Hornsby Council approve plan to upgrade sporting fields

A new strategy to improve sporting fields use will see the construction of lighting, new drainage and synthetic fields at several facilities across Sydney’s northwest.

A line marker at Mark Taylor Oval in Waitara. Hornsby Council has plans for the upgrade of sports field.

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A new strategy to improve sporting fields use will see the construction of lighting, new drainage and synthetic fields at several facilities across Sydney’s northwest.

Hornsby councillors approved a new strategy to increase the capacity of sporting fields across the shire during a council meeting on Wednesday night.

The strategy set out a long list of suggestions to make facilities in various suburbs across the shire more useful to residents and sporting associations, with highlighted individual plans for Westleigh Park and Hornsby Park.

Sports stars celebrate upgrades at North Epping.

Hornsby mayor Philip Ruddock said sporting teams and people from across northwest Sydney regularly use Hornsby Council facilities.

“Hornsby in percentage of grounds to population is very much ahead of most of the councils in northern Sydney,” Cr Ruddock said.

“When you have a significant demand you need to look at ways to get the best use out of the grounds.”

When it came to individual plans for major facility upgrades at Westleigh and Hornsby Park, council sought to see the development of a masterplan for fields and supporting infrastructure at both sites.

Children play at Montview Oval in Hornsby Heights.

Cr Ruddock said Westleigh Park could also see the use of synthetic turf to boost capacity.

“Residents have both supported and raised concerns around the use of synthetic turf,” he said.

“Real turf is great, but usually by the time you get to the end of each season the grounds are destroyed.

“This is one way to better utilise the fields — but it is very expensive.”

Cr Ruddock said although he supported “very significant commitments to Westleigh Park, he hoped for the same level of improvements in other areas.

“We need to look at ways to utilise the playing space,” he said.

“Lighting give greater utilisation because it increases night use throughout the year and in some ways, this is now a cheaper option.

The Westleigh Water Board Alliance gathering at Ruddock Park.

“Drainage issues are also important for our ovals and if you can save the water on site and reutilise it, we are also reducing cost.”

Cr Ruddock said he was aware of the controversy around a proposal for synthetic fields at Cheltenham Oval.

“Drainage, lighting and artificial turf — where appropriate — can all be complimentary ways to increase utilisation,” he said.