Bob Campbell Oval

Maintenance works

Council carried out maintenance on the vehicular bridge at Bob Campbell Oval as part of our regular repairs and maintenance program.

Works commenced on Wednesday 6 March and took approximately three weeks.

Access to the oval was maintained during the works.

Tender update - April 

A report was provided to Council for the 18 April 2024 meeting.

Council has successfully negotiated with Landscape Solutions P/L to reduce the construction budget for the project to $4,849,328. The program provides for construction throughout the remainder of 2024 and a period to allow turf establishment of the playing field through to late 2025. The contractor Landscape Solutions P/L has advised works will commence by the end of April 2024. 

Read the report in the April Council Meeting Agenda.

Tender update

A report was provided to Council with the review of tenders for the appointment of a contractor to carry out the construction of the Bob Campbell Oval upgrade works. Council received eight tenders, five were complete and conforming.

Read the report in the February Council Meeting Agenda.

Read the Minutes from the February Council Meeting. 

The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the revised Masterplan has been finalised and is now available to view online. 

The Division 5.1 Assessment (previously known as the Part 5 Assessment) is now available to view online. 

The request for tender has now closed. The Evaluation Panel will assess the submissions and will provide an update on this page. 

The tender has been placed on Vendor Panel, Council's preferred procurement platform, and a pre-tender site meeting has been carried out as part of the tender process.

MOTION

At the October 2023 Council Meeting, a Motion was moved by Councillor Bennison that the General Manager:

1. Be delegated authority to determine the tender and enter into any contracts required for the completion of the Bob Campbell Oval Masterplan construction project;
2. Be delegated authority to make all operational decisions necessary for the successful completion of the project; and
3. Advise the Councillors of any contracts entered into and provide regular updates on the project's progress via the Snapshot Report and Council’s website.

The motion was carried. 

• View the Agenda and Minutes from the October 2023 Council Meeting.

Council has received 90% tender documentation and are on track to go out to tender at the end of this month. The project will be split into two different Tender Packages – one for the sports field, car park, playground and amenities building (all works west of Gore Creek) and the other for the Civil Road and SUP works (works east of Gore Creek). Tender for the sports field, car park, playground and amenities building will close in the final week of November and be assessed by Councils tender panel. A report will be prepared for the February Council meeting with the recommended contractor for the works. Works could then commence in March - April, depending on contractor availability. If works commence in April 2024, based on Council’s Landscape Consultant’s (Taylor Brammer) estimated program (outlined below), works could be completed by August 2025. A more definite program will be available after Council receives the Tender submissions.

• Amenities Block Floor Plan

The construction program will be broken into 4 phases as follows:

Phase 1 - Building Works North of Car Park (183 days)

• Site establishment and demolition
• In ground civil and drainage infrastructure
• Electrical infrastructure Playground installation (north)
• Paths and paving
• Civil roadworks, pavement, line marking
• Amenities building and associated infrastructure

Phase 2 - Natural Turf Construction (229 days)

• Field earthworks
• Field drainage and irrigation line planting
• Playing field turf establishment

Note: Council’s Turf Consultant (AgEnviro) has specified that the turf works cannot commence until major works north of the car park are complete. They have estimated the turf works will take up to 8 months to complete, based on 2 months for construction and 6 months for turf establishment.

Phase 3 - Works South of Sports Field (67 days)

• Retaining wall, ramp and pavement construction (car park)
• Park structures, pergolas and furniture
• Landscape works
• Playground installation (south)

Phase 4 - Civil Road and SUP Works (40 days)

• Remove existing road surfacing
• Road and SUP construction
• Connection to pedestrian footbridge

Note: Phase 4 - Civil Road and SUP works will be carried out during the 6 month turf establishment period.

Council accepted the separate quotes from Taylor Brammer Landscape Architects for the detail design documentation and Ag Enviro as the natural turf consultant to create the tender documentation for Bob Campbell Oval construction.

• Read the May 2023 meeting minutes.
• Read the May 2023 meeting agenda.

The revised Masterplan was adopted at the Council meeting on 23 February 2023.

As listed in the Proposed Delivery Program, Council will proceed with the procurement for a consultant to carry out detail design and specification, as well as a separate procurement process of a consultant to write the natural turf specification. These documents will be compiled to form the tender documentation.

• Bob Campbell Oval Masterplan
• Read the 23 February 2023 meeting minutes
• Read the 23 February 2023 meeting agenda

As part of the reports undertaken for the Bob Campbell Oval Master Plan, Council engaged an arborist for a tree risk assessment. A recommendation was that 6 trees at the top of the cliff face needed to be pruned for public safety. Council engaged a contractor to carry out these works in December. It will take just one day, weather dependent. The nearby open space and playground will remain accessible, with the exclusion zone in the area immediately around the works. Signage will be in place.

At the October Council Meeting, it was resolved to put the Draft Master Plan out for feedback and community consultation for six weeks. This will include details on the trees and vegetation required to be removed and new plantings. Visit the consultation page now to view the draft plan and leave your comments.

Read the October meeting minutes.

Following the exhibition period, the draft masterplan for Bob Campbell Oval, together with a report on any submissions received and any proposed amendments, will be considered at the February 2023 Council meeting.

Council held its third community stakeholder workshop where the group provided their final round of feedback to assist the consultant in finalising the Draft Master Plan for Bob Campbell Oval. The consultant will now finalise the draft plan which will be reported to a future Council meeting and be followed by community consultation

Please note that the cliff stabilisation works taking place on-site need to take place irrespective of the Master Plan.

Taylor Brammer is continuing further design investigation based on the feedback from the second workshop.

Cliff stabilisation works will be completed when weather permits.

This month the second community stakeholder workshop was carried out by Taylor Brammer Landscape Architects to discuss design options for Bob Campbell Oval. These options were discussed in depth. Based on feedback from workshop further design investigation will take place to refine the design before finalising the Master Plan.

Stabilisation of the western cliff face will commence this month which involves removing and/or securing rock.

Council recently held its first community stakeholder workshop to develop the new Bob Campbell Oval Master Plan. It was a great opportunity to get all the stakeholders in the same room to hear the wide range of wants and needs for this shared space. The landscape architect is analysing the feedback and the history of the space to develop a draft Master Plan which will be presented to the group for further development.

A Part 5 Application has been completed as required under the EP&A Act to undertake cliff stabilisation works at Bob Campbell Oval. Council will engage a contractor to undertake the stabilisation works.

As per Council's resolution of 24 January 2022 Council resolved to cease works on the previous Master Plan which included a synthetic sports field. The Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the previous Master Plan was completed prior to the 24 January resolution and is available to view online.

Although the synthetic field will not proceed this REF contains geotechnical stabilisation works for the cliff in the reserve which are essential works for public safety. As per Council's resolution of 21 February 2022 Council will be using a portion of the REF to gain approval under Part 5 of the EP&A Act to undertake the cliff stabilisation works. Once approval has been granted Council will engage a contractor to undertake the stabilisation works.

You can view the Agenda and minutes of the 21 February Council Meeting online.

Council will be holding an Extraordinary Meeting on Monday 24 January 2022 with a notice of motion for the 'Revision of Bob Campbell Oval Master Plan and actions consequent upon this revision'.

The Agenda of the meeting is now available to view on Council's website and you can find out how to register to speak in the public forum by visiting the Meeting Information page.

View the Agenda and the Minutes online.

Council has entered into a contract for construction of Stage 1 works which is subject to obtaining approval for the work and provides for Council to comply with the outcome of current review by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment into synthetic fields.

Council is proposing to utilise synthetic grass to provide the maximum playing capacity for the sportsfield. Lane Cove’s population has grown by more than 16% in recent years without any additional sportsfields being provided. All Northern Sydney councils agree this is the best way to address a lack of sportsfields due to population growth.

The actual field will be the most environmentally friendly in Australia. It features:

• No loose material (eg no black rubber) that can escape into the environment.
• The plastic utilised is compliant with EU standards for use in plastic toys.
• All materials are 100% recyclable.
• All drainage systems include sumps for separation of solids.

Subject to the necessary approvals, Council will develop a construction program that is sensitive to community access to open space during COVID-19 and will see completion of Stage 1 by mid-2022.

Council's 2018 – 2021 Delivery Program and Operational Plan included an action to develop a synthetic playing surface at Bob Campbell Oval amongst other improvements to the open space. A Masterplan for proposed improvement works was prepared which the subject to community feedback between 17 September and 1 November 2020. On 16 November 2020 at an Ordinary Council meeting, Councillors endorsed the Bob Campbell Oval Masterplan for the upgrading of existing sportsfield.

Council has entered into a contract with Synergy Turf for construction of Stage 1 of the Bob Campbell Oval Master Plan. The contract includes conditions that allow Council to cancel the contract in the event Council does not obtain approval for the work and/or the current review by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment into Synthetic Fields requires the contract to be cancelled.

Council engaged O'Connor Marsden (OCM) to prepare a Probity Plan for the approval process which is now available.

In summary, the approval process has the following steps, noting that Step 1 has commenced. As each step is completed the website will be updated to show the status.

1. A new multi-disciplinary consultant will prepare a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) based on the actual products and design proposed under the contract, including a Remediation Action Plan.[Commenced]
2. On completion of the REF, Council will publish it on this website.
3. A consultant town planner will prepare a Part 5 (of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EPA Act)) Assessment report with recommendation based on the REF and any other necessary documents.
4. On completion of the Part 5 Assessment Report, Council will publish it on this website.
5. Counsel will review the Assessment report and provide an opinion to as to whether the REF and Part 5 Assessment meets legislative requirements under the EPA Act.
6. Council's Executive Manager - Environmental Services will determine the Application.
7. Following determination of the Application a report on the outcome will be provided to the next Ordinary Council meeting.

In relation to timing for the steps and the project overall, subject to the necessary approvals, Council has committed to not commence works in September 2021. Council is sensitive to programming work having regard to community access to open space during COVID-19. A revised program of works has not yet been determined.

The Contract for Construction and Installation of Synthetic Sports Field and associated infrastructure at Bob Campbell Oval was reported to the 16 August meeting. View the 16 August Council Agenda (supplementary report) and Minutes.

The tender for Construction and Installation of “Synthetic Sports Field and Associated Infrastructure at Bob Campbell Oval" was considered at an Extraordinary Council meeting on 2 August. View the 2 August Council Agenda and Minutes.

22 July 2021

Consideration of the tender for Construction and Installation of “Synthetic Sports Field and Associated Infrastructure at Bob Campbell Oval” has been postponed to an Extraordinary Council meeting on 2 August 2021. View the 19 July Council Minutes.

July 2021

The 19 July 2021 Council meeting includes items relating to Bob Campbell Oval. View the Agenda online. The Bob Campbell Oval Council Report includes an attachment which is an addendum to the REF in regard to further clarification of terminology and additional information on leachates and microplastics.

Council has revoked the Part 5 assessment and approval for the Redevelopment of Bob Campbell Oval. Council's attention was drawn to the REF's requirement for a Remediation Action Plan (RAP)to be developed for consideration as part of the Part 5 Assessment. This RAP was not produced, but was scheduled to be prepared prior to commencement of construction. On this basis for avoidance of doubt in process, Council has revoked the Part 5 Approval and will prepare a RAP and review the original REF, prior to making a fresh decision on whether or not to approve the carrying out of the redevelopment of Bob Campbell Oval.

The Part 5 Assessment under the Environmental Planning Assessment Act (1979) has been completed. Landscape Documentation is also now available.

Council has commissioned a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) for the Bob Campbell Oval Project. A copy of the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) is now available. An addendum to the REF is available in regard to further clarification of terminology and additional information on leachates and microplastics.

This document has been prepared as part of the next stage of the approval process under the Infrastructure SEPP (2007) which applies to this project.

The REF will form part of a Part 5 Assessment under the Environmental Planning Assessment Act (1979). The document should be read in full.

Council will provide the community with an update once the Part 5 Assessment has been completed.

Council has outsourced the provision of both a topographical land survey and existing tree information as part of the Bob Campbell Redevelopment Masterplan. The resulting Tree Inspection Schedule and corresponding Tree Location Survey are now available to view online.

A Notice of Rescission was put forward to Council at the 15 March meeting to rescind Item 1 (Council receive and endorse the revised Bob Campbell Oval Master Plan) of resolution 183 of the Council meeting 16 November 2020.The Motion was lost - view the Minutes of the meeting.

Council is currently working on design detail for the Master Plan. Relevant reports for this project will be available from this page of Council's website for public once received by Council.

Construction of a new Gross Pollutant Trap (GPT) at the corner of St Vincents Road and Gore Street will commence on Monday 22 February. It's scheduled to take approximately five weeks to complete.

To avoid any potential conflict with the hosting of the Greenwich Games (anticipated in December 2021), Council has deferred construction commencing until January 2022 with completion proposed for December 2022.

However, Council will commence the construction of the Shared User Path (SUP) earlier than previously anticipated with contractors engaged by mid-2021 and expected to be completed in December 2021.

Council considered a report at its meeting of 16 November 2020 following community consultation throughout September and October.

To view the minutes from the meeting, please view the Council Minutes for November.

20 October 2020

The consultation period has been extended and will now finish on 1 November 2020.

Find out more on the Have Your Say page for Bob Campbell Oval.

Consultation is now underway via Council's Have Your Say section until Thursday 29 October 2020 (amended to 1 November).

Council's Open Space Plan identifies the need to increase the capacity and use of open space assets through investment, innovation and good design. To help improve the use of Bob Campbell Oval, Greenwich, Council has prepared a Draft Masterplan which demonstrates how a range of features could be included on the site. Council's 2008 Recreation Action Plan was developed to identify existing gaps in sports infrastructure and planned for increased capacity as a result of increased participation in sport. It recommended that Council investigate the option of a synthetic field at Blackman Park or Bob Campbell Oval, along with upgraded cricket wickets and improved lighting. The Blackman Park upgrades were ultimately completed in 2014.

The 2014 NSROC Regional Sportsground Strategy which covered the LGAs of Hornsby, Hunter's Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, North Sydney, Ryde and Willoughby, identified that demand for sportsfields would far outweigh supply in coming years even with all existing fields converting to synthetic to allow higher usage. This report identified Bob Campbell Oval as a potential synthetic field location.

Council's 2018-2021 Delivery Program and Operation Plan included an action to develop a synthetic playing surface at Bob Campbell Oval including consideration of the provision of walkways, off-leash areas and amenities/car parks.

Council has been successful in securing funds for the upgrade to the oval and surrounding park area through state funding from NSW Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Environment.

We are now seeking feedback on the Masterplan which includes the following:

• New synthetic field to accommodate Soccer (90m x 50m) and Cricket
• Existing Bushland
• New fitness track approx. 400m in length
• Enclosed off-leash dog areas
• New amenities building
• Approx. 50 space car park
• Link to existing bush track
• New native vegetation area
• Existing aquaduct
• New playground and fitness equipment
• New BBQ picnic area
• Existing vehicular access road and shared user access path
• New shared user path (SUP)
• New upgraded lighting for field
• New Netball training court for off-peak times
• Perimeter fence

To assist with the consultation, Council has prepared Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), along with a number of background documents and will also host two community drop-in information sessions.

To allow the community to understand the scale of the enclosed field, the area of the synthetic sportsfield has been marked on the existing oval (as close as practical) including the off-leash dog areas during this consultation period.

Have Your Say

To have your say please visit the Have Your Say section of Council's website to review the background information and complete the online survey. The Have Your Say page also includes details on dates/RSVP process for the drop-in sessions and how to make a submission to the General Manager regarding the Masterplan. Written submissions close 5:00pm, Sunday 1 November 2020 (originally Thursday 29 October 2020).

Consultation has now closed.

• Arboricultural Impact Assessment Report
• Site Survey
• Structural Wall Documentation
• Heritage Impact Statement
• Site Investigation - Contamination and Acid Sulfate Soil
• Geotechnical Investigation and Stability Assessment
• Lighting Design
• Preliminary Terrestrial and Fauna Study
• Construction and Installation of Synthetic Sports Field - Specifications
• Sports Field Documentation
• Stormwater Management Plan - Proposed Stormwater Works
• Part 5 Application
• Review of Environmental Factors (REF)
• Agenda and minutes of the 24 January 2022 Council Meeting
• Agenda and minutes of the 21 February 2022 Council Meeting
• Probity Plan for the approval process
• Agenda and minutes of the 16 August 2021 Council Meeting
• Agenda and minutes of the 2 August 2021 Extraordinary Meeting
• Agenda and minutes of the 19 July 2021 Council Meeting
• Clarification of terminology and additional information on leachates and microplastics
• Landscape Documentation
• Tree Inspection Schedule
• Tree Location Survey
• Agenda and minutes of the 15 March 2021 Council Meeting
• Agenda and minutes of the 16 November 2020 Council Meeting
• July Council report – Bob Campbell Oval Masterplan and Grant Funding
• July 2020 Council Minutes for Bob Campbell Oval
• Petition from Greenwich Community Association Inc
• Online Survey Results
• Written submissions (groups and associations)
• Written submissions (individuals)
• Greenwich Village Games Operational Assessment
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Revised Masterplan Bob Campbell Oval
• Tree Risk Assessment– Western Cliff
• Review of Environmental Factors - Western Rock Face - by Applied Ecology Pty Ltd