Fitness activities are abuzz at the outdoor gym in Neptune Park in Coogee but the noise has attracted complaints from residents nearby. Some restrictions affecting commercial training and loud music at this public venue could be in place after meetings with leaders and stakeholders.
Since the lockdowns in Sydney, commercial fitness owners have been using Neptune Park’s outdoor gym facilities whilst their studios remain closed. To keep their business operating, some trainers have conducted classes and personal training on the public site.
However, residents a few metres from the park have complained of gym buffs who train with loudspeakers with booming electric music, disrupting the neighbourhood’s quiet hours. At night, some turn on their brightest car headlights so they could use the facilities, turning the site into a 24-hour gym. Worse, residents have attested that the people who frequent the site use the green space as their public toilet.
From the start, residents said that they didn’t want an outdoor gym in Neptune Park because it could become a nuisance. However, Randwick City Council opened the facilities in February 2021 to improve and innovate outdoor spaces across the LGA.
Discussions among councillors and stakeholders are underway as a proposal to set restrictions has been brought up at the council meeting. If agreed, electronic music and commercial gym training could be banned at this outdoor gym and operating times will be enforced to ensure that residents will not be disturbed. However, some residents prefer the dismantling and relocation of the outdoor gym near Wylie’s Bath.
Meanwhile, beginning 27 Aug 2021, Randwick City Council has issued a Public Health Order requiring QR check-in codes at all outdoor gyms and playgrounds in the LGA. Hand sanitisers will also be available at these facilities.
“Adding the QR codes to these outdoor facilities means NSW Health will quickly be able to notify people should a confirmed COVID-19 case attend the location while infectious. We encourage everyone to use the codes while at one of these locations. Thank you!”
