Pleas from dozens of Metford sports fans to Maitland City Council to mow long grass at the oval were finally answered when lawnmowers went into action last week.
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Members of East Maitland Little Athletics Committee said the matter had become a health issue, with grass hiding an assortment of needles and broken glass that posed hidden danger.
Members said they had also asked council to abolish a garden of high undergrowth near the oval that had become a hazard.
Then on the day they invited the The Lower Hunter Star to see the long grass, council workers on ride-on mowers arrived to launch a major grass-cutting project.
“This has been an ongoing issue with council for some time,” East Maitland Little Athletics Committee member Lisa Morris said. “We have been picking up needles in the long grass.
“Council had been saying they would remove the vegetation, but we were getting nowhere – until we saw their workers here on Friday.”
Club president Nathan Whyte-Southcombe said they had first spoken to council several months ago, but nothing much had happened.
“We have 167 members and we all have to scout around the area before we can use it,” Mr Whyte-Southcombe said.
“This is also an off-leash dog park and pet owners have told us they don’t want their animals stepping on needles and broken glass that cannot be seen through the grass.
“I know most ovals have some issues - but this is our oval and we want our grass cut.”
Club secretary Megan Price said: “Sometimes the grass here is so high that we can’t see over it.
“Council said they were also going to mow around the patch called the garden, but that wouldn’t be necessary if they got rid of it instead.”
A spokesperson from Maitland City Council said: “Council is aware of the concerns of the East Maitland Little Athletics Committee about dangerous objects being concealed in long grass.
“The area surrounding Metford Oval was mown by council staff on Thursday, February 5 and the oval will be mown on Monday.”
The spokesman said the mowing was part of council’s regular fortnightly maintenance schedule at Metford Oval.
“Council endeavours to ensure that community ovals across the city are maintained at an acceptable level,” he said.
“However, summer is the peak growth season and this growth, combined with record wet weather in January, has caused some delays to council’s maintenance schedule.”
