Last week ABC radio jumped into the debate on how to fix Leichhardt on Josh Szeps Afternoons talkback program. It started with cringe worthy Italian wedding reception music, referencing Italian stereotypes and clichés.
Then jumping into a Spaghetti Western soundtrack of “The Good The Bad and The Ugly”, focusing on the much criticised Italian Forum. On how that segment started, it seemed subliminal that perhaps Leichhardt should hold onto its Italian roots but remember that recently “Possum Bob” the builder from over the bridge, purchased a small section of the Forum containing just the Italian Cultural Centre and its connected open public Piazza.
What vision he may have in mind for preserving the Italian vibe no one yet knows, but most likely it will be based on Italian typecasts from over a generation ago. There are some in our community believing that the Italian Forum is an eyesore as well as the worst interpretation of an Italian Piazza ever built.
Those views tend to slap the original architect of the Forum, Italian-born Romaldo Giurgola who also designed Australia’s New Parliament House in Canberra. However, the Forum’s inhabitants are staunch supporters of its inner beauty, but here lies another problem – not all factions agree on its next evolutionary step and its relationship with Norton Street, except to say that it needs to comeback to its old self.
One thing is for certain, the land of which the entire Italian Forum stands on has a Crown Covenant dating back to 1989. It clearly states that the land must incorporate “cultural facilities comprising an Auditorium, Function Hall, Meeting Room, Art Gallery and Library… to comprise floor space of not less than 1100 square metres or 10% of the land.” It further adds the requirement of having “a large outdoor recreational area or piazza suitable for general outdoor activities”. It is safe to say that the last Cultural Centre and Piazza owner had difficulty abiding to those conditions and according to some owners in the Forum, showed no accountability for the extra funds given to them from the Forum’s commercial strata, to help fund cultural activities on a regular basis.
As they say, “All Roads Lead to Rome” and the Deputy Mayor, Phillipa Scott states in her radio interview with Josh, that Council’s role is to make sure that Norton Street has an attractive streetscape especially near the Italian Forum. She insists that the Forum “is a private shopping centre and those private stake holders need to work together.” Her solution to revitalising Norton Street apart from adding more apartments on top of it, is to “prioritise people and walkability, not cars” for the area.
She even goes further to suggest encouraging walking connections between town centres such as from Ashfield to Leichhardt, and in her words “not impossible for someone to want to choose to do that on a nice afternoon.” The Inner West Council is working closely with the local chamber of commerce, exploring other strategies to attract more new businesses into Norton Street, but they have left a very poor impression on those anchor businesses that epitomise the Little Italy sentiment.
It would make much more sense to attract a new generation of Italian entrepreneurial migrants to the area, bringing with them a fresh vibrancy and modernisation, enough to help differentiate the main street as a unique destination. In turn, adding to another chapter of Leichhardt’s wonderful local history and as well honouring its Italian connections.
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