The NSW Government has committed $11.8 million to remediate Kempt Field, Hurstville, parts of which have been closed since 2022 due to subsidence and contamination issues.
NSW Premier and Kogarah MP Chris Minns and Minister for Lands and Property and Rockdale MP Steve Kamper visited the site to make the announcement this morning.
Previously a brickworks, the site was filled-in to become a reserve around 1977. It is NSW Government-owned and has been under the care, control and management of the council for more than 40 years.
Georges River Council closed a large part of Kempt Field in December, 2022, to reduce the safety risk to the community following the subsidence of the pedestrian pathway and part of the park's adventure playground.
The impacted areas of the Kempt Field site remain closed to the public, with warning signs erected by the Environment Protection Authority.
The 3.17ha park including the $1.5 million adventure playground were rare open green space in the middle high density Hurstville.
The Planning Ministerial Corporation (PMC) and Waste Asset Management Corporation (WAMC) are working in collaboration with Georges River Council to reopen the public reserve once work is completed.
"I am delighted that we are addressing the longstanding issues of subsidence and buried waste at this site so it can be reopened for public use," Mr Minns said.
"We want to manage the issues associated with the former landfill so local families can use the site for recreation into the future.
"We will work closely with Georges River Council throughout the remediation process to make sure the local community gets a great outcome."
Mr Kamper said, "The Waste Asset Management Corporation (WAMC) is the NSW Government's central agency to address contaminated sites, and this project is a great example of how government agencies engage with WAMC to address legacy contaminated sites across the state.
"Site investigation work here will inform the Remediation Action Plan which will detail the scope of works required to remediate Kempt Field."
WAMC commenced investigations on the site in mid-March, with work ongoing to assess the scope of remediation work required as part of preparing a Remediation Action Plan.
Remediation work is expected to begin in August and take 12 months to complete.
WAMC Chief Executive Peter Graham said the landfill on the site is deteriorating which is causing subsidence and bio gasses including methane.
"Our aim is to return the site to the public as a parkland," he said.
"We will be recapping and resurfacing the landfill to prevent future cracking and subsidence.
"We will clear the site, put in a new clay layer on top of the landfill and grass on top of that. The clay layer will be designed to cope with additional minor movement in the future.
"The key factor is to find the right clay."
Once completed, the council will complete the embellishments of the park.
Georges River Mayor Sam Elmir said the remediation of Kempt Field is welcome news for the local community.
"We are pleased the government is acting on the remediation of this crucial asset in Hurstville that is utilised by so many families," he said.
