The former Deniliquin Council mayor said the debates regarding the Waring Gardens wall and the gardens’ wisteria highlight that we are ‘‘losing sight’’ of what is important to the town.
And he claims that the works have been planned without referring to existing heritage registers.
Mr Mitsch has provided the Pastoral Times with a copy of a State Heritage Inventory document for Deniliquin dated 2008, which lists the Waring Gardens, its bandstand and ‘‘other surrounds’’.
He said the list appears to have been forgotten, and therefore the items of significance are no longer protected and no longer advocated for.
‘‘The fact that we have this list is a pretty good indication that the people of our town really do think it is important that we retain some of those heritage items,’’ he said.
‘‘I am in no way suggesting we should go back to the past but what we should do is keep enough of the past so we can reflect on it.
‘‘So when I am looking around and seeing these things disappear off the radar, I think ‘well shouldn’t we be putting them back on the radar so we know about them?’.’’
Mr Mitsch, who is a registered land surveyor and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree majoring in Environmental Planning, has copies of the Deniliquin Council’s planning schemes dating back to its original planning scheme ordinance in 1969. He says they specifically list items of significance.
‘‘Every one of those planning schemes refers to heritage items,’’ he said.
‘‘The old planning schemes are all saying, ‘you have got to think about these things before you go knocking things down’.
‘‘If they (Edward River Council) are not taking into account the heritage components of the town, they should be; that is the bottom line.
‘‘We can’t go back to the past, but what I am saying is it should be done according to the law and done with a bit of empathy for the community, their past and their expectations.’’
Mr Mitsch said upgrades to the Charlotte St entrance, Waring Gardens and Cressy St are of particular concern.
‘‘It appears to me they have not taken into account those heritage issues, particularly with the Cressy St and Napier St redevelopment,’’ he said.
‘‘I am not against what they have done, but I can’t see where they have done anything in regards to considering the heritage issues relating to these areas.’’
Based on his professional and former local government experience, Mr Mitsch said he feels council’s elected members are quick to accept what professionals put forward without questioning if it is right.
He said rather than accepting the ‘‘quite accurate’’ advice presented to them by professionals at face value, councillors should always be considering if there is ‘‘another way of looking at it’’.
He also encouraged the community to continue speaking up, and present their views to councillors.
‘‘I understand the community’s point of view because, in a lot of cases, the elected members aren’t always listening when they should be.
‘‘It is okay to have change, as long as it respects the history of the area, the history of our town.’’
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