What has Bayside Council done?
Despite strenuous objection from many local residents, ratepayers
and park users, more cost effective alternatives, and a petition signed by almost 4000 people against development of ovals at Elsternwick
Park South, on 19th Sept Bayside Council resolved to do the
following:
- Reconstruct Elsternwick Park (South) Oval 4 into a AFL Oval
165m long by 135m wide (all flat land on the New St side of the
park);
- Install four 30m high light towers with 100 lux lighting
(like daylight);
- Construct a sports pavilion in the middle of park
This will cost Bayside ratepayers $2.83 Million plus ongoing
maintenance costs.
The following Councillors voted in favour of this: Crs Laurence Evans (Mayor), Clarke Martin, Rob Grinter and Crs
Alex del Porto, Michael Heffernan, both for the North Ward!
Crs Long and Castelli voted against
What's the problem?
- It doesn't even solve the problem for the sports groups, who
say they need two more ovals
- It's a terrible fiscal decision with appalling cost vs
benefit (very wasteful use of ratepayers funds)
- Part of the basis for Council's decision, was a "needs
assessment" that was inexplicably "confidential"!
- Council's own figures show that this oval is already used
for 12 hours per week in winter, therefore, based on Councils
desire to use natural turf ovals for a max of 25 hours per week, we are
paying $2,830,000 for 13 hours extra playing capacity.
- That's over $217,000 per hour weekly playing capacity, PLUS
ongoing maintenance costs.
- Councillors had been presented with an alternative option using
AFL/CA approved synthetic turf at an existing facility, which
added 50 hours capacity at a cost of $33,000 per hour,
and considerably lower ongoing maintenance costs
The alternative option proposal, with justification, can be downloaded
from here (it's a PDF document hosted in Mega.nz cloud strorage)
What are we doing about it?
Friends of Elsternwick Park South are looking at options to convince Council that there are alternatives that are better for everyone!
Watch this space for more information, or email us at
update@elstypark.com