Surging population fuelling shortage of sports fields and courts across inner west
RAPID population growth across the inner west will fuel a shortage of at least 11 sports fields, six indoor courts, 10 outdoor courts, one indoor leisure centre and a skate park by 2026. And the Inner West Council is recommending getting creative.
Inner West
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RAPID population growth across the inner west will fuel a shortage of at least 11 sports fields, six indoor courts, 10 outdoor courts, one indoor leisure centre and a skate park by 2026.
The analysis is contained in a new study by Inner West Council, which recommends getting creative and stepping up collaboration with developers and the government to plug an already dire lack of open space as the population surges towards 241,000 in 2036, up from 192,000 in 2016.
The Recreation Needs Study flags the creation of synthetic sports fields, possibly at Tempe Reserve or Leichardt 2 or 3 and an indoor recreation centre in the north of the LGA, potentially as part of the Rozelle Rail Yards on residual land from WestConnex.
It has also kept the proposal for a skate park at Callan Park on the drawing board despite the State Government kyboshing the plan and will work with City of Sydney to deliver a skate facility in Annandale.
Creating open space in laneways and on rooftops, sharing fields at local schools and acquiring properties next to existing open space to increase their area were other ideas touted after the study revealed half of the council’s 24 suburbs fell short of the benchmark of 13.3sq m of open space per person.
Enmore was the most cramped at 1.2sq m followed by Stanmore (2sq m), Lewisham (3.8sq m), Summer Hill (4.3sq m) and Dulwich Hill (4.5sq m).
If more isn’t done to create more open space, by 2026 there will be a gap of between 11 and 16 sports fields, 10 to 14 outdoor courts, six indoor courts, one leisure centre, one aquatic centre and one skate park.
The study also recommends improving opportunities for cycling and walking, which was the most popular activity among adults.
A children’s adventure and wild play pilot project is also on the cards.
A big emphasis will be placed on ensuring women and girls have enough spaces to play. Grayndler federal Labor MP Anthony Albanese said more collaboration and “thinking outside the square” was needed to address the lack of space, which was hindering female participation in sport.
“This should start with a serious national conversation about how we can create more open space in our communities and, more importantly, how we can make much better use of existing space,” he said.
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Leichhardt Wanderers Netball Club secretary Jenny Baker said two or three teams were sharing one court during training sessions due to a “chronic” lack of space.
The club has grown exponentially from two teams in 2010 to more than 50 teams.
“We could register another 20 teams if had more space; the inner west is booming,” Ms Baker said.
She welcomed the council’s decision to build three new multipurpose courts for netball and basketball at Richard Murden Reserve in Haberfield, where they train.
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