Sports Grounds - Field Availability Line - 1300 655 180

Council has a 'Field Availability Line' to advise if sporting fields are open or closed for competition, training or school use. This hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

During the week the line is updated twice a day (if required) by:

• 9:00am
• 2:00pm

On weekends the line is updated daily (if required) by:

• 8:00am

If you experience problems with the field availability line during business hours, please contact the Bookings Officer on (02) 9707 9699.

For problems experienced outside of business hours, please call Council's after hours number on (02) 9707 9999.

Council constantly works in partnership with local sporting associations to provide exceptional facilities for all sports.

Bounceback SMS Service - Bankstown City Council

Council has launched a short message service (SMS) that also tells people the status of Council’s sportsgrounds.

The BounceBack SMS Community Notice Board will provide information on whether sport is being played at Council sportsgrounds in regards to wet weather or other conditions. This is particularly useful during the current changing weather conditions.

The service works by the enquirer using their mobile to send an SMS containing the unique code or keyword of the Sporting Complex they are interested in to 19922767, and immediately receiving a response stating if the ground is open or closed that day for match play or training.

Sending an SMS to BounceBack SMS will cost a flat fee of 55 cents, and the information will be updated by Council staff by 9:00am and 2:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am on weekends (same as the field availability line).

This will not replace the existing Field Availability Line (1300 655 180). This line will still be operating 7 days a week and also the field Availability email sent Monday to Friday. This service is being offered as an additional information tool.

The purpose of the service is to provide a quick and easy way of making the status of Council sportsgrounds available to anyone who needs it, when they need it – including schools, sporting clubs, sporting associations and individuals. The SMS service also allows Council to give more specific and detailed information about each sportsground, for example if a ground has been closed for renovations or maintenance work.

SMS is the way to go these days as the BounceBack SMS service can serve large volumes of enquiries in a fraction of the time it takes to handle one phone call. Plus it's easy, quick, inexpensive and you can find out about any council sportsground from anywhere in the country, all with one SMS.
For more information on the service, please visit the BounceBack SMS website at www.bbsms.info or contact Council on (02) 9707 9699.

Download the 'SMS Field Availability Uniquie Codes' for all sporting grounds in the Bankstown Local Government Area.

Ground Closure Procedures

 (for field closures including wet weather)

Bankstown City Council is committed to providing quality facilities for the community to participate in sport and recreational activities. The playing fields are community assets and Council has a responsibility to properly manage these assets in order to maintain the quality of the playing field surfaces all year round.

During periods of wet weather, Council Officers inspect all playing fields twice a day using a comprehensive list of criteria. After each inspection a decision is made as to whether each field is to be opened or closed.

Field closures by Council due to wet weather are based on a number of factors including, but not limited to:

• The potential for injury to players
• Water on surface    
• Field surface
• Surface stability
• Weather forecasts
• Drainage

Bankstown City Council does not favour one sporting code or season. These wet weather procedures are implemented to ensure that Council provides quality sporting facilities for both the summer and winter seasons.

The field availability line also provides information of fields that are unavailable for use due to maintenance and/or field renovations.

Responsibilities

Once a field is closed by Council no sporting clubs or associations have any authority to approve the use of sporting grounds.

Penalties

Clubs, associations or schools using fields when they are closed will be liable for the full cost of any required repairs and may lose their hire agreement with Council.

Field closure breaches will attract an unauthorised use fee as per Council's 2009 / 10  fees and charges this fee is $500. This fee can also be applied to organised groups that use grounds without a Council permit.
Clubs, associations or schools using fields when they are closed will be liable for the full cost of any required repairs and may lose their hire agreement with Council.

Wet weather breaches will attract an unauthorised penalty fee, as per Council's 2009 / 10  fees this fee is $500. This fee can also be applied to organised groups that use grounds without a Council permit.