Foley Park, Glebe
Foley Park, at the corner of Glebe Point Road and Bridge Road in Glebe, is named after John ‘Doc’ Foley, a Glebe medical practitioner and local politician in the 1930s. It features a World War I memorial and historic brick shelter where residents once gathered to listen to the radio.
The City is renewing Foley Park to ensure it remains a focal point for community activity.
Work will increase access and improve the park with:
- new landscaping, and sandstone seating steps at the Glebe Point Road entry to provide more space near the bus stop;
- better landscaping to improve access around the War Memorial; and
- a new sandstone retaining wall near the Glebe Point Road entrance.
Construction will start early 2012 and will take approximately five months.
The City is also planning future work that will include new custom-designed public toilets, and more interpretive work to recognise the important history of the site.
Foley Park renewed for Glebe’s sesquicentenary
In 2009 the City completed a major revitalisation of Foley Park to maximise open space, removing the Baby Health Centre and toilet block.
Improvement works were designed through consultation, and aimed to conserve the park’s heritage and character, restore the Wireless House, and provide the new playground, and paths and lighting.
This stage of the Park's revitalisation was completed in time to celebrate Glebe’s sesquicentenary.
The Wireless House
The Wireless House sonic art installation by Nigel Helyer, which is located in Foley Park, celebrates the history of this small but unique building which once housed a free wireless radio in the 1930s. Nigel sonically reactivated the building so that once again people can gather to listen to its ‘broadcasts’, which now feature local stories and oral histories. The building has been adorned with a unique stainless steel perforated screen in the shape of a radiation pattern – a graphical representation of the relative field strength transmitted from or received by a radio antenna.
Foley Park now offers a modern-day ‘wireless’ service – a free wireless hot-spot provided by Unwired. Bring your iPhone or laptop and log in and you’ll be taken to the Wireless House website, full of fascinating local stories and oral histories and more information on the artwork and Foley Park.
Alternative Facilities
Glebe Early Childhood Centre has relocated to St Helens Community Centre
St Helen’s Community Centre, Glebe
Tel: 02 9298 3050
Fax: 02 8512 4233
Email: over55@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
184 Glebe Point Road
Glebe NSW 2037
Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 3:30pm*
Saturdays, Sundays & Public Holidays: Closed
(*with some exceptions)
More Info>>
The nearest public toilet facilities are located at the following locations:
Glebe Library
Tel: 02 9298 3060
Fax: 02 9298 3062
Email: library@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
186 Glebe Point Road (cnr Wigram Road)
Glebe NSW 2037
New Opening Hours
Monday and Wednesday: 9am - 7pm
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9am - 6pm
Saturday: 10am - 4pm
Sundays and Public holidays: Closed
More Info >>
More Information
Michael Woolley
Project Manager
Tel: 02 9265 9333
Fax: 02 9265 9116
Email: mwoolley@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Maren Parry
Design Manager
Tel: 02 9265 9333
Fax: 02 9265 9116
Email: mparry@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Wireless House
Glenn Wallace
Project Development Officer
Tel: 02 9265 9333
Email: glwallace@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
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Last Updated: Friday 6 January, 2012
