High cost for new amenities
Image: The foreshore at King George Park
Three years after initial scoping began, redevelopment of the amenities block at King George Park in Rozelle will finally take place – in 2016.
The block has been the subject of lengthy consultation with the park’s three major stakeholders: Balmain Little Athletics Club, Leichhardt Saints Football Club and Leichhardt Juniors Rugby League Club. It will include refurbished bathrooms, increased storage capacity, club meeting rooms and catering facilities.
A June 2013 Leichhardt Council report estimates the project will cost $800,000, including almost $650,000 for the block and $150,000 for storage space of three sheds.
Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne said the block’s construction will provide community amenities and ease financial pressure on local groups to fund infrastructure for themselves.
“It is great news for kids and families from our local sporting clubs and all those that that use King George Park that the amenities block is finally going ahead” he said.
“Thousands of bay run users, kids and families who use the playground located there and local sports club members will benefit from it.
“With this decision, Council has removed any requirement for sports clubs to contribute financially. It is Council’s responsibility to fund heavily used community infrastructure rather than putting the burden on local sports clubs which require the hard work of so many community volunteers to operate each season.”
The consultation period has taken more than three years and completion is not expected for another three, despite Cr Byrne describing the current toilet block as “a disgrace” and “not a place you would want to send your kids into”.
But Liam Griffiths, President of Leichhardt Saints Football Club, said the long consultation and planning process had been “extremely productive”.
“What’s being provided is a vastly improved, modern, eco-friendly, state-of-the-art facility, much more than just providing a new toilet block,” he said.
Greens Councillor Daniel Kogoy said respect had to be given to “due process” in the building of the amenities block.
“We received strong feedback from local sporting clubs and residents in favour of the construction of the more expensive new amenities block option,” he said.
“At first glance it may seem like a lot of money, but when you consider it will be so heavily used by Balmain Little Athletics, the Leichhardt Saints Football Club, school athletics carnivals and the many thousands of people on the Bay Run, the investment is well worthwhile.”
Two Greens councillors attempted to further delay the project to investigate potential cost savings, but this was rejected by Council.
