Randwick Council to turn Broadarrow Reserve, Maroubra into weekend carpark during summer

Plans to turn an off-leash eastern suburbs dog park into a weekend car park, catering to up to 300 vehicles, has caught the ire of locals saying it could lead to more traffic chaos.

Weekend and public holiday parking has been proposed at Broadarrow Reserve, Maroubra during the warmer months. Photo: Randwick Council

Plans to turn an off-leash eastern suburbs dog park into a weekend car park, catering to up to 300 vehicles, has caught the ire of locals saying it could lead to more traffic chaos.

Following high volumes of beachgoers across Sydney’s east last summer, Randwick Council is “exploring” the idea of using Broadarrow Reserve, Maroubra as additional parking space on weekends and public holidays from “sunrise to sunset” between November 1 and March 31 each year.

In the past, the off leash dog park has been used for extra parking space on “limited occasions” for major events held at Maroubra Beach.

According to the council website the aim of the summer car park was to ease “the strain on local parking” when the number of beachgoers peak.

The move could provide a further 300 parking spaces and is limited to cars.

Australian jazz pianist and composer Chris Cody at Marobra beach in Sydney. John Feder/The Australian.

Given Maroubra Beach attracting large numbers of visitors on “hot and sunny days”, the council says the opening of the reserve as a car park could alleviate parking pressures on surrounding streets.

Australian jazz pianist and Maroubra local Chris Cody said he was a regular beach user, however he was strongly opposed to the proposal at Broadarrow Reserve.

“I‘ve witnessed how the council turned the former overflow parking at South Maroubra beach into a permanent asphalt carpark, once the green space had been destroyed and turned into a sandpit by cars using the overflow parking,” he said.

Mr Cody said the new carpark now attracted “even more cars” and instead of council creating more space for people to park, those wishing to enjoy the beach “should be encouraged to use public transport, or use means other than cars”.

With the reserve being a popular picnic site and “the only off-leash dog park at Maroubra Beach”, he asked where children and dogs would be able to play on weekends.

“The reserve will be irreversibly damaged if used for carparking, [it] will turn into a giant sandpit, and then council will justify turning it into a permanent asphalt car park,” Mr Cody said.

“I passionately believe we should keep Maroubra special. It is perhaps the last Sydney beach with green space and tree-filled parklands that haven’t been overdeveloped.”

Liberal councillor Daniel Rosenfeld, who pitched the idea to Randwick Council, said there had been “good public support” for the concept, and noted a local surf club president had backed the idea.

He acknowledged there was opposition, but said it would only be used when “large numbers of beachgoers” was forecasted.

One of those in opposition was Greens councillor Kym Chapple who said it was a “sad vision” which “won’t solve parking issues” because more people will drive to the beach instead of taking public transport.

“There will always be some people who can only access the beach by driving, but for many of us, quality footpaths, cycleways and direct public transport links are excellent alternatives that council should be supporting,” Ms Chapple said.

“I’m hearing loud and clear that locals don’t want these precious green spaces turned into car parks, hopefully council listens to them.”

Randwick Council will continue to take public feedback until September 19.