four-year term of office, while the Mayor and Deputy Mayor being elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council after that election was as follows: Mayors Notable councillors John Adamson, Alderman 1944–1948, MP for Concord 1950–1953. Sylvia Hale, Councillor 1995–2004, Greens MLC 2003–2010. Leo McLeay, Alderman 1971–1977, MHR for Grayndler 1979–1993, MHR for Watson 1993–2004, Speaker of the House of Representatives 1989–1993. Penny Sharpe, Councillor 2004–2008, MLC 2005–present Sir Bertram Stevens, Alderman 1925–1927, Premier 1932–1939. Carmel Tebbutt, Councillor 1993–1998, Deputy Mayor 1995–1998, MP for Marrickville 2005–2015, Deputy Premier of NSW 2008–2011. Housing The suburbs within the Marrickville area are generally characterised by Victorian-era terraces, semi-detached houses and other varieties of urban federation housing. These houses gained popularity among renovators as the suburbs became gentrified in the late 20th century. Detached housing, wider streets and larger blocks of land are more common in the suburbs further from the city, such as Dulwich Hill and parts of Marrickville. Several medium density apartment blocks were constructed in the area in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the 1980s, modern infill development has tended to be sympathetic with traditional streetscapes. Parks The Marrickville area has 88 parks and reserves of various sizes within its boundaries. Major sporting grounds include Henson Park, home of the Newtown Jets rugby league club, and Petersham Park, where Sir Donald Bradman scored his first century in grade cricket. Tempe Lands, 10 hectares of parkland at the south-western corner of LGA, was redeveloped by Marrickville Council in 2003 on the site of a former rubbish tip at a cost of A$17.5 million. The parklands feature sporting fields, a golf driving range, and a constructed saltmarsh and ephemeral wetlands area for wildlife. Other major parks in the area include Enmore Park, Camperdown Park, Marrickville Park, Steel Park and Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. There are also substantial parklands surrounding the Cooks River. After the completion of the airport's third runway in the mid-1990s, the Commonwealth Government controversially purchased and demolished 152 residential properties in the worst-affected parts of Sydenham. The newly vacant land, which is located not under the approach path of the third runway but under the approach/departure path for runway 16R/34L, became Sydenham Green, a public park covering 4.5 hectares. A series of oversized 'living room' sculptures (lamp, chairs and fireplace) decorate the