Sunday, 18 May, marked a new beginning for Wentworth Park. For years this former treasure has been neglected, but now it is coming back to life and is ready once again to take its rightful place as one of Sydney’s great parks.

On 18th May 2008, about 2000 people came to the Wentworth Park Community Games. There were little kids and teenagers, and young parents and grandparents, and dogs – big dogs and little dogs, fluffy dogs and smoothhaired dogs, dogs of every colour, shape and size imaginable.And everyone had a good time.

They threw quoits and boules, and even gumboots. They ran in a mini-marathon and carrying wineglasses. Little kids kicked soccer balls and bigger kids celebrated 100 years of rugby league. The dogs ran – not always where they were supposed to run, or with the application their owners had hoped for – but much to the entertainment of the crowd.

In the bistro under the grandstand people browsed through a comprehensive collection of historic photographs of Glebe, Forest Lodge, Pyrmont and Ultimo, and listened to talks by Shirley Fitzgerald and Max Solling.

Outside they munched all kinds of food and sipped a coffee or a glass of wine. If it all got too much there were plenty of seats in the grandstand. If you looked closely there was even a VIP or two in the crowd.

By all counts it appears that the Community Games were a success. Many of the people who came had never been inside the central part of the park, and the fact that so many people participated suggests we have succeeded in raising the profile of the park with both residents and local and State government.

– Bruce Davis

 

The Community Games Day was organised by the Blackwattle Cove Coalition (BCC) and was designed to attract residents from the suburbs surrounding the park, and draw attention to its great potential.

The Glebe Society is a founding member of BCC and many members, particularly Anne Fraser, have been involved in organising the day. BCC, which was established in 2006, is made up of a wide range of community groups from Glebe, Ultimo and Pyrmont.