Visitors to Sydney's Centennial Park may be charged entry fee for road maintenance

Updated

Visitors who arrive by car to Sydney's Centennial Park may be charged an entry fee in the future as part of plans to make it more sustainable.

Centennial Park, in the city's east, opened in 1888 as a gift to the nation to celebrate 100 years of European settlement and is recognised as one of the world's best urban parks.

It receives around eight million visits per year.

The first-ever master plan for the park has been released and provides a blueprint for its management over the next 25 years.

Chief executive Kim Ellis says there will be greater use of existing buildings and a seven-kilometre outer walking trail developed.

"The vision for the park is to make sure that we have an accessible public park that meets the requirements of the growing population of Sydney," he said.

There are plans for fewer car parking spaces in the park and Mr Ellis says those arriving by car may be charged to help pay for road maintenance.

However he says the idea is still being explored at this stage and there are no plans to introduce parking meters.

"We are looking at some form of system to be able to get people to make a contribution who are just travelling through the park," he said.

The plan includes major upgrades to pathways and a new entrance that will integrate with a planned light rail station at Randwick.

Mr Ellis says the plan has been developed in consultation with the community and will ensure the park remains a peaceful oasis in the city.

He says the plan will reinforce the more rugged nature of the outer areas, a favourite feature for many visitors.

"One of the key elements of the master plan is to make the outer part of the park even a little bit more wild," he said.

"Our landscape architects have suggested that we create this kind of a wild corridor that runs all around the park, more native plantings, more trees and build into that a seven kilometre walking track."

Topics: conservation, local-government, land-management, centennial-park-2021

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