Sydney Council will review park lighting after criticism over putting climate change above safety

Sydney Council will review lighting at an inner city park after The Daily Telegraph revealed council staff initially rejected the safety upgrade on the grounds it would increase the city’s “carbon footprint”.

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Sydney Council will review lighting at an inner city park but Lord Mayor Clover Moore pointed out that the women concerned about their safety who prompted the review do not “pay fees” or “book” the park.

The review comes after The Daily Telegraph revealed council staff initially rejected a lighting upgrade at Prince Alfred Park amid calls from female fitness enthusiasts worried about safety on the grounds it would increase the city’s “carbon footprint”.

The women exercise together at the Surry Hills park in the mornings and after sunset, and complained to Deputy Lord Mayor Linda Scott that they felt unsafe in parts of the park, which required better lighting.

Bizarrely, Cr Moore’s statement about the lighting appeared to question their complaint because the women don’t pay to use the park.

“The commercial fitness company mentioned in your article does not book to use the park, or pay fees,” Cr Moore said.

It was unclear if Cr Moore believed women who paid to use the park were more entitled to feel safe than women who do not.

Clover Moore has hit at women who voiced their concerns over park safety saying they do not “pay fees” or “book the park”. Picture: Liam Driver

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Asked about Cr Moore’s reference to the fact that the commercial fitness company which had raised the complaints did not “pay fees” or “book” the park, Cr Scott — who has pushed for the lighting upgrade — said everyone was entitled to feel safe at all times.

“Having worked really hard to increase the City’s public open green spaces, I would strongly oppose any system that seeks to impose charges on the public for using our city’s beautiful parks”.

Cr Moore also used her statement to point out that there were 50 park lights located on the main paths in the park and they operate overnight, with 28 lights on seven sports courts.

“However, I have requested that the CEO review safety lighting in the park,” she said.

Cr Moore claimed it was not true that carbon emissions were the reason behind the failure to upgrade the lighting, but did not address the fact that official advice rejecting the matter noted “additional lighting in the park would add to the City’s carbon footprint”.

Cr Scott said she was “pleased to see City of Sydney reverse their decision”.

“I look forward to working with the Lord Mayor to see new lighting installed in the darker areas of Prince Alfred Park”.

Anubha Rawat, Ariane Psomotragos and Allison Kearns from PARKSWEAT exercise group said they felt unsafe after they finished their work outs. Picture: Damian Shaw

The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday that the injection of climate change concerns into a public safety matter was spelled out in written advice from Council’s lighting, parks and safe city team after Deputy Mayor Linda Scott requested the lighting upgrade at Prince Alfred Park in Surry Hills.

Cr Scott had been approached by women concerned about dark areas of the park — some of whom are resorting to carrying camping flashlights so they can use the fitness equipment, which is about 20m from the main path, early in the morning.

Deputy Lord Mayor of City of Sydney Council Linda Scott has requested for the lighting upgrade. Picture: Damian Shaw

The Council’s bureaucratic rejection of safety lighting because of the extra power it would require comes just a month after Sydney City Council made headlines for declaring that Sydneysiders were at “serious risk” from a “climate change emergency”.

In a response to Cr Scott’s request, staff from the council’s Lighting, Parks and Safe City teams reviewed the lighting and found that while some exercise stations are illuminated by “spill lighting from the main paths”, the “main through paths in the park are lit to standard”.

The advice, seen by The Daily Telegraph, then noted that “additional lighting in the park would add to the City’s carbon footprint”.

“This proposed lighting request from a Crime Prevention through an Environmental Design lens does not support additional lighting at this location at this stage,” the advice said.

Cr Scott told The Daily Telegraph: “The safety of our communities mustn’t be compromised by poor lighting because this will increase the City of Sydney’s emissions”.

Ms Scott speaking with the group. Picture: Damian Shaw

She said she would continue to press the issue and move a motion in council for a “revised lighting plan that reflects community concern, especially in early-morning exercise”.

Inner west resident Ariane Psomotragos, who exercises in the park before and after dark with a small group of people who bring flashlights, approached Cr Scott about the issue.

“As a young woman I would not feel safe there alone,” she said.

“In a group situation it is OK, but if someone forgets to bring the flashlight it’s all over.”

Cr Scott said she was a passionate advocate for acting on climate change, however it must not come at the cost of safety.

“We must light our parks and dark spaces, while being smarter about acting to address climate change,” she said.

She has a track record on the issue of addressing badly lit parks to deal with safety concerns, particularly from women, and has made the City of Sydney Council increase lighting in Hollis Park, Newtown and Victoria Park after women raised issues with her.

A City of Sydney spokesman said the council’s CEO was made aware of the lighting request and has made an undertaking to follow it up.