Councillor Heidi Lee Douglas - Peaceful Bayside

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Councillor Heidi Lee Douglas - Peaceful Bayside

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On behalf of Peaceful Bayside, I am bringing fresh, visionary leadership to Bayside Council (NSW) & our local government area. www.peacefulbayside.com

Authorised by Heidi Lee Douglas for Peaceful Bayside, 15 Bermill St Rockdale 2216 NSW.

31/10/2026

What’s on the Council agenda this week?

⭐️ I’m particularly pleased to see the first stage of the Open Space & Recreation Strategy.

This was one of the key strategic unlock Peaceful Bayside went into this term wanting to achieve, and I have been pushing for it and brought it to council with support of former Mayor Edward McDougall - Bayside Councillor and Councillor Janin Bredehoeft.

Neighbouring councils such as Georges River, Randwick and Inner West already have strategic frameworks guiding their open space and recreation planning.

So I’m very pleased that we as a council are now moving this work forward.

The strategy needs to answer the big questions:

🌳 What open space do we have?
⚽ What recreation facilities do we need?
📍 Where are the gaps?
🏘️ How will population growth change demand?
🌿 What should we improve and where should we invest?
💰 How should developer contributions and Council investment be prioritised?

This is exactly the kind of thing I believe Council should be doing.

Council is a strategic board, not an operational management team.

Our job is to set the long-term direction, scrutinise major investments, make evidence-based decisions and hold the organisation to account for delivering the strategy.

Not decide every operational detail. And not make ad hoc decisions based on the most powerful lobby groups ability to drown out other quieter, less organised parts of our community and their needs.

There’s plenty more on this week’s agenda too: including the Banksia Town Centre upgrade feasibility assessment, Wolli Creek transport study, Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre car parking, PCYC Rockdale lease and future use, and planning matters.

Also on the agenda is next steps on Villiers st, heritage home. That’s a confidential item.

You can read all council papers here:

https://infoweb.bayside.nsw.gov.au/?committee=1

30/10/2026

The Leader covers the heated debate from community and councillors about Bayside Council’s decision this week to develop many more new synthetic soccer fields.

The majority of councillors want 5 more in total - two at Jellicoe, plus Mascot, Kingsgrove Reserve, and Riverine Park.

On top of 7 we have - with replacement schedule starting soon.

Big bucks for council and ratepayers.

And that would make 12 synthetic fields in Bayside for ~188,000 residents = one synthetic field for every ~15,650 residents.

At the current seven, it’s one per ~26,800 residents.

That’s a 71% increase in synthetic fields without anything like a corresponding increase in population.

I argued for an amendment for council to follow the NSW Guidelines for Synthetic Fields which includes a needs assessment through an Open Spaces and Recreation Strategy and facilities assesment across council areas. My amendment was lost so I put it up as a foreshadowed motion. That also lost.

Councillors therefore voted against following the NSW Guidelines.

https://www.theleader.com.au/story/9383219/bayside-council-moves-to-roll-out-synthetic-sports-fields/

30/10/2026

Help shape a new space for young people at Heslehurst Reserve 🌳 Brighton Le Sands.

Bayside Council is seeking feedback on a proposed youth precinct designed for being active, hanging out, relaxing, getting creative and connecting with others.

We want to hear from young people, families, residents and park users about what matters to them before the design is finalised.

🗓️ Feedback is open until Tuesday 24 November 2026.

Have Your Say 👇
https://haveyoursay.bayside.nsw.gov.au/heslehurst-reserve-youth-space

29/10/2026

Get over to Mascot this Saturday for Bayside Council’s very own annual food and w**e festival!

28/10/2026

Explore how reconnecting with the Cooks River can strengthen both ecological and community wellbeing.

28/10/2026

My question on this did not get answered on the floor of council tonight, so I am pursuing answers for ratepayers

How we spend your ratepayers money is on open spaces is important!

Has Bayside Council complied with the NSW Government's May 2025 Synthetic Turf Sports Fields in Public Open Space – Guideline for Decision-makers (page 27)?

- Has council developed an open space and recreation strategies to inform sporting-field planning?
- Has Council consulted neighbouring councils to understand regional sporting needs and opportunities to share facilities?
- Has council undertaken verifiable needs and condition assessments, examine different playing surface options, and conduct cost-benefit analyses, including whole-of-life costs?

28/10/2026

There has been lots of discussion at our council meeting tonight about long term financial planning for open spaces and assets.

In the financial report we received in the business papers tonight, it identifies an adjusted recurring operating surplus of just $1.09 million once one-off items and interest on externally restricted reserves are taken into account.

It also shows that only around $5.1 million of our $556 million in cash and investments is unrestricted.

Our asset renewal ratio, while improving, remains below the benchmark at 90.3%, and we have existing capital commitments of $85.4 million.

None of this suggests Council is in financial crisis. But it does demonstrate why we need to be careful when considering new multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects - like all weather fields.

We need to understand not just what it costs to build something, but what it costs to maintain, operate and eventually replace it.

I would welcome greater clarity on how these figures inform our long-term capital investment decisions.

That's why tonight I have requested more information through on our term financial plans, to make sure all councillors are provided with the same and most up to date information to be able to make more informed planning decisions; and to make sure this is also easily accessible for the community.

Page 63:https://infoweb.bayside.nsw.gov.au/Open/2026/10/CO_28102026_AGN_5123_AT.PDF

25/10/2026

Ouch! 😟 A local parent sent me these photos of a family member who suffered serious burns while playing sport on a synthetic field today.

Bayside already has 7 synthetic sports fields. Now some councillors want 5 more…

Before we convert more of our parks to plastic, we need to ask: is this really the right approach for our community?

There is an alternative: modern, well-maintained natural turf with good drainage. 🌱

We can make better sports fields without making them plastic.

And in doing so better protect our kids health.

🌱 Say YES to Natural Turf!
Add your voice and help push for better natural turf fields in Bayside:
https://www.peacefulbayside.com/natural-turf

Address

Kyeemagh Beach
Kyeemagh, NSW
2216

Telephone

+61417968981

Website

http://www.peacefulbayside.com/

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