Flynn community groups have collected evidence of overwhelming community support for community and heritage values embodied in the Flynn school hub.

“Over the past couple of weeks more than 600 people have confirmed that they value Flynn Primary School, Preschool and Grounds for cultural, architectural, social and aesthetic reasons,” according to Flynn spokesperson Roger Nicoll.

“From past surveys of the suburb it was clear that the community placed a strong value in Flynn’s unique community hub, but this latest response is emphatic,” said Mr Nicoll.

People came out from all over Flynn to sign a statement of heritage value and to take the statement on to people in their street and neighbourhood.

Almost everyone approached across the suburb confirmed their heritage support. Twenty-three people felt so strongly that they submitted supporting statements to the ACT Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

“It is abundantly clear that the Flynn school buildings and grounds have unique value to the community, with many people highlighting:

• the physical, cultural, emotional, educational and spiritual connections to John Flynn and the Flying Doctors through the national memorial, the aeroplane shape of the building, and the unique ethos of the former school
• the outstanding Enrico Taglietti architecture and the significance of this first open plan design, and with its ongoing associations with Dr Taglietti
• the elegance and functionality of the architecture and grounds
• the way that the open plan building and spaces create a ‘village’ or community hub for Flynn.

The latest evidence flies in the face of the Heritage Council’s assessment in June that there is nothing special about these places, and no evidence of particular community value in them.

“In fairness to the Council, they did not have all the evidence before them which is available now. Hopefully the correct decision, giving the go ahead for heritage listing for Flynn, is clearer now.”

The ACT Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal will hear the Flynn heritage appeal later this week (4–5 November). Three parties: Enrico Taglietti, John Flynn Community Group Inc. and the Flynn Primary School Parents and Citizens Association Inc. have appealed the ACT Heritage Council’s decision not to provisionally list Flynn Primary School, Preschool and grounds but the ACT Government Solicitor has recently moved to try to remove the P&C from the appeal.