Outdoor recreation plays an important role in the lives of Sydneysiders. With an increasing shift to apartment living, parks and green spaces are becoming very valuable for our communities. The importance of access to open spaces for passive and active recreation uses is only increasing as Parramatta’s population continues to grow.
According to the City of Parramatta, the future population of Parramatta will grow to 400,000 people by 2036.[1] Its Community Infrastructure Study (CIS) identifies that the existing provision of open space in Parramatta LGA is below adequate and by 2036 the deficit will be significant. In particular, the CIS identifies that Parramatta LGA has an existing shortfall of sports fields and Council owned sports fields are already at capacity in most areas.[2]
One group noticing this impact is the Parramatta District Cricket Association (PDCA). PDCA is a volunteer organisation that has been providing community cricket for children and adults across Parramatta for over 100 years.
With over 4,500 registered players, and growing, PDCA currently occupies 75 fields across four local government areas (LGAs). PDCA president, Frank Pitt says the Association continues to grow and the demand for more open space is high.
“We’re starting to play games on Sundays because of our continued growth. The demographic of Paramatta is changing and we have experienced enormous growth over the last ten years.
The increase in female participation is a big driver of our expansion. Five years ago, there were no female-specific competitions and now we are up to 30-35 female teams, ranging from juniors to teens,” says Frank.
These increasing numbers are reflected in the 2021-22 Australian Cricket Census that was released in early August. In NSW, registered participation in women’s cricket increased by a whopping 18% in the last year.[3]
“It is great to see the increase of females playing cricket however when it gets to the crunch and they want to register, we struggle to find space where they can play,” says Frank.
In a review of its sportsgrounds in 2020, the City of Parramatta found that 80% of Council-owned sportsgrounds are operating at or above capacity and that the use and wear and tear is not evenly spread across sportsgrounds, causing an uneven distribution of capacity.[4]
Frank Pitt says the association grapples with the varying conditions of the grounds, particularly when there is extreme weather.
“A lot of the grounds available are not suitable for cricket. If we weren’t so stressed in terms of capacity, we wouldn’t use 10% of the grounds we currently play on.
Heavy rain impacts our playing a lot. If the game gets called off, and we don’t have access to alternative space, our players miss out.,” says Frank.
In addition to fields operating above capacity, the City of Parramatta found that only some sportsgrounds are flexible in design to accommodate multiple and changing uses. There are number of sports fields without appropriate supporting infrastructure, such as floodlighting and amenities blocks, reducing the overall functionality of these sights.[5]
These factors were taken into consideration in EG’s early consultation with the community when they were designing the open space for North Rocks Village.
“Early on we engaged with local stakeholders, residents and local sporting organisations. That is been critical for the infrastructure offer.
We learned there has been a critical shortage of playing fields which has been made clear from our discussions with Council and local sporting groups, and the idea of a sports field with pavilion is a result of their feedback,” says Mr Workman.
EG’s proposal for open space at North Rocks Village includes a total of 6 new parks, equating to approximately 30% of the total site area and a total of approximately 36,500 sqm (3.65ha), including a full-sized sports field precinct (with pavilion and tennis court) of approximately 1.8ha.
“The oval was always an integral part of the plan from the beginning, its something that North Rocks needs. The generous pitch size is also within Cricket Australia guidelines for an open age game,” adds Mr Workman.
The inclusion of a pavilion, with male and female changerooms, is welcomed by the PDCA.
“At some fields, the older amenity block designs do not consider female players and they do not always have access to their own space. We are looking forward to decent, modern facilities that will assist with the push for female participation in cricket,” says Frank.
The sports field is also anticipated to accommodate soccer and potentially other local sporting groups.
“A new field means another four teams accommodated or more. We see the new oval at North Rocks Village as a great space for junior cricket to use across the day and as a good female representative facility on Sundays.
We wholeheartedly and fully support the renewal plans, it will be a huge help to the PDCA,” says Frank.
[3] Cricket NSW
[4] City of Parramatta (2020) Community Infrastructure Study – Sportsground Network
[5] City of Parramatta (2020) Community Infrastructure Study – Sportsground Network
