Granville Waratah SFC kicked off Robin Thomas Reserve Parramatta
A western Sydney soccer club with more than 300 players is scrambling for a homeground after its players have become “nomads”.
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Western Sydney’s oldest soccer club is angry Parramatta Council has derailed the season for 320 players and left them homeless while upgrade works begin.
Granville Waratah SF Club president Noel Dona fears it will shed 40 per cent of its players because the council’s plans to upgrade their homeground at Robin Thomas Reserve.
He said the council initially told the club that the Harris St park, which he labelled a dust bowl, would be upgraded over summer ahead of the season resuming in April.
But in a letter dated September 12, the council’s city assets and environment manager, Jim Stefan, said the reserve would be closed until the end of 2020.
Despite the upgrade a Parramatta Council spokeswoman said funds had been requested under the Greater Sydney Sports Facility Fund but was not yet approved.
“We say get the funds first, it’s very confusing,’’ Mr Dona said.
“If it’s the objective of council to improve the ground and build works on it I don’t believe they need a year.
“I believe they need a summer where they can do the work so our members and our club will be uninterrupted.”
The club fears the uncertainty is disadvantaging players, many who live in high-rise apartments and do not have a car to reach alternate fields.
“We’ve become nomads,’’ Mr Dona said.
“We’re expecting to lose over 40 per cent of members. We have a very transit community but they bust their rumps to work and before they get a car, they walk here.
“There’s nowhere else from here down to Camellia. It’s all developed. With all the high-rises going up it’s really shortsighted.
“Our population is going to double in the next decade.”
Mr Dona doubts shifting the home ground to Doyle Ground, PH Jeffrey Reserve and Barton Park at North Parramatta is feasible because they have reached capacity and it was too far for many families.
“We already accommodate our subcontinental community but a large number of them walk to the ground,’’ he said.
“They will now have to walk to the other side of Macarthur St.’’
Silvia Jacono, who takes her grandson Nathan, 8, to training from Rosehill said Robin Thomas Reserve was one of few playing fields for youngsters in that part of the community.
“Soccer’s his sport and Rosehill hasn’t got a sports ground and Rosehill Public School doesn’t have a sports ground — we have to hire a bus to go to Auburn to play sport,’’ she said.
“The parents have to hire a bus to go to Auburn to play sport. He’s an only child so it’s important for him to mix with other children.”
Priyanka Jain’s family lives in a high-rise unit block near Westfield Parramatta and use Robin Thomas Reserve as a backyard. Her son Naitik is a Waratah.
“He likes sport and he’s very passionate about sports,’’ Mrs Jain said.
“That’s why I like this big park, because it’s very important. We can get together with parents and kids and spend time together.”
A Parramatta Council spokeswoman confirmed the club would be relocated to North Parramatta next season but did not specify which ground.
“Council will regularly liaise with Transport for NSW to review construction progress when works commence at Robin Thomas Reserve,’’ she said.
“We will also keep in regular contact with the club to ensure they are kept informed of the works program and ensure they have continual access to a suitable council facility.”
The spokeswoman said the council was aware of a lack of open space in the Rosehill area and we was reviewing strategies to address the deficiency.
“Council is working on a number of projects to review additional open space in the Granville-Rosehill precinct,’’ she said.
However, the club is also concerned about using Robin Thomas Reserve when Parramatta Light Rail is under construction and operating.
This month, the government started test excavation to search for archaeological artefacts and heritage materials underground.
A Transport for NSW spokeswoman said it would not need the club to relocate during the rail’s construction.
“Transport for NSW is working around sporting seasons to ensure minimal disruption to sporting clubs and use of the fields,’’ she said.
Granville Waratah belongs to the Granville and Districts Soccer Football Association, which was founded in 1900 and is the oldest soccer association in Australia.
It is also the oldest amateur association in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Waratah club was formed in 1898, making it the oldest junior association in western Sydney, and produced Socceroos Bill Henderson, Kenny Vairy and Mark Jankovic.
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