SINCE THIS ARTICLE, Marrickville Council have given us a copy of planned infrastructure works on Mackey Park and the amenities/clubhouse building. Plans and comment forms are at the clubhouse, MFC invite all players and supporters to have their say in the council’s draft plans.
Marrickville Mayor Sam Iskandar, Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis and Anthony face up to players from the Marrickville Red Devils soccer club at Mackey Park.
From the Glebe: 07 MAY 09 @ 03:53PM BY LANA LAM
STINKING toilets and uneven soccer fields at Mackey Park will be given the red card thanks to a $2.26 million Federal Government grant.
The South Marrickville park will get an extensive facelift this year with new drainage, irrigation and turf on three fields, improved lighting, a new playground, a synthetic cricket pitch, and refurbished amenities block.
There will also be a circuit path for recreational walking and to link to local pedestrian networks. Works must start by September 1.
Grayndler Federal Labor MP Anthony Albanese, Youth and Sport Minister Kate Ellis and Marrickville Labor Mayor Sam Iskandar confirmed the funding at the park last Friday.
Mackey Park is the home ground of the Marrickville Red Devils Football Club and as many as 1400 people use the fields every weekend in the soccer season.
Last October the club sent more than 50 emails to Marrickville Council pleading for an upgrade of the park. “At the moment, we are not as proud of Mackey Park as we want to be,” one of the submissions said.
“Over a number of years, the playing surface has become compacted, rough and uneven,” the club said.
The club added that the worn playing surface was “widely acknowledged” as contributing to injuries.
The toilets and change rooms were described as “deplorable with a strong smell, missing tiles, damaged taps, leaking cisterns, missing toilet seats, and a generally very grim feeling”.
The club also requested extra lights at the western end of the park so that teams could train in the evenings during winter.
Last December, Marrickville councillors voted for the upgrade, but this depended on a significant government handout.
Red Devils president Bob Harvey welcomed the grant.
“It’s about time, the park needs work,” he said. “Hopefully, with this money, the park will become the showcase of the area.”
