At first glance, it seemed that a notice of motion from Labor councillor Ash Rahman calling for the relocation of cricket nets at Macquarie Fields would sail through to a green light.
Unfortunately, it turned out that it wasn’t that simple.
His motion read: That Council provides an urgent report on the need to relocate the existing cricket practice nets at Macquarie Fields Park due to community safety concerns.
“For several years community members have expressed deep concerns about the state of the cricket nets, which I am pretty sure is close to the children’s playground,’’ Cr Rahman said when he got up to speak about his motion at the last meeting of the year at Campbelltown Council.
“Cricket balls frequently travel beyond the nets, and into spaces where children are present,’’ he said.
“Several incidents and near missed have been reported, highlighting the risk to young children.
“I have visited the park several times and the cricket balls come to where the kids are playing, and several kids have been injured previously,’’ Cr Rahman said.
“There is real risk to young children who use the park.
“Relocating the nets to a more suitable location would ensure the safety of other users, while maintaining sporting facilities for cricket practice.’’
Once he sat down, the questions started coming from councillors quicker than England has been losing wickets in the Ashes series so far.
Josh Cotter opened the bowling, as it were, and he said he wanted to know if any cricket nets in Campbelltown had ever been relocated due to safety concerns.
The CEO, Lindy Deitz responded: “We’ve never had to move cricket nets before.’’
Next in the queue for the Q&A was Cr Cameron McEwan, who addressed his question to Cr Rahman himself: “Have you spoken to staff about this before bringing the notice of motion to council?
“Yes, I have,’’ was the response from Cr Rahman.
Then Cr McEwan asked council staff if they had reviewed the situation at Macquarie Fields Park recently.
“Yes, we have,’’ said the CEO, “and they are standard cricket nets, similar to nets anywhere in NSW.’’
Cr Adam Zahra asked if council had received any formal complaints regarding children being injured by stray balls at Macquarie Fields Park?
“We have had no formal complaints of any perceived or near misses; however, we have had inquiries from the community to move the nets,’’ said the CEO.
Cr Cotter asked Cr Rahman if any of the injuries he had referred to were reported or not.
Cr Rahman: “I am aware of seven occasions where people have been injured.’’
Responding to a question from Cr Zahra, the CEO confirmed that all parks in Campbelltown “are assessed on a regular basis’’.
“We take the safety of our community very seriously,’’ the CEO added.
Mayor Darcy Lound chimed in to inform the chamber he had played cricket at that park, but that he was an average player.
He pointed out that the park contained a soccer field and a cricket one, which were used during the winter and summer respectively.
“I have definitely been contacted by concerned residents,’’ he said.
Thanks to Cr McEwan, when put to the vote the motion read:
“That Council provides a report on the feasibility of the relocation of the existing cricket practice nets at Macquarie Fields Park to improve the safety of the facility.’’
Councillors McEwan and Zahra voted against it, but the rest gave it the nod.