Binalong Park Master Plan

The Binalong Park Master Plan will set out a 20 year vision to align future work at the park by:

• Identifying opportunities to improve the park layout and increase provision of recreational activities
• Identifying opportunities to provide new amenities buildings and multi-purpose indoor community spaces.
• Improving site safety, sight lines and pedestrian connectivity.

Visit the below locations to view a hardcopy draft masterplan report

• City of Parramatta Library, 1–3 Fitzwilliam Street, Parramatta
• Council’s Customer Service Centre, 126 Church Street, Parramatta
• Constitution Hill Branch Library, Hollis Street, Constitution Hill
• Council has closed a number of its indoor facilities to adhere to COVID 19 health orders. Please check the facilities and services section of our COVID 19 response webpage to confirm that the above locations are open to the public.

We understand the sports fields at Binalong Park are important assets for the sports clubs and community. The Master Plan seeks to upgrade, the sport field to the North Eastern corner of the site (bordered by Toongabbie Public School) by raising it to become level with the other two sports fields.

To achieve this outcome a retaining structure is required to the North-Eastern corner of the site. Regarding the site will allow for greater flexibility of use, clear and more walkable connections throughout the park and significantly improved visual connections and sight lines across the site.

The tennis amenities building will be upgraded to ensure that it is complies with the Disability Discrimination Act and includes a kitchenette, public toilet and picnic areas.

A new sports and communities amenities building is proposed to provide direct and accessible connection with all of the recreational and sports activities provided within the park.

The proposed building addresses both sports fields. Sports related amenities such as change rooms, kiosks and referees rooms are positioned to its eastern façade. Community related facilities include public toilet and the multifunction community space and additional public recreation facilities and outdoor meeting areas

Car parking studies were conducted on Thursday 11 March 2021 (7.00 to 18:00) and on Saturday, 13 March 2021 (8.00 to 17:00) to understand the existing car parking capacity at Binalong Park.

The busiest car parking times were predicted for Saturday winter season sporting events. A car parking study was scheduled to take place in June 2021, however the Queen’s Birthday weekend (12 June 2021), cancelled sports games from wet weather (19 June 2021) and COVID 19 restrictions enacted 26 June 2021 has delayed the study going ahead.

A winter season car parking study will be rescheduled upon the easing of COVID 19 restrictions and return of community sports. The results of subsequent car parking studies will be published to the resources section.

Improvements to the carpark in the masterplan include:

• A separate entrance and exit
• Relocation the carpark further down Binalong Park away from the Fitzwilliam intersection to reduce congestion
• Circuit path connection to the sports field and recreational amenities
• Improved layout to improve carpark efficiency

To achieve the above improvements the existing number of car spaces (104 spaces, including 2 accessible spaces) will be reduced to 92 car spaces including 2 accessible spaces.

This reduction was tested during public exhibition, and no significant objections were received. The new carpark will be subject to Parramatta Traffic Committee review and further community consultation as part of the detailed concept design development.

Modifications to the carpark size and layout can be refined at future consultations and subject to Parramatta Traffic Committee and Council approval.

No.

Council will not be introducing timed car parking at Binalong Park. Any future requirements to introduce timed parking will require further community consultation.

• The master plan proposes that the carpark be moved to the south-western corner of the site. This allows for the carpark to remain at an appropriate size to accommodate a similar number of parking spaces to the existing arrangement, however reduces the need for visitors to walk through the carpark.
• Vehicle movements to be moved further away from Toongabbie Public School. The masterplan relocates the future carpark to reduce congestion at the corner of Binalong and Fitzwilliam road.
• Additionally, separate entrance and exits have been included to improve car park circulation and provides an opportunity for a school drop off zone.

Binalong Park is well known for its significant eucalypt trees. Council wants to ensure that they remain an integral part of the Park’s character. A tree root minimisation plan was not provided with the masterplan as the detailed spatial measurements relating to the multi-purpose courts/car park design are yet to be developed.

To ensure that the trees are preserved, a tree survey will be conducted to inform the development of a draft detailed concept plan. The draft concept plan will incorporate the location of the significant trees in its design and include mitigation measures to ensure their protection during construction. The draft detailed concept will be provided for further community consultation. This body of work will commence when funding for the masterplan implementation is secured.

The Binalong Park Master Plan is a high-level 'vision' for the park with an implementation plan funded from future s7.11 development contributions.

Further investigation including: tree survey, site analysis, spatial measurement, civil engineering and architectural and sports field design will be conducted to inform the draft detailed concept design relating to the multipurpose courts, new community building, sports field regrading, retaining wall, tree protection measures and carpark.

Each of these components will include further community consultation to ensure that the final detailed concept designs meets with community and stake-holder requirements. Detailed design for the proposed elements identified in the master plan will occur when sufficient funding has accumulated.

At that stage, Council will return to the community for further consultation to review the draft detailed design for each significant component of the park.

A total of 807 responses was collected across 3 rounds of consultation. Overall, Council’s suggestions to improve Binalong Park was well received. The community were enthusiastic to see improvements to this much loved park. The general sentiment towards the master plan process was very supportive with participants welcoming the proposed improvements to the park.

Many participants echoed the suggested park improvements and provided insight to local concerns and issues. Timed parking was unpopular and will not be included as part of the draft master plan. Any plans for timed parking will require further community consultation.

Council conducted 3 phases of community consultation to inform the draft master plan:

• Phase 1 consultation was conducted 7 December 2020 to 4 February 2021. A total of 413 responses were received. See resources section for full report.
• Phase 2 consultation was conducted from 19 April to 10 May 2021 with a total of 352 responses were received. See resources section for full report
• Phase 3 consultation (public exhibition of the draft masterplan) was conducted from 31 May to 25 June 2021 with a total of 42 submissions were received. See resources section for the full report.