Woollahra Sailing club unsatisfied with playground extension plans

By SASHA FOOT

Woollahra Sailing Club has expressed concern that a proposed $1 million extension to a harbour-side playground at Rose Bay will reduce boat rigging space. The sailing club says they risk losing fifty per cent of their current rigging area if the final concept plan for Lyne Park playground goes ahead.

Woollahra Council has developed plans to extend the playground and upgrade the existing play site, with construction expected to begin in April this year.

In an address to the Finance, Community & Services Committee Meeting, a board member and representative for the Woollahra Sailing Club, Martin Bland, said the “club was only made aware of the plans by luck”.

Bland added that while the council had raised the park upgrades with the club before developing the design, they did not show the sailing board the finalised concept plan before opening public consultation in October.

“[The sailing club] asks the council to seriously consider our thoughts and seek a modified design that could be more inclusive of the wider community and unlock the park’s real potential,” he told the committee members in the meeting.

The club representative stated they would “be prepared to contribute $50,000 from our own pockets towards the design changes”.

Community consultation

Councillor Sarah Swan maintained that amendments to the concept plan followed community consultation.

Swan said these changes were not “minor”, after having visited a site meeting at Lyne Park that demonstrated “in real terms the implications of the proposed changes, including the amended plans”.

Swan stated that the commodore of the sailing club “did not think it was a perfect solution but certainly welcomed the continual discussion and consultation with [the] council”.

As part of the final stages of the playground’s development and construction, Woollahra Council added a recommendation that ensures they continue working with the club to find alternative sites for boat rigging and storage.

Swan says the purpose of this recommendation is “to make sure the club knows that the door is open”.

The council has suggested an alternative site parallel to the car park to store inactive boats and free up space in front of the club site for rigging.

Under the new concept plan, Lyne Park playground will gain a double flying fox, an increase in swing sets and a water play area.