Sydney Council to Charge Hundreds for Park Use, Sparking Vendor Outcry

Pop-up picnic vendors, dog walkers and those planning a gender reveal will soon be forced to pay hundreds to use public parks, as a cash-strapped Sydney council attempts to claw its way out of millions in debt.

Under North Sydney Council's commercial and group use of public open space policy, which was adopted in March, charges and permit requirements will apply to more than 20 parks and reserves.

Proposed fees include a $300 annual permit for dog walkers, while weddings and gender reveals that require "the structured use of public open space for a defined purpose" could pay upwards of $2,000 for every three hours that the parklands are used.

Social gatherings of more than 21 people will also have to fork out between $30 to $50 and groups of up to 100 people will be required to pay between $150 and $500.

The proposed fee structure will be voted on next month, following the end of the public consultation period last Sunday.

The set fees will then come into effect at sites including Blues Point Reserve, Bradfield Park, Balls Head Reserve and Forsyth Park on July 1, with pricing to fluctuate depending on whether the location is in high demand.

North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker told the ABC feedback from both residents and commercial operators was mostly positive, but some vendors claimed they had been left confused by the process.

For the last five years, Vicki Ryvchin has been running pop-up picnics in the North Sydney area to celebrate special occasions ranging from marriage proposals to baby showers.

The mum-of-three said she only found out about the proposed fees through a group chat with other small businesses, and fears the proposed fee structure could "kill an entire industry".

Under council's draft fees and charges, Ms Ryvchin would be required to pay $50 to $70, per three hours, for every two-person picnic she holds, in addition to a $300 annual permit to operate.

For a group of 10, she could be paying up to $200 per three hours depending on whether the park is on the foreshore or suburban.

"We're happy to pay a higher annual fee and prove our public liability year-on-year... but it's the per-event charges that are completely unreasonable and unjustified," she said.

A council swimming in debt

North Sydney Council has been trying to recoup debt from the redevelopment of North Sydney Olympic Pool, which has ballooned in cost from $56 million to $122 million.

To raise extra revenue, the council sought to increase rates by 87 per cent, but in May last year the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) knocked back the move, ruling it had failed to make a compelling case for the steep rise.

The unsuccessful bid led the council to explore other avenues of cash flow, including charging for vantage points to view the New Year's Eve fireworks, as well as encouraging wealthy private schools in the area to pay rates on land they own.

Cr Baker said it was well documented that the council was in a "fragile financial situation".

She told the ABC the new fees were projected to draw in $200,000 per year in extra revenue, but that sum did "not come close" to the current maintenance budget for North Sydney's open spaces.

According to council's draft operational plan for 2025-26, annual maintenance and operations costs for parks and gardens cost $10 million; these fees are also included in rates.

She said North Sydney had no formal policy in place to manage and balance the use of limited public open spaces, unlike Lane Cove and Mosman councils.

She said a charge to contribute towards the maintenance of public spaces was in line with IPART's suggestion that all areas of revenue be explored when it rejected council's special rate variation last year.

The council had also received "very high levels" of complaints about the impact of commercial dog walkers, boot camps, and in particular private picnics and weddings, she said.

New fees 'poor timing' for small businesses

Chris Hanwell, who runs a small dog walking business, said the introduction of the new fees was "not great timing" with the cost-of-living crisis.

Mr Hanwell said he also paid for permits to use parks on the northern beaches and Mosman, which could cost between $500 and $2,000.

He said he could understand a small fee for amenities like dog poo bags, but was concerned the proposed fee could continue to rise each year.

Paige Montgomery said she was unsure how the fees would be enforced as she had not heard further information since submitting her feedback.

"It's going to cost them more in administration, in manpower, to regulate this," she said.

"I don't think it is even a business-savvy idea on their part."

Limited space and alternate solutions

Miriam Williams, a senior lecturer in geography and planning at Macquarie University, said a permit system could actually make it easier for council to regulate the use of open spaces.

"From a planning perspective, when there's quite a demand for public space, and you have people who are earning income from the use of public space, potentially causing ongoing wear and tear and restricting the use of that public space from the broader public, then it makes sense to have a permit system," she said.

She said an ideal solution would be to find ways to incorporate new public space in the construction of new developments or existing sites.

Dr Williams said high density areas could be "tricky", although an example would look like transforming the top level of a car park into a market or plaza.

"It is often through the planning system, through agreements with developers who are developing large high rises, to put some of the land aside for open access public space."