Decision details

Moved by Councillor Jarrett, seconded by Councillor Gannon.

It is resolved that:  

(A)       Council note:

(i)         Getiela Synthetic Sportsfield, consisting of basketball courts and sports fields, is a shared-use recreation facility developed by the Department of Education and the City of Sydney;  

(ii)        at the 26 June 2023 Council meeting, Councillor Jarrett moved a Notice of Motion asking Council to investigate the current operation of Getiela Synthetic Sportsfield. This Notice particularly asked the Chief Executive Officer to ‘commission an external sound consultant to conduct acoustic testing at Getiela Synthetic Sportsfield on: 

(a)        a weekday evening during training on the field;  

(b)        the weekend during a men’s football match; 

(c)        the basketball courts on a weekday evening; and  

(d)        the basketball courts on the weekend 

to ensure that the noise level and pollution is not exceeding residential noise limits and to determine whether the installation of a noise mitigation sound barrier wall would be beneficial for the residents surrounding the area’.’ This request was not carried; 

(iii)       this Motion was amended and carried unanimously calling on the Chief  Executive Officer to ‘investigate residents concerns about noise, lighting, fence height, hours of use, after-hours access, and lack of toilets at Getiela, and report back to Council via the CEO Update on actions taken’; 

(iv)       in the 18 August 2023 CEO Update the investigations of Getiela Park’s current operation concluded that ‘staff have taken proactive measures including writing to and meeting with key hire groups to reinforce the need to comply with the conditions of use, including the need to respect the amenity of the neighbourhood. City staff have worked with the clubs and sporting associations to relocate the noisiest teams and continued breached may result in cancellation of the hire agreement’;

(v)        since June 2023, the City has made significant efforts to address the residents’ concerns including:

(a)        visited Getiela Park to observe the activities at different times and days and found it to be consistent with our other sports fields;

(b)        met with and wrote to sporting clubs asking them to reduce noise levels and be respectful of neighbours;

(c)        reduced the sports field and court lighting levels;

(d)        worked with the Department of Education, who has raised the height of the boundary fence along Park Road, to discourage after-hours access and reduce late evening noise;

(e)        added two additional security patrols at 11pm and 1am, every night;

(f)         organised for additional access to the unisex toilet within the school, in addition to the public toilet that is open next to the sportsfield until 10pm; and

(g)        have allocated more of the available hours in the upcoming season to junior and women’s teams, who are reportedly less noisy;

(vi)       in the update to all Councillors on 18 August 2023, the Chief Executive Officer also committed to reviewing the hours of use, and consider reducing weekday training from 10pm to 9pm, following the conclusion of the winter season 2024;

(vii)      at the December 2023 Council meeting, after continued numerous complaints about the unsustainable and unbearable extreme noise still coming from Getiela, Councillor Jarrett presented a Question on Notice which asked the Chief Executive Officer if the City had conducted an acoustic report or an investigation of a similar nature;

(viii)    the response from the Chief Executive Officer stated ‘the City does not undertake acoustic testing of its parks and recreation facilities and has no plans to undertake acoustic testing at Getiela sportsfield. The City’s after hours call service shows that one to two calls per month were received in the last six months regarding after hours noise at Getiela. The City’s security service visits the site three times per night to close and monitor the facility’; 

(ix)       for the past few months email responses from the Chief Executive Officer have directed residents that “for any noise during Monday to Friday 6pm-10pm hours of use please email: getielasyntheticfield@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Or call 9265 9182 (which is answered by City staff who manage Perry Park and the hire of Getiela Park)”;

(x)        whilst the local residents support the use of Getiela Synthetic Sportsfield and basketball courts, they have extreme concerns about the current conduct and operation of the facilities during the usage of the field and courts particularly regarding:

(a)        the current noise levels and anti-social behaviour exhibited by many of the current sports teams hiring the use of the field and using the courts; and 

(b)        the City’s lack of enforceability of its Conditions of Use for noisy hirers and whistle usage; 

(xi)       the residents surrounding Getiela Park have now taken it upon themselves to keep an acoustic noise level log whereby at 7:30pm on Friday 19 January 2024 a men’s soccer game reached 80dB which clearly breaches the accepted 50-55dB range for urban neighbourhoods; and

(xii)      the City needs to balance the needs and wellbeing of the broader community by providing access to sports and recreation facilities at Getiela park with the wellbeing and liveability of nearby residents a priority or a concern; and 

(B)       the Chief Executive Officer be requested to:

(i)         provide an update on the outcome of the review of the hours of use following the 2024 winter season;

(ii)        clarify the advice provided to residents on which points of contact affected residents should use to lodge complaints and receive assistance from the City and circulate this to all previous complainants;

(iii)       review the City of Sydney’s Getiela Synthetic Sportsfield Conditions of Use and make any necessary changes to ensure hirers of the facilities at Getiela are made fully aware of their responsibilities and obligations including not causing any nuisance or disturbance to any other users or neighbours of the premises; and

(iv)       report back to Council on all investigations mentioned above in a timely manner via CEO Update.

The amended motion was carried on the following show of hands –

 

Ayes (8)           The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Chan, Davis, Ellsmore, Kok, Scott, Weldon and Worling.

 

Noes (2)          Councillors Gannon and Jarrett.

 

Amended motion carried.

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