The City of Canada Bay Council and residents are calling for the removal of Pokestops in Rhodes

LOCAL council members and residents are calling for the removal of Pokestops in the inner west suburb of Rhodes, following hordes of players appearing daily.

Pokemon Go is still causing mayhem weeks after launch.

BUDDING Pokemon Masters might have to find a new hot spot to catch ‘em all, with one of Sydney’s premier Pokestops coming under fire from fed-up residents and local council members.

The City of Canada Bay Council and residents are calling for the removal of Pokestops in the inner west suburb of Rhodes, following thousands of Pokemon Go players flocking to the waterside suburb since the game was released two weeks ago.

City of Canada Bay General Manager Gary Sawyer said the Pokestops in Peg Paterson Park were wreaking havoc and locals have had enough.

“Since the game’s release we have seen a continuous increase in visitors to this small park and the game’s traction does not appear to be slowing down,” he toldDomain.

“We have Pokestops and gyms throughout our local government area, but the intensity of activity in this small park is cause for concern. For this reason, we are asking that two of the three Pokestops be removed.”

Mr Sawyer said the heavy influx of people heading to the area had caused major traffic issues.

“There have been a number of concerning instances already including an emergency services vehicle having difficulty reaching an apartment fire due to traffic congestion, traffic accidents, and reports of motorcycles using cycle and footpaths to get around traffic congestion,” he said.

In addition to the traffic concerns, Resident Sunghoon Choi said the sheer amount of young adults visiting the park has made it impossible for him to bring his two young children to the area, which is now frequently dirty.

“There is loud shouting throughout the night, people dumping rubbish and cigarette butts and constant traffic jams,” he said.

“I think the constant traffic in the area is now creating a lot of chaos here for residents.”

As the manager of five apartment complexes near the park, Pacific Building Management Group’s Rhodes Precinct Manager Antoni Gerich said residents had reported players jumping their fences in order to catch Pokemon.

“It’s got out of hand, it’s out of control, there are noisy outbursts in the middle of the night and early in the morning,” he said.

“There are a lot of families, who have children, who are finding it hard to get to sleep.”

The incidents prompted the council to write to developer Niantic, requesting the removal of two of the three intersecting PokéStops at the park.

Additionly, management at apartment complexes near the park have also placed signs encouraging local residents to make their own submissions to the game developer.

#pokemongo bye bye Rhodes

The news comes as Slater and Gordon Lawyer Emma Aldersea warns budding Pokemon trainers of the potential legal pitfalls of the game.

“The biggest legal risk for Pokemon Go trainers is the temptation of trespass, especially when Pokestops are located on private property, such as schools or police stations,” she said.

“It’s easy for people to be consumed by the excitement of new technology, but keep in mind that ‘I spotted a rare Pokemon’ is unlikely to be a lawful defence if you get into trouble in the real world.”

Ms Aldersea said attempting to catch Pokemon could have very serious, real world consequences for Pokemon Go players.

“The penalties for trespass vary from state to state, but fines can run into the thousands and imprisonment terms can be up to one year,” she said.

“Interestingly, owners can be held responsible if their animals stray onto private property, but I think Pokemon trainers can safely assume this does not apply to superimposed, digital pets.”

Ms Aldersea also warned residents to be cautious when asking trespassing players to leave their property, as the wrong course of action could land them on the wrong side of the law too.

“If someone enters your property without permission to catch Pokemon, you have the right to ask them to leave,” she said.

“You can ask firmly, but it is a crime to threaten someone with violence, even if they are trespassing or threatening to set their Charizard on you.

“If they don’t leave or you feel too intimidated to approach them, you should call the police, rather than taking matters into your own hands.”

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