A dispute over shared use of Bicentennial Reserve has erupted in Willoughby, as North Sydney Junior Baseball Club raises concerns over council-approved football line markings on its home field from March.
North Sydney Junior Baseball Club, which has used the facility as its home ground for over a decade, claims the council’s decision will create safety risks during their finals season. Les Tyrpenou, the baseball club’s president, emphasised that Bicentennial Reserve is the only suitable ground for junior baseball on the lower north shore.
The baseball club’s operations manager, Sean Leonard, has accused Willoughby Council of “kowtowing” to football supporters and expressed concerns about potential field damage from football boots.
Northbridge Football Club, with its 2,000-plus membership, maintains that public sporting facilities should be shared. Club president Brian Norton pointed to his organisation’s 2,200 local players who need pre-season playing space in February and March.
Willoughby Council has stated it will not permit studded footwear use during the summer sports season. The council has approved Northbridge Football Club to partially line mark a football field starting in March for pre-season activities.
This conflict emerges against the backdrop of a broader facilities shortage in the region. A study by the Northern Sydney Regional Organisations of Councils indicates that sporting facilities need to increase by 49 percent by 2036 to meet demand.
Published 9-January-2025
