Withers Road Reserve plus George Thornton Reserve: Parks in North Kellyville, West Pennant Hills

Residents’ calls for more green spaces in The Hills Shire are starting to be addressed with two more parks set to receive mega revamps. See what’s planned here.

Known as ‘The Garden Shire’, north west Sydney has undergone rapid urbanisation over the past few decades with mega developments and high-rise meccas.

The rapid pace of residential development in The Hills has been met with calls from residents to increase the number of parks and community spaces.

In response, The Hills Shire Council has just announced plans for two green spaces: a new ‘Withers Road Reserve’ in North Kellyville and upgrades to West Pennant Hills’ George Thornton Reserve.

The plan for upgrades to George Thornton Reserve

A draft master plan detailing expanded sporting opportunities at West Pennant Hills’ George Thornton Reserve is now on public exhibition.

The plan proposes to realign and expand the reserve’s existing fields, creating three full-sized sports fields.

There would also be additional change rooms as well as increased spaces in the existing car park.

An aerial image of what George Thornton Reserve currently looks like

The Hills Shire Council is also planning a brand new park — Withers Road Reserve — in North Kellyville.

These plans come on the heels of council’s vote to commence the multimillion-dollar construction of Samantha Riley Drive Reserve, a sprawling North Kellyville park with state-of-the-art sporting facilities.

The proposed Withers Road Reserve would be located at the intersection of Withers and Hezlett Rd — about one kilometre from North Kellyville Public School.

Residents have been particularly vocal about the need for more parks in North Kellyville, a burgeoning suburb with rapid population growth.

Council unanimously voted to accept a construction tender for Samantha Riley Drive Reserve

Current plans for Withers Road Reserve include a playground, a picnic area and turf kick-about space.

There would also be concrete pathways throughout the site, including a loop track for scooters and bikes.

In a statement, Mayor Peter Gangemi voiced his support for this proposal.

“This new reserve will be a place where children can play, learn and explore, and where families and residents can appreciate the natural environment,” Mayor Gangemi said.

“The pandemic has highlighted how important our parks and playgrounds are to our residents for sport and outdoor recreation, and I’m happy to see plans underway for a new local park.”

An overview of the proposed Withers Road Reserve

A council spokeswoman also noted how Covid has underlined the need for more green spaces.

“Our parks, playgrounds and reserves are among some of our most loved and cherished places in The Hills Shire,” she said.

“These spaces bring immense benefits to local communities, especially throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, which highlighted how important they were for health, wellbeing and supporting active lifestyles.”

This spokeswoman also acknowledged the rapid population growth in The Hills — current trends indicate there will be 107,000 new Hills residents in the next 14 years.

The site for the proposed Withers Road Reserve

This is staggering population growth — from today’s 183,000 residents to an estimated 290,000 by 2036.

“The Hills Shire is growing and so too are the spaces that people use for recreation and sport,” the spokeswoman said.

Public submissions regarding the plans for Withers Road Reserve close on March 14. And residents have until March 17 to provide feedback on the proposed upgrades at George Thornton Reserve.