Parramatta Metro Station Update | Sydney Metro West Project 2022 | The Demolition Stage!
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- In this Parramatta Metro Station Update video, I will reveal the demolition work that is currently taking place to make way for this key Sydney Metro West Station.
I start with the buildings on Macquarie Street. These are primarily office and retail buildings, but also include the Heritage Listed Kio Ora building, which is also known as Houison's Cottage. Find out if this building will stay or be demolished.
I then cover the demolition of the Parramatta City Centre Car Park that runs along Macquarie Lane and Horwood Place. If you're a public transport advocate, you'll enjoy this bit!
You'll then see the demolition of the Parramall Shopping Centre which ran along Horwood Place and George Street. Luckily, I caught it all on film before demolition work started, so you can remember it forever! Although I never visited the Parramall Shopping Centre, I was a little sad to see it go.
I'll briefly cover the Roxy Theatre and how the Parramatta Metro Station might influence its future.
I then cover the buildings been demolished on George Street. These include the Crunch Fitness Building, but not IGA or the heritage listed victorian sandstone building at 45 George Street. You'll also see what is staying and going on Church Street.
I then cover the Greenway Plaza which is another shopping mall that is being demolished. You'll see the shops that used to be on the outside of Greenway Plaza, and a quick peek inside as well. This building was still standing in April 2022, but probably won't be for much longer.
In this video, I also reveal the confirmed station entrance which will be on the new Civic Link path that will replace part of Horwood Place. This new Civic Link path will link the Parramatta Sydney Trains station, with the new Parramatta Metro Station and then continue to the Parramatta River.
The location of a second entrance to Parramatta Metro Station is still being decided. In this video, I reveal where I think it might be and why.
This is a long video, so relax, grab a cuppa and enjoy seeing the Parramatta CBD landscape changing for ever!
More Locations kindly provided some additional footage for Macquarie Lane that was taken in July 2020. Do check out his channel, as there are some great transport videos on there, as well as many walking videos of sites around Sydney.
More Locations UA-cam Channel - / morelocations
More Locations video that included the Macquarie Street footage - • Walking Along PARRAMAT...
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Macquarie Street Demolition
04:52 Parramatta City Centre Car Park Demolition
08:19 Parramall Demolition
13:47 Civic Link and Station Entrance
15:42 The Roxy Theatre
16:51 George Street Demolition and what is staying.
19:16 What is going and staying on Church Street
21:38 Greenway Plaza Demolition
26:30 Second Station Entrance
** Attribution **
Open Streetmap - Map Data © OpenStreetMap contributors: www.openstreetmap.org/copyright
Google Maps Aerial Photos - Google Maps. Imagery ©2022 CNES / Airbus, Maxar Technologies, Map data ©2022 - about.google/brand-resource-c...
Google Streetview Images - © 2022 Google Australia - about.google/brand-resource-c...
More Locations video footage - • Walking Along PARRAMAT...
Google Streetview Images
68 Macquarie Street - goo.gl/maps/5H2htvssxa9KT1ZPA
70 and 72 Macquarie Street - goo.gl/maps/pCeoaAdVQZf5HGAF7
72 Macquarie Street - goo.gl/maps/anv9gmxdQN3UfXsc7
74 Macquarie Street - goo.gl/maps/o6EG1LG6Y2H2pRuz7
Parramatta Station Entrance Artist Impression Image - www.sydneymetro.info/sites/de...
Sydney Metro Website - Parramatta Station Page - www.sydneymetro.info/station/...
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** Social Media ***
Twitter - / transportvlog
** Equipment and Applications **
Cameras
iPhone 11 (most footage)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 camera (for the serious zoomed in close-ups!)
Microphones
Sabinetek SmartMike+ (when filming)
Rode Smartlav+ (when editing)
Editing Software
Final Cut Pro
Maps created using Affinity Designer
** Disclaimers. **
All footage is taken from a public vantage point. The only exception is if it's an open day or I have special permission to access the site. The iPhone's small lens and zoom function makes it easier to film through small gaps in hoardings or fencing, so it may look like I'm on site when I'm not! If you would like to know the exact filming location, then ask me in the comments.
So good that you are documenting what will be "old Parramatta". It can be like a time capsule in future decades.
Thanks! - Yes I felt that it was important to capture the whole project on film, including the demolition stage! It will be interesting to see how popular this video will be in 8 years time!
Some gruelling eyesores are now gone. Parramatta is one the most unpleasant urban areas that are also very busy. Good to see that our cities are starting to become a good place to be rather than some thing to scurry through. Parramatta square is excellent.
Hi Andrew, yes this new station, along with Parramatta Square will help make Parramatta CBD a place to spend some time in!
I lived in Parra either side of the Olympics and found it to be a great place. Some buildings or areas were in need of renewing but over-all a decent place. I'd consider going back there if rents were cheaper and I was ever going back to the city.
Westfield WILL BE PISSED! They offered to pay for the station to go underground and lead into Westfield back 22ish years ago. For them to now do this so much further away is both a kick to the teeth and is seriously bloody outright stupid when Westfield IS the centre of Parramatta like it or not.
Hate parra it’s never been my hangout of choice. Wish that revamp Oxford street Sydney . Keep all the drunks in George street
Andrew obviously hasn’t seen much of Sydney.
Maybe it was just the day, but Parramatta was surprisingly idle in terms of traffic, which made it easy to cycle in. Tram development looks great.
Spent most of the past seven years on the non Westfield side of Parramatta working and studying. It was an absolute shock to see how much Parramatta had changed in a year and half of working from home. Got some footage of Parramalls demolition when I went back to the workplace, not sure how I feel about all those smaller shopping centres go. Lots of memories in those places.
Yes, it would have been a shock! This area of Parramatta was the first place I came to after the lockdown finished! Yes the smaller shopping centres do seem to be on the decline generally in Sydney.
Great to see someone taking the effort to film this historic change, not only to inform us but it's also good for posterity. I grew up around Merrylands, not far from Parramatta and as a kid, I used to ride my BMX bike all over that place and it's kind of sad how it's all changed over the years.
I was also a long time customer of that Bizy Scizzors Barber shop at the Greenway Plaza. He's over at George St now.
Thanks for the video.
Yes I felt that it was important to have this historic change on video! - I wish I'd done this for the City & Southwest line, but that was before I started this channel. Yes I saw Bizy Scizzors on George Street and also spotted quite a few of the other shops in their new locations. Glad you enjoyed this video.
Agree with your statement Paul, nothing better to replace a CBD car park with than a Metro station!
Yes absolutely!
Thanks Paul. Very pleased to see the demise of some of Parra's fugliest buildings. But very happy to see the retention of the Roxy. There was a rejected proposal to build an office tower above it a couple of years ago. I fondly recall seeing Empire Strikes Back at the Roxy in 1980.
Hi Matt, yes good to see The Roxy staying and thanks for sharing your memories!
Hi Matt, yes I recall seeing a lot of movies there when I was a teenager in the 80s. I imagine like me you also did some business in the video game arcade near the front / side of the cinema. Been a long time resident of Parramatta since about the 90s, and have recently bought a unit in the new Lennox building. Great to see Parra getting such a huge facelift.
I grew up in the Parramatta area (in Wentworthville). I hate the new changes to the City. Those old buildings had a certain charm. Saw alot of movies at the Roxy myself...seeing Return Of the Jedi was the best childhood memory of the Theater. Glad to hear they are not demolishing this beautiful heritage listed icon.
I remember back in the 60's of my Uncle Rub's Taylor shop in George St not far from The Roxy. Be sadly missed as I remember going there quite often when I was at Macarthur Girls High School in East Parramatta..
Was called Langford Taylors shop.
.
Very cool video. Love all the little reflections and thoughts.
Thanks Nicholas. Glad you enjoyed it.
I remember The Greenway Plaza when it was sparkling and brand new, was opened in 1982 and was beautiful back then
Sad to see it go
Must have been very interesting to see it when it opened. So many of these shopping plaza's have gone in Sydney over the last few years. I miss their food courts with independent vendors (rather than the usual Maccas, Hungry Jacks, KFC etc). Hunter Street in the CBD will also be going, but that's for another video!
Excellent work. A very thorough and well researched historical record. I used to often park in the Horwood Place carpark and was surprised to see it missing on my last visit to Parramatta.
Thanks Rick! I appreciate your feedback. Yes it must have been strange seeing Horwood Place without the car park!
Amazing work! Thanks so much!
You're very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the video
Regularly shopped at the Greenway. Great junk shops. Also the other Arcade near crunch. Watched crunch start up. Watched 2 shops start up, clothing and food.
Cool! - Some nice memories there! It's pleasing to know that the majority of shops and Crunch fitness found new premises.
Thank you Paul. Amazing video.
Thanks!
Excellent update. Greenway Plaza has been is bad repair for many years the same with ParraMall. If anything it's good to see them go. As for the Car Park that was my normal place to park during the day, it has been missed.
Anyway looking forward to the next updated. Thanks again.
Thanks Paul, Glad you enjoyed this update.
great video!
Thanks Simon
Quite often I used to travel to ParraMall just to have lunch- I miss those days. Thank you for documenting this.
You're very welcome Keith. Glad it bought back some memories!
Really great video...thanks for explaining so nicely
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Very cool and love the discussion! Love Parramatta
Thanks Ed! - Yes, we have a very lively discussion going on in the comments!
I grew up in Parra in the 90's. I remember hanging out waiting for my mum to finish shopping at Parra mall Franklin's. There used to be a computer shop where the drycleaners was and a scuba diving shop on the corner of Horwood place and George st. Crunch fitness used to be office works. Lots of good memories in that area. I don't like how the parking lots are being destroyed. The Horwood place one is the 3rd one to be removed. Hopefully there will be additional parking somewhere nearby.
Thanks for sharing your memories! - Interesting that Crunch Fitness used to be an Officeworks! Yes I'd heard that a few other carparks had gone.
what you are saying about the entrance to the metro near the light makes sense to me keep up the good work
Thanks Ken. I've just received confirmation that the second entrance will be on Church Street!
It seems a huge site, with the amount of buildings have to be torn down. Thanks once again from the UK for another great update.
Hi Andrew, yes it is a large site, although I think Westmead is a little larger. It's certainly the most interesting in terms of the variety of buildings that are being demolished. Lovely to hear from a UK viewer.
Awesome work as always. I appreciate your videos!
You're very welcome George
This brings back memories. Worked opposite the Roxy at 74-80 George Street from 1980 until 1987 - The old United Permanent Building Society building before it became National Mutual Royal Bank and moved down George Street to the Octagon building.
Parramall was the closest lunch stop back then, so remember it well, along with Horwood Place carpark.
Great to hear that this video bought back some memories, and thanks for sharing them! I bet lunch cost much less back then!
Another great and informative Vlog Paul....I don’t always comment..but always look forward to your vlogs..can’t wait till all of these fantastic projects are up and running....Cheers!
Thanks Terence, yes I often think about what it will be like to Vlog something new when it opens! I think the new Aerial Concourse at Sydenham or Central Walk at Central Station are likely to be the first ones!
@@TransportVlog yes..both due to open later this year I believe...also I believe that Metro 2 will open as far as Sydenham in 2024 before the remainder of the line to Bankstown is completed..is that your understanding?
@@terencemccarthy8615 Yes that's what they are planning now. It's even possible that Chatswood to Sydenham might open in 2023!
@@TransportVlog ..just in time for the election then!(he says sarcastically)..well as long as it’s not rushed and no corners are cut to make it happen
Moved out of Parra after 30 years to emu plains near penrith,happy I did...
Thank you, took a screenshot of 68 Macquarie St, used to work there.
Nice! - Top tip, on Google Streetview, you can filter images all the way back to 2008! I've been using this to remind myself of what was there before some of the Sydney Metro City and Southwest stations started being built.
Thanks for another great update Paul. Well done!
You're very welcome Jim! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Paul, another quality presentation from you and I can only say that Metro will certainly be an improvement for this location. I have always found this to be a depressing part of Parramatta especially when the Roxy Theatre was a nightclub. The streets covered in this video became a hangout for the intoxicated and drug affected with violent crime being a regular occurrence. I remember when the Roxy was a cinema in the late 70's and 80's and managed by Hoyts.
Parramall and Greenway look soulless, and I mean when they existed. There was little that attracted me to going to that part of Parramatta, other than to get somewhere else.
Hi John, thanks! Yes it will really transform this area. I remember feeling fairly uncomfortable when I first came to Horwood Place in January 2021. I have noticed the occasional unsavoury character on subsequent visits. I've found the section of Church Street between George and Macquarie Street to be more challenging to film, with a few weird characters that could kick up a fuss if they thought I was filming them! Yes I heard that Roxy was owned by Hoyts for a while. Let's hope this building gets a new lease of life!
Yes I could understand why you wouldn't want to hang around in this area! It is certainly perfect for redevelopment!
@@TransportVlog The government should require large shops that currently have a 6 hour maximum trading limit on Sundays because there are less international tourists and people have less money to spend because the cost of living has gone up. By closing on Sundays you get more people to go out on different days.
Banning Sunday trading for large shops would reduce overheads for businesses and attract more people to town centres, shopping centres city centres etc on weekdays and especially on Saturdays. The government should tell businesses what to do because businesses don't always make the right decisions and some of these businesses go into administration, this cost jobs and costs the UK economy. Small shops would be unaffected and all shops would be unaffected between Monday and Saturday.
Under my proposal large shops would still be able to freely between Monday and Saturdays including bank and public holidays such as Boxing Day or New year's Day but excluding Christmas Day. My proposal requires large shops to close on all Sundays throughout the year and on Christmas Day whatever day of the week it falls on. I think Sunday trading was good pre Brexit, pre cost of living pre covid because there were more international tourists and people had more money to spend and my idea is if you close the large shop on Sundays you attract more people out to shopping centres, city centres, town centres, high streets, retail parks etc on the days of the week especially on Saturday. There are less international tourists here now and people will have less money to spend so my idea is to get more people to go out on other days of the week. This has nothing to do with religion, workers rights or family life. Extended Sunday trading would have been good before but not now.
Also under my proposal small shops would still be able to open and trade whenever they want because they have less overheads and they provide convenience to people.
I also urge you to write a letter to your MP and I urge you to tell everyone you know to write to their MP why Sunday trading should be banned and withdrawn. You should also copy all of this exact message and send it to everyone you know and get everyone you know to send this exact message to other people they know and so on.
@@collinparker2674 Having lived through a time when shops didn't open on Sundays, I personally prefer it the way it is now. Also more shops open means more trains to serve them!
good video mate
Thanks Joseph
Just thought I’d say I really loved this video
Thanks! - I appreciate that! 😀
The loss of both Parramall and Greenway Plaza is going to leave a deficit of small shopping centres in Parramatta. Going to Westfield for anything is a commitment in itself. Being able to nip off the street for clothing repair, a loaf of bread, decent donuts, comic books ( who have long since moved ) laksa or a cup of coffee all in the same block I parked my car was a massive convince. I do hope a new mall ( as the cool kids call them now ) is built as part of the metro development.
And yes demolishing a parking lot to put up a rail station does show which way the wind is blowing.
That would be great if it weren't for the fact that Parramall, Greenway Plaza (and everything else in the surrounding area for that matter) were dilapadated, drug and crime infested eyesores. It's such a relief to see these awful structures finally being demolished and redeveloped for a shiny new metro station.
Hi Francesco, yes unfortunately these smaller shopping centres (with their wonderful food courts with independent vendors) are on the decline. I've seen 2 go in North Sydney in the last 10 years and the Hunter Connection in the CBD will also be going for the new Hunter Street Station. Hopefully there will be some retail as part of the new station and the car park going does illustrate the shift towards high quality public transport.
@@c.d.c9425 delapidated yes, like much of central parramatta that is not westfield mall but i have seen more poverty on the streets of central Sydney then in parramatta and yet to see a drug or crime related event in that area. That was my go to car park and i was never so much as approached by a beggar, not something i can say about Elizabeth steet in the city.
@@TransportVlog Good job please keep us updated. Especially On parramatta in general , Sydney station upgrades, and Sydney CBD new skyline towers
@@zebrakacole5822 Yes will do, although I'll only cover the new towers that are over the new metro stations. Hopefully there are some other youtubers that can cover more of the construction and buildings.
glad that you're documenting all this. your videos will be invaluable when work is finished
Thanks Shaun. Yes I hope they will be! My motivation to do this came from not filming the buildings that were demolished for the Chatswood to Sydenham part of the metro. This included many in North Sydney that I remember visiting regularly.
Used to park the work vehicle in the Horwood Place car park. Definately won't miss that smell of the staircase.
Nice to see Kia Ora staying behind thanks Rita
Hi Rita, Yes, I'm very pleased that it's staying as well!
Hi Paul,
Great and informative video with excellent presentation. I'll be sure to share this video in my channel's community page.
Thanks Hendra, I appreciate your lovely feedback. Thanks again for letting me use some of your footage, and for sharing this video as well.
@@TransportVlog My pleasure! You're very welcome.
Good job! I was wondering what was going on there
Thanks Marcelo, so now you know!
Thanks again Paul. It all looks like a great refresh for the entire Paramatta area. Great video.
You're very welcome! Glad you enjoyed this video. Yes it's going to be a massive improvement to this part of Parramatta.
Brings back some memories when I used to live in the area
Hi Tony, glad this video bought back some memories for you.
I grew up within a stone's throw of Parramatta and invariably as an adult still lived within a stone's throw of it and spent 52 years in the area all in all until moving north to Brisbane in 2016. I have always loved Parramatta (and still do) and spent many a day and night there for one reason or another be it dinner at Sabatini's, shopping at David Jones (when it was still on Church Street), going to Westfield, the Parramatta Riverside Theatres, Harry's Cafe de Wheels or in the much earlier days, the Roxy Parramatta. I can remember going to the Roxy as a kid in the late 60's, early 70's and it was truly at its best when run by Hoyts but the poor old place has had such a chequered past. Hoyts couldn't seem to make it work as a cinema and then there was a nightclub but that invariably went too. I vaguely recall too there was even a fire once in the Roxy as it was closed for a while after that but ultimately re-opened. Don't quote me on that as the old memory isn't what it once was. I always used the Horwood place car park as it was so handy especially if going to the Roxy! I had an uncle whom I recall told me in the early 90's, if you want a good investment, buy property in Parramatta. A lot of government offices will be relocated there and when that happens, Parramatta will boom he said. For various reasons, I never was able to buy property in Parramatta but how right that uncle was! I wish I would have been able to.
It's kind of sad seeing all these things bulldozed but alas, you can't stand in the way of progress and some of them were an eyesore when I did still live in Sydney, let alone 6 years later. Thank you Paul for taking this footage and describing in detail what is happening and is going to happen. I found it very interesting and informative and as others have said, a great record of history. I have not been back to Sydney since late 2018, mainly due to Covid, but I still own my former home 20kms from Parramatta and suspect the next time I see it, I simply won't recognise it anymore.....but how exciting a place it will still be, at least for me anyway.
Hi Paul, Thanks for sharing your memories of living in this area of Parramatta. Your uncle was spot on there. All the remaining buildings (except for the 2 heritage listed) ones have now been demolished. It will be interesting to see this area change over the next few years. Hope you can pay a visit soon. Glad you enjoyed this video.
Definitely a lot of demolition for this, great video, looking forward to more. I can tell you put a LOT of time into this video, thanks for your dedication Paul. I must’ve not noticed before, but congratulations for 4k subscribers!
Thanks! This video did take a lot of time and effort! I was so pleased to get it finished and out there. It seems to be the most popular of my current Sydney Metro West series, so I'm really pleased about that! Yes it was wonderful to reach 4K subscribers too!
@@TransportVlog
Also, do you have any news if you’re continuing the front of train with commentary (metro) or end of the line series?
@@givendiau I'm continuing to prioritise the update videos, especially Chatswood Dive Site, Central Station and Trains Facility South. My plan for the next few months is to cover one Sydney Metro West station and one Western Sydney Airport station per month. I'lll probably do another Parramatta Light Rail Update video too. And there are new ferries, emission free buses and Citadis Trams on the L1! So anything that is not time critical is taking a back seat at the moment. I might squeeze in Dubbo end of the line soon, because that won't take me very long to edit. This is the most exciting time for public transport in Sydney for a generation, so I'm keen to make the most of covering this!
You have done a wonderful presentation on how some of these eyesore buildings have dissappeared. Your presentation is one of the best I’ve seen. We live on the Norwest Line. It’s great to have a train to get on to.
Hi Margaret, Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Good to hear that you live on the Norwest metro line. I hope to do some filming on that line again soon, as its been a while!
48 Macquarie street looks like it would’ve been built between the 1930s-40s. A very streamline moderne building.
I was thinking more like 1960s. It looks older than the other office buildings on Macquarie Street.
WOW i use to go to Parramatta for uni, now its nearly recognizable for me...
I was born in Parramatta and lived in the area until the late 1970s. As a child I remember Westfield being built, it was previously a Grace Bros (now Myers) store. Greenway Plaza took over the site of Coles in Parramatta with the entrances on Church St (prior to becoming a mall) and Horwood Place/Macquarie St. That was when Coles was a variety store instead of just a supermarket, I remember going there for milkshakes and Vegemite sandwiches. There was also a huge Coles (complete with cafeteria) in the City before Pitt St became a mall.
I won’t miss Horwood Place car park it was dirty and had a dodgy lift 20 years ago when I worked at the NAB in George St. I moved to the country that year and haven’t been for a visit since. I will be in Sydney next weekend, I think you have inspired me to make a detour and hop on a train and check out old sights.
Thanks for sharing your memories. I didn't know that Coles used to be there (and that Coles was once a variety store!). Do pay a visit if you can next weekend. You might just see the remains of the Greenway Plaza before it gets demolished!
@@TransportVlog yes, the coles in parramatta was a variety store and had a cafeteria. went to it often. and my friend's mum used to work there. Re the buildings on corner of church and macquarie sts, it would be good if that upper facade could be fully restored to former glory
Thanks Paul for a great video. Good seeing the different stages of demolition and the before and after captures. Some good comments here. I am pretty sure I and a friend parked in that car park not all that long ago. I worked in a couple of different places in Parramatta in the late 80's. Parking in Parramatta has been at a premium for years and very difficult. Look forward to your next Parra update.
Hi Geoffrey, parking in most CBD areas is quite difficult and expensive now. It definitely makes more sense now to come in on public transport.
Parramatta city will be a big different city and thank you Paul!
Hi Shoe, yes it certainly will be, especially with Parramatta Light Rail as well.
I grew up in Greystanes in the 80's and early 90s I finish my schooling at Rowland Hassell ST special school witch is at the bottom of Hassell street. I remember all these places extremally well I have seen many movies back in the Roxy
Nice! thanks for sharing your memories. With all the remaining buildings now demolished (except for the two heritage ones), the Roxy is much more visible now!
A lot of those eyesore buildings will not be missed, rather, they will be happily replaced with a modern metro station. Demolish works have progressed very rapidly, which is good to see. Well and truly in time for tunneling to commence later this year. Thanks heaps Paul, your videos are incredibly well structured and knowledgable. You deserve an award (definitely more subscribers at least) haha!
Thanks! Yes I've been struggling to keep up with all the demolition works! - Luckily I was able to film the majority of buildings before they started getting dismantled! This video has been a hit! - The most popular video I've done this year, so I'm noticing the subscriber count increasing as a result.
Mick Simmons used to be on the corner of Macquarie St on the outside of Greenway Plaza
Wild to see how much the area is changing! May the good work continue.
Yes absolutely!
Commenting on old video (found you recently - enjoying them all btw!) though I'd hazard a guess and say the IGA on George Street closed as their loading dock is on Horwood Place (the little offshoot street to the left of the car park on the right) so they'd be unable to get goods into the store as that area (and the small employee/business car par/spaces with it) are now fenced off under a NSW Gov banner, likely so they can park/leave equipment there.
Great that you're watching my older videos, especially the Parramatta Metro one. IGA on George Street has been closed for a couple of years now. They said it was due to Parramatta Light Rail, but that doesn't really make sense! When I was last there, road access to the IGA loading bay was still possible via Horwood Place, but that was probably 2 or 3 months ago now. You'll be pleased to know that there will be a station entrance on Church Street and an underground connection to the Parramatta Train station.
Another enjoyable video Paul!
Keep up the great work!
Can’t say I’m going to miss any of that - especially Paramall, the Greenway plaza, or the car park. Indeed Parramatta should get rid of or redo all of its terrible car parks.
Thanks Benjamin! Glad you enjoyed it. Let's see what happens to the other car parks!
Good to see the old Leigh Memorial Church on Macquarie Street is still there. I have a mate who fed the homeless at that church l and he mentioned plenty of can sniffers used to loiter nearby. It really is sad how people fall off the tracks literally.
Yes it is sad to see people on the streets like that, and lovely to hear that your mate helps them out. Yes the Leigh Memorial Church is getting lots of excitement with a Parramatta Light Rail double crossover in front of it, and now a metro station being built on the other side of Macquarie Street!
My main memory from the area was the Roxy Cinema, back when it showed alternative and arthouse films. That carpark was conveniently close by, but the lifts were really slow and it was a bit of a rabbit warren in general, so I won't miss it. There used to be a shoe shop in one of those shopping centres that specialised in shoes large enough to fit me, but that disappeared years ago, and I never really visited those shopping centres otherwise.
Hi Mik, thanks for sharing your memories. I never ventured into the car park and I think both shopping malls had closed by the time I did my first visit in early 2021.
I remember watching Terminator 2 as a kid at the Roxy and then I worked at the Roxy Hotel bar while at uni!
I used to buy hot chips a Greenway mall in junior High!
WOW I have not been there in 20 years not since I moved to the Outback, I’m stunned that the car park was removed I use to park there every time I was in Parramatta. I hope they are going to rebuild a new carpark.
Seeing all the changes has been such a shock that’s for sure, Mom and I use to walk around Parramatta shopping for our girls day out. Pleased that the Roxy is staying but was surprised it was not open any more, spent many a Friday night watching a movie back in the day.
Everything looks so dead now I remember you just could not move quickly it was always so busy back in the 80’s and 90’s the last time I was in Parramatta was in 2008 and even then it was all still very busy, but after watching you walk around it just looks dead.
Hi Angela, lovely to hear that this video reached you in the outback! Lots is changing in Parramatta including a light rail line that will link Westmead, North Parramatta, the CBD and then continue to Camellia and up to Carlingford. Do check out my other videos to see how Parramatta is changing for light rail. Other parts of Parramatta are a lot busier including Westfield, parts of Church Street (known as Eat Street) and areas close to the Parramatta River. There is definitely a push towards public transport, so I'm not sure if the council will build any new car parks. Hope you can come and visit again soon ad thanks for sharing your memories!
Thanks very much for this very thorough reporting of the area sset for the Metro station. Horwood place was a terribly messy area. I hope that the whole area will be well designed executed and maintained.. I hope that the pavements will be well aligned and appropriate tol the new development. The alternative entrance to Metro would be efficient if it coincided with the tram stop in Church Street... You have done yourself proud. Avidly awaiting more.
Hi Luke, I'm sure the whole area will be transformed and be far more welcoming than it is now! I was surprised that they kept Horwood Place open, whilst the demolition work was happening, but it helped me to get some good demolition footage! Thanks for your lovely feedback on this video.
Parramatta will thank you for your videos one day.
You will definitely be in the History of Parramatta.
Keep up the great work 👍🤗🤗😁
Yes I hope so! I think its so important to remember what was there before and I hope people will still watch this video in 8 years time when the new station has opened!
@@TransportVlog 8 years… if seems such a long time since demolition has already begun.
I agree with Oktay Ozbaki I think it is great that you document this, hopefully people will watch well beyond 8 yrs
Love your work. Keep up the good work.
Thanks - yes will do.
It’s good to see they are demolishing those ugly buildings that were made in the 1970’s. There are a lot of those eyesores around Sydney. Keep up the good work, your videos are so good and informative. 👍🏼
Yep, there are 70s eye sores all over the world! Glad you're enjoying my videos.
@@TransportVlog There were some great buildings in the 70s.
I used to go to school in Parramatta - it has changed massively since I was last there
That's cool! Yes Parramatta is changing a lot at the moment.
beautiful work 👏 . . hope to see after all of that finished
Thanks Osama. Yes me too!
I used the bicycle parking in the old car park. It was just a large metal cage. It did have card access to toilets and showers inside the car park
Hi Pat, I didn't realise there was bicycle parking there and showers too! That's was quite forward thinking!
Hey transport vlog I've been curious to know how you find out what year Buildings of House's and Office towers were built? I would have to say with that Parramatta City Centre Carpark being built in 1975 definitely looked like it had reached the end of it's Days
For the Parramatta Metro video, I was able to find the build dates by googling them. It wasn't easy though! For Sydney CBD, I did make contact with something in the archiving team of Sydney Council and they helped me identify the dates. Yes the Parramatta City Centre Carpark had definitely seen better days!
banger content
Thanks!
As if there won't be a Macquarie St entrance. Right opposite the light rail stop?
There might be! It would be good for light rail and Parramatta Train station.
Two of my favourite channels colliding? Transport Vlog and More Locations? I just can not deal on this day. These comparison videos are the best though. Keep up the great work Paul!
That's cool! The more locations footage was before I'd started Transport Vlog! Glad you enjoyed the comparisons! Yes will do!
Is that building Behind, Next to the cottage will be demolished right and the car park who was almost demolished is demolished
Hi Nico, yes all buildings, except for the two heritage listed ones have now gone.
Great video and information.
Lived in this area for over 35 years.
Great to see the area being redeveloped.
One thing Id like to see is a better link from Parramatta Railway Station to The River Cat on Charles Street Wharf.
Hi Robyn, Yes Civic Link should help improve this connection. The river is looking really good now with new shared paths and restaurants close by.
Can someone explain why the Parra metro is so far from Parramatta train station? I thought they were suppose to function side by side. Parra station is a good 8-10 minute walk away from the current Metro station location unless there going to be a big bus station outside the metro for this
Great question! The space around the existing station is limited, and has many new buildings that couldn't be knocked down! A station could have been excavated underground, but it would be much smaller. Since this video, I have found out that there will be a direct underground connection between the two stations and an additional entrance on Church Street. However, if you're coming from the west, it will be easier to interchange for the metro at Westmead.
Nice one Paul! How’s the Parramatta Light Rail looking? If you were to guess, when do you think it will finish?
Hi Ben, the platforms are now in place at Eat Street and the Parramatta Square stop is looking more finished. I believe the green track is now in place within the Cumberland Hospital area. I'm planning to take a walk (or maybe a cycle) along the whole line in June. I have noticed some other people doing Parramatta Light Rail updates on UA-cam, so worth searching for these.
I saw Star Wars when it came out at The Roxy! At least the first 5 times I saw it anyway!!!
That's cool! Thanks for sharing!
Given this is very large infrastructure project in the Heart of Parramatta , will there be new shops or shopping incorporated around the new Parramatta Metro
Hi Stuart, yes absolutely! - The area required for construction is larger than will be needed for the actual station, so there will be plenty of space for shops and restaurants.
Thanks for the video, it’s a real eye opener, so many changes, I remember when both Parra Mall and Greenways Arcade first opened. Before Greenway, it was A Coles variety store, with a big coles eating area at the back. I guess this is progress. Their is a Laneway Red Cow Lane on George street up towards Church St, this laneway was name after the Red Cow Inn, my great great grand father Vince Carr was one of the many licensee back in the 1800.
Yes, lots of changes! Thanks for sharing your memories, especially of the Coles variety store and the Red Cow Inn laneway! Awesome to hear that your great great great grand father was a local!
There is a coal seam running through this area.
I saw it from the railway station when they were excavating for Parramatta Square.
Its something to keep an eye out for in future programs.
Those delightful houses on George St. are Georgian not Victorian. Georgian On George....
Good of you point out the businesses that have moved & the new addresses.
Hi Patrick, Yes I'll keep an eye out for the coal seem. Thanks for clarifying 45 George Street. My info came from the Sydney Metro documentation. Yes I reckon about 80% of businesses found a new home. I might visit some of them when I'm next in Parramatta.
Was passing through this area today and was pleasantly surprised with the new changes
Excellent presentation lots of changes but it will be modern and enticing,look forward to see when completed. Wonderful, and thank you
Thanks Mary, Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your lovely feedback. Yes this area will look so different in a few years!
I worked on 60 Macquarie street building when new as an Electrician, 1981-82. Keep the video coming Paul you're doing a great job. Also parked in the car park over the years as it was the only place to have available parking in these area.
Hi Andrew, cool! - I guess that means that 60 Macquarie Street was built in the 1970s (or perhaps earlier). Thanks for your lovely feedback on my videos.
@@TransportVlog Built 81-2's mate.
Thanks Paul for another quality presentation. I often visited Parramall and the surrounding area and thinking to myself what dirty and run down buildings/area. So, very glad to see the buildings demolished and ready to see more plants and trees the Sydney Metro site with hopefully bring.
You're very welcome Patrick, Yes this area is completely devoid of trees! I'm sure we will see some vegetation around the new metro station.
I had no idea that the project was so big. Whilst i've not had the need to go into Parramatta in the last few years, i do remember most of the buildings that are comming down. I won't recognise the place after it's all done!
Yes it is a huge project and this area of Parramatta will look very different!
What happened to that Aussie building and that IGA building?
Hi Nico, The Aussie building went, but the IGA building is still there, as that is outside of the construction site.
Parramall used to have a shop selling great pineapple flavoured doughnuts.
The plain donuts were good too.
The carpark in Horwood Place was the only decent carpark on the north side. My mates and I used it regularly on weekends during the late 70s and thru to the 90s. And back then it was free to park there. Yes it will be sorely missed. But we must not get in the way of Council, so the narcissists can create monuments to themselves.
Awesome! Video. Really informative. Was in Parramatta last week for the first time.. wish I'd come across this video before our trip to Australia. At least I know for next time 😊
Thanks! Hope you're enjoying your time in Australia.
Hi Paul, a 2nd entrance/ exit on Church St was confirmed at the end of March 2022 in the 'Sydney Metro West - Rail Infrastructure, Stations, Precincts and Operations EIS'.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing this. Just located the document now. Looks like Westmead has changed a little too, since my video.
@@TransportVlog Sure is. The existing station is getting a significant upgrade. This document also confirms an underground paid concourse with escalators/ lifts to/ from the existing Sydney Trains platforms to the paid metro concourse.
Another worthy note is double sided platforms at SOP Station for major events.
Do you think that all of the construction from the older building will be recycle? Lots of steel and other stuff that should be recycle!
Yes, demolition companies often try to achieve 70+% material recycling rate, but some aim for as high as a 90%. Steel has scrap value so is definitely recycled. Concrete is crushed up and used for things like road base layers.
From Sydney Metro Sustainability Report 2020 ( which I found online )
“As of June 2020, Sydney Metro projects have generated 359,042 tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, of which 97 per cent (348,986 tonnes) has been recycled. “
Not this year’s report, but still.
Thanks Stephen and Francesco. 97% recycled is very impressive!
Thanks for the video!
Are you up to date with the St. John’s cathedral proposal? They’re planning on extending a square in front of the main entrance which would cut off part of the road and flow into the parramatta square. Combined with the metro station it should be a nice, open area to walk through.
Hi Rhiannon, no I wasn't aware of that, so thanks for sharing. Seems that this will all link in nicely with the 5-7 Parramatta Square development as well.
From memory, it was a while ago, those car parks (there is another one at Erby Place) were built partly in an effort to help keep Church St shopping viable after the opening of Westfield. Church St went from being a very busy shopping area, particularly on a Saturday morning, to almost a ghost town, with most of the major retailers relocating to Westfield. David Jones kept trading for quite a while, but eventually moved to Westfield. In 2010 Meriton purchased the David Jones site for $36.5 million, and the building was demolished in 2013 for the Meriton towers. So many of the older buildings have been demolished in Parramatta since the early 70s, it's getting difficult to remember what was there before - although that could partly be me getting old(er).
Hi Dave, yes Church Street does seem to struggle now. You can also see evidence of the JBHiFi that was on George and Church streets. It seems like the whole of Parramatta CBD has moved closer to the station. Perhaps Parramatta Light Rail might help revitalise Church Street a little more.
@@TransportVlog The Powerhouse Museum being down that end of town (whether you agree with that or not) should also bring more people to that area. Parramatta was quite popular for evening meals up until the dreaded lurgy struck. Maybe when all the work is finished, it will become a more lively area again.
Just to add that there are still quite a few development projects under construction and in the pipeline for Parramatta. The state government plan is for Parramatta to become the second CBD, eclipsing North Sydney. So we will see how it all pans out.
@@daveg2104 Yes I could see that happening. North Sydney is a pleasant place to work, but it lacks a decent shopping centre.
Great video Paul. I feel that the Sydney Trains station and Metro station needs to be connected via an underground passage way. To walk several minutes in the pouring rain doesn't make for the best transport interchange.
There was a proposal to keep the facade of the Roxy and build a 30 story apartment tower, but that was a few years ago now.
Glad you enjoyed it. It will be interesting to see what interchanges happen. Passengers from the west will switch to the Metro at Westmead Station which will have a direct interchange. Those coming the east (places such as Granville, Auburn etc) will probably continue with the existing rail service. The Roxy would have made an interesting apartment building!
I really hope the Roxy shows film again some day. And if Westmead becomes the main interchange, hopefully more services will stop there again-they were severely cut in 2011, especially coming from the mountains.
Wow, so many constructions in Paramatta.
Yes lots happening! Everything in this video has now gone!
Not happy at all about Horwood Place car-park being demolished. The Riverside car park was recently closed as well to make way for the Powerhouse Museum. Parking in Parramatta is now very difficult. Is Horwood place carpark going to be rebuilt?
Hi Peter, no plans to rebuild the car park. I wasn't aware that the Riverside car park has closed as well.
@@TransportVlog The Riverside car park (behind where Church St David Jones was) has been gone for a while now. I think piling work is now under way for the Powerhouse Museum.
Good. Will be plenty of public transport in the area.
Church St should have an entrance given it's prominence for shopping etc. Frankly I do feel this should have been installed UNDER the existing Parramatta station, linked in with heavy rail there along with Westfield (like it or not it's the centre/life). Then have it spur out to the cat wharf and wrap around then toward Rydalmere where the interchange could have been placed for stage 2.
If Parramatta which at least HAS THE XPT AND MOUNTAINS TRAINS STOP THERE (serious short sighting there the tossers) was "the interchange" then the Westmead line could have spurred further NW were there isn't anything existing already. Westmead is a pissfart tiny station and I find it a disgusting excuse for a joke they'd put the interchange there.
Another MASSIVE benefit of putting the LR closer to/under the station is it would mean people could catch LR to do their shopping at Westfield. As it stands now it lands in butfk nowhere relatively speaking! It partially covers some needed areas and a heap that they just decided to completely fob off!
Interesting to see it will go straight past my old place in North Parra.
Hi Glen, You'll be pleased to know that an entrance on Church Street has now been confirmed and there will be an underground connection to the existing railway station. I think we will probably see blue mountains line trains stopping at Westmead once the line opens.
damn , when i used to work at Parramatta I'd eat lunch in Greenway plaza all the time. There was a Japanese place in there that did some great food. Oh well, progress.
Yes, this reminds me of some of my favourite lunch places that disappeared in North Sydney for the Victoria Cross Station. All this progress is making me hungry :-)
Sad to see the car park go
Wish this line will extend to Epping train station from carlingford
Hi Paul, excellent video. It is interesting seeing all the changes with the Parramatta's skyline. Parramatta itself looks like a real major city from the views there. I am just wondering what was there before the Greenway Plaza was built. Anyway, take care and all the very best. Robert.
The government should require large shops that currently have a 6 hour maximum trading limit on Sundays because there are less international tourists and people have less money to spend because the cost of living has gone up. By closing on Sundays you get more people to go out on different days.
Banning Sunday trading for large shops would reduce overheads for businesses and attract more people to town centres, shopping centres city centres etc on weekdays and especially on Saturdays. The government should tell businesses what to do because businesses don't always make the right decisions and some of these businesses go into administration, this cost jobs and costs the UK economy. Small shops would be unaffected and all shops would be unaffected between Monday and Saturday.
Under my proposal large shops would still be able to freely between Monday and Saturdays including bank and public holidays such as Boxing Day or New year's Day but excluding Christmas Day. My proposal requires large shops to close on all Sundays throughout the year and on Christmas Day whatever day of the week it falls on. I think Sunday trading was good pre Brexit, pre cost of living pre covid because there were more international tourists and people had more money to spend and my idea is if you close the large shop on Sundays you attract more people out to shopping centres, city centres, town centres, high streets, retail parks etc on the days of the week especially on Saturday. There are less international tourists here now and people will have less money to spend so my idea is to get more people to go out on other days of the week. This has nothing to do with religion, workers rights or family life. Extended Sunday trading would have been good before but not now.
Also under my proposal small shops would still be able to open and trade whenever they want because they have less overheads and they provide convenience to people.
I also urge you to write a letter to your MP and I urge you to tell everyone you know to write to their MP why Sunday trading should be banned and withdrawn. You should also copy all of this exact message and send it to everyone you know and get everyone you know to send this exact message to other people they know and so on.
The site has a fairly long European history, as far as those things go in Australia, so I will only go back to the 1930s. Ashley’s "Parramatta's Fashion Store", part of the Buckingham Organisation Group (I vaguely remember the name Buckinghams from when I was young) opened on the site in September 1936. In the early 1960s, G. J. Coles Company Limited acquired Ashley’s and made extensions to their Coles Parramatta store which connected the site from Church Street through to Macquarie Street - so obviously Coles had a store there too, but I'm not sure of exactly where. In early 1980, G. J. Coles Company Limited put their 2 storey L-shaped building up for public auction. It was initially sold in February 1981 to Lewis Developments Proprietary Limited, part of the Concrete Constructions group (for $3.6 million) who converted the building into a multi-tenanted arcade - the Greenway building.
Hi Robert, Glad you enjoyed this video! DaveG explained what was there before really well. This article gives you some more history too - historyandheritage.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/research-topics/parramatta/german-watchmaker-shop-greenway-arcade-parramatta
Thanks very much for this history DaveG
Will this be hooked up to Tallawong?
No, but there is a proposal to extend the Western Sydney Airport line from St Marys to Tallawong.
Big changes. Great changes
Yes absolutely!
Quite a large footprint. I'm assuming that will provide excellent access to the station. Also no doubt there will be a large building built above the station making efficient use of the site
Hi Michael, yes it is. Since I recorded this video, I've discovered that there will be an entrance on Church Street and also an underground link to the existing rail station, so that's really good to hear. Yes I'm sure a large "over station development" will happen as well!
@@TransportVlog so much more efficient than a motorway interchange
Great as usual Paul. Always look forward to your clips. Spent many an hour on dates at the Roxy decades ago. Glad the Metro is close but not co-located with Parramatta train station. That will spread the crowd a bit. Westmead is a far better changeover station.
On a slightly different subject. Have you heard of the Western Sydney Airport metro extending to Glenfield, presumably turning back using the two centre tracks, Chatswood style?
Hi Tacit, LOL! - Hope they were good dates! There seems to be a few plans. One is to extend the Leppington line to the airport, so that would be a conventional train line. There is also a proposal for a metro line from the airport to Westmead, and another one to extend south from Bradfield to Macarthur. I don't think any of them have been approved as yet.
Wow some big changes to parra... worked here for a few years a while ago ... the area is going to totally change
This is some good work ... well done
Thanks! - I appreciate your feedback.