Not a level playing field: Inner West’s controversial community consultation

by GRACE JOHNSON

Following heated debates on natural versus synthetic turf, Inner West Council has released the results of community consultation for the installation of an ‘all-weather’ sporting field.

Out of four options given, the results of the online survey has shown the preferred location for an all-weather field is Waterfront Drive in Callan Park.

But many members of the community have protested the results, saying the process was biased and did not take into account those who formally wrote to council.

After the NSW Government agreed to commit $20 million to improving facilities at Rozelle Parklands, Inner West Council began a three-month period of community consultation.

The council’s ‘Masterplan’ will consider how the Parklands can be improved, including an all-weather sporting field, public car parking, multi-purpose sports courts, and cycling and active transport links around the Parklands.

The all-weather field survey was conducted as part of this general consultation and asked residents to rank in order of preference which park they’d like to have an all-weather sporting field installed.

The options were Waterfront Drive in Callan Park, Leichhardt Oval no.2, Easton Park, and Balmain Road playing field (Callan Park).

Not having a synthetic field was not one of them.

As there wasn’t an option in the survey to deny support for the all-weather field, many members had to write to council to express their disapproval instead.

Out of 203 email submissions, 63 per cent objected to synthetic or hybrid turf on sports fields.

That these responses weren’t included in Council’s report is concerning, said Garnet Brownbill from the Natural Turf Alliance.

“It is evident that community members have concerns, genuine concerns, with the installation of a plastic park or artificial turf field within the LGA,” he told City Hub.

“Disappointingly, Inner West Council seems unwilling to listen to these concerns from the community.”

Hall Greenland, President of Friends of Callan Park and former Leichhardt councillor said in his address to Inner West Council said that results were “inconclusive, to say the least.”

Key stakeholders and historic users of the field like cricket groups were not consulted, he said, and even sporting clubs are divided.

“There is clearly no green light here,” said Mr Greenland.

However, representatives of the football community were delighted at the results, saying the installation of all-weather sporting field will allow them to take on more players, after years of having to turn applicants away due to being at capacity.

Paul Avery, President of Balmain & District Football Club (BDFC), said “Our local football community is the largest in NSW, yet we are one of the few areas without access to an all-weather field.”

The club has struggled to accomodate extra players in recent years, citing the limited use of natural turf as a main cause.

“Registrations for 2024 are running well ahead of previous years and will again be over 3,000 players,” continued Mr Avery.

The football club said the preference for Waterfront Drive was a win especially for female players – 1,100 women and girls have registered for the 2024 winter season, a run-off effect of the Matildas’ success.

Soccer clubs in general have been largely in support of synthetic fields, but their installation would likely mean the displacement of rugby and cricket clubs.

Community concerns

Community members have maintained significant concerns over introducing plastic into the environment and potential health impacts.

Synthetic turf has been shown to get twice as hot as natural grass, which can cause heat-related illnesses and can cause second-degree burns if it comes into contact with skin on a hot day.

But apart from health and environmental concerns, many are concerned that the installation of synthetic turf will prioritise certain users above others.

Cr Stamolis said, “Council heard from sporting groups, community groups, experts and even from another Council that synthetic turf is not the right approach.”

Synthetic turf restricts use for some sports and other users, he said.

Cricket representatives at the meeting pointed out the long history of cricket at Waterfront Oval, dating back to the 1880s.

James Murray-Prior, representing Cricket NSW, said that the football community’s needs cannot be at the demise of cricketers in the local area, who risk displacement.

“I wish council to please consider what is best for the whole community and not simply one user group,” he said.

To City Hub, Mr Brownbill reiterated that the entire process of community consultation was “very disappointing” and that council had not made enough effort to inform the community on what they were voting on.

“They’re creating a mono-sporting culture and at least a perception of them being interested in one group above others,” he said, “all to the detriment of the community, other sports, and even other smaller football clubs.”

The community should have also been informed by council of the risks, he added, rather than being left to make decisions in the dark.