Mackey park official reopening

Flags surrounded the park, there was a large crowd & the Red Devils tested the turf

There was a red carpet on the grounds of Mackey Park this afternoon for the official reopening of the $3.1 million refurbishment.  $2.2 million was a grant from the federal government & Marrickville Council made up the remainder of the money.

The money has been well spent as much has been achieved that will benefit the community for years to come. The park looks wonderful.

Anthony Albanese Member for Grayndler (centre) surrounded by (L-R) Deputy Mayor Iskandar, President of Red Devils Soccer Club, Clr Olive, Mayor Byrne, Clr O'Sullivan, Clr Tsardoulias & the Red Devils

The contaminants have been removed from the soil & the fields have been redesigned.  A drainage system has been put underneath the fields that will collect water & take it to a filtering system next to the newly constructed wetlands. There the water will be naturally cleaned & then directed underground to water storage tanks situated next to the playground. The recycled water will be used to irrigate the grass fields.  Excess water will feed the new wetlands & cleaned. Any overflow will travel to the canal beside the park before entering the Cooks River.

(L-R) Clr O'Sullivan, Deputy Mayor Iskandar, Marrickville Council General Manager Ken Gainger, Anothony Albanese MP, Marrickville Mayor Byrne & Clr Olive

Mackey Park used to get quite boggy in some areas so the below ground drainage system will prevent this ensuring the grass has greater longevity & need less maintenance.

I have never seen the fields look so level. The cricket pitch is a strip of thick Astroturf, which should make it quite durable. There are pop-up water sprinklers that can be turned on for the areas that need watering.

Solar panels on Council’s depot building at Sydenham will offset the power Mackey Park will use.

The children’s playground is totally new & judging by watching the children today, it is already a success.  This playground will be much used by the families who come to watch their children play sports as well as the local community.

The club house/amenities building has also undergone a refurbishment. There are new shade structures & a new fence between the playing fields & the playground.  The 3-people-wide pedestrian path flows in front of the playground & alongside Richardsons Crescent before exiting opposite Tempe Railway Station.

Mackey Park Fig trees

A number of people mentioned the Mackey Park Figs saying that they were pleased to see these lovely trees still standing.  I once again thank both the community & the Greens & Labor Councillors for saving these trees.

I did notice that the embankment of Mackey Park that borders Richardsons Crescent looks less populated by trees. I can’t actually say that any trees have been removed. Perhaps the undergrowth has been cleaned out. What this work did reveal was another young Hills Fig in this area that I have not noticed before, bringing the total to 2 Figs on the embankment & 4 for the whole park.  I’d like Council to consider planting another couple of Fig trees along the embankment because there certainly is room to allow them to grow naturally. They would help stabilize the bank, provide a decent buffer to traffic, sight & noise & wouldn’t affect either Richardsons Crescent or the playing fields.  They would also add visual beauty as well as provide food & habitat for birds & bats.

Marrickville Council has done a wonderful job on Mackey Park.  There are many great aspects to the refurbishment.  It will serve the community & the sporting clubs well.

The opening was great. The speeches were good. The mood was up. Everyone was happy.  Even the rain held off after threatening to storm all day.

Part of the new wetlands at Mackey Park

 

Mackey Park official reopening

After a $3.1 million refurbishment funded by the federal government & Marrickville Council, the new playground, a renovated club house, new sports fields with underground drainage, a new wetland & a new set up of pedestrian paths & lighting will be unveiled in Mackey Park Marrickville South on –

• Thursday 9^th December 2010
• 4pm
• Everyone is welcome.

The playground is still wrapped ready for the opening

Anthony Albanese, Member for Grayndler will open the refurbished Mackey Park along with Mayor Fiona Byrne.  There will be a sausage sizzle & the local soccer club, the Red Devils will test out the new fields with a six-a-side soccer game.

The sports fields are flat, flat, flat!

We went down to Mackey Park today & it looks good. The playground is modern & the sporting fields are so flat they could be used for giant lawn bowls.

The wetland is being constructed & I think this is going to be terrific for biodiversity in the area as well as cleaning up water entering the Cooks River.  While we were there a lone Heron walked below the Mackey Park Fig trees picking up fruit.  The wetlands will undoubtedly add more habitat & food sources for birds like these.