If your sporting or community group uses a Council reserve and pegs equipment into the ground – like soccer nets, baseballs bases and marquees – please use plastics pegs, not metal pegs.
Metal pegs left on the ground can be a hazard when the reserves are mowed, as they are hard for mower operators to see and cause damage to mower blades or become projectiles. There have been incidents where people have been seriously injured.
If plastic pegs are not an option, please make sure the metal pegs are painted in a visible colour that clearly contrasts with green grass so City staff can see them to pick up before regular mowing.
Recently, the City’s Parks Operations team experienced three incidents with metal pegs left on the ground at Beale and Manning parks and Len Packham Reserve.
Parks Operations Coordinator Alison Waters said a young man in South Australia was lucky to survive 12 months ago when a metal peg that became a projectile was embedded in his neck as he walked in the vicinity of his father using a lawnmower that ran over the tent peg.
“Flying tent pegs are a hazard for our staff and members of the public and their pets,” Ms Waters said.
“It is also costly to repair our damaged equipment. The cost can include damage to mower blades or flying projectiles damaging other council property.
“The cost of repairing mower blades is $250-$300 per peg including down time for the mower and crew.”
The free multi-use plastic pegs can be claimed by sporting clubs and community groups that host events at the City’s parks, from the City’s Recreation Services team at its Spearwood Administration Building, Coleville Crescent.
For more information visit the City’s
website.