Canterbury-Bankstown Council set to spend $21,000 repairing cricket pitches damaged by illegal New Year’s Eve fireworks
Ratepayers will have to fork out tens of thousands of dollars to fix western Sydney cricket pitches damaged by revellers setting off illegal fireworks. The incidents have also thrown social cricket into disarray.
The Express
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Ratepayers will be forced to fork out tens of thousands of dollars to fix western Sydney cricket pitches damaged by New Year’s Eve revellers setting off illegal fireworks.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Council has already been forced to spend $15,000 cleaning up three public parks, where images from the aftermath of New Year’s Eve celebrations show scorched cricket pitches and piles of ash and rubbish.
The council said further bills to repair the pitches at Roberts Park in Greenacre, Thurina Park in Villawood and Walshaw Park in Bass Hill were expected to reach up to $21,000.
More broadly, the council said it had needed to clean up five tonnes of waste attributed to fireworks, littering and illegal rubbish dumping following NYE celebrations.
Chris Cahill, a Labor councillor for the Bass Hill Ward, said illegal fireworks had become an increasingly more problematic issue for the city.
“That’s $21,000 that could have gone to improving infrastructure,” Cr Cahill said of the estimated repair bill.
“But it’s not just damages. (Illegal fireworks are) dangerous to people. They can cause fires. Houses can be burned down.
“People, particularly children, can be injured or severely burned.”
Cr Cahill said he was aware illegal firework incidents had been reported up to a week ahead of New Year’s Eve, with some incidents disturbing natural wildlife.
“Unfortunately, there’s not a lot that council can do. We’ve got the laws but there needs to be stronger enforcement.”
A council spokesperson said the scale of damage and littering was “disappointing”.
“The irresponsible actions of a handful of people cost council tens of thousands of dollars and disrupts sporting activities for many others,” the spokesperson said.
“Their behaviour is reckless and must be condemned.”
The spokesperson said police resources were already stretched on top of chasing people using illegal fireworks.
“Council urges those responsible to think twice about the consequences of their actions,” the spokesperson said.
Cricket facilities at the three affected parks will be closed to the public until repair works are completed, with the local government body estimating the parks will reopen by January 18 at the earliest.
The closures mean several social cricket clubs have been forced to reschedule games, with some considering cancellations.
A Bankstown District Cricket Association spokesperson said while repairs were expected to be completed in time for upcoming competitive matches, many social cricket clubs had already been impacted.
“Canterbury-Bankstown Council have informed us of the unfortunate damage to a couple of pitches in the area and we are working with our clubs to ensure there is limited impact to our competitions,” the spokesperson said.
“This is disappointing as friends and families are impacted by not being able to play a social game of cricket at their local park due to the illegal activities by a handful of people.”
In NSW, on-the-spot fines of $2000 can be issued to people caught using fireworks without a license.
However penalties soar up to $27,500 for displaying fireworks without a licence, while selling or purchasing fireworks without a license carries a maximum fine of $27,000 and jail terms of up to 12 months.
Multiple illegal firework displays during NYE celebrations last month left five people injured, with local government authorities calling for a crackdown on the black market sale of firecrackers in the aftermath.
Police are also investigating the stabbing of a 17-year-old after illegal fireworks were lit in Guildford, in Sydney’s west.
NSW Police declined to provide the number of reports made about incidents involving illegal New Year’s Eve fireworks displays, advising this masthead to lodge an application for the figures under the state’s freedom of information laws.
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