The playing fields site at University of Canberra Stromlo Forest Park. Residents are worried about the project’s impacts and loss of bushland. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
The ACT Government is being urged to reconsider the site for the proposed Stromlo District Playing Fields in Wright, with some residents saying valuable bushland will be bulldozed, local waterways threatened and that the facility will have negative impacts on the community.
But the government says the playing fields have been proposed for many years and moved to allay the concerns of Molonglo residents who recently received a letter outlining the proposal within the University of Canberra (UC) Stromlo Forest Park (SFP) and advising that a development application was imminent.
The facility will sit on the corner of Cotter and Swallowtail roads and comprise of a combination synthetic field for multiple sports, a grass oval with cricket wicket, a grass combination sports field, cricket nets, a pavilion, lighting, a car park and stormwater channel.
It is expected to be built in two stages, with the first to include at least two playing fields, lighting, a pavilion and parking.
Black Mountain Construction Assurance Pty Ltd was awarded the contract to design the facility.
The design in the letter to residents differs from that in the tender documents, which showed four rectangular playing fields and the oval.
A Facebook group established to oppose the proposal has 70 members to date and has drafted a letter to ministers and MLAs listing the concerns and calling for another location to be explored before a DA is submitted.
It says the proposed development will level the land, clear bushland and build over Holden’s Creek, impacting a variety of flora and fauna, the creek and broader ecosystem changes.
There are also concerns about the use of artificial turf, which the group says is known to be damaging to the environment, and fertiliser leaching into the creek, which flows into the Molonglo River, and exacerbating already poor water quality.
The group believes lighting will also have an impact on the biodiversity of the surrounding bushland.
It says the community will also lose valuable natural amenities.
“Many local residents walk, or ride through these bushlands and many others appreciate the bushland views which contribute to wellbeing,” the letter to MLAs says.
“The location currently holds beginner mountain bike trails which many people, especially children, enjoy.”
The group is also worried about traffic and parking with about 300,000 people a year expected to use the playing fields.
It says there is no public transport servicing the site and the proposed carpark will be inadequate, resulting in overflow parking in nearby streets.
Noise is also an issue for residents, as well as disturbing the quiet contemplative space at the Bushfire Memorial directly next to the fields.
The Stromlo playing fields design in the letter to residents. Image: ACT Government.
The letter questions whether the playing fields are needed at Stromlo Forest Park and suggests other ovals and fields in Weston Creek could be developed, or a more central site in Molonglo with less environmental and community impacts.
It also fears the facilities will be managed privately by UC and used for major events, rather than for locals.
“I urge you to explore whether this significant development of fields is needed at SFP, noting other ovals/fields that could be developed that exist in Coombs, Rivett, Stirling, Waramanga, Weston Creek,” the letter says.
“It does not appear that recent, detailed assessment has been done of genuine community need and the most appropriate location for playing fields.”
The proposal has been on the drawing board for years as part of the Stromlo Forest Park, but the residents say that for much of that time the area was still to be populated and actual details have been limited.
A government spokesperson said information had been available for many years from the Stromlo Forest Park Masterplan, the ACT Infrastructure Plan Update – Entertainment, Arts and Sport and the Build for CBR website.
Construction of playing fields were funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget.
The spokesperson said they would provide sporting groups and the local community more broadly with sporting and community facilities to support a diverse range of health and recreational activities.
“Similar to other ACT Government sportsgrounds, the playing fields will be available for community sporting groups for training and games and will be bookable via the TCCS – Sport and Recreation Facilities website once finished,” the spokesperson said.
“The wider community will be able to utilise the sportsgrounds when they are not being formally hired.”
The spokesperson said that some mountain bike trails and trees would be removed, while the criterion track, running track, bushfire memorial and all other existing infrastructure would stay.
The design included parking for 207 cars across four separate areas, as well as a dedicated overflow parking area within the park.
“The community will be able to comment on the designs during the development application process, expected to begin in February/March,” the spokesperson said.
“The detailed design included ecological and heritage studies with the findings and recommendations from each report considered in the final design.”
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