Neighbours Run Scare Campaign

We have become aware that in response to Council seeking community consultation, a small number of residents have been conducting a scare campaign in opposition to the proposed changes. The Bonnet Bay Baseball club welcomes genuine community feedback on the changes, and any potential impact on the residents of the adjacent areas. Unfortunately this small number of residents have been confronting people by knocking on doors asking them to sign a petition, and dropping similar notes in letterboxes, containing false and misleading claims about the nature of DA and the impact the changes will have. Below are just some of the claims made by these residents: The plan is to make Bonnet Bay the second largest baseball facility in NSW after Homebush – False. There is no such plan. The changes will decrease your property value – Nonsense. Most residents purchased their properties with the baseball fields already well-established when they did so. There has been no effect on property prices as a result of any previous development and the current application is for different usage of the existing facilities only. International games will be played at Bonnet Bay – Ridiculous. USA v Australia is not coming to Bonnet Bay! Grandstands may be built and surrounding areas turned into car parks – False. There are no such plans. Games will be played 6 nights/week – False. The application is for 3 nights/week and training is already conducted on these evenings using the existing lighting. You and your family will be unable to walk safely past the fields and surrounding areas – False. There is a small risk to people in the immediate area around the fields, however residents or members of the public not attending games, would have no reason to being within that area. You will be unable to park on the streets – False. The club has its own car park. Hundreds of additional cars will be coming into Bonnet Bay day and night often obstructing driveways with residents unable to park on the street – False. The area will be no busier than it is currently on weekends. Inability for residents to sleep due to noise associated with games – False. Games will be completed by 9:45 pm and players leaving the area by 10 pm. Council Noise Restrictions will be complied with. Cars already drive above the speed limit endangering local children – The implication here is that all speeding drivers in Bonnet Bay are baseball players – False. Children and property are in danger within their own back yard from plunging baseballs – The closest property is approximately 75m away from the field, in the opposite direction to where balls are hit, and games are already played safely on both fields most weekends during summer. If you would like to know more about the proposed DA we recommend that you contact Council directly. Likewise, if you have elderly neighbours who are unlikely to see this post, and may have been influenced into signing the petition based on some of the false claims about the changes, we would ask that you encourage them to contact Council for the facts.