A significant restoration project being undertaken by City of Sydney Council is helping to preserve Sydney Park’s iconic brick kilns and chimneys.
The structures, on the corner of the Princes Highway and Sydney Park Road in Alexandria, will be stabilised and the surrounding area will be landscaped as part of the works.
Lord Mayor, Clover Moore said the improvements would sensitively incorporate the park’s industrial past.
“The kilns and chimneys at Sydney Park are culturally important and we want to embed the site’s history into the landscape,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We’re going to retain the industrial character of the park while creating a beautiful new entrance and special place for our communities to enjoy.
“The City is a leader in marrying historical structures and green space, such as at the wonderful Paddington Reservoir Gardens, and we’re ready to create another memorable space at Sydney Park.”
The Sydney Park brick kiln and chimney precinct contains substantial remains from the brick making industry that once dominated the area. Shale was extracted from deep pits, crushed and pressed into green bricks that were fired in the large kilns.
Proposed works include:
- a raised lawn area and plaza spaces for small outdoor gatherings;
- interpretation of the site’s heritage including paved outlines of kilns, rail tracks and brick pits that once existed in the park;
- better access to the area from the Princes Highway;
- stabilisation of the brick kilns and the reinstatement of roofs on the structures.
Built in the 19th century and located in the north-west corner of the park, the brick structures a symbol of the city’s industrial heritage and hold historical and cultural significance.
In 2017, Council restored two of the four chimneys.
