Council is seeking to expedite measures in advance of the 2027 winter sports season.
Wollongong City Council is committed to providing safe and accessible sporting facilities that support the wide range of sport and recreation, from the grassroots to elite levels.
Our sporting grounds are shared community assets that support a variety of sports, including cricket, football (soccer), rugby league, AFL, rugby union and Oztag, each with different seasonal demands and infrastructure requirements. Amid growing demand for sports fields, it is important to balance the differing needs of various sports to maximise access to a finite number of grounds.
Council met with representatives of Coledale Waves on Thursday (13 August) for a productive discussion regarding the condition and challenges presented by the playing surface at St James Park, including the covered cricket pitch. While some age groups can still be accommodated at the ground, we have worked with Football South Coast and affected clubs to relocate matches for the remainder of the winter sports season while we undertake a review of covered pitches in our LGA.
This will allow for review and provide the opportunity for Council to assess the findings and seek guidance from state and national governing bodies regarding best-practice use and location of cricket pitches at shared sporting grounds.
While all options need to be carefully considered, Council is seeking to expedite measures that will provide confidence and certainty for sporting clubs in advance of the 2027 winter sports season.
We appreciate ongoing discussions with local sporting clubs and will continue to engage with all sporting associations and governing bodies to ensure safe and equitable access to sporting grounds for our growing community.
