In a win for the Willoughby community, a proposal by Sydney Trains to install a large digital advertising sign on the Albert Avenue railway overpass at Chatswood has been halted.

The sign was set to overshadow Chatswood’s Garden of Remembrance with intrusively bright advertising.

A campaign by the Member for Willoughby Tim James, Willoughby City Council and the Chatswood RSL sub-branch made clear that the proposal was unacceptable to the Willoughby community.

Mr James welcomed the Minister for Transport’s decisive intervention to halt the plan saying: “The decision to place such an invasive sign so close to the Garden of Remembrance could never be supported by the people of Willoughby.”

“The garden is the site of our community’s main services on ANZAC and Remembrance Days and I am pleased that the garden will remain a place of quiet and solemn reflection for the community and our veterans all year round.”

“Thank you to everyone in the community who engaged with me on this issue, in particular Willoughby Council and the Chatswood RSL sub-branch. It is a testament to what can be achieved when levels of government work together with community.” Mr James said.

Willoughby Mayor Tanya Taylor said: “This garden is place of quiet contemplation and remembrance of our war dead, and it would have been unthinkable to see it impacted by this garish sign.”

“I am pleased to see the Council’s advocacy and voice, along with a strong reaction from other community members including local veterans, has helped preserve this sensitive, beautiful and historically important place in the middle of our busy Chatswood CBD.

“I also thank Willoughby MP Tim James for his vital advocacy within government on this sensitive matter, and West Ward Councillor Jam Xia for raising and pursuing this matter within the Council.”

Image: Member for Willoughby Tim James, Willoughby Mayor Tanya Taylor, Councillor Jam Xia, and Chatswood RSL sub-branch President Barney Flanagan at the Chatswood Garden of Remembrance.