What is the Sportsgrounds and Sporting Facility Strategy?

    The Strategy will guide how Council encourages and supports increasing participation in sporting, recreational and lifestyle activities over the next several years. This will be achieved by providing the appropriate and necessary sporting infrastructure, facilities and amenities that will enable this. 

    The Strategy will be informed by a Vision, Guiding Principles which include accessibility and inclusion, collaboration and sustainability, and several identified  Key Focus Areas.  

    It considers the existing and future needs of organised  sports including  access to sporting grounds  and facilities (such as cricket or soccer playing grounds) as well as unstructured sports and activity (skateboarding; outdoor gyms).


    What is included in the Strategy?

    The Strategy will include a series of Key Focus Areas, which will represent Council’s priorities for sport and active recreation over the next 5 years. To help achieve these priorities, each Key Focus Area will align with a set of actions or recommendations. These will guide the refurbishment, management or construction of existing or proposed sport and recreation infrastructure across the region. 

    Sports and recreation infrastructure relates to grounds and facilities used by organised community sports (such as football, cricket, hockey etc) as well as independent, emerging or unstructured recreation pursuits (such as outdoor basketball, mountain bike riding, BMX/skate facilities or outdoor exercise equipment).

    Why are we updating it?

    The existing Strategy is due for a refresh in 2022. An updated Strategy is required to make sure that current and emerging needs in sporting can be considered and addressed. 

    These can be things such as ensuring the Strategy continues to align with national and state strategic priorities or the changing local trends in sport. A new Strategy will continue to provide a clear vision and direction for sports and sports participation for all the community.

    Who came up with the draft Vision, Guiding Principles and Key Focus Areas?

    We have worked with key stakeholders within and outside of Council to develop the Vision, Guiding Principles and Key Focus Areas. These include key staff from diverse areas including property and  recreation; infrastructure; strategic planning and community development as well as representatives from different sporting groups and association.

    When will the new Strategy be developed?

    Once we have received and considered the feedback from the community, we will use the finalised Vision, Guiding Principles and Key Focus Areas to develop the draft Strategy. We are expecting this draft Strategy to be available for further comment via public exhibition in 2022.