Craig and Sarah Rossignol said neighbourhood children had used the hoop opposite their Kilncar Crescent house in Thirroul safely for over five years without issue.

The kids bounce the ball on the road, shooting at the ring on the grass verge.

But last month the council wrote to the Rossignols to inform them that the fixed basketball stand was a footpath obstruction and had to be taken down immediately.

The letter, which the Mercury has seen, stated it was an offence to expose, or allow to be exposed, any article on the road without the approval of Council.

The offence carries an on the spot penalty of $330.

"It is important to note that Council will issue an on spot penalty notice should the article remain after 10am Tuesday, 6^th April 2021," the letter stated.

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Mrs Rossignol said she believed 9 other residents in the McCauleys Beach Estate received similar letters urging them to remove basketball hoops in front of their houses or face on-the-spot fines of $330.

"This is a case of bureaucracy gone mad and a case of red tape out of control," she said.

"It doesn't make sense that the council now wants the play equipment removed from house fronts and nature strips where children have been playing for years without any interference from the council."

Mrs Rossignol said children in the estate use the basketball ring to play outside in a safe supervised environment close to parents.

"It is a low-traffic area. Basically only residents use the road," she said..

The husband and wife team said the council's demands defied decency given that families were enduring a pandemic and the challenges of keeping children active.

They added that requests from Thirroul residents to build a skate park for the kids in the suburb had fallen on deaf ears.

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They also argued the council had the audacity to demand the removal of the basketball hoop and issue fines while failing to mow the small park regularly since the estate was built.

"We are all absolutely gobsmacked. Instead of providing our youth with safe places to play outside, Wollongong City Council is taking away what we do have," Mrs Rossignol said.

"In the last year we have been through bushfires, we are in the middle of a pandemic and we have just experienced floods.

"For over a year now health and travel advice has been to stay at home. At the beginning of school holidays when children have more time to play outside we have been forced to take away their play equipment.

"Wollongong City Council chooses to harass and inconvenience families with the threat of fines for non-compliance for ridiculous and petty laws that ultimately leave the children with no safe place to play."

Comment has been sought from the council.

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