Clover Moore says no to park night lights to improve women’s safety over carbon footprint

Female fitness enthusiasts who are terrified to use an inner-city park after dark have had their request for more safety lighting canned by Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s council because it would “add to the city’s carbon footprint”. — by Anna Caldwell

Women afraid to exercise after dark in an inner-city park have had their request for better lighting refused by Sydney City Council on grounds that it would “add to the city’s carbon footprint”.

The injection of climate change concerns into a public safety matter was spelled out in written advice from Council’s lighting, parks and safe city team after Deputy Mayor Linda Scott requested the lighting upgrade at Prince Alfred Park in Surry Hills.

Cr Scott had been approached by women concerned about dark areas of the park — some of whom are resorting to carrying camping flashlights so they can use the fitness equipment, which is about 20m from the main path, early in the morning.

The Council’s bureaucratic rejection of safety lighting because of the extra power it would require comes just a month after Sydney City Council made headlines for declaring that Sydneysiders were at “serious risk” from a “climate change emergency”.

In a response to Cr Scott’s request, staff from the council’s Lighting, Parks and Safe City teams reviewed the lighting and found that while some exercise stations are illuminated by “spill lighting from the main paths”, the “main through paths in the park are lit to standard”.

The advice, seen by The Daily Telegraph, then noted that “additional lighting in the park would add to the City’s carbon footprint”.

“This proposed lighting request from a Crime Prevention through an Environmental Design lens does not support additional lighting at this location at this stage,” the advice said.

Cr Scott told The Daily Telegraph: “The safety of our communities mustn’t be compromised by poor lighting because this will increase the City of Sydney’s emissions”.

She said she would continue to press the issue and move a motion in council for a “revised lighting plan that reflects community concern, especially in early-morning exercise”.

Inner west resident Ariane Psomotragos, who exercises in the park before and after dark with a small group of people who bring flashlights, approached Cr Scott about the issue.

“As a young woman I would not feel safe there alone,” she said. “In a group situation it is OK, but if someone forgets to bring the flashlight it’s all over.”

Cr Scott said she was a passionate advocate for acting on climate change, however it must not come at the cost of safety. “We must light our parks and dark spaces, while being smarter about acting to address climate change,” she said.

She has a track record on the issue of addressing badly lit parks to deal with safety concerns, particularly from women, and has made the City of Sydney Council increase lighting in Hollis Park, Newtown and Victoria Park after women raised issues with her.

A City of Sydney spokesman said the council’s CEO was made aware of the lighting request and has made an undertaking to follow it up.

First appeared in “The Daily Telegraph”, 29/07/2019