Community engagement to support preparation of a Landscape Plan for Moore Park East

GSP is talking with community members and stakeholders about early design ideas and concepts for the future of Moore Park East that deliver the vision set out in the Moore Park Master Plan 2040, which was developed following extensive community consultation in 2015-2017. This plan already includes feedback from community and stakeholder workshops which were held in December 2021 and which forms the Moore Park East Landscape Plan that has been developed and is being tested with the broader community now. 
 
The vision in the Moore Park Master Plan 2040 is for Moore Park to become a ‘place for everyone’ and to secure green space for future generations. The plan identified Moore Park East as a place which better supports community participation in sports and recreation as well as high-performance sports, events, and allows people to connect with nature. 
 
GSP has begun a program of detailed and inclusive engagement with the community on the future look, feel and use of this precious piece of parkland. Receiving feedback from a wide range of people within our diverse communities is vital to helping shape the future of Moore Park East.

You can get involved by:

• Read this web page and complete our short survey and/or provide written feedback to us at moorepark2040@wsp.com

• Come to our second pop-up event on Saturday 20 August from 10am to 2pm, weather permitting. The pop-up will be held near the corner of Moore Park Road and Anzac Parade at Moore Park East, close to the Anzac obelisk. Please check this webpage for updates.

• Watch the recording of the webinar, which was held on Monday 1 August.

Feedback received as part of this consultation will be taken into consideration for the next stages of design, with all submissions to be responded to. GSP will develop a staged delivery of works as funding becomes available, with high priority works to be progressed to commence later in 2022. Further updates on this will be provided to stakeholders and the community as part of this process. 

This work builds upon engagement undertaken for the Moore Park Master Plan 2040. GSP has also sought input from a range of local community groups, sporting groups, Centennial Parklands’ Community Consultative Committee (CCC) and First Nations people to form the initial ideas that we are testing with the broader community. 

GSP has allocated $2M to deliver first stage works that will create a community focus in Moore Park East. Further works will be delivered in stages over a number of years as funding becomes available and in line with staged removal of on grass car parking in the area.

The project will improve public, green space for communities surrounding Moore Park, particularly those suburbs directly to the north and west including Paddington, Surry Hills and Green Square. Connections to neighbouring communities will be enhanced through park entries, shade trees and better pathways. Improved connectivity, accessibility and safety of the area will also better facilitate visitors to the precinct for sporting events.

The northern part of Moore Park East and around Kippax Lake will have a very strong community focus with some suggested improvements that include:

• Lawn terraces as places to sit and watch
• A community oval for recreational play and sport use
• Improved seating and play areas for children
• Landscaping and attractive understory planting
• Improvements to pathways and wayfinding for better connections through the park.

The Moore Park Master Plan 2040 notes the important role of Moore Park East in supporting major events. The Landscape Plan will address the reality that at times Moore Park East is a very busy place. Some of the design ideas being explored include looking at how Driver Avenue can work better support major events and create a more attractive pedestrian environment.

We are also looking at how we can get people directly from Tibby Cotter Bridge and the light rail station to Driver Avenue, with existing pathways upgraded. Existing pathways will be upgraded to increase capacity and where new pathways are proposed we are conscious of keeping hard surfaces to a minimum and keeping the landscape green through planting.

The plan proposes to significantly increase understory plantings by using native plants that will provide both food and habitat for small birds and animals. We are also looking at opportunities to help naturally clean water within Kippax Lake and protect wildlife such as the swans.

High performance sport is a key part of Moore Park’s identity. The Moore Park Master Plan 2040 identifies Moore Park East as a place for use by the community and high-performance sports groups as well as providing a space for recreation, events and allowing people to connect with nature. This Landscape Plan looks at how these complementary uses can be balanced to ensure the area truly becomes a ‘place for everyone’.
 
The area we are looking at can readily accommodate community uses while not impacting upon high-performance sports activities. The Landscape Plan proposes a new field in the southern section of Moore Park East.

Design measures such as directing community access away from designated sporting fields and ensuring separation will address any safety concerns whilst allowing for better spectator experiences.

Greater Sydney Parklands has extended the standard 30-day consultation period until Wednesday 31 August 2022, following interest from the local community. This will give the community more time to consider and respond to the Landscape Plan.

We have also organised a second pop-up event, which will be held on Saturday 20 August 2022 from 10am until 2pm, weather permitting. The pop-up will be held near the corner of Moore Park Road and Anzac Parade at Moore Park East. Please check this webpage for updates.

We want Moore Park East to be a place for a range of sporting experiences – from kicking a ball around with friends, watching your favourite high-performance sporting groups train and joining a community sporting match.

Moore Park East hosts a range of community sporting groups each week, with the primary user groups being cricket schools and clubs. Moore Park East can continue to serve these groups following the planned renewal

This winter, for example, we expect 400 hours of community sporting group playing and training at Moore Park East. This will grow in summer, as we move into the cricket season.

Fields can be used by the community for low impact passive recreation when not in use by a hirer or closed for maintenance. This will continue following the renewal of Moore Park East.

The Landscape Plan proposes the removal of fencing around sporting fields to make them even more accessible for the community when not in use.

We want Moore Park East to be a place for everyone – including people who would like to use the park as a place to pause, relax and enjoy nature.

The Landscape Plan proposes a range of locations for people to sit and rest.

The Village Green will provide new seating under the fig trees and grassy terraces to sit on and enjoy park life.

At Kippax Lake the grassy lawns will remain, providing sheltered space for picnics, yoga and other passive activities, integrated with beautiful, understory planting for people to enjoy. 

Dogs are very welcome in Centennial Parklands with over 43% (158 hectares) of the Parklands designated off-leash areas, making it one of the largest off- leash areas in Greater Sydney.

Dogs are allowed off- leash in dedicated areas in Centennial Parklands and must be under effective control at all times.

Moore Park does not have an off-leash area, and this is not included in the current Landscape Plan or the Moore Park Master Plan 2040, which was developed and consulted on with the community in 2015-17.

We are listening to the community and want to understand what you would like to see for the future of Moore Park East.

From 1 July 2022, the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Act 2022 provides for staged removal of car parking from Moore Park East with cars no longer being able to park on the grass at Upper Kippax, from Lower Kippax by December 2023 and from the Showground Field in December 2025.