We need improved community sporting facilities at Balmain Road and Waterfront Drive in Callan Park

Callan Park is one of the Inner West’s most loved public spaces; a vast 61-hectare site and a place for recreation, connection, and community sport. But the existing playing fields at Balmain Road and Waterfront Drive are frequently unusable due to wet weather, forcing cancellations and disrupting thousands of players, families, schools, and volunteers each year.

The very high level of usage of these two fields due to the ongoing growth in both the popularity of football and the population of the Inner West, means that more resilient surfaces are needed to accommodate increased hours of usage by local residents.

Inner West Council has lodged two development applications to upgrade one existing field at each location with a modern all-weather playing surface. These upgrades would allow the fields to be used safely and reliably year-round, without expanding the footprint of active recreation in the park.

These fields are the home grounds of Balmain & District Football Club and Leichhardt Saints Football Club: local community football clubs, supporting over four thousand players of all ages and abilities, including rapidly growing participation by girls and women, as well as school and community use.

Despite best-practice maintenance, the current grass surfaces simply cannot cope with the intensity of use and local conditions. Upgrading to an all-weather surface creates a flat, safe, and reliable field, protecting players from avoidable injuries.

Importantly:

• No new playing fields are proposed – only upgrades to existing fields
• Independent expert reports confirm environmental, heritage, and transport issues are well addressed and there will be no significant adverse impacts
• The NSW Government’s draft Callan Park Plan of Management identifies no new active recreation areas, making it essential to use existing fields efficiently

The development applications will be decided by the Inner West Local Planning Panel in early 2026. Community support matters.

By signing this petition, you are supporting:

• Reliable access to community sport
• Safer, more inclusive facilities for all ages and abilities
• A balanced approach to activating Callan Park while respecting its broader values

Add your voice today and support all-weather playing fields at Waterfront Drive and Balmain Road.

Contacts:
Paul Avery (president@balmainfootball.com.au)
Matt Bowen (president@leichhardtsaints.com)