The council has moved the old children's playground from the corner of Timothy and Dora streets to the corner of Timothy and Patrick streets and has built cricket nets where the old playground used to be.

A council spokeswoman said two synthetic cricket nets would be for public use at all times while the bigger turfed area was designated for registered cricket clubs. And it was up to the clubs to decide how many wickets they would install in the space.

She said in the next few weeks three barbecue areas and shelters would be built.

There have been complaints that — by building the cricket nets on the reserve — the council has encroached on public land to favour St George District Cricket Club.

And that it had not consulted the locals.

Heena Patrick, her husband and three children have lived opposite the park for 10 years.

Mrs Patrick said the family were mad cricketers and could hardly wait to be able to practise at the new nets.

At present her husband and 15-year-old son travelled to Beverly Hills each Saturday.

She said the new playground was much bigger and better than the old one and much loved by her three-year-old.

But she wasn't keen on barbecue areas because people did not always clean up their rubbish.

Bruce Heslehurst said his grandchildren loved the park, and as he had been involved with cricket all his life, the nets appeared to be a good idea.

On the Dora Street side, Caifen Chen and her sister Caiping, both mothers of young children, said the children's playground was one of the best ones they'd been to.

Long-time Hurstville residents Bruno and Rosio Badalato said they and their two children used the park all the time and found the recent work a big improvement.

The council spokeswoman said the community was advised about council plans through the plan of management for Hurstville Oval and Timothy Reserve and extensive consultation with key people involved and community members.

A letterbox drop was undertaken in February 2010.

A total of 138 feedback forms were received as part of the community consultation process.

What's your opinion about the changes at Timothy Reserve?