The youth skate park on a collision course with eastern suburbs residents

Construction on a harbourside skate park in the eastern suburbs has begun, sparking a last-ditch community effort to permanently halt a project that has been in the works for 13 years.

Woollahra Council last Monday started building a youth recreation area in Rushcutters Bay Park, with a junior skate park for eight- to 14-year-olds, as well as a mini basketball court and netball ring.

First raised in 2013, the project has entangled Woollahra Council in a protracted saga against vocal opponents for more than a decade – the issue even drew battle lines between federal Sydney MP Tanya Plibersek and then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The sight of diggers and blue fencing prompted a fresh wave of community opposition from resident group Darling Point Society, who are concerned about the loss of green space at the state heritage-listed park, and have pushed for the facilities to be built at Centennial Park or Lyne Park in Rose Bay.

Residents are concerned the excavation may have irreversibly damaged surrounding trees. A council spokesperson said “minor root pruning works” had taken place where necessary, and had occurred under arborists’ oversight.

Darling Point Society’s newest petition, with 200 signatures, called for the council to halt work and scrap the entire project, expected to be completed in spring.

“Now that people can actually see it’s going ahead, residents are shocked,” former society president Robert Pompei said. “The vast majority of locals don’t have a problem with skate parks, that’s just not an appropriate place for one.”

Woollahra Mayor Sarah Dixson said it was not the first petition over the issue. “It’s pretty disappointing this is still happening at this stage. There have been opportunities for consultation, it’s been debated at council at length, now’s the time to get on with it and deliver,” she said.

Plans were in the pipeline for years when an interim heritage order was placed on the park in 2019, halting the project. The council’s application to Heritage NSW to undertake the project was approved in October, giving them the final green light for construction.

The latest flashpoint in the battle comes as debate simmers about the future of green space across Sydney and whether it should stay as is, or be reallocated for housing, community infrastructure or sporting facilities.

Dixson said infrastructure for children in the local area was sorely needed, as existing density and the state government’s plans for 10,000 homes around the future Woollahra train station meant finding the right balance was important “now, more than ever”.

Resident and former City of Sydney deputy lord mayor Dixie Coulton said she was disappointed Woollahra council justified the 1225 square metre skate park by saying it would take up just 2 per cent of the total area of Rushcutters Bay Park.

“You can’t measure heritage like that and say it is only 2 per cent of something. It’s this feature that you look at, of concrete and noise,” she said.

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