Kids ‘forced to wade through pools of water’ at local park

Mirani MP airs complaints in parliament over Brewers Park inaction.

An aerial image of Brewers Park in Sarina.

CHILDREN are being forced to 'go behind trees to urinate' and 'wade through pools of water' because of government inaction at a local park.

That is according to Mirani MP Stephen Andrew, who has aired his complaints about the condition of Sarina's Brewers Park in state parliament.

During days of extreme rain, the sporting precinct turns into a lake because of outdated drainage.

Junior teams using the park do not have changerooms and are forced to make do with dilapidated facilities and toilet blocks.

In February it was revealed there was only two years left until the Brewers Park Sporting Precinct Masterplan 2012-2022 expired, with a Mackay councillor admitting only minor work had been completed on the project.

Mr Andrew said little had been achieved 10 months later.

BREWERS PARK: Sarina Junior Rugby League Club vice president Matt Simpson, president Morgan Rodgers, secretary Deslee Stevens and Mirani MP Stephen Andrew with the masterplan.

"It is heartbreaking to see all the kids who play their weekly fixtures on the fields at Brewers Park forced to wade through pools of water because the drainage cannot cope and it constantly floods," he said.

"I have spoken to some of the young kids and they told me that they have to go behind the toilets or behind trees to urinate because the toilet blocks do not work.

"That is disgusting and shameful considering we have two stadiums in Mackay, 400 metres apart."

More stories:

Mind-boggling amount of water wasted in Mackay

Boosting bubbles in the fight against tilapia in the Gooseponds

Why Mackay council wants control of our pests, weeds

But Mackay Deputy Mayor Karen May said work was progressing on Brewers Park, with Mackay Regional Council in the process of updating the masterplan.

"The tender for drainage work at the park closed on December 1," Cr May said.

"That is going to be evaluated and then we will be looking to start work on that in January or February next year."

DILAPIDATED: The toilet block at Brewers Park. Picture: Melanie Whiting.

The council is funding the $3.5 million drainage project.

She said the council had reached out to users and clubs involved Brewers Park to update the masterplan, with that information currently being collated.

Cr May said while the council had no plans to upgrade the toilet blocks at the park, the council would work with clubs to help them apply for state and federal government grants.

"Council's role is to assist clubs in applying for grants - mainly through the State Government," she said.

"It's just a matter of getting to the top of the priority list."

Cr May said after three years the council had finally voted to formally extend leases for the Brewers Park sporting precinct.

At Wednesday's meeting the council approved four 10-year community leases for different sections of the Sarina precinct.

Sarina's Saints Football Club, Demons Junior AFL and Cricket Association will share a 4 ha pitch at 18-26 Sarina Beach Road.

Sarina Rugby League Football Club would control more than 2 ha next to a similar playing ground for the Junior Rugby League Football Club and Croc's Touch Football Alliance.

The Sarina and District Athletics Club was given 1.8 ha on Hoey St.

Cr May said the three-year negotiation allowed the clubs to jointly share the precinct and reduce the financial burden of the lease agreement.

Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said there was a commitment in the state budget to a range of community sports facilities that will improve access for people to participate in sport and recreation.

Share your thoughts on this issue through a letter to the editor:

Daily Mercury

Originally published as