TWO years. 730 days. CAWB celebrated its two-year occupation of Thompson Square yesterday, protesting against the State Government’s plan to replace Windsor Bridge.
The Community Action for Windsor Bridge protesters have been fighting against the State Government’s preferred option for a replacement bridge that would see the redevelopment of Thompson Square, the country’s oldest civic square.
CAWB member Harry Terry has been involved with the peaceful protest in Thompson Square from the beginning, and praised the commitment of his peers in reaching the two-year milestone.
“I’m surprised,” Mr Terry said. “When we started we thought it would be a short symbolic sit-in.
“Over time, support for what we’re doing has strengthened and grown now to over 100 people who have signed on to our 24-hour roster.
“To have been here for two years shows commitment.”
Mr Terry said the occupation of the square was the first time he had ever been involved in any kind of protest, rejecting ideas that the organisation was a “rent-a-crowd” or supported the “crazy left”.
He described members as “ordinary people” who covered a broad spectrum of the community.
“We’re from a range of political persuasions and backgrounds — we’re not a rent-a-crowd. We’re just passionate locals doing an extraordinary activity,” he said.
“Unless you were born in Craignish Hospital or know someone who was, then you aren’t a local. You don’t understand the important of local heritage,” Mr Terry said, referring to the former Hawkesbury hospital in Windsor.
For the past two years CAWB protesters have braved wind, hail, rain and shine seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a four-hour-shift roster and have no immediate plans to leave.
Their mission has been to not only save Thompson Square from redevelopment, but to promote Windsor’s heritage in the process.