In one of those ironies that can occur in a dystopian reality, in the same week the council ticked off its Climate Change Policy it has placed on exhibition a proposal to turn a green grassed field into a compound of hardcourts and cut down both of the two remaining copses of trees to facilitate installing a junior soccer field at Warriewood in order to turn the whole of Boondah Reserve into a 'sports precinct'.
Although the council’s one page drawing shows 8 trees would be removed, those that provide the only shade at the Pittwater Road end of Boondah Reserve in that grassed area, a physical count, which could also have been done via Google maps, shows 19 will be destroyed.
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Google maps pics. Above: 9 trees (not 3), below: 10 trees (not 5) - June 2025, retrieved October 26, 2025
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Another note of irony is sounded when research shows the Nepean Times dated November 11 1905 states “Boondah” is an Aboriginal word for a ‘’native apple tree’’. Other sources state ‘’Boonah’’ is a word taken from the Yuggera and Yugumbir language groups, meaning a bloodwood or brigalow tree.
The council’s Climate Change policy lists as one of its aims ‘’advocate for action to reduce the causes, risks and impacts of climate change’’.
Installing hard surfaces and deliberately killing trees are known contributors, or causes, of urban heat.
Urban heat and the urban heat island effect are increasing the heat-related impacts of climate change in urban areas, making increased temperatures and extreme hot weather events more severe.
Coupled with the netball hardcourts installed by the council and completed in November 2020, now named to honour the wonderful Ronda Alterator, life is set to get too darn hot for those living in the valley.
At least the recently passed Tree Policy is proving its worth.
The council’s aim in proposing to turn this Reserve into a Sports Precinct is stated on the project webpage as:
‘With more families, young people and sporting clubs, there’s an increasing demand for high quality and accessible community facilities.
That’s why we’re upgrading the sportsfields at Boondah Road and Jacksons Road as part of the Warriewood Valley Development Contributions Plan, which ensures local infrastructure keeps pace with community needs.
These upgrades are aligned with the Northern Beaches Sportsgrounds Strategy, aiming to address the current shortage of sports fields and improve the overall quality of sporting facilities throughout the region.
The improvements to the sports precinct will:
- support local sporting clubs, schools and recreational users
- provide inclusive and accessible spaces for all ages and abilities
- improve safety, access and connectivity with new paths and lighting
- provide more opportunities for our growing community to participate in sport and recreation.
It is anticipated that the implementation of the precinct plan will be staged over multiple years, including upgrading of lighting to comply with Australian Standards.’
As all local soccer clubs are bursting at the seams, especially the littlies age divisions, the removal of 19 trees so one more junior patch can be made available, will help meet that need. Juniors games have 20 minute halves with a 5 minute half-time break, or 25 minute halves with a 5 minute half-time break, and with the volunteers who look after these clubs working to meet tight rosters, every single field hosts multiple games over a single Saturday morning and weekend.
The sound of children laughing and yelling as they play sports is as loved as birds singing, more so for many.
Likewise, with schools' hard areas locked up every weekend, yet another expanse of concrete where once it was green will be welcomed by those who need hardcourts exercises.
The same council webpage advises implementation of the precinct plan will be staged over multiple years. Upgrades to lighting of Field 2, adjacent to the Ted Blackwood Youth and Community Centre is anticipated to be undertaken in 2025/26 financial year.
Further works will be delivered across fields 5, 6 and 7 during 2026/27 while upgrades to field 2, such as drainage and irrigation are anticipated to occur in 2027/28, subject to funding availability.
In April 2024 a teenage boy noticed a small hole next to goalposts at Boondah Reserve. As boys will, he stuck his foot in and the ground underneath him collapsed as a sinkhole opened.
Sinkholes are caused by the erosion of underlying rock by water, a process that can be both natural and human-induced. They form when water, often slightly acidic rainwater, dissolves soluble bedrock like limestone, gypsum, or salt, creating underground voids. As these voids grow, the overlying surface can no longer be supported and collapses. Human activities, such as groundwater pumping, leaky pipes, and construction, can accelerate this process.
They can range anywhere between a slight depression in the ground right up to an enormous hole reaching down for several hundred metres. The world's deepest sinkhole is in Chongquig, China, reaching down 662 metres.
The fields are built on reclaimed land adjacent to Narrabeen Creek and Warriewood Square shopping mall, and on the perimeter of Warriewood Wetlands because they once were those same wetlands. Almost 200 millimetres of rain fell nearby in the two days prior to this poor lads experience, soaking the ground, closing local roads and sending volumes of water down Narrabeen Creek. Fortunately one of the outstanding local boys in blue saved him.
However, climate change is stated to increase these instances and the amount of water in floods during these events. The council may yet have to revisit its previous iterations haste to fill in he wetlands, especially if, or when, the wetlands claim their creek runs back.
The council states it has been working with local sporting groups to reconfigure the Boondah Reserve fields into a sports precinct to provide additional capacity and is now asking for feedback to ensure it caters to the needs of the whole community.
As residents continue to state the council’s consultations are actually statements of intent, where a report will read everyone ‘mostly supports’ what has been announced even when they don’t, the birds and possums that nest here, the flying foxes and visiting species that feed here, or those humans who picnic, do handstands and cartwheels or simply seek shade in that area, will deem they have been given their eviction notice from yet another community public space.
Nevertheless, all are welcome to chirp, snuffle or use words until comments close on November 23 - Play ball here.
Brushtail Possums, mum and bub. Photo: J J Harrison.