AN event at a property in Essex Road, Umbilo, on Friday night has sparked a dispute between residents and members of the Bulwer Community Safety Forum.
The Essex Road property is home to a derelict building which is currently being demolished. However, the back of the property was used to host The Green Camp Gallery which featured the final year work of three Vega students. According to a woman attending the event, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, the site has hosted private small scale events in the past.
“It was a small, friends-and-peers event that featured photography, performance art and video pieces. The atmosphere was very relaxed until the Bulwer Community Safety Forum decided to pay a visit. First, let it be said, that they were entitled to their curiosity. It is not a usual Friday night affair for a bunch of students to host an event in the middle of an industrial area, private property or not. So they were not unwelcome from popping in and sussing out the scene. However, it was clear from the moment they stepped through the door that they were there for more than a cursory look around. They marched into the gallery space, shining torches in everyone's faces in an aggressive and accusatory way. It was less 'friendly enquiry' and more 'raid' style behaviour,” she said.
However, Heather Rorick, chairman of the Bulwer Community Safety Forum said members had visited the premises after receiving complaints from neighbouring residents who were concerned about the noise coming from the site and the number of people going in and out of the property.
The woman said Forum members were assured they had no cause for concern as everything was above board and the event was nearing a close, however, she said one of the men with the Forum, who she later found out was a security guard who worked with the Forum on occasion, had threatened the people living on the premises and was aggressive towards the people at the party. She said the police were called and suggested everyone should leave, except those who lived on the property.
She said irrespective of the legal issues at play, the Forum members had conducted themselves in an unacceptable manner which was the focus of the issue.
Responding to the claims made on a social networking site, chairperson, Heather Rorick, said the group was merely responding to complaints and had walked in peacefully to find out what was going on.
“Some of the students were friendly to us, however one of the students started swearing at us and told us to leave. We walked in not knowing what to expect. The noise was so loud we had to shout at each other. We were going to tell them to keep it down, however the student started causing trouble, and it got heated. We went out to wait for the police. None of the Bulwer Community Safety Forum members did anything wrong, or went in with 'guns blazing',” she said.
Property owner, Paul Hawkins, said he was not aware that the party was planned for Friday night, however he did notice people going in and out, and assumed there was a function on. He said all he knew was that the police had been called out.
Hawkins said Xolani had approached him more than a year ago to do roof top gardening on the property.
“I have given Xolani permission to stay on the property. I have noticed since he has been busy on the site, that break-ins have decreased in the area. Xolani will continue to do roof top gardening on the property and work with it as is,” he said.
