’s a good chance to get a meal and enjoy it while the car tops up. (Source: Leichhardt Facebook Community Group)

Inner West Council wants to know what you think about closing a section of Carlisle St to cars for a 12-month pedestrian space trial. Submissions are open until 28 October on the Your Say page.

The proposal has stirred strong views, with concerns that extra traffic would push onto Marlborough and Short streets, and questions about whether the space would mostly benefit the nearby pub. Others see it as a chance to make the precinct more walkable. Worth a look if you've got a view.