The name “Little Italy” has been approved by the Geographical Names Board (GNB) for the precinct in Leichhardt, which includes the sections of Norton Street and Marion Street between Hawthorn Parade and Balmain Road.
Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming local council elections, Little Italy is on every candidate’s agenda.
The project is reliant on a political agreement that involves opposing sides.
CO.AS.IT. in Sydney, which has assumed the role of the Italian reference body for this project, recently met with Darcy Byrne, the former mayor of the Inner West Council, Vittoria Raciti, the Independent candidate for the Leichhardt Ward - Gulgadya, Victor Macri, the candidate for the Marrickville Ward - Midjuburi (who was absent from the meeting due to professional commitments, but is supportive of the Little Italy project), Senator Francesco Giacobbe, and the general manager of CO.AS.IT. in Sydney, Thomas Camporeale.
The meeting was held in order to confirm that Little Italy will be a bipartisan project, where all political figures involved will work together to improve Leichhardt’s local economy.
“We’ll invest time, money, ideas and passion into Norton Street, so that it can once again become the home of Italians,” the three representatives of the Inner West Council agreed.
“We’ll make this happen by talking to business-owners and residents of the area.
“We want this to be everyone’s Little Italy.
“It’ll be a priority on the agenda of the next civic forum.
“There’s so much to do and we’ll do it together.”
For his part, Senator Giacobbe reiterated that he will support the project in every way possible, not only as a politician but as a long-time resident of the area.
“Little Italy can really help to transform Leichhardt into a cultural, tourist and social destination,” he said.
Camporeale also steadfastly believes in the future of Little Italy.
“This has always been the home of the Italian people, and by working hard together, we’ll be able to get this project off the ground,” he said.
Last year, COVID-19 forced the Inner West Council to postpone the inaugural ceremony after the official name change.
On June 11, 2020, the restrictions only allowed for a scaled-down event, but since the lockdown has been lifted, it is hoped that a larger celebration can be planned – perhaps as early as March, during the qualifiers for the World Cup in Italy.
There are already several ideas that the next council will face, many originating from CO.AS.IT.
Among the proposals to consider are: walking tours; the introduction of Italian as a second language in all primary schools and day cares in Leichhardt; an open-air art competition in the Forum similar to Bondi’s Sculptures by the Sea; Italian tarantella and choir classes; monthly Italian film screenings; an Italian pop-up bar for the summer with live entertainment; “Little Italy” banners along Norton Street; an initiative encouraging the owners of vacant shops to provide a discount to potential Italian occupants; Italian urban décor; and a work of art that could become an icon of Leichhardt, where tourists can pose for souvenir photos.
