David RichardsThe Humpty Dumpty Foundation who often work with leading technology Companies to raise money for Children’s hospitals and are the organisers of the now famous Balmoral Burn, have been accused of destroying a park at Balmoral Beach after the running of this year’s event which raised over $1.7 Million dollars for children’s hospitals.
Visitors to Balmoral beach have been left with a “mud quagmire” that could costs thousands of dollars to repair after a tent city was erected in parkland below Awaba Street in Mosman for the event and a fund raising dinner attend by some of Sydney’s leading business, sporting and entertainment industry executives.
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Also damaged by Mosman Council trucks involved in the event was parkland surrounding the Bathers Pavilion Cafe and restaurant as well as opposite the landmark Balmoral Rotunda where weddings and events often take place.
The damage was caused according to local residents after a tent structure was built on Balmoral Beach which resulted in parkland being chewed up by vehicles used by contractors supplying the staging equipment.
Now residents are demanding that the problem is fixed at the expense of the organisers and not Mosman Council or the residents of Mosman.
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A local resident said “This is an extremely popular park that is everyday used by residents and visitors to Balmoral. Every morning at least 20-30 people enjoy exercise classes in this park, visitors also hold picnics in the park that has been totally chewed up and destroyed by contractors who were not properly supervised by organisers of the event”.
He added “There is nothing wrong in the running of the event and local residents are very tolerant of the inconvenience and the noise that the event causes, but to leave a beautiful park in the state that it has been left is appalling and reflects poorly on the event organisers. I only hope that the Council has taken a big deposit because the repair is going to cost thousands and leave residents and visitors without a park for several weeks”.
A spokesperson for the Humpty Foundation said “We are well aware of the problem. We did raise $1.7 Million dollars and it will reflect poorly on you if you write a story highlighting this problem. It was all done as part of a good cause”.
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They added “We are talking to Council about this issue. Last year we gave the Council $5,000 to repair the damage we caused”.
When told that the current damage could cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix the executive said “It was all in a good cause and the Council is supportive of our actions. The Mayor Dom Lopez attended the event and is aware of the damage”.
A spokesperson for Mosman Council was not available.
David Richards is a resident of Mosman.