Have your say on weekend lights at John Landy Oval

Last year we invited you to give your feedback on a proposal to install lights at Central Park’s John Landy Oval – to extend the hours the oval can be used by the community and for local sports training.

At present the oval is unlit which limits its use to daylight hours only. This particularly affects sports training and community recreation activities during the winter months when it is generally dark by late afternoon.

At the close of the 2021 consultation, we received 202 survey responses, with 69 per cent of respondents either supporting or strongly supporting the installation of low-spill, adjustable lights.

The community consultation results were presented to the 13 December 2021 Council meeting, where approval was given for the installation of low-spill, adjustable lights at John Landy Oval, using the six-pole design preferred by the community.

Council also supported the lights operating from Monday to Friday, during the winter sports season, and requested further consultation be undertaken to determine community support for the lights being used on weekend nights.

We plan to install the lights in the 2022/23 financial year and before doing so would like to determine the level of community support for the lights being used on weekend nights in winter, as well as weeknights.

What we would like to know is, do you support lights on weekend nights and, if you do, should it be Saturday, Sunday, or both nights, and, what time should they be turned off?

Please note: lighting on weekend nights will be at a level that is suitable for community recreation activities only. The lighting level will not be suitable for sporting activities.

How to have your say

1. Complete the survey below by 14 June.
2. Give feedback to our engagement team who will be at John Landy Oval between 3pm and 5pm on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June (postponed due to weather)

At the close of consultation on 14 June, your feedback will help decide whether to light the oval on weekends or not.

Council undertook an extensive community consultation process across September and October 2021 for the proposal to install low spill and adjustable lights at Central Park sports ground for both active recreation and organised sport.

Community engagement methods included:

• 1,483 views on the Connect Stonnington website
• 328 letters sent to nearby residents
• 5 large signs erected around Central Park
• 202 online survey completions (62% active/ passive recreational users and 37%affiliated to a sports club)
• An online information session attended by 25 residents
• A FAQ flyer
• Paid social media advertising on Facebook (1,561 clicks) and Instagram (94,444impressions)•A news item on Council’s website
• Phone and email correspondence with residents

The images below outline the results from this consultation process and the following Council approval for the installation of low-spill, adjustable lights at John Landy Oval, using the six-pole design preferred by the community.

Have your say on a proposal to install lights around Central Park's John Landy Oval .

The John Landy Oval is very popular with the surrounding community for exercise and dog walking, and is home to local soccer and cricket clubs. Currently the oval has no lighting which means the use of the space for community recreation activities and sports training is limited to daylight hours. This particularly affects activities during the winter months when it’s generally dark by early evening.

To extend the hours the oval can be used we are investigating the option of installing lights at the oval. The lights proposed are low-spill with variable lighting levels that can be adjusted to suit community recreation activities and sports training.

Before considering this proposal further, we invite you to participate in an online discussion and complete a survey to help us gauge support for the lighting proposal, the design options and the hours of operation.

Two lighting designs have been prepared, both of which supply adjustable lighting levels to support passive recreation activities and sports training. The principal difference in the two options is the first has four taller lighting towers and the second, six shorter lighting towers.

This project responds to feedback from our 2019 Park Service Review public engagement program, when lighting at Central Park was highlighted as a measure that would increase the park’s usability and improve the perception of safety in the area.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.