Rozelle parkland stripped of key sporting amenities
Saturday 19 November 2022
It has been revealed that large parts of the sporting and community facilities promised for the Rozelle Parklands were secretly cut from the plans the Government announced last week.
An all-weather sporting field, public toilets, public car parking and two multi-purpose sports courts were all deleted from the final design without the government disclosing the cuts.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne says the decision is a cruel sleight of hand by the State Government.
“Our community has been relying on this project after a couple of years of disruption to their lives from WestConnex construction and now the Government is short-changing us again,” Mr Byrne said.
“Not only is the Government under-funding the project, they are stripping it of vital sporting infrastructure.
“Providing a substandard park was never part of the plan.
“We’ve been warning for years that the Government was under-funding the park promised in compensation for WestConnex construction impacts.
“At first there was no funding allocated to build the park, just a requirement for the road-builder to install a grass covering over the interchange.
“We eventually forced $15m out of the Government but it has been clear all along that what they promised would cost closer to $30m.
“The fact that they are making up the difference by secretly cutting many of the sporting and public facilities is a disgrace.”
Mr Byrne said this followed a familiar pattern of the State Government of dudding the Inner West.
“They promised a new public park at St Peters WestConnex Interchange. That park has never actually opened to the public and is dangerously contaminated.
“We were rorted out of millions of dollars due to the Government’s Council grants slush fund in which 95 per cent of grants were funneled to Coalition seats.
“We are the only Council between the CBD and the Blue Mountains to have been prevented from applying for grants from the proceeds of the sale of WestConnex.
“And this year the Government can find $300 million for a stadium in Stuart Ayres’ marginal seat of Penrith but not a cent for Leichhardt Oval.”
He said there was a clear pattern of financially discriminating against the Inner West for which the Government stands condemned.
ENDS
For further information please contact Michael Gleeson on 9392 5440.