The 115-year-old ES Marks Athletics Field in Kensington will be closed temporarily in a few weeks after plans for its $4.5 million upgrades were finally approved.
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The field’s 400-m synthetic track and high and long jump areas will receive upgrades, whilst lights will be enhanced to extend the facility’s use past sundown. Also part of the upgrades are tree planting, fixing the car parks, and building new coach pick up and drop off zones.
The project is part of a 50-year vision for Greater Sydney’s Open Space and Parklands, which aims to create a city within a park that will deliver a sustainable network of green space throughout the city.
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes believes the project would revitalise a venue that would help train school children and the next generation of professional athletes.
“Parks are for everyone, no matter where you live, and we need to shift our way of managing individual parks to a model that benefits Greater Sydney as a whole,” Minister Stokes said in a media release.
“How we collectively run these parklands is crucial. The white paper proposes a new Greater Sydney Parklands Trust to act as a city-wide champion for existing and, excitingly, future parks,” he added.
“We need the right focus for community participation, governance, funding, and operating frameworks, along with strong and enduring funding streams, to deliver on the ambitions of our 50-Year vision for Sydney’s parklands,” said Minister Stokes.
Greater Sydney Parklands, the umbrella agency working on Sydney’s parks, was formed in 2020 to oversee the project. ES Marks will be closed starting 6 September 2021 for major construction works. Based on projected time, works are expected to be completed by April 2022.
About Moore Park E.S. Marks Athletics Field
Also known to locals as ‘Esmark,’ the field was established in 1906 as Sydney Athletics Field. It was renamed to ES Marks Athletics Field in 1947, in recognition of Ernest Samuel Marks, an Australian sporting administrator and also a former Lord Mayor of Sydney. He managed three Australian Olympic teams in 1908, 1912 and 1932.
Famous athletes who trained or competed at the field include Sebastian Coe, Daley Thompson, Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene. Some prominent Australians such Kerry Saxby-Junna, Matt Shirvington, Louise Sauvage, Melinda Gainsford-Taylor and Cathy Freeman.
Esmark is the home ground for Hakoah Sydney, Sydney FC Prague and Yugal soccer clubs. It was also used by the United States national athletics team during the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
