Fight rages over hockey club site

A letter to protesters this month – obtained by The Advertiser – shows alternative sites were investigated by the government, despite the 300-player club having final Unley High School plans submitted for approval.

But the move to the Unley High campus proved to be “the most appropriate site” a state government spokesman said.

“The Premier met with the group opposed to building the synthetic multi-use pitch at Unley High School last month to hear their concerns,’’ the spokesman said.

“Following that meeting, it was agreed we would investigate other locations the group proposed.

“That has been done, as promised, with the existing location of Unley High School the most appropriate site for the Forestville Hockey Club – as previously supported by the former government and strongly supported by the school and the club.”

The Opposition withdrew bipartisan support for the plan prior to the 2022 state election, despite the move to Unley High School being a decision of their previous government.

Revelations of the review in a leaked letter dated June 2 come less than a week after the state government gave in to public pressure and abandoned plans to hand over a section of the south parklands to police for a new horse barracks.

The letter from Rik Morris – the man in charge of election promise implementation – states:

“We have requested additional investigation of the issues that you have raised, along with further examination of alternative sites.”

GO HERE TO SEE THE LETTER

The letter was sent to the protest group NO to Forestville Hockey Club at Unley High School, which opposes the plan on a number of grounds, including a rejection of a developer’s guarantee that the synthetic grass playing surface will have no cancer-causing chemicals.

Synthetic grass on playing fields has been controversial internationally because it can contain PFAS chemicals.