In June 2024, Council endorsed community consultation regarding a potential permanent perimeter fence being installed around Unley Oval. The purpose of the consultation was to measure the level of support for a permanent fence and understand the concerns or benefits of a perimeter fence.
Unley Oval is identified as a Regional Park / Open Space in Council’s Open Space Strategy, providing facilities and events that serve the City of Unley and appeal to visitors from across metropolitan Adelaide.
The City of Unley’s Public Consultation Policy defines "community" as “the public” and includes ratepayers, residents and all people who live, work, study, conduct business or use the services, facilities, and public places in the City of Unley.
This policy ensures that all stakeholders, including those who may not live directly within the City of Unley but still use its facilities regularly, are given an opportunity to provide feedback on projects that affect public spaces, such as Unley Oval.
Unley Oval serves a wide community, hosting sports events and recreational activities that attract visitors from across the metropolitan area. Feedback from these diverse groups was considered important to ensure a balanced perspective and help inform Council’s decision-making.
The Stage 1 Perimeter Fence Investigation Survey was conducted over a three-week period in July 2024. Over 1,400 surveys were submitted, with responses from both local residents and stakeholders beyond the City of Unley.
An external consultant was engaged to analyse the findings of the survey. A detailed summary of the findings can be found in the agenda for Council's meeting on 23 September 2024 (Item 4.1). Here are the meeting minutes.
Using the findings of the consultation to inform their decision-making, Council decided to proceed to the next stage of the investigation at its meeting on 23 September 2024, which involves developing concept designs for the perimeter fence. The designs will consider key themes identified in the survey, such as:
- Location of the fence around the oval.
- Access points for community use.
- Safety considerations for both oval users and spectators.
- Aesthetic appeal that aligns with Unley’s character.
The concept design will identify different ways to try to address the concerns raised by the community regarding a perimeter fence.
The concept designs are expected to be presented to Council with indicative costings by early 2025. Council will then decide whether to:
- Provide feedback and refine the designs.
- Approve them for public consultation, OR
- Discontinue further investigation of a permanent perimeter fence at Unley Oval.
Should the designs be approved for public consultation, we anticipate this consultation would begin in the first half of 2025.
To find out more about the investigation, you can visit Unley Oval Perimeter Fencing Investigation | Your Say Unley .
To participate in any future consultations regarding Unley Oval, please sign up to Your Say Unley.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers that were raised during Stage 1 of the consultation process relating to the operation of a possible perimeter fence around Unley Oval. These questions and answers were endorsed by Council at the October 2024 meeting.
Who is responsible for locking and unlocking the existing picket fence and when is it permitted to be locked?
Council has entered into a Licence Agreement (Licence) with the Sturt Football Club for its use of the playing surface of the Oval.
Under the Licence, the locking and unlocking of the picket fence is the responsibility of the Club as the Licensee.
All gates of the picket fence are permitted to be locked during official senior or junior matches. During training sessions, all gates are permitted to be locked with the exception of the two most southern gates. These gates are required to be open to enable users to do ‘laps’ around the Oval during training sessions.
Council staff have also on occasion locked some gates when they are performing maintenance tasks such as mowing and weed spraying etc as some users still try to access the oval during this time.
Would a perimeter fence be locked at night to secure the oval facilities?
If approved, a perimeter fence would not result in any operational change to the existing oval access. Any gates would not be locked at night.
Would a perimeter fence be open when the oval is being used by Sturt for training purposes?
If approved, a perimeter fencing would not be locked when the oval is used for training. The areas outside of the oval surface would continue to remain open and accessible to the public. The current picket fence arrangement would remain during training sessions to limit access to the oval playing area during this time. A perimeter fence would therefore not result in any operational change to the existing oval access.
What are the types of events or activities that the Council would anticipate a perimeter fence would be locked for?
The City of Unley’s Event Planning Toolkit (2020) identifies Unley Oval as a Large-Scale Events Space able to cater for events over 1,000 people. For medium to large-scale public events, an Event Permit from the Council is required.
An Event Permit ensures that all activities comply with the necessary requirements and legislation and are undertaken in a safe manner. A permit also clarifies responsibilities and liabilities, secures the facility or space, and minimises disruption and impact on other users of public spaces. For medium to large-scale events, site and risk management and emergency plans may also be required.
If a perimeter fence was to be installed, it would support greater use of Unley Oval for large, ticketed community events if external groups/ organisations approached Council. The event permit would address requirements for public access, as well as requirements for closing and opening of gates for ticketed events.
The current ticketed events that require perimeter fencing are senior SANFL games, as well as AFLW Crows games. The SANFL games are reflected in the current lease agreement. The AFLW games are likely to be a short-term arrangement, with the AFLW expected to relocate to the new Adelaide Crows facility in Thebarton once completed (anticipated 2026).
Who would be responsible for locking and unlocking perimeter fence gates on match days / ticketed events?
Sturt Football Club volunteers are currently responsible for the setup and pack down of the temporary fencing. The licence nominates between 8am-8pm on matchday to manage access, however in practice, the duration that public access is restricted is often less.
If a perimeter fence was in place, Sturt Football Club volunteers would be responsible for the locking and unlocking of gates on a matchday, in accordance with the agreed license timing (8am-8pm).
For other ticketed events, the event permit holder (see question above) would be responsible for the locking and unlocking of gates, in accordance with the agreed permit timing.
What is the process for introducing Sturt (SANFLW) ticketed games?
The Licence currently permits the Sturt Football Club to host a maximum of 10 senior men’s SANFL ticketed matches. Should the Club wish to host SANFLW ticketed matches, they would need to seek prior Council approval as these are above and beyond the current provisions of the existing Licence.
How would a perimeter fence be operated if the oval was used for School Sports Days and other ‘hosted’ events?
For events utilising the oval, such as local school sports days or other competitive amateur sporting events, it is not the expectation of the Council that a perimeter fence would be locked. These events currently occur on Unley Oval without temporary fencing.
For those schools with Joint Use Agreements, they are provided with free access to the oval surface only. If gates were required to be locked, the event would be charged the cost for the exclusive use of the Unley Oval precinct, rather than just the oval, and an event permit issued.
Would signage/sponsorship be permitted on the perimeter fence?
Unlike the use of the picket fence, it is not the expectation that a perimeter fence would be used for the installation of temporary or permanent sponsorship signage around the Oval.
The only signage that could be anticipated would be information and wayfinding signage relating to the use of the regional open space, and wider Unley Central precinct