A leading Wollongong personal injury lawyer has questioned the location of a popular children's playground in Gwynneville, located just metres from a cricket ground.
A long-term resident in the area, Mark Johnston says he speaks for a number of parents who share his concerns that the playground at Wiseman Park has been built too close to the ground. He regularly takes his five-year-old son Owen to the playground.
"It's a great little playground. It's just a shame it's located so close to the cricket ground," Mark said. "There is so much public space in this area that it should have been easy to locate it somewhere else on the site to obviate the risk.
"I'm not aware of anyone getting hit by a ball yet, but it will happen one day."
Acting as a concerned father
While a life member of the Keira Cricket Club and former Illawarra Cricket president, Mark has emphasised that he is raising the issue only as a concerned father.
His concerns were supported by the captain of the Wests Illawarra captain, David Potts, speaking to the Illawarra Flame after the coin toss at Saturday's semi final at Wiseman Park.
"I agree totally, balls get hit in that area all the time, Some kid's going to get killed," David said.
Warning signs are in place
Several warning signs about the danger of flying cricket balls have been erected independent of Wollongong City Council or Cricket Illawarra but Mark Johnston believes this isn't enough.
"The situation could easily be rectified by Council putting high posts and netting outside the ground to protect the playground," Mark said.
"There is a good example of this at the northern end of Dalton Park which protects balls from being kicked into the creek behind the goals."
Mark has raised his concerns with community group Neighbour Forum 5 and the matter will be discussed at its April meeting in council's library theatrette next Wednesday evening.
