Our vision is to transform Wentworth Park into a green community space, providing open areas for public enjoyment.
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO expressed grave concerns over the NSW Government's potential reversal of its promise to return Wentworth Park to the public in favour of greyhound racing beyond the track’s 2027 lease.
“The City of Sydney has long opposed greyhound racing and advocated for the return of Wentworth Park to the community as public open space,” the Lord Mayor told Council on Monday 11 March.
In February the Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper and the Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris acknowledged in NSW Parliament that the state government is considering extending the lease of Wentworth Park with the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association.
This pending decision directly opposes our vision for Wentworth Park as a space for community use. The park is in the middle of one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods with 14,000 people per square kilometre in the Ultimo–Pyrmont area.
The Lord Mayor said our early community consultation about the future of Wentworth Park found people wanted to connect with nature and for it to become a place for exercise and play that supports social activity.
“Overwhelmingly, the community supported removing the greyhound racing track to create more public parkland as part of the consultation.
“Wentworth Park is currently dominated by a greyhound racing track. This parkland should be for the benefit of the community, not an industry that has admitted to killing up to 17,000 healthy dogs each year, has been shown to live-bait, and causes people with a gambling problem real suffering.
“I call on the NSW Government to do the right thing, and return Wentworth Park to the public,” the Lord Mayor said.
Council unanimously supported the Lord Mayor minute and endorsed a community-driven petition started by a Glebe resident.
What you can do
Supporting greener spaces means a better future of our vibrant inner-city community.
We encourage residents of Pyrmont, Ultimo and Glebe to support the green transformation of Wentworth Park by signing the petition. You can also write to the Minister for Lands and Property and the Minister for Gaming and Racing calling for their commitment to remove greyhound racing when the lease expires in 2027.
Published 26 March 2024
