Residents living adjacent to Gardiner Park, Banksia have presented a 332-signature petition to Bayside Council raising concerns about heat levels generated from the park's synthetic field during recent hot weather.
Councillor Greta Werner tabled the petition and submitted a motion to the March 23 calling on the council to note the concerns of residents that synthetic fields in Bayside can become dangerously hot on days over 28 degrees Celsius.
She called on the council to provide a report on policy options to protect the public and especially children who play soccer on these fields in both formal and informal settings.
Maria E, a resident living adjacent to Gardiner Park told the meeting that the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) undertaken by Bayside Council to permit the construction of the synthetic field showed a worst-case scenario temperature of the turf reaching 65 degrees.
"This is bluntly incorrect," she said. "Measurements undertaken in 2022 at Gardiner Park by Dr Sebastian Pfautsch, Professor in Urban Management and Planning demonstrated that the surface of the synthetic turf field to be 88C on a 28C day, this was measured and recorded by Channel 9 on-site," she said.
"Since the synthetic is installed, we measured dangerously hot temperatures at Gardiner Park, which impact residents close by as well as park users. I am worried especially for the children using the synthetic and the risk this imposes.
"We want Bayside council to monitor and prevent excessive heat, odours, gas emissions to neighbouring and surrounding residential properties and provide clear notice to park users of heat dangers, mitigate excessive radiant heat start immediate, extensive landscaping promised two years ago and decide about field closures when it is too hot."
Friends of Gardiner Park spokesperson, Garnet Brownbill told the meeting, "Concerns over the heat radiating from the synthetic field have so far been ignored by Bayside Council with multiple requests made by residents seeking council to address the issue, namely, to conduct radiant temperature assessments derived from the synthetic turf, investigate the heat impacts of the synthetic turf to the immediate and surrounding residents homes and park users and to ensure that the human health heat impacts are mitigated. These requests have been ignored by Bayside Council since December 2021 and no response has been provided addressing these concerns.
"This petition seeks for this to be amended. Council has a duty of care for residents directly impacted by the installation of synthetic turf and the increased heat impacts generated.
"Synthetic turf increases the ambient temperature by 10.9 degrees C. Irrigated turf is minus 4.89 degrees, an almost a 16 degree difference," he said.
Louise Karnib, club administrator for Banksia Tigers, spoke against the Notice of Motion.
"I have no concerns with my kids playing on synthetic turf," she said.
"Why are we targeting Gardiner Park when we have six synthetic pitches within a two to three- kilometre radius of Gardiner Park and not one has been mentioned."
Irene Hatzipetros, chairperson of Football St George said, Football NSW, as adopted by Football St George, has long had an Extreme Heat Policy that identifies the actions to take when football matches are scheduled during hot weather.
"The Football NSW Extreme Heat Policy is based on the Sport Medicine Australia policy which was developed in conjunction with the University of Sydney," she said.
"The Extreme Heat Policy provides a very clear set of guidelines to help clubs navigate the safe playing of football in a range of temperatures. If those at Gardiner Park are concerned by the heat impact on the health of those playing on the all-weather court on days over 28 degrees C, they should equally petition against hard surface tennis courts, synthetic grass tennis courts, hard surface netball and basketball courts, all indoor sports halls that do not have air-conditioning, and hard surface bicycle tracks."
Cr Werner said the motion had nothing to do with Banksia Tigers and added that her son had played for Banksia Tigers and her husband had been a coach there.
"Banksia Tigers is a much loved local club. We were part of the Banksia Tigers family. This motion has nothing to do with Banksia Tigers. This is about heat," she said.
"Bayside does have a lot of synthetic fields but Gardiner Park is the only one where residents live next door."
Cr Bill Saravinovski disagreed, saying the synthetic fields at Ador Avenue and JJ Graham Field back onto residences.
"This (motion) is specifically designed against Banksia Tigers," he said, adding that the council should wait for the release of the Chief Scientist's report into synthetic fields, currently before the State Government.
Cr Andrew Tsounis said," We have seven synthetic fields in the LGA. Why are there no petitions for the others?"
Cr Mark Hanna said,"The Chief Scientist's report will be developing a set of guidelines which will allow this council to defer to them and make a determination whether or not these synthetic fields are safe."
Cr Heidi Lee Douglas spoke in support of Cr Werner, saying, "I am a soccer mum. We have a duty of care to our children. The question is how long do we wait for this report or do we come up with a policy where temperatures are checked?"
Cr Werner's motion was lost. Instead, the council supported a motion by Cr Joe Awada, noting the Chief Scientist's report in relation to all-weather fields is due to be released this calendar year including the Department of Planning and Environment guidelines, and when this information is released the report will be provided to the council.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Brownbill said the State Government website, The Central Resource for Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data in NSW" indicatedthe urban heat island impacts present locally in 2016.
"Concerningly, many of the surrounding streets and thus residential properties neighbouring or within close proximity to Gardiner Park are heavily impacted," he said.
"Given that this mapping was undertaken before the synthetic turf field was installed it would be evident that the additional urban heat island effects caused by synthetic turf, as detailed within the Western Australian Local Government study, Natural grass vs synthetic turf, would heavily impact resident homes already affected.
"As indicated on the website, the urban heat island effects are not present at the other synthetic turf field sites, Arncliffe Park, Ador Reserve, and James McCarthy park.
"Thus, when the representatives of the Football community are asking as to why other fields aren't detailed or raised by community members, this was one of the reasons why," he said.
"However, this doesn't mean that residents near these fields aren't impacted or concerned."
Another motion, submitted by Cr Tsounis calling for the council to pursue legal costs from the Friends of Gardiner Park, was withdrawn.