The North Turramurra Recreational Area (NTRA) has recently become a hot topic among locals. Upgraded amenities and a fresh revamp for local sports teams seem like a win-win situation for everyone; however, some Ku-ring-gai residents have taken a staunch position against them. 

The proposed development approval (DA) at NTRA is a massive improvement to the current facilities. With a 300-seat grandstand, partnered with a corporate box, media box, and boardroom for community use. Fit with adequate changing rooms, referee, official and coach change rooms. For spectators, adequate shade for parents and grandparents from the sun and a reprieve from a wet and slippery hill in the winter. Either way, all year-round spectators are shielded from the elements.

Northern Suburbs Football Association CEO Kevin Johnson commented on the development.

“The NSFA is paying for all construction costs, capital repairs and ongoing maintenance costs. The project won’t cost ratepayers anything; however, the NSFA intends to share the new facility with the community.

“We're also happy to share it with other sports and community groups, and we expect it will be more in demand for school carnivals, which will be attracted by the undercover seating and additional amenities. We are the only football association in Sydney that doesn't have a home clubhouse, and the community will be getting a fabulous community asset at no cost to ratepayers.”

Kevin Johnson further commented on the plus for female athletes.

“It also enables us to increase the number of female-friendly change rooms massively. Many women currently don't have much space to change and are forced to change in car parks, this development will help change that.”

This would mean that the NTRA would be able to acquire a tiny ‘state-of-the-art’ sliver of what other sporting and recreational areas, like Cromer Park, which hosts the Manly United men's and women's football teams, have at their disposal.

But of course, there is always a barrage of concerns with any development, and the local community has repeatedly complained about traffic and parking concerns if the development goes ahead.

However, independent traffic and parking planning investigated the site and found that no appreciable change in traffic was expected during peak times, as playing fields remain the same and the competitions are already at capacity. Careful planning and scheduling of junior and senior games outside of the golf course times will also prevent parking congestion.

Bushfire dangers have also been mentioned despite the grandstand's primary users, the NSFA, playing their games outside bushfire season.

Some residents have even gone so far as to call it a 'Stadium' or an 'Arena'. But let's be real, it's not like we're talking about a grand sports colosseum with tens of thousands of seats of capacity. This grandstand has been unnecessarily blown out of proportion by residents in what can only be described as a last-ditch effort to stop the DA.

More recently, the council held an extraordinary council meeting on January 23rd, with the matter of the NTRA grandstand at the helm of what was a somewhat brief discussion.

A rescission notice was put forward by Councillors Cedric Spencer, Christine Kay and Greg Taylor to overturn the decision to build the grandstand.

The same three councillors voted down or abstained from voting on Norman Griffiths's oval redevelopment, and the same councillors who voted down a much-loved community bench in St Ives last month.

Within just over 15 minutes, and after a brief spiel from Cr Spencer, a silent Cr Kay and a no-show from Greg Taylor after apparently not having sufficient internet coverage, the rescission motion was swiftly voted against by the majority of other present councillors.

This meeting seems like just another frustration in the development progress. The NSFA continue to satisfy the grant requirements, hoping the grandstand ball will continue rolling. Meanwhile, youngsters growing up in the Ku-ring-gai and surrounding communities should keep their fingers crossed that their local ground might become something a little grander.