On Monday Council resolved to
pursue the Concept Master Plan proposed for Redfern Oval.
This Concept Master Plan provides for a ground capable of
holding crowds in relative comfort upto 8,000 largely on mounding as today, an
undercover stand of some 700, and a professionally developed and maintained
football training ground for use by the Souths Football Club. The latter is a major ongoing commitment for
Council.
The decision also requires the need for fencing to be
reviewed. And if required Council will seek
designs to emphasise through the fencing and gates the historical and one hopes
ongoing involvement with Souths. Gates
facing all four directions, will be open during the day permitting use by the
whole community, and closed overnight to minimise inappropriate behaviour
should this be a real issue.
Our view is this proposal is a
good and healthy compromise for our community.
This is a community with a need for genuine open space, and
active recreational space including sportsfields. A ground which can be used by all elements of
the community for their health by walking, running and being active. It is becoming increasingly well documented
that access to and design and appeal of parks and grounds is crucial to the
well being of individuals and the community.
An open ground is critical in the
heart of a high density residential area.
The improved ground access will mean the young Koorie kids
playing on Phillip St
this afternoon will be welcome and able to use the ground. This will give them the real opportunity to
meet and learn from the NRL footballers – for effective and simple mentoring
programs to be implemented as it arises in this case. The players will be visible role models in
our community throughout the week during training and fitness sessions – this
would not exist with a closed, over built and restricted ground implied by
greater development options.
It is argued that other grounds exist around Redfern, but we
should recall these are on the other side of major roads, endangering the lives
of our community’s kids. Is it desirable
to force young kids onto the streets and across such thoroughfares?
This proposal provides for a
genuine return by Souths to Redfern after many years away.
Our community and this oval has in the past had a long
association with Souths – although this really ended when they took the short
walk to better facilities at what is now Aussie Stadium at the end of the 1987
season, almost a generation ago. In the
debate over the last couple of Mondays the Club protested at the cost of Aussie
Stadium – why, do they think the Council will give them a free ride at Redfern
and lift the Alcohol free zoning?
Some believe a football stadium at Redfern is needed; but
this view does not recognise that this will be state of the art training
ground, a place of excellence, available for all levels of league played by
Souths from the NSW League games through the Juniors – the Juniors are still
welcome, and so is the Koorie Knockout a real social event facilitated by the
ability to readily move around and meet each other without the restriction of
allocated, bucket seating. We may even
see the Redfern All Blacks play more often in Redfern.
A Stadium would lock many in our
community out.
The core points Our Park has repeatedly made is that the
ground must be open and accessible by kids to kick a ball, to the community for
their well being, for the Juniors and Koorie Knockout, and to be used more.
Redfern Oval is a resource for us and the Council has
reached a difficult and healthy compromise pushing the design boundaries to the
full.
Contact
Ian Thomson
0413 483 247