Hunters Hill councillors last week voted unanimously to proceed with the proposal which is expected to see a Hunters Hill Rugby Club facility built on the council owned parkland which can also be used by the council for community functions.
Neighbouring Park Road resident Barbara Enwright expressed concern about the community centre proposal which she said had ‘morphed’ from being a small rugby clubhouse into a large project that will impact on residents.
“It has morphed into a much larger project to build a community centre for the council to hire for commercial purposes, weddings and other events,” she said.
“Staging large events will take away our right, as local residents, to enjoy peace and quiet.
“I cannot help but foresee the behaviours that will come from alcohol fuelled night time events.”
Her neighbour Emily Yan said her concern was with amplified noise and how anti-social behaviour around the premises will be prevented.
Mayor Ross Williams said the facility will not be available for “private celebrations” after 5pm and Clr Zac Miles said it will be locked at night, kept clean and monitored by surveillance cameras.
“It was never the intention to have this operate as a function centre,” Clr Miles said.
General Manager Lisa Miscamble nonetheless acknowledged the residents’ concerns.
“We will have terms and conditions for hire but not everything goes smoothly and we encourage people to contact the police if there are anti-social events, but we do have safeguards in place.”
Residents will also have an opportunity to comment on an expected development application before it is endorsed by the council to be sent to a local independent planning panel for consideration.
Hunters Hill Rugby Club spokesman Blake Walker said the club is happy with the 5pm curfew and will only be doing what it already does on the site.
“There is emotive talk about it being a function centre but we consider it to be a community facility and we look forward to seeing it through,” he said.
He also raised another point about behaviour on the oval and the need for private changing rooms in the facility.
“Just two weeks ago we held a tournament event that had over 100 women players and a lot of them were getting changed in the open.”
The Rugby Club is raising the money for the building with funding support from the NSW Government.
Local resident Mrs Dawson questioned whether or not the government funding was intended to support a community centre between Ovals One and Two because the funding promise by Lane Cove MP Anthony Roberts was announced at the Boronia Park Grandstand.
“This is for the wrong building in the wrong place,” she said.
“And while the council wants to view this facility as a long term asset it is hard to see how a sufficient income fee can be received from hiring fees from community groups.”
