The council is there to provide facilities for the residents. That includes parks for sport. If the council refused to build and maintain parks out of their own budget there would not be a council. In fact, here is what happens or happened elsewhere.
Years ago Penrith council found blocks of land near suburban centres such as Emu Plains, St Marys and others, erected a cheap hall and sold it to the Scouting association for $1.
My wife used to have her primary school sports carnival on Jubilee Oval at Carlton, when it wasnt used by some lunatics wearing red "V"s who called it "Kogra"
I recently went to Parra to check out the statue of Ray Price, and found a local school doing the same thing.
North Sydney Bears had a hell of a time during their tenure as the major tennant at North Sydney Oval getting a decent playing surface there. The ground had a reputation as being concrete like, especially the cricket pitch area. The council would refuse, because any surface upgrade would disadvantage the cricketers.
Some grounds are council owned, but leased to a sporting organisation for their exclusive use. Many older suburban grounds were organised in this way, but a significant ongoing lease was usually in order. Plus, when clubs on-sold advertising signage there became legal issues surrounding trade and competition, famously seen at Lang Park when the Broncos were sponsored by Powers Brewery.
The fact is that there is a far cry between a professional team with a multi million dollar operating budget catering for 20 000 spectators and professional sportsmen, and a suburban park designed to walk the dog, throw a frisbee around with the kids and maybe cater for some junior sport on weekends.
I also know of very few League grounds that uses all the available recreation areas on site. The SFS/SCG has the old SCG No 2, plus the expanse of Moore Park. Parramatta Stadium has Parramatta Park. Penrith has a huge expanse of grass. Ausgrid, NSO and Bluetongue have expanse around them, with ovals not far away.
Besides, councils have a huge Parks and Gardens budget. Doesnt Holroyd run Central Gardens? Anyway, the idiots who put that sign up have in fact banned the Goannas, which are not an AFL club. Mention that in the next email.
Im not a local, so maybe the suggestion is not really mine to make. But it would be good to have a well publicised LU touch footy gala day on GF day on that very oval.
