Rozelle Parklands key facilities left out of plans

By TILEAH DOBSON

It’s been revealed that the NSW Government had left out several key parts of the Rozelle Parklands project, with sporting and community facilities that were put forward by a community working group not included in the final designs.

These include an all-weather sporting field, public car parking, public toilets and two multi-purpose sports courts.

A furious Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne didn’t hold back in his criticism of the state government’s actions, calling it a “cruel sleight of hand.”

“Our community has been relying on this project after a couple of years of disruption to their lives from WestConnex construction and now the Government is short-changing us again,” he said.

 “Not only is the Government under-funding the project, they are stripping it of vital sporting infrastructure. Providing a substandard park was never part of the plan.”

Mayor Byrne stated that there initially was no money allocated to the park, but eventually, $15m was “forced” out of the state government. However, it “has been clear all along that what they promised would cost closer to $30m.”

“The fact that they are making up the difference by secretly cutting many of the sporting and public facilities is a disgrace,” he said.  

The Rozelle Parklands Working Group

The state government remains firm that the rejected features would only have been possible at the sacrifice of other benefits within the 10-hectare site. Most of the recommendations made by the Rozelle Parklands Working Group have remained in the final designs.

The group, which had been convened by Transport for NSW, consists of the Planning Department’s executive director of public spaces, Transport for NSW’s executive director of community and place, the executive director of the Office of Sport, and several other government representatives.

Three community members and two councillors are also part of the group.

As large parts of the project’s recommendations consisted of sporting facilities, the group maintained regular consultation with NSW Rugby League, Little Athletics, the West Tigers, Hockey NSW and several other sporting organisations.

Local Football Club Speaks Up

City Hub reached out and spoke to the Balmain & District Football Club’s president, Paul Avery who said that the new sports fields were absolutely needed as “there is already a severe shortage of local playing fields.”

“This is the only new open space, and likely the only new sporting fields in our area for the foreseeable future; it’s a once-in-a-generation chance and it’s important to get it right,” he told City Hub.

“We will continue to advocate for vital sporting infrastructure at Rozelle Parklands and, in particular, for an all-weather football field.”

“As the largest community football club in Sydney, with almost 3,000 players, including 1,001 girls and women, Balmain DFC has been asking for priority access to the rectangular football field to ensure the current and future needs of our local football-playing community are met.”

Residents are also unhappy with the three giant exhaust stacks that are next to the park won’t be filtered. In response, the state government has promised that the impact on air quality will be minimal.

Correction: An earlier version of this article said that the the facilities were ‘promised’ by the state government. This statement has been removed.