Mayor makes plea to rethink demolition of Royal Oak Hotel in Parramatta
A last minute plea to save one of Parramatta’s most historic hotels from demolition has been made by Lord Mayor Andrew Wilson.
Describing the Royal Oak Hotel as “one of the jewels in Parramatta’s crown” Wilson has called on the NSW Government to stop the hotel from being knocked down to make way for next year’s light rail works.
“When I heard the government was no longer going to use Church Street for heavy traffic and trucks in the city, but instead move them on to O’Connell Street, I thought the government should be fast enough on its feet to save the Royal Oak from demolition,” Wilson told The Daily Telegraph.
“I’d like the State Government to take some notice of the human impacts of building the light rail in Parramatta.
“To keep the history of the Royal Oak, which is certainly part of our fabric and one of the jewels in Parramatta’s crown, would be wonderful. And I call on the government to recognise this before it’s too late.”
However, the Transport Department is standing firm saying the “removal” of the Royal Oak Hotel was “necessary” to provide sufficient space for two light rail tracks, one traffic lane on either side of the light rail, and a footpath on either side of the road.
Sheridan Randall, 9th January 2019
