Sports field sell out
Clare Masters, Edith Bevan
Daily Telegraph, 7 Jul 2007

Children will be locked out of sporting spaces with a number of councils “selling” to private clubs, it was claimed yesterday.

Starved of funds, some councils are entering into agreements with sports clubs to advertise on community sporting grounds in return for upkeep.

Fairfield City Council in Sydney ’s southwest has leased community grounds to a number of private clubs on the proviso that they improve facilities and in some cases build new infrastructure.

But yesterday independent Fairfield councillor Thang Ngo said many of the clubs have fenced off the grounds and erected club signage and sponsor advertising.

“There is Jim Beam signage all around the oval and it is council land.” He said.

Nr Ngo said he feared the impact such signage would have on young people and was concerned clubs may encourage young people to join in order to use the grounds – this exposing them to pokie machines and gambling.

On the Central Coast , local Greens councillor Terry Latella said she was worried about sponsorship used on grounds children play on.

Gosford City Council have a policy to “encourage sponsorship funding to be used in the maintenance and embellishment of the sporting grounds” and they charge $1000 for two years to lease a portion of fence.

Ms Latella said she was worried about the impact the increased advertising was having on the community.

“The less and less money we are able to access from the State Government to manage recreational areas the more likely staff will look at ways to increase their funding.” she said.

“But it is visually intrusive and it intrudes on public space.”

In Cabramatta, a sporting ground has been leased by Fairfield City Council to the Cabramatta Rugby Leagues Club.

The pavilion is emblazoned with “Cabramatta Rugby Leagues Club” and the field is ringed with advertising including saturation billboard advertising for Jim Beam bourbon.

Next month the ground will play host to the School Sport Australia’s Under 12 National Championship.

Fairfield resident James Conna said it gave the impression the ground was now privately owned and out of bounds to the community.

Fairfield Council was unable to say how many leases it had or what the commercial benefit to the council was.  Nor would it comment on alcohol advertising at council venues. 

“Sports grounds are available to the general public, other sporting clubs and schools for hire when not in use by the ground’s lease holder,” council spokeswoman Carly Moore said.