Resolving community tensions around Lane Cove’s open spaces must be a priority
What do Bob Campbell Oval, Lane Cove Golf Course and Kingsford Smith Oval have in common? It’s not grass! They are at the centre of growing tensions in our community on who access to public open space, who should have access in the future, and how the use of our public spaces might need to change as our population grows.
These tensions are being exarcebated by the approach of Lane Cove Council.
People in our community feel increasingly upset and like something is not right.
I thought it had reached a crescendo with the appalling decision to introduce synthetic turf at Bob Campbell Oval.
But these issues are also playing out at 266 Longueville Rd. The community is fighting to keep this a green space. Lane Cove Council rezoned community land at 266 Longueville Road to enable it to be “sold off” to a developer for a Senior Living Complex.
Residents want the area to be green space, and 266 Longueville Road could be converted into a playground, badly need Netball Courts or developed for other recreational purposes as it adjoins the Lane Cove Golf Club.
I have been attending the regular meetings around this development and encourage you to check out their GoFundMe. Neighbours and Local Resident Associations want to challenge the granting of a DA in the Land and Environment Court and need to raise money for Legal fees, Expert Witnesses and associated expenses.
The controversy over these projects and community division, is a symptom of much larger problems between the community and our council.
There are problems with Lane Cove Council’s community engagement and development of strategies
It feels like community trust in the integrity of the engagement and strategy process is at an all-time low right now.
Firstly, it is clear that there is a problem with the way the council engages the community. They are legislatively obligated to consult with the community on major decisions. But I know many of us have questions about how that consultation is undertaken and how it is reported on.
As a Lane Cove Councillor I would ask for a comprehensive review of the community engagement strategy.
I also want to make sure the council improves the way it communicates. It needs to report back to the community on important decisions and how those decisions are made in a more consistent, systematic manner.
Lane Cove Council needs to create an Open Space Strategy - and follow it
Another major problem I see is a lack of an overarching, contemporary, open space strategy from Lane Cove Council.
We need to ensure the valuable public open space in our local area remains accessible to many members of our community, not just a precious few, and that decisions are made equitably.
While Lane Cove Council has a ‘playground strategy’ and a ‘bushland plan’ strategy, the last open space strategic plan was undertaken in the year 2000.
I think we can agree that much has changed in Lane Cove since then. There are increasing pressures with a growing population, and our communities' needs have changed. This has to be considered.
There is currently a piecemeal approach to managing decisions around our sporting facilities and who has priority when it comes to the use of our existing open space. This is not working.
We are seeing similar problems as that at Bob Campbell Oval play out within the redevelopment of the Lane Cove Golf course too. Parts of our community are being pitted against each other and no one feels adequately listened to.
“We need an approach that responds to the pressures on our open space of an increasing population in a planned way. ”
I urge the council and its staff to think strategically and prioritise the development of a best practice Open Space Strategy. If I was a councillor this would be something I would push for.
Darebin Council in Victoria has created a comprehensive, connected and well-managed plan for open spaces to meet the needs of the community today and into the future. While their setting is different to ours, they too are a metropolitan council dealing with changing demographics and population changes. I urge you to look at it.
A proper Open Space Strategy co-created with our Lane Cove Community could help us resolve tensions around access to space like those we’re seeing in multiple locations across our area but more immediately, at Bob Campbell Oval.
Then when we were looking at making difficult decisions we could at least know what we are working towards.
How many people do we need to accommodate? What sports are not being catered for in our area?
We can’t make everyone happy all the time, compromises will be made, but at least there’d be a sense that decisions were made in a sensible, inclusive manner.
There is hope - elections are coming up!
The issues around how we balance fairly who has access to public open space is not going away. As a councillor I would work with the community to ensure we tackle this issue via an overarching strategy, and via transparent community consultation.
People need to feel actually heard and their needs responded to.
Until that happens everyone will feel dissatisfied and that something around here is a bit off.
Vote for me at the upcoming Lane Cove Council election on 4 December and together we can do something about all this!
