Planning and maintaining parks, sportsfields and public spaces

A Plan of Management broadly outlines the long-term use (5-10 years), development and management of community land.  

It provides a framework for priority setting and decision making for operational plans and the day-to-day management of the land.

A Plan of Management can be specific to one particular location or be generic and include a number of similar areas of land. 

Council's Plans of Management

Browse Plans of Management

Generic Plans of Management

• Community Land Generic Plan of Management, incorporating land categorised as Parks, General Community Use, Natural Area-Watercourse, Natural Area – Wetland, Natural-Area Foreshore.
• Generic Natural Areas Bushland.
• Generic Sportsground.

Individual Plans of Management 

General community use: 

• Canley Heights Town Square and adjoining car park
• Fairfield Showground
• Prairiewood Leisure Centre 
• Cabramatta Leisure Centre and Prairiewood Youth and Community Centre
• Fairfield City Golf Course Plan of Management

Natural areas and reserves:

• Bossley Road Reserve
• Cabramatta Creek Wetland
• de Freitas Wetland
• Derwent Place Reserve including Quarry Road Reserve, Mersey Close Reserve and Barron Place Reserve
• Fairfield Indigenous Flora Park, including Christie Street Reserve
• Flying-Fox Reserve
• Gordon Street Reserve, includes Bland Street Reserve
• Sartor Crescent Reserve including Coolatai Crescent Reserve, Whitlam Avenue Reserve and Britten Place Reserve 

Parks: 

• Bonnyrigg Town Centre Park
• Cabravale Memorial Park
• Elizabeth Drive and Simpson Road (Aplin Reserve)
• Fairfield Park includes Heiden Park and Oakdene Park
• Wetherill Park Reserve
• Wilson Road Reserve 

Sportsgrounds:

• Allambie Park, including adjacent areas of Community Land along Orphan School Creek and between Cowpasture and Belfield Roads
• Brenan Park
• Cabramatta Sportsground
• Carrawood Park, includes Lansdowne Bridge Reserve & Waterside Ave Reserve
• Cherrybrook Reserve
• Emerson Park
• Endeavour Park
• Horsley Park Reserve
• Irelands Bridge Reserve
• Joe Broad Memorial Park and Tresalam Street Reserve
• Lalich Park includes Amaroo Street Reserve, Hamel Road Reserve, Horton Road Reserve and Stefanie Place Park
• Marconi Park
• Parkes Reserve
• Powhatan Park including Comanche Reserve, Arrowhead Reserve, Mimosa Road Reserve
• Rosford Park including Janice Crosio Oval and Rhondda Street Reserve
• Smithfield Reserve
• St Johns Park Reserve
• Stockdale Park including Gleeson Place Reserve
• Strong Reserve  

Streets are an extension of recreation spaces when we decide to stretch our legs and go for a walk around the block, often with the family dog. Neighbourhood streets are also an important transportation route for pedestrians walking or riding to schools, shops, bus stops and parks. Street trees make the walk more comfortable in warmer weather, as well as being a good place to shelter in light rain. 

Council has received funding from the NSW Government's Greener Neighbourhoods Grant Program (GNGP) to deliver a Fairfield Street Tree Master Plan. Council is working in partnership with EDGE to prepare the plan. 

The plan towards greener and cooler suburbs in Fairfield City will: 

• address the low street tree canopy rates by providing a clear direction in how to increase the urban canopy to reduce heat 
• identify the right trees for the local area based on experience and resident feedback 
• guide Council’s annual street tree planting program to target areas of greatest need 
• provide a vision of the character and sense of place by suburb across Fairfield City, and
• grow community support in increasing the City's tree canopy for more liveable neighbourhoods.

 The plan will be completed in the first half of 2023. 

For more information, speak to Council's Asset Management Team on 9725 0222. 

Upgrading existing parks

As part of Council's yearly Operational Plan, neighbourhood parks are upgraded according to an assessment of their age and condition. 

The following list highlights recent upgrades throughout the City.

2019-2020 - Small Playground Upgrades Completed

• Clarrie Atkins Park, Smithfield 
• Hartleys Oval, Canley Vale
• Middlehope Park, Bonnyrigg Heights  
• Minto Park, Bonnyrigg Heights
• Thorley Park, Smithfield 

2020-2021 - Small Playground Upgrades Completed

• Bareena Park, Canley Vale
• Coolatai Park, Bossley Park   
• Knight Park, Yennora 
• Yennora Park, Yennora 

2021-2022 - Small Playground Upgrades Completed

• Abercrombie Park, Cabramatta West 
• Bancroft Park, Abbotsbury 
• Cabravale Memorial Park, Cabramatta
• Choma Park, Bossley Park 
• Comanche Park, Bossley Park  

2022-2023 - Small Playground Upgrades due for play in spring 2023

• Curran Park, Prairiewood 
• Fitzgerald Park, Edensor Park
• Handel Park, Bonnyrigg Heights
• Prospect View Park, Smithfield  
• Tallowood Park, Bossley Park  

2022-2023 - Large Playground Upgrades completed

• Carrawood Park, Carramar
• Bareena Park, Canley Vale
• Fairfield Heights Park, Fairfield Heights

New circuit walking paths

• Lansvale Park, Lansvale -completed
• Knight Park, Yennora - ready for walking in summer of 2023/24

Fitness equipment completed 2023

• Cabravale Memorial Park, Cabramatta
• Tasman Park, Fairfield West  
• Bareena Park, Canley Vale
• Fairfield Heights Park, Fairfield Heights

New parks for a growing population

Council has rezoned land to create a number of new parks to meet the needs of existing and future residents. In some cases, existing parks are being expanded or improved with increased street frontage for better access and safety. It is Council's preference that affected land be purchased when landowners are ready to sell, including in the following locations:

Canley Heights

• Ascot Street - 3,500m² park, 1 of 5 properties in Council ownership, with pocket park open for play.

Carramar - Council decision made in June 2022, rezoning yet to be finalised by NSW Department of Planning and Environment

• Atkins Avenue - 2,500m2 additional open space to link existing open space along creekline, 4 properties
• River Avenue with street frontage to Tomki Street - 8,100m² park, 1 of 6 properties in Council ownership
• River Avenue with access to Carramar Avenue - 3,400m² of open space linking railway station to health facilities precinct and new open space, 2 properties

Fairfield

• Cnr Brenan and Granville Streets - 3,000m² park, 5 properties
• Cnr Coleraine and Codrington Streets - 1,800m² park, 1 of 4 properties in Council ownership
• Cnr Frederick and Francis Streets - 3,000m² park, 4 of  5 properties in Council ownership
• Cnr Harris and Sackville Streets - 8,700m² park, 7 of 11 properties in Council ownership

Fairfield Heights

• Polding Street with street frontage also to Smart Street - 6,300m² park, 5 of 8 properties in Council ownership
• Station Street near The Boulevarde - 3000m² park, 1 of 2 properties in Council ownership

Smithfield

• Barton Street - 3,500m² park, 3 of 5 properties in Council ownership

Villawood

• Cnr Mandarin Street and Belmore Street - 5,200m² park, 1 of 9 properties in Council ownership
• Hilwa Street - 1,850m² park, 4 properties, and part of 1 property. 

Neighbours often share costs associated with building fences along their property boundaries, fences that they share in common.

Many residents live next door to open spaces, neighbourhood parks and laneways. 

Under Section 25 of the Dividing Fences Act 1991, a Council of a Local Government Area is not liable to contribute towards any costs associated with dividing fencing.

Fairfield City Council for this reason does not allocate funds for the installation, replacement or repair of fences on private property.  Ratepayer’s funds deliver services and facilities to the community instead, and for this reason it is not appropriate to contribute to these fences as they are under private ownership.

Litter bins in neighbourhood parks

There are over 150 playgrounds throughout Fairfield City in area of 100 square kilometres. Some residents request litter bins in their local neighbourhood park. 

There is a significant cost in providing and regularly servicing litter bins throughout the City. Experience shows that litter bins in low use neighbourhood parks can attract repeated household waste and rubbish dumping. This makes neighbourhood parks untidy and unsightly, as well as being an extra cost to ratepayers to dispose of dumped waste. 

Litter bins may be provided in parks where there is a likelihood of large amounts of litter being generated by park users, including:  

• district level recreation spaces such as CabraVale Memorial Park, Cabramatta; Fairfield Park, Fairfield; Bonnyrigg Town Centre Park, Bonnyrigg; and Wetherill Park, Wetherill Park 
• super parks offering multiple recreation opportunities such as Wilson Park, Bonnyrigg Heights; Deer Bush Park, Prairiewood; and Koonoona Park, Villawood
• playgrounds co-located with sportsfields such as Adams Park, Canley Vale; Rosford Park and Brenan Park, Smithfield
• parks in close proximity to fast food outlets that often results in food being consumed in the park or in car parks next to the park, and
• picnic areas with or without or barbeque facilities that encourage weekend gathering of people for celebrations and festivities. 

These types of high use parks are usually also provided with automated toilets for the convenience of users. 

Neighbourhood parks with playgrounds are located within residential areas, with many park users able to walk from home. Residents who use their local park are encouraged to take their rubbish home with them.  

Some neighbourhood parks are within walking distance to a neighbourhood or town centre that have rubbish bins provided, such as Ascot Street, Canley Heights. 

Residents who safely pick up and dispose of litter dropped by others helps to keep the City clean, as well as ensure the community's resources are used to deliver much needed facilities and services.

Neighbourhood parks are mowed every month, with Council's Parks and Gardens Crews picking up litter during their maintenance visits.  

Mowing schedules - what you can expect

Mowing is undertaken on a schedule of rostered services that includes:

• District Parks (Bonnyrigg, Cabravale Memorial, Fairfield, Wetherill Park) - fortnightly
• Parks/Playgrounds (175) – monthly 
• Sportsfields – fields of play – weekly 
• Laneways/Bus stops/Rural Road Verges – monthly/quarterly

Mowing is delivered on outcomes based servicing. For example, sportsfields are inspected weekly and mowed only if required. Mowing when not needed can be detrimental to the maintenance of the playing surface.

Mowing service standards - what you can expect

Fairfield City Council has in place Service Statements to enable staff to meet agreed Service Delivery Standards. Council's Landscaping/Mowing Operational Plan defines the service standards for grass heights areas under Council's care and control. 

• Major Town Centres and Retail Centres - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 75mm with no windrows of grass.
• Neighbourhood Town Centres and Retail Centres - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 75mm with no windrows of grass.
• District Parks - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 75mm with no windrows of grass.
• Parks with or without playgrounds - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 75mm with no windrows of grass.
• Sportsfield playing areas - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 50mm.  
• Sportsfield outer area - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 75mm with no windrows of grass.
• Reserves and Open Space - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 100mm.
• Pathways - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 100mm.
• Nature strips (Fitting criteria for locations adjacent to park or reserve, City Welcome Sign or Bus Shelter, frontage to Council owned land or nature strips are proportionally larger than reasonably expected, emergency mow/intervention) - no lower than 25mm after cutting and no greater than 100mm 
• Rural roadside slashing - no lower than 25 mm after cutting and no greater than 100 mm.

Note: A windrow is a row of cut grass allowed to dry before being gathered and removed. 

Mowing of nature strips in residential areas

In Fairfield City, it is the resident’s responsibility for mowing nature strips in front and around their homes. This minimises rates for residents and enhances civic pride. An exception applies when a nature strip is overgrown to a level where sight safety and access is compromised for footpaths and other open spaces where people walk. Please report any overgrown nature strips by calling Council on 9725 0222 or through the Report It section on Council's website home page.

Mowing of nature strips (Emergency mow/intervention) 

Nature strips are mowed only:

• when efforts to get the resident owner to maintain the area have been exhausted
• when grass or weeds are at a height of growth exceeding 300mm
• where sight and pedestrian access is compromised by the overgrown nature of the area leading to a unacceptable level of risk to the public, and 
• at a pre-determined scheduled timing at times that do not conflict with core service delivery, (typically 4 times per year).

Mowing assistance for elderly residents

Elderly residents in Fairfield City may be eligible for assistance and support, including the mowing of nature strips.The State Government delivers a range of services through “MyAged Care” and can be contacted on (1800 200 422) or www.myagedcare.gov.au

Open Space Renewal Program

The Building Trades crews in Council's Construction and Maintenance Operations are tasked to:

•  deliver about $7million of renewal works per year with additional work in new project delivery
• oversee the maintenance programs including the compliance maintenance management across all of Council's buildings (valued at approximately $341million), and
• attend to reactive responses to break downs where they “make safe” within 24 hours. 

The Liverpool to Parramatta Transitway corridor is owned by the State Government. 

Mowing and maintenance around bus stops and along the transitway corridor is performed by Ventia.

To report mowing and maintenance issues: 

• Call Ventia Parklands on 1800 577 441, or
• Email info.parklands@ventia.com along with any supporting information: photos, maps etc that will help Ventia identify the area needing attention. 

Council conducts a weed control program to the City's  sportsfield.

The program to target broadleaf weeds is conducted in accordance with the NSW Pesticide Regulation 1995 and Council's Pesticide Use Notification Plan.

For further information, contact the Open Space Coordinator Waste and Cleansing on 9725 0222 during office hours, Monday to Friday.

Open space assets in Fairfield City Council consist of, but are not limited to:

• Fairfield Showground
• Chipping Norton Lake Parklands
• 4 district parks
• 142 playgrounds of varying sizes
• 90 sportsfields at 36 sites
• 300 reserves along creek lines that include open space and drains, and
• 255 laneways, street verges requiring monthly (137) and quarterly (130) mowing, noting the City contains 684 kilometres of 1,954 roads, streets, avenues, cul-de-sacs.