PCYC NSW, Blacktown City Council blame each other for change to Mt Druitt youth hub plan

A war of words has broken out between a community organisation and a Sydney council, with each blaming the other after plans to knock down and rebuild a youth hub changed drastically.

A war of words has broken out between a community organisation and a western Sydney council, with each side blaming the other for the complete overhaul of a state-funded youth facility project.

The Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) in Mt Druitt was originally set to be demolished and rebuilt with brand new amenities, such as a youth hub, childcare, cafe, multipurpose courts, offices, a kitchen and fitness rooms.

But the plan has since been completely overhauled and replaced with an expansion, in which a new wing will be built.

Blacktown City Council has said it will feature “two new multipurpose courts, toilet facilities and multipurpose indoor-outdoor gathering spaces”.

Now, the council and PCYC are blaming each other for the change to the $25m project, funded through $273m given to the council as part of the state government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants program.

An artist's impression of the new plan for the Police Citizens Youth Club facility in Mt Druitt.

In a statement, PCYC NSW claims the council told it last year the original plan was “no longer possible” due to financial issues.

The statement also points out similar PCYC facilities were completed in Wagga Wagga, Hawkesbury and Port Macquarie “under a similar budget” in the last 18 months.

“These projects, which were completed under a similar budget, have demonstrated that substantial community solutions within the allocated budget provided by the NSW state government, are achievable,” PCYC NSW said.

However, the council claims the youth organisation pioneered the project change.

“As per (Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants) program rules, the NSW government endorsed a change in scope,” the council said.

“This amendment was initiated by PCYC, and facilitated by Blacktown City Council.”

The council also defended change to the project, saying the “community should be delighted”.

“The original scope planned to demolish the existing PCYC building,” it said.

“We have been able to retain the existing building and build a new one alongside it and incorporate a valuable outdoor courtyard accessible from both.

“The community are receiving much, much more than originally imagined.

“The configuration provides new best practice facilities linked to outdoor courts and the existing building.

“Council has discussed the expansion plans with stakeholders who use the current PCYC facilities.”

This has done little to soothe the anger members of the community, including Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue chief executive Adam Leto, who said he was frustrated by the council’s lack of transparency.

Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue chief executive Adam Leto. Picture: O'Neill Photographics/Supplied

“Given that this is such a loved and well-used community asset enjoyed by an array of different groups, it’s important that they have an opportunity to have a say on what its future looks like,” Mr Leto told this masthead.

“If there have been changes to the initial project scope, then I think it’s fair that the community be informed on what these changes are, and what it means for the future of the facility and its users.

“Based on our information, it seems like not all impacted user groups and stakeholders were consulted on the new plans.”

This echoed similar sentiments from Basketball NSW chief executive Maria Nordstrom, who said consulting the community on projects like this was “vital”.

Basketball NSW chief executive Maria Nordstrom (middle) says more community consultation is needed. Picture: Supplied

“Two courts are always welcome, but that was not part of the scope,” Ms Nordstrom said.

“The scope included a lot of upgrade of the additional facilities in the venue to actually allow for other things to occur.

“I think there’s a lot of consideration for the broader community feedback and visibility of the change of scope that I think could have been done a lot better.

“And now that’s causing a lot of backlash in the community because they feel that they didn’t have the visibility of that.”