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The City of NewcastleParkland and Recreation Strategy
www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au
Production Parkland and Recreation Strategy – Volume One Adopted March 2014 Review by December 2017
Prepared by the Future City Group of The City of Newcastle
Published by The City of Newcastle PO Box 489, Newcastle NSW 2300 Ph: 4974 2000 Fax: 4974 2222 Email: [email protected] Web: www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au
March 2014 © 2014 The City of Newcastle
Table of ContentsExecutive Summary .................................................................................................................... 1
Glossary ...................................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5
2. Background ............................................................................................................................. 62.1 What are parkland and recreation facilities and why are they important? ...................... 6
2.2 Council managed parkland and recreation facilities ....................................................... 6
2.3 The importance of recreation .......................................................................................... 7
2.4 Why plan for parkland and recreational facilities? .......................................................... 7
2.5 Council’s parkland and recreational facility responsibilities ............................................ 8
3. Strategic Context ................................................................................................................. 103.1 State ............................................................................................................................. 10
3.2 Regional ....................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Local .............................................................................................................................. 10
4. Vision, Strategic Objectives and Outcomes ...................................................................... 154.1 Vision ............................................................................................................................. 15
4.2 Strategic objectives and outcomes ............................................................................... 15
5. Desired Levels of Provision ................................................................................................. 185.1 Ensuring equitable provision of recreation facilities ...................................................... 18
5.2 How does this strategy measure desired levels of provision? ...................................... 18
6. Parkland and Recreation Supply......................................................................................... 226.1 Existing supply of parkland and recreation facilities ..................................................... 22
6.2 Parkland inventory ....................................................................................................... 23
6.3 Recreation facilities inventory ....................................................................................... 23
7. Parkland and Recreation Demand ...................................................................................... 277.1 Drivers of demand ........................................................................................................ 27
7.2 Demand for parkland, sport and recreation facilities .................................................... 28
8. Challenges and Opportunities ............................................................................................. 318.1 Challenges ..................................................................................................................... 31
8.2 Opportunities ................................................................................................................. 32
9. Parkland and Recreation Assessment ............................................................................... 33
10. Key Directions .................................................................................................................... 4610.1 Planning and development of facilities ....................................................................... 46
10.2 Management of facilities ............................................................................................. 47
10.3 Partnership development ............................................................................................ 47
10.4 Promotion of facilities and opportunities .................................................................... 48
11. Action Plan .......................................................................................................................... 5011.1 Strategic objectives and priorities ............................................................................... 50
12. Monitoring ........................................................................................................................... 60
1 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Executive SummaryThe Parkland and Recreation Strategy has been developed to guide the sustainable provision of parkland and recreation facilities for current and future communities. It brings together a body of work that included an examination of existing and projected demographic data; an assessment of current supply and future demand; and the identification of opportunities and initiatives for future parkland and recreational facilities and services.
Consultation with the community and key stakeholders identified the importance and value the community places on access to open spaces, parkland, beaches and other active and passive recreation opportunities. Parkland, the beach foreshore, bicycle and walking trails were extremely popular whilst local parks were the most used recreation facility within suburbs. As residential growth continues, the provision of a range of recreation spaces and facilities to meet community needs will become increasingly important.
Council invests significant resources annually into the provision, development and management of parkland and recreation facilities and services. This is evident by the wide range of opportunities available within the Local Government Area (LGA). However, a number of gaps exist that impact on both passive and active recreation participation within Newcastle.
Not all of these gaps can be addressed by Council alone, given significant budgetary constraints and the wide ranging responsibilities that devolve onto local government. The establishment of greater partnerships with the community and private sector will be essential.
The key initiatives to address the identified challenges and gaps are:
Planning and development of facilities
• The development of quality district parks containing a range of active and passive infrastructure as key focus areas to mitigate against the limited opportunities within many local parks.
• Improved connections to other open space opportunities for residents living further than 500m from local parkland.
• The upgrade and adaptation of existing recreational facilities to accommodate additional uses and changing needs.
• The adoption of new technologies to increase capacity of existing sports fields whilst providing opportunities for commercial use and revenue streams.
• The continued provision of pathways, bicycle lanes, fitness equipment, sports fields, bicycle paths and swimming pools to cater for population changes and community demand.
• The development of a regional aquatic centre.
• The continued planning of parkland and recreation facilities, particularly within the western planning corridor, to maximise opportunities, partnerships and funding.
• The development of clear criteria to prioritise the development/upgrade of facilities.
• The review of small parks and their role in the open space network.
Management of facilities
• The development of clear service levels which are aligned with facility roles.
• The investigation of opportunities for partnerships and the external management of parkland and sporting facilities as a method to reduce Council’s maintenance expenditure.
• The development of clear responsibilities and financial requirements for the external management of recreation facilities to improve the sustainability and performance of recreation facilities.
• The provision of support and training to community organisations managing recreation facilities on behalf of Council.
• The investigation of opportunities for greater commercial use, activities and advertising within parkland, recreation facilities and services as a method of generating revenue.
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Partnership Development
• The development of formal partnerships with the NSW Department of Education for increased community access and usage of sportsgrounds by sporting clubs.
• The development of a formal partnership with Xstrata Coal for the dedication of land in Wallsend for a future district sporting complex.
• The inclusion of key stakeholders in the planning, decision making and prioritisation of parkland and recreation projects.
• The development of strategic partnerships and financial investment with sporting associations, clubs and key stakeholders.
• Supporting the initiatives of other recreation facility and program providers through providing access to council managed land.
• The establishment of a trust which encourages and facilitates benevolent acts to finance and/or subsidise recreational initiatives which benefit residents within the Newcastle LGA.
Promotion of facilities and opportunities
• The development of promotion and marketing strategies to highlight existing recreation opportunities, encourage participation and attract people to the city of Newcastle.
• The development of a comprehensive parkland and recreation directory on Council’s website.
• Supporting the initiatives of other recreation facility and program providers through inclusion within relevant recreation promotion and marketing activities.
• The continued support and attraction of state, national and international events to the city of Newcastle.
The key initiatives are articulated within this strategies action plan which identifies short, medium and long term planning actions and priorities. The actions are proposed to be delivered over a ten year time frame and included within Council’s four year delivery program.
Executive Summary“Public places which enable and encourage people to get out and do things in public are a good thing. These add to people’s pride in a community: in their desire to take care of it and to show it off to visitors.”
3 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Amenity reserves Small parks, gardens that provide physical and visual relief from the built form.
Beach and dunal systems Beaches and reserves for coastal conservation and dune management, beach access and foreshore recreation.
Community garden An area of shared land in which members of a community participate in the cultivation of food and other plants.
Community Land Land vested in Council that has been classified, under a local environmental plan or a resolution of Council, as “Community Land” because it that has been identified that it should be kept for the use of the general public (the community).
District facilities Well developed spaces of substantial size that offer a broad range of quality recreation opportunities. They attract visitors from across a number of suburbs, however they do not have the level of infrastructure that a regional facility has.
Dog exercise area Spaces where dogs are permitted to exercise. Categories include on lead areas, off lead areas and restricted off leash areas.
Dual use reserves Land reserved for service infrastructure but supports passive community recreation.
Drainage reserves Reserves used for the treatment of surface and subsurface water. These reserves can sometimes have secondary amenity or parkland functions.
Environment reserves Reserves for the long term protection and conservation of our ecosystems and biodiversity.
Linear and linkage corridors Reserves created to enhance habitat movement, the continuity of ecological processes and/or for providing connectivity.
Local facilities Defined spaces which primarily serve a local population. They provide a limited range of facilities to support recreational pursuits.
Open space Space which includes natural areas such as National Parks, wetlands, riparian corridors, bushland and environmental reserves to the more developed spaces such as parks and sportsgrounds.
Park Committee A group of people appointed by Council to assist in the care, maintenance, management and development of a specific Council park or reserve, as outlined in Section 355 of the Local Government Act 1993.
Parkland Lands which have had their physical character and/or vegetation modified to support community recreation. Used by the community for social, recreational and cultural activities which provide complementary landscape and amenity values including civic spaces.
Plan of Management A planning document prepared in accordance with Section 36 of the Local Government Act 1993, or the Crown Lands Act 1989, that, together with any relevant law, governs the use and management of community land.
Recreation facility Infrastructure specifically provided to facilitate social and physical activities.
Regional facilities Attract visitors from across the LGA and beyond. They tend to cater for large numbers of people or teams due to their uniqueness, opportunity offered or the scale of events that may be staged.
Riparian corridors Linear areas provided and managed for the protection and conservation of the waterways and adjoining land, biodiversity, provision of access and recreational activity.
Shared pathway Off-road widened footpaths which can be shared by pedestrians and cyclists. Often located in parks, sportsgrounds and along foreshore areas.
Sports fields Facilities for sporting and active recreation activities, includes playing fields, ovals, courts and circuits.
Specific purpose sportsgrounds Spaces for specialised activities that, by their nature, preclude other uses (e.g. rifle range, motocross).
Urban public space/Public domain Street and road reserves, lanes and town plazas and squares which accommodate walking, cycling, social gatherings and outdoor dining.
Waterways Rivers, creeks, lakes, dams and canals that support biodiversity, water quality, transportation, recreation and/or visual amenity.
Glossary
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5 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
1. IntroductionThe City of Newcastle (TCoN) is responsible for managing a range of parkland and recreation facilities, including recreation parks, sportsgrounds, swimming pools, ocean baths, beaches, bicycle and shared pathways, netball, tennis and basketball courts, skate parks, playgrounds, dog exercise areas and community gardens. Our culture and lifestyle are inextricably linked to and revolve around these community assets.
As the City continues to grow, an integrated approach to the implementation of the strategies within the Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan and the sustainable management of recreation spaces and facilities to meet community needs is required.
The Parkland and Recreation Strategy has been developed to guide the provision of parkland and recreation facilities for current and future communities.
The Strategy:
• outlines the current supply of parkland and recreation facilities in the Newcastle LGA;
• outlines the current and future demand of parkland and recreation facilities in the Newcastle LGA;
• describes the key challenges and opportunities that impact on Council’s provision of parkland and recreation facilities;
• defines Council’s desired levels of provision of parkland and recreation facilities; and
• provides a ten year management action plan for Council’s parkland and recreation facilities.
The Parkland and Recreation Strategy contains two components.
The Strategy is focused on providing a clear statement of the issues, objectives and actions required to achieve the vision for parkland and recreation in Newcastle. The strategy is the key component of the Parkland and Recreation Strategy and can be read as a stand alone document.
The Background and Appendices contains the supporting information that was used to prepare the strategy and includes:
• population and demographic data for the Newcastle LGA;
• methodology and results of community input into the strategy’s development;
• benchmarking against other Council’s and comparisons of provision rates with industry standards; and
• maps of geographical distribution of parkland and recreation facilities.
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2. Background2.1 What are parkland and recreation facilities and why are they important?Open space incorporates all space of public value that has a social, recreational, cultural, nature conservation, environmental, scenic, health or economic benefit for a community. Open space in Newcastle is widespread and diverse, ranging from large natural areas such as National Parks, wetlands, riparian corridors, bushland and environmental reserves to the more developed spaces within urban settings such as parks, sportsgrounds and shared pathways.
For the purposes of this strategy, parkland refers to land that has been reserved for the purpose of formal and informal recreation activities. It is commonly referred to as ‘parks’ or ‘reserves’ and is one type of setting that falls under the broader category of open space.
Recreation facilities refers to spaces specifically developed for active and passive recreation activities and includes infrastructure such as sportsgrounds, courts, skate parks, swimming pools, indoor recreation centres, playgrounds, shared pathways and fitness stations.
The focus of the strategy is parkland, recreation facilities, dual use and drainage reserves.
Other open space, such as wetlands, riparian corridors, bushland and environmental reserves, waterways, drainage reserves and education facilities are highly valued and contribute to the spectrum of open space within our community. These areas are managed by multiple local, state and federal government agencies primarily for the purpose of water management, environmental protection and education.
The strategy does not specifically plan for these other open spaces, but recognises their valuable contribution to broader recreation experiences available within the city. The planning, development and management of those spaces is addressed in other council documents.
The focus of this strategy is council managed parkland and recreation facilities. The strategy does not address privately owned open space or open space managed by the State or Federal Governments. However, these spaces have been considered in the development of this strategy.
2.2 Council managed parkland and recreation facilitiesAcross the local government area, Council is responsible for maintaining the following parkland and recreational assets:
• 27km of coastline and river foreshore;
• 250 recreation parks;
• 124 sports fields;
• 5 inland swimming pools;
• 2 ocean baths;
• 206 playgrounds;
• 70 tennis courts;
• 51 netball courts;
• 10 skate parks;
• 9 basketball courts;
• 17 off leash dog exercise area;
• 1 golf course; and
• 60 kilometres of shared pathways.
Parkland and recreation services undertaken by Council include:
• maintenance of 260 hectares of sports turf, parks and gardens;
• lifeguard patrols, water safety and beach education;
• bookings of parks, reserves and sportsgrounds;
• facility and events management;
• capital development and project management;
• strategic planning; and
• asset maintenance, replacement and renewal.
In 2012/13, the budget for the operation and maintenance of all parks, reserves, sport and recreation facilities, ocean baths and inland aquatic facilities was $19.5 million. In 2013/14 this budget will be reduced by approximately 10% in line with Council’s debt reduction plans.
7 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
2.3 The importance of recreationThe benefits attributed to the provision of recreational spaces and facilities and their contribution to community wellbeing are well documented.
SocialParkland and recreation play a major
role in improving human health, both
mental and physical.
It makes neighbourhoods desirable,
healthy and attractive places to live.
It contributes to building social
capital and equity.
EnvironmentalParkland and recreation is known to improve
the wellbeing of individuals and communities
and significantly contributes to the character
and biodiversity of the city, and the health
and lifestyle of its community.
Open space contributes to a sense of
place and belonging and is a basis for
environmental local protection.
EconomicQuality parkland and recreational
facilities provide significant
economic opportunities,
stimulates economic growth and
even boosts property values.
2.4 Why plan for parkland and recreational facilities?Given the importance of parkland and recreational facilities to the Newcastle community and the significant pressures anticipated by residential growth, visitor use and financial constraints, it is a priority for Council that a strategic and integrated approach to recreation planning is undertaken. Evidence based recreation planning provides a policy direction and framework that reflects community values and legislative requirements. In this way, Council will respond to key challenges and opportunities, determine suitable standards and improve financial viability.
The Parkland and Recreation Strategy provides a long term approach, enabling Council to plan for ongoing and adequate provision of parkland and recreation facilities. It will also be used as a decision making tool for Council to dispose of land and to negotiate and acquire suitable open space for future communities.
Effective long term strategic planning will enable Council to develop open and collaborative leadership, enabling accountable planning decisions to be undertaken. Without this planning there is a risk that decisions and allocation of resources will be made in an ad hoc and ineffective manner.
Figure 1: The benefits of recreational spaces
March 2014 8
2.5 Council’s parkland and recreational facility responsibilitiesUnder the terms of the Local Government Act (1993) Council is responsible for the management of a significant amount of land and infrastructure, both owned directly by Council and/or land that has been placed in Council’s care and control by the State.
Land owned by Council can be classified as either operational or community land. Operational Land ordinarily comprises of land held as an investment or which facilitates Council carrying out its functions e.g. works depot or a council garage. Operational land is generally not available for community use.
Community Land is intended for public benefit and must be managed in accordance to the requirements of the Local Government Act (1993). Council is required to prepare and maintain Plans of Management for community land under its management control.
Land owned by Council
Operational land
Natural areas
Area of cultural significance
Sports ground Parks General
community use
Community land
Crown land
Land under Council’s care, control and management
Master plans are often developed as part of a site specific Plans of Management (e.g. Foreshore Park, Blackbutt Reserve) and provide detailed guidance for the use and development of community land.
Community land can be further divided into a number of categories that focus on the essential intent of the land. These categories include natural areas, sportsgrounds, parks, areas of cultural significance and general community use. All community land is managed through a Plan of Management that describes the purpose of the land, designated activities, maintenance levels and actions.
In addition to Council owned land, Council is also responsible for managing certain parcels of Crown Land in accordance to the Crown Lands Act 1989. Crown land commonly incorporates but is not limited to sportsgrounds, foreshore parks, bushland reserves and areas of ‘cultural significance’.
Figure 2: Land use classification categories within Council’s care and control
9 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
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3. Strategic Context3.1 State The NSW State Plan
NSW 2021: A Plan to make NSW Number One is the principal strategic plan for delivering the vision for NSW. Relevant goals for recreation facilities include:
• Goal 24 Make it easier for people to be involved in their communities;
• Goal 27 Enhance cultural, creative, sporting and recreation opportunities.
3.2 Regional The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy
The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy: 2006-2031 (LHRS) is the strategic land use planning framework to guide the sustainable growth of the Lower Hunter over the next 25 years. This strategy is currently being reviewed by the NSW State Government. The LHRS Discussion Paper (2013) identifies Newcastle as Australia’s seventh largest urban settlement and will guide future planning decisions covering, housing; economic development and jobs; open space; transport, jobs; education; and recreation facilities.
The Lower Hunter has seen growth of 22,500 people over the past Census period (2006-2011). It should be noted that a third of this growth was in Newcastle (an increase of 6,778 persons from 141,753 to 148,531). Key population trends for the Lower Hunter include significant overall population growth and an ageing population with 24% to be 65 years or older by 2031.
3.3 LocalIntegrated planning and reporting
Under changes to the Local Government Act 1993 and Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 in 2010, Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) was implemented in NSW. This aims to provide a quadruple bottom line framework (across economic, social, environmental and governance areas) for longer term strategic planning by councils in collaboration with their communities, by encouraging consultation regarding funding, service levels and overall sustainability for their local government area.
Key council documents required to be developed and maintained within the IP&R framework include:
• Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan;
• A four year Delivery and one year Operational Plan;
• A long term Financial Plan;
• Asset Management Strategy; and
• A Workforce Management Plan.
The aforementioned planning documents have been considered in the preparation of this strategy.
Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan
Newcastle 2030 is Council’s key strategic planning document under the Integrated Planning and Reporting Legislation (2009). It was first developed by the community in 2011 and reviewed in 2013, as a guide to inform policies and actions throughout the city for the next 20 years. This vision sets the direction for the growth of the city and represents what the community values and what they want improved.
The community’s vision for Newcastle is for a ‘smart, liveable and sustainable city’. The Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan (revised 2013) contains seven strategic directions. Supporting these directions are 23 objectives to be achieved over the next 10 years and strategies to achieve them (Table 1).
The Parkland and Recreation Strategy is one of eight core strategic documents being prepared by council to align its actions with the strategic directions of the Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The Parkland and Recreation Strategy will be instrumental in achieving the following strategic objectives identified within the CSP.
• Objective 3.1 Public places that provide for diverse activity and strengthen our social connections.
• Objective 3.3 Safe and activated places that are used by people day and night.
• Objective 4.1 A welcoming community that cares and looks after each other, and
• Objective 4.2 Active and healthy communities with physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
11 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Council has responsibility for actioning a number of strategies identified within the Community Strategic Plan. These include:
Objective 3.1 Public places that provide for diverse activity and strengthen our social connections
• 3.1a Encourage community engagement with public space through place making projects and local initiatives that bring individuals and groups together.
• 3.1b Increase opportunities for active and passive recreational use of the city’s parks, inland pools and Blackbutt Reserve through the provision of attractive, safe and accessible spaces and amenities.
• 3.1c Work collaboratively to improve and revitalise our beaches, coastal areas and foreshores for everyone to enjoy.
• 3.1d Create welcoming and accessible community facilities that support opportunities for people to meet and connect with one another.
Objective 3.3 Safe and activated places that are used by people day and night
• 3.3a Plan for and appropriately regulate the night time economy to encourage a more diverse mix of activities in the city centre and other commercial centres.
• 3.3b Support the renewal of the city centre and the strengthening of other commercial and urban centres.
• 3.3c Create streetscapes and public places that are clean and attractive, where people feel safe.
• 3.3d Create streetscapes and public places that are clean and attractive, where people feel safe.
• 3.3e Provide welcoming facilities and open space that provide for a range of ages and combination of uses and can be easily adapted to suit the changing need of community over time.
Figure 3: Council’s integrated planning and reporting framework
ResourcingStrategies
Long Term Financial Plan
Workforce Mangement Plan
Asset Management Strategy
Newcastle 2030 Community
Strategic Plan10 Year
The City of Newcastle Delivery
Plan4 Year
(Including one year Operational Plan)
Monitoringand
reporting
Community Engagement
Newcastle Transport Strategy
Newcastle EnvironmentalManagement Strategy
Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Community Facilities Strategy
Community Strategy
Local Planning Strategy
Economic Development Strategy
Corporate Plan
Objective 4.1 A welcoming community that cares and looks after each other
• 4.1b Support local community initiatives that encourage citizens to engage collectively for the benefit of their communities, builds community capacity and fosters connectedness.
Objective 4.2 Active and healthy communities with physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing
• 4.2e Provide events to encourage use of open space and facilities and participation in activities.
• 4.2f Upgrade the city’s library services to better meet community needs and incorporate new technologies to support community learning, leisure and knowledge.
Initiatives identified in section 11.0 Action Plan contribute to achieving the aforementioned strategic objectives.
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Strategic direction for Newcastle CSP Strategic objectives
Connected City
Transport networks and services will be well connected and convenient. Walking, cycling and public transport will be viable options for the majority of our trips.
1.1 Effective and integrated public transport.
1.2 Linked networks of cycle and pedestrian paths.
1.3 A transport network that encourages energy and resource efficiency.
Protected and Enhanced Environment
Our unique environment will be understood, maintained and protected.
2.1 Greater efficiency in the use of resources.
2.2 Our unique natural environment is maintained, enhanced and connected.
2.3 Environment and climate change risks and impacts are understood and managed.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
A city of great public places and neighbourhoods promoting people’s health, happiness and wellbeing.
3.1 Public places that provide for diverse activity and strengthen our social connections.
3.2 Culture, heritage and place are valued, shared and celebrated.
3.3 Safe and activated places that are used by people day and night.
A Caring and Inclusive Community
A thriving community where diversity is embraced, everyone is valued and has the opportunity to contribute and belong.
4.1 A welcoming community that cares and looks after each other.
4.2 Active and healthy communities with physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
4.3 A creative, culturally rich and vibrant community.
Liveable and Distinctive Built Environment
An attractive city that is built around people and reflects our sense of identity.
5.1 A built environment that maintains and enhances our sense of identity.
5.2 Mixed-use urban villages supported by integrated transport networks.
5.3 Greater diversity of quality housing for current and future community needs.
5.4 Best practice energy and water efficient buildings and infrastructure.
Smart and Innovative City
A leader in smart innovations with a healthy, diverse and resilient economy.
6.1 A vibrant diverse and resilient green economy built on educational excellence and research.
6.2 A culture that supports and encourages innovation and creativity at all levels.
6.3 A thriving city that attracts people to live, work, invest and visit.
Open and Collaborative Leadership
A strong local democracy with an actively engaged community and effective partnerships.
7.1 Integrated, sustainable long-term planning for Newcastle and the Region.
7.2 Considered decision-making based on collaborative, transparent and accountable leadership.
7.3 Active citizen engagement in local planning and decision-making processes and a shared responsibility for achieving our goals.
7.4 The City of Newcastle: a local government organisation of excellence.
Table 1: Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan: Direction and Objectives
13 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Previous studies and other council plans
A number of other Council studies and reports have already identified a range of challenges for The City of Newcastle and have implications for the provision and development of Parkland and Recreation facilities. These include:
• The Newcastle Report – Issues for Sustainability (2007) undertaken by Percy Allan noted that significant funding needed to be invested in infrastructure renewal over the next 20 years, that the total infrastructure stock would need expanding to adequately to meet residential and business growth, and that services be developed in line with population growth and changing community needs.
• The Newcastle Sustainability Review (Part 1) 2009 identified that Council will struggle to provide quality services to ratepayers out of buildings and facilities that are rundown, poorly designed or inaccessible and recommended fewer but new multipurpose and well located facilities. This would require the sale of assets where appropriate and the sale of land surplus to requirements to be a key component of this funding.
• The Newcastle Open Space Review (2010) was an outcome of the TCoN Sustainability Review (2009) to undertake an audit of local parks. This study audited a selection of Council’s open space assets and included a number of key recommendations:
• The need to develop principles to guide the provision, development, management and maintenance of open space.
Status: commenced via the Parkland and Recreation Strategy; Community Asset and Open Space Policy - adopted December (2012).
• The need to clarify the role and responsibility of open space planning with Council.
Status: commenced via the Parkland and Recreation Strategy.
• The need to explore partnerships with State Government for the development and maintenance of school sporting facilities and with the private sector for the provision of ancillary commercial facilities (e.g. cafes) within recreation spaces.
Status: commenced via the Parkland and Recreation Strategy, and
• The need to prepare an Asset Rationalisation and Redevelopment Strategy for non-required open space.
Status: Pocket parks review completed. Land parcels identified for potential rationalisation referred to ARIP.
• The Newcastle Recreation Plan 2006-2016 was adopted by Council in 2006. The Plan identifies a number of actions, informed by community consultation, for the future direction of parks and other Council managed recreation facilities. Many of the key recommendations of that Strategy have now been implemented, or are out of date, hence the need for an updated strategy. A summary of the key outcomes that have been achieved are identified in the Background and Appendices, Appedix D.
• Council’s Community Asset and Open Space Policy (CAOS), adopted by Council in 2012, outlines principles of provision for community and recreation assets that include:
• accessibility and connectedness;
• equity and opportunity;
• safety and security; and
• sense of place and well being.
The CAOS Policy introduces a hierarchy of community, parkland and recreation facilities which are further developed within the Parkland and Recreation Strategy.
• The Newcastle Pool Services Delivery Model (PSDM) was adopted by Council in 2007. It provides a strategic framework for the development of Council managed swimming pools located within the Newcastle LGA. The PSDM identifies the redevelopment of the Lambton Swimming Centre into a regional aquatic facility as the priority aquatic project. Future development proposals for other swimming centres are identified and will be reviewed and subjected to detailed feasibility analysis following the completion of the aquatic and leisure centre development at Lambton.
• The Newcastle Bicycle Strategy, adopted in 2012, establishes a network of cycle routes linking beaches, shopping centres, recreation and other facilities throughout Newcastle LGA through bicycle lanes, as well as shared pathways.
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• Newcastle Coastal Revitalisation Strategy (2010) provides a strategic framework for the use and development of the 11km coastline located within the Newcastle LGA. A number of broad strategies aimed at enhancing access, safety and vibrancy within key activity nodes are identified in addition to design principles for master plan concepts for each activity precinct. Enhancing open space opportunities and facilities within the precincts is a key objective of this strategy.
• The Western Corridor Section 94 Plan Background Paper (2013) provides a strategic context for the levying of developer contributions for the provision of community and recreation facilities for future residential development within the Western Planning Corridor.
• In accordance with the Local Government Act (1993), Council has developed a number of Plans of Management for community land under its management control. These generic Plans of Management (Bushland, Playgrounds, Sportslands, Neighbourhood Parks) in addition to a number of site specific plans (e.g. Foreshore Park, Blackbutt Reserve, National Park, Fort Scratchy). These plans provide detailed guidance for the use and development of community land and often include detailed master plans.
“Effective long term strategic planning will enable Council to develop open and collaborative leadership, enabling accountable planning decisions to be undertaken.”
15 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
“The top priorities for future development were cycle paths/walking trails/foreshore promenade, local parks, beach/ foreshore and playgrounds.”
4. Vision, Strategic Objectives and Outcomes4.1 VisionThe Parkland and Recreation Strategy is an integral component of Council’s strategic approach in achieving the community’s vision of a ‘smart, liveable and sustainable city’.
A proposed vision for parkland and recreation, which represents the culmination of consultation with sports groups, management committees, council staff, industry experts and the wider community is:
The City of Newcastle will provide, promote and support a range of facilities, events and programs aimed at:
• Meeting the diverse parkland and recreational needs and interests of residents, visitors, students and workers;
• Creating vibrant, activated and sustainable public places; and
• Promoting health, happiness, community connections and wellbeing.
4.2 Strategic objectives and outcomesTo guide Council in the achievement of the vision, strategic directions and outcomes for parkland and recreation have been developed. These objectives and outcomes align with the strategic actions and outcomes within the Newcastle 2030 Community Strategic Plan (revised 2013).
The strategic actions and outcomes of the Parkland and Recreation Strategy incorporate the principles and outcomes of: accessibility and connectedness; equity and opportunity; safety and security and sense of place and wellbeing articulated within Council’s Community and Open Space Policy (2012).
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Strategic Objectives Strategic Outcomes
Equitable Provision and Development of Facilities
Quality parkland and recreation facilities that are diverse, accessible and responsive to changing needs and will provide positive experiences for current and future residents and visitors. A clear decision making framework is essential to guide development and sustainable provision.
• A variety of parkland and recreational facilities which are available, accessible and distributed equitably across Newcastle;
• Recreation facilities which provide opportunities for the full range of age groups and abilities;
• Public places that provide for diverse activity and strengthen our social connections;
• Multi-functional recreation facilities that are adaptable to changing needs;
• Recreation facilities which are utilised to their maximal potential.
Efficient Management of Facilities
Parkland and recreational facilities are sound investment for our community, playing a major role in improving human health, both mental and physical. Ensuring recreation facilities are well governed, financially sustainable and responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities are fundamental to efficient management and positive community experiences.
• Parkland and recreation facilities which are managed and maintained at a level suitable to sustain high usage;
• Improved financial performance and viability of recreation facilities;
• Sustainable public and private sector partnerships which maximise recreation opportunities.
Partnership Development
Actively encouraging and fostering strategic partnerships with community organisations, other levels of government and the private sector to strengthen the range of opportunities available to the Newcastle community is vital.
Supporting the initiatives of other stakeholders and engaging the community in decision making fosters inclusion, strengthens partnerships and is instrumental in the provision of opportunities and the creation of active and vibrant places.
• Active engagement with other providers of parkland and recreation facilities and services within the city;
• Safe and activated places that are used by people day and night;
• Partnerships for the provision of parkland, recreation facilities, programs and events;
• Support and encouragement for the provision of recreation programs and events by community groups, not for profit and other private providers;
• External funding for the provision and management of parkland and recreation facilities, in line with priorities;
• Increased corporate involvement in parkland and recreation facility improvement;
• A welcoming community that cares and looks after each other;
• Active and healthy communities with physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Promotion of Facilities
Initiatives which inform residents and visitors on the range of opportunities for people to recreate and spend their leisure time is essential to support healthy lifestyles and attracting people to the city.
• Accessible information on the range of parkland and recreation opportunities to residents and visitors which facilitates participation in healthy lifestyle activities;
• High levels of use of parkland and recreation facilities.
Table 2: Strategic objectives and outcomes
17 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
March 2014 18
5. Desired Levels of Provision5.1 Ensuring equitable provision of recreation facilitiesEnsuring equitable levels and standard of provision for recreation facilities across the LGA is a key objective of the Parkland and Recreation Strategy. Setting desired standards of provision can help achieve a fair and equitable approach and guide infrastructure development, allocation and prioritisation of funding.
The concept of desired standards of provision and service has been used for many years as a recreation planning tool and communicates to the community the range, proximity and type of infrastructure Council will aim to provide in association with community, business and government partners throughout Newcastle’s LGA.
The provision of adequate levels of parkland and recreation facilities is a challenge faced by local governments Australia – wide. The questions of “how much?”, “how big”, “how should it be distributed” and “what type of facilities and where” do not have simple answers. Needs and expectations vary with different communities, with households and with individuals throughout each LGA.
A range of approaches have been formulated over many years as a basis for assessment of the adequacy of existing provision and to guide levels of provision. These include:
• area or number of facilities per head of population;
• allocation of a percentage of development area to recreation;
• distance from residents to open space/recreation facilities; and
• expressed community demand.
In NSW there are no specific guidelines for the standard of provision for specific types of recreation facilities. Most standards have been developed by individual councils as part of Developer Contribution Plans and Voluntary Planning Agreements (VPA), or through comparison of similar local government authorities through benchmarking exercises.
Parks and Leisure Australia, the peak industry body, in association with government and industry partners, has developed draft benchmarks for the provision of community and recreation infrastructure within existing and new development areas. Whilst not prescriptive, the provision rates aim to provide an indication of the extent of community infrastructure which will need to be considered and potentially provided, irrespective of population density. Further details are provided in Section 16.0 of the Background and Appendices.
5.2 How does this strategy measure desired levels of provision?The Parkland and Recreation Strategy proposes desired standards of provision for both parkland and recreation facilities within the Newcastle LGA. These desired standards have been developed following an assessment of current level of infrastructure provision, expressed community demand, comparison with other similar sized local government areas and a comparison with draft leisure industry benchmarks.
Best practice in recreation planning supports the provision of parkland and recreation infrastructure based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria including; industry benchmarks, minimum sizes, distance and accessibility by residents, proximity of other recreation opportunities, local demand, profile of local community and various design criteria. Thus ensuring a quantitative standard of provision unique to each locality can be developed.
Table 3 and 4 identifies proposed standards of provision for existing and future sport and recreation facilities within the LGA.
These standards are not intended to be prescriptive, but rather to act as a tool to guide equitable provision whilst providing for diversity and the meeting of specific needs within local communities. The desired standards aim to guide the type facilities and the triggers for future sport and recreation facility development within the LGA.
19 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Park Category Role Accessibility Desirable Size Characteristics likely
to findDesired Provision
Regional Defined spaces that attract visitors from across the city and beyond due to their uniqueness, opportunity offered or the scale of events that may be staged.
Expectation is that people will drive to these spaces.
10 + hectares.
Size will reflect location, natural setting and special features of individual sites.
Quality landscaping, public art, interpretative signage, appropriate supporting amenities and user facilities.
Excellent access for people of all ages and abilities and excellent vehicles access with a substantial frontage to a major road.
Highly visible and preferably adjacent to a local town centre.
One per 250,000 people.
District A park area of substantial size, well developed, offering a broad range of quality recreation opportunities.
Central to populations of approximately 15,000 – 25,000.
Not necessarily within walking distance.
Expectation is that people will drive to these spaces
1.5 -10 hectares.
It should be generally regular in shape, preferably not less than 50m wide.
A range of facilities to cater for a variety of users and recreational activities, including: quality landscaping, signage, playground equipment for toddlers, juniors and older children, seating, shade, paths, toilets, BBQ facilities, and lighting.
May support community gardens and/or off leash dog exercise areas in larger sized parks.
One per 15,000 – 25,000 people.
Local Defined spaces primarily serving a local population.
Positioned in a visible location for safety.
300- 500 m/5-10 minutes walking time to majority of households.
No busy road crossings to access.
0.5 – 1.5 hectares.
Recommended minimum of 0.2 ha for existing parkland unless it adjoins other open space.
A limited range of facilities to support recreational activities including: minor landscaping reflecting existing vegetation, signage, some playground equipment, limited seating, shade and limited paths to enhance play opportunities.
May support community gardens and/or off leash dog exercise areas in larger sized parks.
Ideally within 500 meters of residents.
Table 3: Proposed parkland standards of provision
To ensure the sustainable provision of sport and recreation facilities, partnerships with community, the business sector and/or government bodies will be essential. Opportunities to attract external funding and develop partnerships will be important in the delivery of higher quality district and regional standard facilities.
The adoption of desired standards of provision will allow for the definition of parkland roles, preparation of service levels and the ongoing capital development of these valuable spaces in line with their intended role within the community.
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Table 3: Proposed parkland standards of provision
Table 4: Proposed recreation standards of provision
Recreation Infrastructure Regional Facility District Facility Local Facility
Playgrounds One per 150,000 peopleOne per 15,000 - 25,000 people
One per 1,500 people
Sports fields In partnership with and in accordance with local and state sporting association facility guidelines.
One per 1,250 people
Specialised sports fields
In partnership with and in accordance with local and state sporting association facility guidelines. -
Outdoor netball courts In partnership with and in accordance with local and state sporting association facility guidelines.
One per 3,000 - 4,000 people
Outdoor basketball courts - - One per 5,000 people
Tennis courts One per 60,000 people - One per 3,000 - 4,000 people
Skate/BMX facilities One per 150,000 people One per 25,000 peopleOne per 10,000 - 15,000
people
Swimming pools One per 150,000 people One per 35,000 – 75,000 people -
Indoor multi – purpose sport centres
One per 250,000 peopleOne per 50,000 – 100,000 people -
Community gardens - - In partnership with community and expressed demand.
Dog exercise areas - - One per 5,000 - 10,000 people
Golf course One per 30,000 people In partnership with commercial sector. -
Service levels Highest level of service Second level of service Third level of service
21 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
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6. Parkland and Recreation Supply6.1 Existing supply of parkland and recreation facilitiesThere are a range of a sport, leisure and recreation facilities within Newcastles LGA . The Parkland and Recreation Strategy broadly considers the provision of parkland and recreation facilities including sportsgrounds, parks, courts, indoor recreation centre and swimming pools. Ancillary items supporting recreational use of parks and sportsgrounds such as lighting, toilets, shelters, seating, bins, BBQs and signage, although very important and contribute greatly to the community’s enjoyment of these spaces, have not been included in this analysis.
The strategy includes a detailed inventory of parkland and recreation facilities within the LGA. The inventory includes land owned by Council, land managed by Council on behalf of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (Crown land) in addition to land parcels considered to perform a parkland function, but not formally zoned as public open space or proposed public open space. Private and educational recreation facilities not managed by Council are also included, as they contribute to recreational opportunities available to residents and visitors in the LGA.
Information was drawn from Council records, sporting and recreational groups and from various websites. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the inventory is accurate and complete, there will inevitably be some facilities that have not been listed in the inventory. They can be added as implementation of the strategies moves forward.
To assist in the identification and assessment of parkland and recreation facilities, it is common practice to define facilities under a facility classification hierarchy. A commonly used hierarchy is to classify facilities in one of the following three classes: Regional, District and Local. The definitions of these classifications are provided below:
Regional facilities attract visitors from across the LGA and beyond. They tend to cater for large numbers of people or teams due to their uniqueness, opportunity offered or the scale of events that may be staged. They are of a high standard and receive the highest levels of service. Foreshore Park is an example of a regional park. Newcastle No. 1 and No.2 sportsgrounds are an example of a regional recreation facility.
District facilities are well developed spaces of substantial size that offer a broad range of quality recreation opportunities. They attract visitors from across a number of suburbs, however they do not have the level of infrastructure that a regional facility has. These spaces receive the second highest level of service. Dixon Park is an example of a district park. Adamstown Sportsground No. 1 is an example of a district recreation facility.
Local facilities are defined spaces which primarily serve a local population. They provide a limited range of facilities to support recreational pursuits and receive the third highest level of service. Vera Wilson Park is an example of a local park. Lindsay Memorial sportsground is a example of a local recreation facility.
It is important to note that a facility may cross over several classifications, in this instance it will be considered as the higher classification, for example if a sporting complex is capable of hosting district competitions but is also used for regular local sporting fixtures then it will be classified as District not Local.
The large majority of facilities provided within the Newcastle LGA are of a local standard.
23 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
6.2 Parkland inventory
Parkland General
There are approximately 250 parks and reserves throughout Newcastle’s LGA. Parkland range in size from 0.1 hectares (ha) (pocket parks) through to regionally significant parks such as Foreshore Park which are in excess of 10ha and cater to local residents, students and overseas visitors.
Approximately 132 parks (53%) are smaller than the industry benchmark of 0.5 ha for a local park. Approximately 58 parks (23%) are 0.2 ha or smaller in size.
The majority of parks are categorised as ‘community’ land and are included in the Local Parks Plan of Management. Other categories include sportsground, bushland, general community use, natural areas and cultural significance.
Local Parks
Approximately 240 parks within the Newcastle LGA are considered local parks. Local parks range in size from 0.1 ha to 2.0ha. Approximately 53% (132 parks) are smaller than the industry benchmark of 0.5 ha for a local park. The type, quality and quantity of infrastructure located within local parks vary significantly.
District Parks
Eight parks are generally considered as Districts Parks within the Newcastle LGA:
• Centennial Park, Cooks Hill;
• Civic Park - Newcastle;
• Gregson Park - Hamilton;
• Islington Park - Islington;
• Jesmond Park - Lambton;
• Lambton Park - Lambton;
• King Edward Park - Newcastle; and
• Empire Park - Bar Beach.
These Parks are 1.5ha or larger in size, contain higher quality infrastructure than local parks and receive higher levels of maintenance. Whilst not all of these parks contain the same level of infrastructure, they have been developed to the standards which are in excess of local parkland.
Regional Parks
Foreshore Park and Blackbutt Reserve are considered regional parks within the Newcastle LGA.
Foreshore Park is 11ha parkland linking the city centre, Honeysuckle precinct, the harbour, Nobby’s Beach and a number of historically significant sites. The quality of facilities and location make Foreshore Park a popular destination for local residents and international visitors alike.
Blackbutt Reserve is a 170 hectare bushland reserve located within the heart of Newcastle. Carnley and Richley recreation reserve areas, located within Blackbutt reserve, provide high quality infrastructure and experiences and caters to local residents, students and overseas visitors.
Glenrock State Recreation Area and Blue Gum Hills Regional Parks (owned and managed by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service) are considered regional bushland reserves.
National Park sportsgrounds No. 1 and No.2 are regional level sportsgrounds.
6.3 Recreation facilities inventory
Playground facilities
There are 117 playground facilities in the Newcastle LGA. 106 playground facilities are situated in publicly accessible localities throughout the City. A further 11 are located within inland swimming pools and childcare centres.
Sports fields
There are 124 Council sports fields located throughout the Newcastle’s LGA. These consist of:
• 120 senior sized fields;
• 5 junior sized fields.
Sports fields have been developed to a range of standards including:
• 130 local standard;
• 9 district standard; and
• 2 of regional standard.
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Sports fields are allocated and used as per the following:
• Soccer – 77 fields;
• Cricket – 74 ovals;
• Rugby League – 19 fields;
• Touch Football/Oztag – 12 fields;
• Rugby Union - 10 fields;
• Athletics – 6 fields;
• Softball – 2 fields;
• AFL – 2 ovals;
• Baseball – 1 field.
61(49%) of sports fields are managed by Community Park Committee’s on behalf of Council.
Other provider of sports fields include:
• Department of Education – 15 senior fields;
• University of Newcastle – 5 senior fields;
• TAFE NSW – 2 senior fields;
• Xstrata Coal – 2 senior fields (Bill Potts Oval).
Specialised sports fields
Baseball
Two specialised baseball diamonds are provided at Stephenson Park. This facility accommodates three baseball clubs and is utilised twelve months of the year. All baseball competition within Newcastle is conducted from this facility.
Hockey
Three water based synthetic fields are located at the Newcastle International Hockey Complex, which is leased and managed by Newcastle Hockey Inc. The Newcastle International Hockey Complex is a regional level facility. All hockey competition within Newcastle is conducted from this facility. The quality of this hockey facility is high.
Softball
Two specialised softball diamonds are provided at Stephenson Park. Five additional temporary diamonds are provided on the outer fields, which are utilised by other codes during the winter season.
One specialised softball diamond is provided at The University of Newcastle.
Netball courts
There are 51 Council operated outdoor netball courts located throughout Newcastle.
They are located within nine facilities, including:
• Dalby Oval, Stockton;
• Grange Ave Oval, Maryland;
• Kentish Park, New Lambton;
• National Park, Newcastle West;
• Nesbit Park, Kotara;
• Sanctuary Oval, Fletcher;
• Tarro Oval, Tarro;
• Tuxford Park, Shortland;
• Upper Reserve, Wallsend.
All facilities contain two asphalt courts, except for Upper Reserve (3) Kentish (6) and National Park (32).
National Park is a regional level facility. All competition within Newcastle is conducted from this facility.
There are approximately 22 netball courts located within primary and secondary schools throughout Newcastle.
Basketball courts
There are nine Council managed outdoor basketball courts located throughout the City. They consist of four full sized courts and five half courts. These facilities include:
• Beresfield (full court);
• Fletcher (full court);
• Maryland (full court);
• Stockton (full court);
• Islington (half court);
• Kotara (half court);
• Maryland (half court);
• New Lambton (half court); and
• Warabrook (half court).
25 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Tennis courts
Seventeen tennis facilities are located throughout Newcastle. These include:
• Adamstown Tennis Courts;
• Beresfield Tennis Court;
• Carrington Tennis Courts;
• Centennial Park Tennis Courts;
• District Park Tennis Centre;
• Empire Park Tennis Courts;
• Hamilton Park Tennis;
• Hillcrest Tennis Courts;
• Kotara Park Tennis Courts;
• Lambton Park Tennis;
• Learmonth Park Tennis Courts;
• Mereweather High School Courts;
• Minmi Tennis Court;
• Newcastle City Tennis Centre;
• Newcastle Hill Tennis Courts;
• Santuary Tennis Courts;, and
• Stockton Tennis Courts.
Thirteen tennis courts are council owned facilities. The largest tennis complex within the LGA is District Park, Broadmeadow. It contains 29 courts and is managed by Broadmeadow Tennis Club under a lease with NSW Department of Lands. Broadmeadow is a regional level facility.
Merewether High School has four synthetic tennis courts.
These seventeen facilities contain 79 courts; 68 are synthetic, 9 are asphalt and 2 are grass.
Bat ball courts
There are three Bat Ball courts in the Newcastle LGA. They are located at Empire Park, Bar Beach.
Skate/BMX facilities
There are 10 skate/BMX facilities in the Newcastle LGA. These include:
• Bar Beach/Empire Park;
• Birmingham Gardens;
• Islington;
• Elermore Vale;
• Mayfield;
• Maryland;
• New Lambton;
• South Newcastle Beach;
• Stockton; and
• Wallsend.
These facilities accommodate BMX, skate and in-line activities. Bar Beach and Wallsend are district level facilities. All other facilities are classified as local.
Golf courses
There are three golf courses in Newcastle. These include:
• Beresfield Golf Club (11 holes);
• Merewether Golf Club (18 holes); and
• Shortland Waters Golf Club (18 holes).
The Beresfield golf facility is owned and operated by Council. Merewether and Shortland are privately owned and managed. Two other 18 hole golf courses boarder the Newcastle LGA, located at Fern Bay (Newcastle Golf Course) and West Wallsend (Sugar Valley). A golf driving range is located at Shortland.
Swimming pools
Outdoor Pools
There are five public outdoor swimming complexes in Newcastle. These include:
• Beresfield - 50m, learners and toddlers pool, spectator grandstand, playground, giant inflatable, BBQ;
• Stockton - 50m and learners pool, playground, giant inflatable, BBQ;
• Mayfield - 50m and learners, playground, giant inflatable, BBQ;
• Lambton - 50m, learners + toddlers pool, aquatic playground, water slide, water polo, diving pool and tower, spectator grandstand.
• Wallsend - 50m, learners + toddlers pool, spectator grandstand, playground, giant inflatable, beach volleyball court, BBQ.
A 30m private pool is located at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Honeysuckle. Limited public access is available via membership.
Ocean Baths
There are two ocean baths located at Newcastle and Merewether.
Indoor Pools
There are three privately owned and operated indoor swimming pools.
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These include:
• The Forum University of Newcastle (Callahan), 50m heated;
• Viking Health Club, Elermore Vale, 25m indoor heated; and
• Arnolds swim centre, The Junction, 25m indoor heated.
Indoor sport centres
Howzat Newcastle Indoor Sports
This facility contains eight synthetic multi-use courts. It accommodates a variety of indoor sports such as indoor cricket, soccer, netball, beach volleyball and futsal.
Broadmeadow PCYC
The facility contains one basketball court, gymnastics area, weight room and offers a range of sporting, cultural and youth orientated activities.
Newcastle Basketball Stadium
The facility contains a six-court complex and is the home of basketball in the Hunter region. The facility accommodates a variety of indoor sports such as basketball, volleyball, floor ball, netball and futsal.
The Forum, Newcastle University (Callaghan Campus)
The facility contains two multi–purpose courts, indoor climbing wall, 50m indoor heated pool, cardio studio and gym. The multi-purpose courts accommodate activities such as basketball, volleyball, netball and badminton.
Sport stadiums
Hunter Stadium is an international standard facility, managed by the state government through Venues NSW. This facility provides a home venue for the National Rugby League’s Newcastle Knights and Football Federation League’s Newcastle Jets teams. The facility also accommodates other national and international sporting events, concerts and functions.
Trails, footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes
There is approximately 260km of footpaths and 60km of dedicated shared pathway/bicycle trails throughout Newcastle’s LGA. An extensive network of mountain bike and walking trails is located in Glenrock State Conservation Area. Blackbutt Reserve contains over 10km of dedicated walking nature trails.
Other sport specific facilitiesThe Newcastle LGA contains other sport and recreation facilities which provide a range of opportunities, including gyms, fitness centres, squash courts etc. A number of recreational activities such as dance, martial arts, gymnastics, yoga, tai chi etc are staged within community halls, surf clubs and other spaces which have not been catalogued in this strategy. Sport specific facilities include:
• Petanque & Croquet courts (Cooks Hill, Elermore Vale, Newcastle)
• Pistol, Rifle and Archery range (Waratah West)
• Lawn bowling greens (17 facilities / 41 greens)
Dog exercise areasThere are 17 dog off the leash areas throughout Newcastle. These include:
• West End Park, Adamstown;
• Elizabeth St Reserve, Carrington;
• Elermore Vale Park, Elermore Vale;
• Islington Park, Islington;
• Michael Street Reserve, Lambton;
• Maryland Drive Reserve, Maryland;
• Purdue Park, Mayfield;
• Dixon Park Reserve, Merewether;
• Nesca Park, Newcastle;
• King Edward Park, Newcastle;
• Horseshoe Beach, Newcastle East;
• Acacia Ave Reserve, Lambton;
• Ballast Ground, Stockton;
• Pitt Street Reserve, Stockton;
• Tarro Recreation Area, Tarro;
• Upper Reserve, Wallsend; and
• Braye Park, Waratah.
Community gardensThere are eight community gardens located throughout Newcastle.
These include:
• Ernie Hughes Memorial Garden, Mayfield;
• Figtree Garden, Wickham;
• Hamilton Garden, Hamilton South;
• Kooragang City Farm, Ash Island;
• Lambton Multicultural Garden;
• Silsoe Street Garden, Mayfield,
• March Street Gardens, Kotara; and
• Sandhill Garden, Newcastle.
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7. Parkland and Recreation Demand7.1 Drivers of demand
Population increases and demographic change
Future population growth will result in an additional 14,000 residents by 2026. By 2036, the population is forecast to be 180,643, an increase of 25,760 persons (16.6%).
The proportion of children and older adults residing in Newcastle is projected to significantly increase over the coming years. Whilst this will affect certain suburbs more than others, there will be significantly different patterns of use and demand for recreation facilities and services.
Increases in the number of children and young people will progressively place pressure on active recreation facilities. For example, demand for sportsgrounds, specialised recreation facilities such as skate parks, netball courts, pools and activity opportunities including parks and playgrounds is likely to be high in these areas.
Conversely, increasing numbers of older people will progressively place pressure on passive recreation spaces and facilities. The demand for non-contact activities such as walking, golf, lawn bowls, swimming, group exercise and contemplative pursuits in parkland areas is likely to be sustained or increased.
The provision of additional facilities and/or increasing the capacity of existing parkland and recreation facilities for future residents will be required, and will be a significant challenge for Council.
Section 13.0 within the Background and Appendices provides more information on demographic trends and forecasts.
Density increases
The development of medium to high density dwelling areas within urban renewal corridors represents a major component of projected population growth within the city. Private open space within medium to high density dwellings is often limited to smaller yards, decks and balconies. Accordingly, population intensification is likely to increase pressure on existing parkland and recreation facilities, particularly where existing space is already limited.
Sporting pursuits and healthy lifestyles
Sport and recreation is an important feature of the Australian lifestyle and plays a large part in the lives of many Australians. Successful performances on the international stage, the fun of participation, increased awareness of the benefits of physical activity in preventing many chronic diseases and treating mental health disorders, providing opportunities for social interaction, developing healthy bodies and assisting older people in maintaining quality of life and independence continues to generate demand for a range of facilities.
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7.2 Demand for parkland, sport and recreation facilitiesTo gain a broad understanding of potential demand for parkland, recreation and sporting related facilities, a number of factors were considered, including:
• National and NSW participation figures;
• Local participation figures and growth rates;
• Facility allocations and utilisation rates; and
• Expressed community demand and preferences.
The following section provides a summary of national and local factors affecting community demand for parkland, sport and recreation facilities in the Newcastle LGA. A more detailed analysis is provided in Section 14.0 of the Background and Appendices.
National recreation trends and demand
• Walking, aerobics/fitness, swimming, cycling and running continue to experience the highest rates of participation for people aged 15 years+ throughout Australia.
• Aerobics/fitness, golf, outdoor soccer, netball, and Australian rules football are the most popular organised sports and physical activities.
• Of non-organised sports and physical activities, participation is highest in walking, aerobics/fitness activities, swimming, cycling and running.
• Walking experiences the highest total participation rate for both females and males. Almost all participation in walking is non-organised.
• For children aged 5 to 14 years, swimming/diving, netball, Australian Rules football and dancing are the most participated in organised physical activity outside of school hours.
• The three most popular sports for girls are dancing, swimming/diving and netball, whilst for boys outdoor soccer, swimming/diving and Australian rules football are the most participated in organised physical activity.
• Data identifies the continued shift towards unorganised and unstructured recreation pursuits for adults.
Local recreation trends and demand
• Running/jogging/walking, visiting parks/gardens/community gardens, enjoying picnics and BBQs, swimming and cycling were the most participated in leisure or recreation activities.
• The beach foreshore, cycle/walking trails and local parks are the most regularly used leisure and recreation areas/facilities.
• Local parks were the most used recreation facility within suburbs.
• The parks most visited include Foreshore Park, King Edward Park, Blackbutt Reserve, Jesmond Park and Islington Park.
• The convenient location/proximity to home/work are the most popular reason a park or reserve is used.
• The provision of more personal time was identified as the most important factor that would encourage people to undertake more recreational activities.
• The top priorities for future development were cycle paths/walking trails/foreshore promenade, local parks, beach/foreshore and playgrounds.
• Increased/better/cheaper parking, additional cycle ways/bike paths and increase/better facilities were identified as the key actions that would make recreation or leisure experiences more enjoyable.
• Use of sportsgrounds for organised sporting competition is high. Demand for access to sportsgrounds is high.
• Participation rates for organised sporting activities have increased over the past 5 years.
• Participation growth is forecast to continue due to a range of factors including; increased residential population, popularity of code and the development of new sport formats e.g. midweek competitions.
• Sporting codes have restricted membership due to the inability to access additional and/or adequately developed sportsgrounds.
• Access to and the use of school facilities by community sporting groups for training/competition is limited.
29 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Source: Newcastle Sports Associations survey, 2013
Note: Not all sports have a central governing association. In those instances, participation numbers from a number of individual clubs have been combined.
‘Newcastle Athletics’ includes participation numbers from Adamstown - New Lambton, Wallsend and Newcastle Veteran’s Athletics club. ‘Newcastle Water
Polo’ includes Newcastle and Central Newcastle Water Polo clubs. ‘Newcastle Cricket’ includes Newcastle Junior Cricket, Newcastle District Cricket and
Newcastle City and Suburban Cricket. ‘Newcastle Touch Footbal’ includes Wallsend, District Park, Beresfield and Newcaslte competitions.
Figure 4: Newcastle Sports Association 2011/ 2012 participation numbers
Local sporting trends and demand
As part of the development of the Parkland and Recreation Strategy, sporting associations, tennis clubs and park committees responsible for managing Council sport grounds provided information regarding participation and growth rates of each sporting user. Current participation numbers, past and forecast growth rates and expected driver of future participation growth are discussed in Section 15.0 of the Background and Appendices.
The key findings in relation to participation and growth for organised sports included:
• 78% of Newcastle sporting associations experienced increased growth in participation over the previous 5 years;
• 68% of Newcastle sporting associations projected increased growth in participation over the forthcoming 5 years; and
• Only 21% of Newcastle sporting associations projected slight increase in growth in participation over the forthcoming 5 years.
Figure 4 identifies the number of participants registered with each major Newcastle Sports Association throughout the 2011/ 2012 summer and 2012 winter season. This data highlights the following:
• The numbers of participants involved in outdoor football (soccer) is almost double that of any other sport;
• The increasing popularity of touch football and Oz Tag; and
• The continued popularity of netball as the major winter sport for females.
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Source: The City of Newcastle, 2013 Source: The City of Newcastle, 2013
A number of factors identified Newcastle Sports Association as likely drivers of future participation growth.
These included:
• Increased residential population growth throughout LGA;
• Popularity of sporting code; and
• Increased attraction and access to the sport through the development of new sport formats e.g. women’s competitions in traditionally male only sports, mid-week competitions, short duration and social competitions (8 weeks) etc.
Local sports field allocations
A further indication of local demand is the annual allocation and use of sportsgrounds by local Newcastle sporting associations. Appendix C of the
Figure 6: Winter 2012 sportsground allocations
Figure 5: Summer 2011/12 sportsground allocation
Background and Appendices provides a detailed account of sportsground allocations for the 20011/12 summer season and 2012 winter season. Figures 5 and 6 provide the following key insights:
• Cricket (70%) and Football (66%) ulitilise the highest number of turf sports fields annually.
• For many codes, the traditional 6 month winter/summer season is evolving into 12 month operations. This has increased demand for facilities and the pressure for the re-allocation of sportsgrounds to non – traditional seasonal users e.g. from cricket to football during the summer season.
• A number of sportsgrounds are not utilised throughout the summer and winter seasons annually. With appropriate infrastructure, they may have the potential to meet the high level of demand that exists for sports grounds.
31 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
8. Challenges and Opportunities8.1 Challenges
Financial sustainability
Council’s throughout NSW are facing significant challenges in terms of providing financially sustainable services to the community. Council has responded to these challenges by delivering a series of strategic documents to identify clear priorities and efficiency improvements.
Tighter council budgets challenged by a significant asset portfolio, infrastructure backlog and increasing costs associated with the provision and maintenance of the range of services requested by the community will continue to be a significant challenge.
The allocation of Federal and State government grants, improved financial performance of community assets, in addition to partnerships with business and the wider community, will be essential in delivering quality and sustainable parkland and recreation facilities.
Sustainable facility management and community organisations
Over the past decade, the coordination of sporting clubs and the management of recreation facilities by community organisations has become increasingly complex.
Additional Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislative requirements, increasing operational and maintenance costs, greater financial accountability, increasing expectations from participants and parents, changing patterns of sport participation, the decrease in volunteers and the need for facilities to become more financially sustainable have all contributed to this challenge.
To ensure the efficient management of recreation facilities within the community, it will be essential that facility managers/committees have clear governance structures, business planning, financial management skills and adequate training and support from Council.
Ensuring sporting clubs have appropriate support will be vital to the ongoing sustainability of these volunteer organisations and continuing the important service they provide to the community.
Managing community expectations
The Newcastle community is socially diverse with residents expressing high expectations for quality facilities and services. Balancing the desired standard of service and maintenance expected by the community and visitors with the need to be financially responsible, affordable, and sustainable will be a critical issue for Council in managing recreation infrastructure. A clear framework to guide investment, development and management is important.
Biodiversity protection
Parkland protects and support a number of significant biodiversity values including natural landscapes, significant flora and fauna and various ecosystems. Population growth, urban development, habitat loss and fragmentation, conflicting use and unsustainable land management practices are placing significant pressure on the city’s biodiversity reserves. The protection and enhancement of these biodiversity values within parkland will be critical for the sustainability of the Newcastle ecology.
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8.2 Opportunities
Partnerships with education sector
Public and private schools contain varying levels of recreational facilities. Expanding and improving access to these existing facilities for community use outside of school hours, particularly sports field, has the potential to meet the significant demand that exists within the community.
Improved capacity of facilities
Council provides a range of a sport, leisure and recreation facilities. Whilst this portfolio contains a number of quality facilities, most recreation facilities have only been developed to a local standard.
Improving the quality of infrastructure through upgrades and the adoption of new technologies, such as synthetic playing surfaces, will increase facility capacity, allow for increased levels of use, the generation of new revenue streams and may contribute to lower operational costs.
Reduction of service levels
Decreasing the mowing and maintenance of parkland and recreation facilities provides an opportunity to achieve costs savings. Furthermore, through defining the function of each open space parcel more clearly and aligning the maintenance level to the role, potential service levels can be reduced for parcels whose main function is not recreation e.g. stormwater management.
Disposal of excess parkland
The disposal of un-required parkland, has the ability to reduce operational costs and create a capital development funding source.
Leasing of parkland and recreation facilities
The leasing or licensing of parkland and recreation facilities may allow Council to transfer a proportion of the maintenance responsibilities to external providers and subsequently reduce maintenance costs. In return external providers benefit from a higher level of autonomy in the management and operation of the facility.
Recreation facilities that have been developed for a specific use (e.g. tennis court) and/or have a limited number of users as compared to a facility which is utilised by multiple groups (winter and summer sporting codes etc) provides opportunities for potential costs savings through leasing and licensing.
While this management approach can minimise Council’s management costs, it must not be considered a method of reducing council’s responsibility.
Increase awareness of facilities
Comprehensive and accessible information on what is available within Newcastle’s LGA would assist to connect both residents and visitors to facilities. Ongoing promotion and marketing of parkland and recreation facilities and the many benefits of healthy lifestyles would also help to raise awareness of these opportunities and encourage participation.
Sponsorship
Opportunities exist for Council to attract external revenue through sponsorship. Signage at parkland and recreation facilities, on uniforms and recreation equipment, in addition, to sponsorship of grant programs and events may generate new revenue streams.
Community trusts
The establishment of a trust which encourages and facilitates benevolent acts from community members and business to finance and/or subsidise recreational initiatives provides opportunities for the generation of new revenue streams. Donations to the Trusts provide an opportunity for people to give something back to their community, with tax deductions also possible, in accordance with the provisions of the Income Tax Act.
9. Parkland and Recreation AssessmentThis section provides a summary of parkland and recreation facility supply, demand, trends, participation data, community consultation and feedback received throughout the development if the strategy. The analysis identifies the key issues discovered and provides recommendations aimed at informing actions and priorities for the Parkland and Recreation Strategy. See Section 18.0 within the Background and Appendices for more details.
33 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Par
klan
dTh
ere
are
app
roxi
mat
ely
250
par
ks in
th
e N
ewca
stle
LG
A. T
he s
ize
of p
arks
ra
nge
from
0.1
ha
to o
ver
170h
a.
Fore
shor
e P
ark
and
Bla
ckb
utt
Res
erve
are
con
sid
ered
reg
iona
l p
arks
.
Gle
nroc
k S
tate
Rec
reat
ion
Are
a an
d B
lue
Gum
Hill
s R
egio
nal P
arks
ar
e co
nsid
ered
reg
iona
l bus
hlan
d
rese
rves
.
Eig
ht p
arks
are
gen
eral
ly c
onsi
der
ed
as d
istr
ict
par
ks. T
hese
par
ks a
re 1
.5
ha o
r la
rger
in s
ize,
con
tain
hig
her
qua
lity
infr
astr
uctu
re.
Mos
t p
arks
are
gen
eral
ly c
onsi
der
ed
loca
l par
ks.
Par
ks a
re lo
cate
d in
a v
arie
ty o
f sp
aces
incl
udin
g; d
edic
ated
pub
lic
rese
rves
, sp
orts
fiel
ds,
roa
d r
eser
ves
and
dra
inag
e re
serv
es.
Ap
pro
xim
atel
y 13
2 p
arks
(53%
) are
sm
alle
r th
an t
he in
dus
try
ben
chm
ark
of 0
.5 h
a fo
r a
loca
l par
k.
Ap
pro
xim
atel
y 58
par
ks (2
3%) a
re
0.2
ha o
r sm
alle
r in
siz
e.
Use
of p
arkl
and
is h
igh.
Com
mun
ity s
urve
y re
sults
ind
icat
e:
• hi
gh fr
eque
ncy
of
use
and
valu
e fo
r lo
cal p
arks
,
• hi
gh fr
eque
ncy
of
use
and
popu
larit
y of
dis
tric
t and
re
gion
al p
arks
.
Ther
e is
hig
h d
eman
d
for
acce
ss t
o q
ualit
y p
arkl
and
whi
ch
cont
ains
a w
ide
rang
e an
d s
tand
ard
of
faci
litie
s to
allo
w
for
varie
ty o
f use
e.g
. p
layg
roun
ds,
sea
ting,
sh
ade
and
exe
rcis
e eq
uip
men
t.
Res
earc
h id
entifi
ed
the
mos
t p
opul
ar
and
util
ised
par
ks
wer
e d
istr
ict
par
ks,
whi
ch a
re la
rger
in
siz
e, c
onta
in a
ra
nge
of r
ecre
atio
nal
infr
astr
uctu
re a
nd
pro
vid
e fo
r a
grea
ter
rang
e of
exp
erie
nces
.
Par
klan
d is
gen
eral
ly w
ell d
istr
ibut
ed
thro
ugho
ut t
he L
GA
. Mos
t re
sid
ents
are
w
ithin
500
m o
f som
e fo
rm o
f par
klan
d,
how
ever
the
re a
re s
ome
area
s w
ithin
the
LG
A w
here
thi
s d
ista
nce
is c
onsi
der
ably
gr
eate
r.
A n
umb
er o
f fac
tors
suc
h as
gra
die
nt,
railw
ay li
nes,
maj
or r
oad
s, c
reek
s an
d
stor
m w
ater
cha
nnel
s p
rovi
de
bar
riers
to
par
klan
d a
cces
s.
The
amou
nt o
f par
klan
d p
rovi
ded
var
ies
sign
ifica
ntly
thr
ough
out
each
pla
nnin
g ar
eas.
Man
y p
lann
ing
area
s ha
ve lo
w
leve
l of p
arkl
and
per
per
son.
The
size
of l
ocal
par
klan
d w
ithin
the
LG
A
is g
ener
ally
sm
all.
Ove
r 50
% o
f par
ks a
re
smal
ler
than
the
rec
omm
end
ed in
dus
try
ben
chm
ark
for
a lo
cal p
ark
(0.5
ha)
. Op
en
spac
e p
lann
ing
sugg
ests
tha
t p
arkl
and
sh
ould
be
at le
ast
0.2h
a in
siz
e to
be
able
to
pro
vid
e su
ffici
ent
spac
e fo
r a
rang
e of
re
crea
tiona
l act
iviti
es.
The
qua
lity
of lo
cal p
arkl
and
, inc
lud
ing
the
amou
nt a
nd le
vel o
f inf
rast
ruct
ure
pro
vid
ed v
arie
s si
gnifi
cant
ly. T
his
app
ears
to
be
affe
cted
by
a nu
mb
er o
f con
stra
ints
in
clud
ing
top
ogra
phy
, gra
die
nt, fl
ood
ing,
an
d s
ize.
To s
upp
ort
need
s of
the
com
mun
ity,
cont
inue
d im
pro
vem
ents
to
exis
ting
par
klan
d is
req
uire
d.
Op
por
tuni
ties
for
the
upgr
adin
g an
d
dev
elop
men
t of
a n
umb
er o
f loc
al p
arks
ar
e lim
ited
in m
any
area
s d
ue t
o p
hysi
cal
cons
trai
nts.
The
dev
elop
men
t of
hig
her
qua
lity
dis
tric
t p
arks
whi
ch p
rovi
de
a ra
nge
of a
ctiv
e an
d
pas
sive
infr
astr
uctu
re w
ill b
e ne
cess
ary
to
mee
t co
mm
unity
nee
ds
and
miti
gate
loca
l d
efici
enci
es.
Imp
rovi
ng c
onne
ctio
ns t
o ot
her
open
sp
ace
opp
ortu
nitie
s fo
r re
sid
ents
livi
ng
furt
her
than
500
m fr
om lo
cal p
arkl
and
will
b
e es
sent
ial t
o m
inim
ise
acce
ss b
arrie
rs.
Dev
elop
new
and
revi
ew e
xist
ing
mas
ter
pla
ns to
gui
de
the
upgr
ade
of lo
cal
and
dist
rict p
arks
into
qua
lity
dis
tric
t par
ks to
mee
t cha
ngin
g ne
eds.
Iden
tify
a si
te fo
r th
e d
evel
opm
ent o
f a d
istr
ict p
ark
with
in M
aryl
and
, S
hort
land
and
Wal
lsen
d p
lann
ing
area
s.
Con
tinue
to p
lan
for
the
pro
visi
on o
f a r
ange
of p
arkl
and
recr
eatio
n fa
cilit
ies
for
the
futu
re p
opul
atio
n w
ithin
the
Wes
tern
Pla
nnin
g C
orrid
or.
Impr
ove
conn
ectio
ns to
oth
er o
pen
sp
ace
opp
ortu
nitie
s fo
r re
sid
ents
livi
ng
furt
her
than
500
m fr
om lo
cal p
arkl
and
.
Rev
iew
the
futu
re ro
le o
f loc
al p
arks
less
than
0.2
hec
tare
s in
siz
e an
d re
fer
to
Cou
ncil’
s A
sset
Rev
iew
and
Imp
lem
enta
tion
Pla
n (A
RIP
).
Dev
elop
par
klan
d a
nd re
crea
tion
faci
lity
serv
ice
leve
ls w
hich
are
alig
ned
with
fa
cilit
y ro
les
and
pro
vid
e op
erat
iona
l effi
cien
cies
.
Whe
re C
ounc
il ch
oses
not
to s
ell u
n-re
qui
red
par
klan
d, u
nder
take
an
expr
essi
on o
f int
eres
t for
the
exte
rnal
man
agem
ent o
f und
ersi
zed
par
klan
d b
y co
mm
unity
gro
ups
for
com
mun
ity g
ard
ens
as a
met
hod
to re
duc
e C
ounc
il’s
mai
nten
ance
exp
end
iture
whi
lst e
ncou
ragi
ng P
lace
Mak
ing
initi
ativ
es.
Inve
stig
ate
oppo
rtun
ities
for
grea
ter
com
mer
cial
use
and
ad
vert
isin
g w
ithin
pa
rkla
nd, r
ecre
atio
n fa
cilit
ies
and
ser
vice
s.
Rev
iew
and
am
end
the
New
cast
le L
ocal
Env
ironm
enta
l Pla
n 20
12 a
nd
New
cast
le D
evel
opm
ent C
ontr
ol P
lan
2012
to a
llow
for
grea
ter
com
mer
cial
us
e an
d ad
vert
isin
g w
ithin
par
klan
d a
nd re
crea
tion
faci
litie
s.
Dev
elop
a c
omm
erci
al fi
tnes
s op
erat
ors
pol
icy
and
lice
nce
to m
anag
e an
d
faci
litat
e co
mm
erci
al u
se o
f pub
lic s
pac
e.
Rev
iew
the
TCoN
Sp
orts
, Par
ks B
ooki
ng a
nd F
ores
hore
Usa
ge P
olic
ies.
Dev
elop
par
tner
ship
s w
ith re
sid
ent g
roup
s an
d c
omm
unity
org
anis
atio
ns th
at
supp
ort v
olun
teer
invo
lvem
ent i
n p
arkl
and
mai
nten
ance
.
Inve
stig
ate
oppo
rtun
ities
to e
ncou
rage
priv
ate
sect
or/c
omm
erci
al o
per
ator
s to
pro
vide
low
cos
t fitn
ess
activ
ities
in p
ublic
sp
aces
.
Dev
elop
a c
ompr
ehen
sive
pro
mot
ion
and
mar
ketin
g p
lan
aim
ed a
t pro
mot
ing
the
bene
fits
of h
ealth
y lif
esty
les
and
the
avai
lab
ility
of r
ecre
atio
n fa
cilit
ies
and
op
port
uniti
es w
ithin
com
mun
ity.
Dev
elop
a c
ompr
ehen
sive
par
klan
d a
nd re
crea
tion
dire
ctor
y on
cou
ncil’
s w
ebsi
te to
impr
ove
acce
ss a
nd a
war
enes
s of
op
por
tuni
ties.
Con
tinue
to s
uppo
rt a
nd a
ttra
ct th
e st
agin
g of
Sta
te, N
atio
nal a
nd
Inte
rnat
iona
l eve
nts
with
in N
ewca
stle
s LG
A.
Est
ablis
h a
Trus
t whi
ch e
ncou
rage
s an
d fa
cilit
ates
ben
evol
ent d
onat
ions
from
co
mm
unity
and
bus
ines
s to
fina
nce
and
/or
sub
sid
ise
recr
eatio
nal i
nitia
tives
.
Dev
elop
par
tner
ship
s w
ith c
omm
unity
org
anis
atio
ns m
anag
ing
spec
ialis
ed
spor
ting
faci
litie
s to
sup
por
t the
ong
oing
pro
visi
on o
f the
se fa
cilit
ies.
Tab
le 5
: Par
klan
d a
nd R
ecre
atio
n A
sses
smen
t
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Pla
ygro
und
faci
litie
s
Ther
e ar
e 11
7 p
layg
roun
d fa
cilit
ies
in
the
New
cast
le L
GA
.
106
pla
ygro
und
faci
litie
s ar
e si
tuat
ed
in p
ublic
ly a
cces
sib
le lo
calit
ies
thro
ugho
ut t
he C
ity.
A fu
rthe
r 11
are
lo
cate
d w
ithin
inla
nd s
wim
min
g p
ools
an
d c
hild
care
cen
tres
.
Pla
y eq
uip
men
t ca
n co
nsis
t of
1, 2
or
3 p
iece
s of
ind
ivid
ual p
iece
s of
eq
uip
men
t, o
ne p
layg
roun
d u
nit
or a
co
mb
inat
ion
of t
he t
wo.
Man
y fa
cilit
ies
are
sim
ilar
in d
esig
n.
Ther
e ar
e fe
w p
layg
roun
ds
that
cat
er
for
peo
ple
with
a d
isab
ility
and
old
er
child
ren.
Pla
ygro
und
pro
visi
on r
epre
sent
s on
e p
layg
roun
d p
er 1
,469
peo
ple
.
Use
of p
layg
roun
ds
is
high
.
Com
mun
ity s
urve
y re
sults
ind
icat
e:
• hi
gh fr
eque
ncy
of u
se
and
valu
e of
loca
l pl
aygr
ound
s,
• hi
gh fr
eque
ncy
of
use
and
popu
larit
y of
di
stric
t and
regi
onal
pa
rks.
Ther
e is
hig
h d
eman
d
for
imp
rove
men
ts t
o p
layg
roun
d fa
cilit
ies
to a
llow
for
div
ersi
ty
and
gre
ater
leve
ls
of c
halle
nge
and
st
imul
atio
n.
Dem
and
for
pla
ygro
und
fa
cilit
ies
is p
rote
cted
to
rem
ain
high
as
the
pop
ulat
ion
of y
oung
ch
ildre
n co
ntin
ues
to
incr
ease
with
in n
ew a
nd
exis
ting
resi
den
tial a
reas
.
Pla
y eq
uip
men
t is
rea
sona
bly
wel
l dis
trib
uted
thr
ough
out
the
LGA
.
The
qua
lity
and
siz
e of
pla
y eq
uip
men
t va
ries
thro
ugho
ut
pla
nnin
g ar
eas.
Som
e lo
catio
ns h
ave
bee
n p
rovi
ded
with
p
layg
roun
d u
nits
whi
le o
ther
s ha
ve a
num
ber
of s
mal
l and
se
par
ate
pie
ces
of p
lay
equi
pm
ent.
The
re d
oes
not
app
ear
to b
e a
curr
ent
hier
arch
y gu
idin
g th
e co
nsis
tent
leve
l of
pro
visi
on o
r st
and
ard
of p
layg
roun
d d
evel
opm
ent.
Man
y fa
cilit
ies
are
sim
ilar
in d
esig
n an
d t
here
are
few
tha
t ca
ter
for
peo
ple
with
a d
isab
ility
and
chi
ldre
n ol
der
tha
n 10
ye
ars.
The
exis
ting
dis
tric
t le
vel p
layg
roun
ds
are
very
sm
all i
n co
mp
aris
on t
o ot
her
coun
cils
.
Whi
lst
the
pla
ygro
und
s lo
cate
d w
ith d
istr
ict
and
reg
iona
l p
arks
are
of h
ighe
r st
and
ard
tha
n lo
cal p
layg
roun
ds,
the
se
pla
ygro
und
s, w
ith t
he e
xcep
tion
of B
lack
but
t R
eser
ve, h
ave
not
bee
n d
evel
oped
to
a d
istr
ict
or r
egio
nal s
tand
ard
.
The
dev
elop
men
t of
a r
egio
nal p
layg
roun
d t
o se
rve
the
LGA
, in
ad
diti
on t
o d
istr
ict
pla
ygro
und
s w
ithin
eac
h p
lann
ing
area
, w
hich
inco
rpor
ate
opp
ortu
nitie
s fo
r p
eop
le w
ith a
dis
abili
ty,
will
be
imp
orta
nt t
o p
rovi
din
g q
ualit
y p
lay
exp
erie
nces
and
m
eetin
g co
mm
unity
dem
and
.
Com
par
ison
to
ind
ustr
y b
ench
mar
ks s
ugge
sts
the
curr
ent
pro
visi
on r
ate
for
the
pop
ulat
ion
is lo
w.
Dev
elop
a r
egio
nal p
layg
roun
d a
t Fo
resh
ore
Par
k.
Up
grad
e p
layg
roun
ds
with
in id
entifi
ed d
istr
ict
par
ks t
o a
dis
tric
t st
and
ard
. Inc
orp
orat
e op
por
tuni
ties
for
peo
ple
of
all
abili
ties.
Dev
elop
a lo
cal p
layg
roun
d a
ctio
n p
lan
to g
uid
e p
lann
ing
and
pro
visi
on o
f loc
al p
lay
equi
pm
ent.
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Sp
orts
fie
lds
Ther
e ar
e 12
4 C
ounc
il sp
orts
fie
lds
loca
ted
thr
ough
out
the
City
of N
ewca
stle
.
61 (4
9%) o
f sp
orts
fiel
ds
are
man
aged
by
Com
mun
ity P
ark
Com
mitt
ee’s
on
beh
alf o
f C
ounc
il.
Oth
er p
rovi
der
of s
por
ts fi
eld
s in
clud
e;
• D
epar
tmen
t of E
duca
tion
• U
nive
rsity
of N
ewca
stle
• TA
FE N
SW
• X
stra
ta C
oal (
Bill
Pot
ts
Ova
l).
Sp
orts
grou
nd p
rovi
sion
, ex
clud
ing
educ
atio
n an
d
priv
ate
faci
litie
s re
pre
sent
s on
e fie
ld p
er 1
,256
peo
ple
.
Sp
orts
grou
nd p
rovi
sion
, in
clud
ing
educ
atio
n an
d
priv
ate
faci
litie
s re
pre
sent
s on
e fie
ld p
er 1
,066
peo
ple
.
Par
ticip
atio
n in
org
anis
ed
spor
ts c
ontin
ues
to in
crea
se.
A n
umb
er o
f sp
orts
grou
nds
exp
erie
nce
high
leve
ls o
f us
e, p
oten
tially
ove
r-us
e. T
he
poo
r q
ualit
y of
a n
umb
er o
f lo
cal s
por
ts fi
eld
s lim
its t
heir
leve
l of u
se, e
spec
ially
dur
ing
wet
wea
ther
.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
imp
rove
d fa
cilit
ies
to
allo
w fo
r m
axim
um u
se
of g
roun
ds
e.g.
dra
inag
e,
flood
light
s, a
men
ities
.The
re
is a
bac
klog
of i
nfra
stru
ctur
e im
pro
vem
ents
.
Ther
e is
a d
eman
d fo
r th
e d
evel
opm
ent
of d
istr
ict
– le
vel f
acili
ties
from
a n
umb
er
of s
por
ts e
.g. r
ugb
y le
ague
, ne
tbal
l, A
FL.
Dem
and
is li
kely
to
rem
ain
stro
ng a
s p
opul
atio
n co
ntin
ues
to in
crea
se, b
oth
with
in n
ew r
esid
entia
l est
ates
an
d u
rban
gro
wth
cor
ridor
s.
Gre
ater
par
ticip
atio
n in
the
p
lann
ing,
dec
isio
n m
akin
g an
d p
riorit
isat
ion
of s
por
ts
field
imp
rove
men
t p
roje
cts
was
req
uest
ed b
y sp
ortin
g co
des
.
The
dis
trib
utio
n of
key
s,
wet
wea
ther
pol
icy
and
the
re
qui
rem
ents
gui
din
g th
e up
grad
ing
of C
ounc
il fa
cilit
ies
by
com
mun
ity g
roup
s w
ere
iden
tified
as
key
issu
es t
hat
need
to
be
revi
ewed
.
Incr
ease
d c
omm
unic
atio
n b
etw
een
Cou
ncil
and
the
sp
ortin
g co
mm
unity
was
re
que
sted
by
spor
ting
cod
es.
Dem
and
for
use
of s
por
ts fi
eld
s is
hig
h.
Par
ticip
atio
n ha
s in
crea
sed
and
maj
ority
of
cod
es p
roje
ct c
ontin
ued
gro
wth
in
mem
ber
ship
.
Gro
wth
will
gen
erat
e fu
rthe
r p
ress
ure
to im
pro
ve t
he q
ualit
y of
exi
stin
g sp
orts
fie
lds
and
the
dev
elop
men
t of
new
fa
cilit
ies
to a
ccom
mod
ate
new
clu
bs.
The
esta
blis
hmen
t of
par
tner
ship
s w
ith
the
NS
W E
duc
atio
n D
epar
tmen
t an
d
loca
l sch
ools
will
be
esse
ntia
l in
mee
ting
futu
re d
eman
d. T
he u
tilis
atio
n of
new
te
chno
logi
es w
hich
incr
ease
cap
acity
of
exis
ting
spor
ts fi
eld
s w
ill a
lso
be
a ke
y st
rate
gic
app
roac
h to
mee
ting
activ
e sp
orts
nee
ds
The
dev
elop
men
t of
crit
eria
for
the
prio
ritis
atio
n of
cap
ital p
roje
cts
wou
ld
sign
ifica
ntly
imp
rove
dec
isio
n m
akin
g tr
ansp
aren
cy.
Incl
udin
g ke
y st
akeh
old
ers
in t
he
pla
nnin
g, d
ecis
ion
mak
ing
and
p
riorit
isat
ion
of s
por
ts fi
eld
imp
rove
men
t p
roje
cts
may
enc
oura
ge p
artn
ersh
ips
and
pot
entia
lly in
crea
se t
he le
vel o
f fu
ndin
g fr
om s
por
ting
orga
nisa
tions
and
go
vern
men
t.
Ther
e ar
e a
num
ber
of d
iffer
ence
s in
C
ounc
il m
anag
ed a
nd c
omm
unity
m
anag
ed fi
eld
s. T
his
has
crea
ted
co
nfus
ion
and
ineq
uitie
s am
ongs
t sp
ortin
g co
des
. Th
e al
ignm
ent
of
man
agem
ent
pro
ced
ures
is n
eces
sary
to
rem
ove
inco
nsis
tenc
ies
and
con
fusi
on.
Cou
ncils
Rec
reat
ion
Faci
litie
s P
rogr
am
whi
ch p
rovi
des
dol
lar
for
dol
lar
fund
ing
to s
por
ting
grou
ps
for
min
or c
apita
l p
roje
cts
is a
goo
d e
xam
ple
of s
ucce
ssfu
l p
artn
ersh
ips.
Con
tinue
to p
lan
for
the
pro
visi
on o
f a r
ange
of p
arkl
and
recr
eatio
n fa
cilit
ies
for
the
futu
re p
opul
atio
n w
ithin
the
Wes
tern
Pla
nnin
g C
orrid
or
Dev
elop
a d
istr
ict s
por
ts fa
cilit
y p
lan
to g
uid
e th
e co
ord
inat
ed p
lann
ing
and
de
velo
pmen
t of d
istr
ict s
por
ting
faci
litie
s.
Est
ablis
h a
part
ners
hip
with
Xst
rata
Coa
l for
land
at C
reek
Roa
d, M
aryl
and
for
the
deve
lopm
ent o
f dis
tric
t rec
reat
ion
com
ple
x to
ser
ve th
e fu
ture
pop
ulat
ion.
Com
men
ce d
etai
led
des
ign
of a
dis
tric
t rec
reat
ion
com
ple
x at
Cre
ek R
oad
, W
alls
end.
Inve
stig
ate
the
utili
satio
n of
new
tech
nolo
gies
to in
crea
se c
apac
ity o
f exi
stin
g sp
orts
fiel
ds.
Rev
iew
and
upd
ate
TCoN
sp
orts
grou
nd h
iera
rchy
to re
flect
the
chan
ging
nee
ds
of th
e sp
ortin
g co
mm
unity
.
Dev
elop
an
asse
ssm
ent c
riter
ia to
gui
de
the
prio
ritis
atio
n of
pro
pos
ed c
apita
l pr
ojec
ts, i
n pa
rtic
ular
sp
orts
fiel
d im
pro
vem
ent p
roje
cts
Rev
iew
gui
delin
es fo
r th
e m
anag
emen
t of r
ecre
atio
n fa
cilit
ies
by
com
mun
ity
park
com
mitt
ees.
Up
dat
e gu
idel
ines
to re
flect
the
obje
ctiv
es o
f gre
ater
fina
ncia
l su
stai
nabi
lity,
util
isat
ion
and
per
form
ance
of C
ounc
il fa
cilit
ies.
Est
ablis
h fo
rmal
par
tner
ship
s th
e N
SW
Ed
ucat
ion
Dep
artm
ent/
loca
l sch
ools
to
incr
ease
com
mun
ity a
cces
s to
recr
eatio
n fa
cilit
ies
to m
eet f
utur
e d
eman
d.
Est
ablis
h a
form
al n
etw
ork/
foru
m w
ith N
ewca
stle
sp
ortin
g as
soci
atio
ns to
st
reng
then
rela
tions
hip
s an
d p
artn
ersh
ip d
evel
opm
ent.
Incl
ude
key
stak
ehol
der
s in
the
pla
nnin
g, d
ecis
ion
mak
ing
and
prio
ritis
atio
n of
pr
ojec
ts.
Ent
er in
to fi
nanc
ial p
artn
ersh
ips
with
regi
onal
and
sta
te s
por
ting
orga
nisa
tions
, th
e bu
sine
ss c
omm
unity
and
gov
ernm
ent f
or re
crea
tion
faci
lity
dev
elop
men
t.
Iden
tify
recr
eatio
n fa
cilit
ies
that
hav
e th
e p
oten
tial t
o b
e ex
tern
ally
man
aged
as
a m
etho
d to
redu
ce C
ounc
il’s
mai
nten
ance
exp
end
iture
whi
lst e
ncou
ragi
ng
addi
tiona
l priv
ate
inve
stm
ent.
Dev
elop
a fa
cilit
y le
asin
g p
olic
y an
d g
uid
elin
es to
faci
litat
e th
e le
asin
g of
dis
tric
t sp
ortin
g fa
cilit
ies,
whi
ch a
re e
nclo
sed
or
whe
re th
ere
is a
pre
dom
inan
t use
or
sing
le u
ser.
Rev
iew
and
upd
ate
Cou
ncil’
s S
por
ts P
olic
y, P
arks
Boo
king
Pol
icy
and
Fo
resh
ore
Usa
ge P
olic
y.
Dev
elop
a c
ompr
ehen
sive
pro
mot
ion
and
mar
ketin
g p
lan
aim
ed a
t pro
mot
ing
the
bene
fits
of h
ealth
y lif
esty
les
and
the
avai
lab
ility
of r
ecre
atio
n fa
cilit
ies
and
op
port
uniti
es w
ithin
com
mun
ity.
Iden
tify
opp
ortu
nitie
s of
fere
d b
y al
l rec
reat
ion
prov
ider
s w
ithin
pro
mot
iona
l ini
tiativ
es.
Exp
and
Cou
ncil’
s P
lace
Mak
ing
Pro
gram
to p
rom
ote
gran
ts fo
r th
e p
rovi
sion
of
phys
ical
exe
rcis
e pr
ogra
ms
to th
e co
mm
unity
.
Est
ablis
h a
Trus
t whi
ch e
ncou
rage
s an
d fa
cilit
ates
ben
evol
ent d
onat
ions
from
co
mm
unity
and
bus
ines
s to
fina
nce
and
/or
sub
sid
ise
recr
eatio
nal i
nitia
tives
.
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Sp
ecia
lised
sp
orts
fie
lds
Bas
ebal
l
2 sp
ecia
lised
bas
ebal
l d
iam
ond
s ar
e p
rovi
ded
at
Ste
phe
nson
Par
k.
This
faci
lity
acco
mm
odat
es 3
b
aseb
all c
lub
s an
d is
util
ised
12
mon
ths
of t
he y
ear.
Par
ticip
atio
n ha
s in
crea
sed
in r
ecen
t ye
ars.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
imp
rove
men
ts t
o th
e fa
cilit
y to
allo
w fo
r m
axim
um u
se.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
the
allo
catio
n of
a
spor
tsgr
ound
for
a ‘h
omel
ess’
clu
b w
hich
is
cur
rent
ly u
tilis
ing
Ste
phe
nson
Par
k.
The
club
was
pre
viou
sly
utili
sing
a p
rivat
e sp
orts
grou
nd w
hich
has
sub
seq
uent
ly
bee
n so
ld a
nd r
edev
elop
ed.
The
qua
lity
of t
he fa
cilit
ies
is lo
w.
Dia
mon
ds
cont
ain
bac
k ne
ts a
nd o
uter
-fie
ld fe
ncin
g, b
ut a
re n
ot fl
ood
light
to
per
mit
com
pet
ition
mat
ches
.
Ther
e is
a r
easo
nab
le le
vel o
f bas
ebal
l fac
ility
pro
visi
on w
ithin
th
e LG
A.
The
bas
ebal
l dia
mon
ds
loca
ted
at
Ste
phe
nson
Par
k ar
e of
a
good
sta
ndar
d.
To s
upp
ort
the
need
s of
bas
ebal
l with
in t
he r
egio
n, c
ontin
ued
im
pro
vem
ents
of e
xist
ing
faci
lity
is r
equi
red
. The
inst
alla
tion
of
flood
light
s at
thi
s ve
nue
allo
win
g ni
ght
com
pet
ition
mat
ches
and
th
e p
rovi
sion
of a
sp
orts
grou
nd fo
r a
‘hom
eles
s cl
ub”
are
the
key
imp
rove
men
ts t
hat
wou
ld b
enefi
t th
e sp
ort.
Dev
elop
a s
por
ts fa
cilit
y im
pro
vem
ent
pla
n w
hich
iden
tifies
op
por
tuni
ties
for
the
upgr
ade
and
ad
apta
tion
of e
xist
ing
recr
eatio
nal f
acili
ties
to a
ccom
mod
ate
add
ition
al c
odes
, use
rs a
nd t
he c
hang
ing
need
s of
the
com
mun
ity.
Hoc
key
3 w
ater
– b
ased
syn
thet
ic
field
s ar
e lo
cate
d a
t N
ewca
stle
Inte
rnat
iona
l H
ocke
y C
omp
lex.
New
cast
le In
tern
atio
nal
Hoc
key
Com
ple
x is
a r
egio
nal
leve
l fac
ility
. All
hock
ey
com
pet
ition
with
in N
ewca
stle
is
con
duc
ted
from
thi
s fa
cilit
y.
The
qua
lity
of t
he h
ocke
y fa
cilit
y is
hig
h.
Par
ticip
atio
n in
Hoc
key
has
cont
inue
d t
o in
crea
se in
rec
ent
year
s.
The
faci
lity
exp
erie
nce
high
leve
ls o
f us
e, a
nd a
ccom
mod
ated
a r
ange
of
com
pet
ition
incl
udin
g lo
cal,
regi
onal
and
st
ate.
Dem
and
is li
kely
to
rem
ain
stro
ng d
ue t
o an
incr
easi
ng p
opul
atio
n, a
nd in
crea
ses
in t
he p
opul
arity
of h
ocke
y as
a r
esul
t of
H
ocke
y N
SW
initi
ativ
es.
Ther
e is
a g
ood
leve
l of p
rovi
sion
of h
ocke
y fie
lds
with
in t
he
LGA
.
This
faci
lity
has
bee
n d
evel
oped
on
Cro
wn
land
by
New
cast
le
Hoc
key
Inc.
a c
omm
unity
org
anis
atio
n, w
hom
are
res
pon
sib
le fo
r th
e m
anag
emen
t, m
aint
enan
ce a
nd c
apita
l im
pro
vem
ents
.
This
faci
lity
has
the
cap
acity
to
acco
mm
odat
e ad
diti
onal
use
ho
wev
er t
his
will
gen
erat
e ad
diti
onal
wea
r re
duc
ing
long
evity
of
synt
hetic
sur
face
s.
The
imp
act
of s
hort
– t
erm
gro
wth
will
nee
d
to b
e ca
refu
lly m
onito
red
.
Cap
ital i
mp
rove
men
ts a
re u
nder
take
n an
d fu
nded
by
hock
ey
mem
ber
s. T
he c
osts
to
rep
lace
syn
thet
ic s
urfa
ces
are
high
. No
finan
cial
or
in-k
ind
sup
por
t is
pro
vid
ed b
y C
ounc
il.
Fina
ncia
l sup
por
t fr
om C
ounc
il to
ass
ist
with
the
ong
oing
p
rovi
sion
of t
his
faci
lity
is t
he k
ey im
pro
vem
ent
that
wou
ld
ben
efit
the
spor
t.
Inve
stig
ate
opp
ortu
nitie
s to
pro
vid
e gr
eate
r su
pp
ort
to o
ther
com
mun
ity
recr
eatio
n fa
cilit
y p
rovi
der
s w
ithin
the
LG
A
to s
tren
gthe
n th
e ra
nge
of o
pp
ortu
nitie
s av
aila
ble
to
the
New
cast
le c
omm
unity
.
Sof
tbal
l
2 sp
ecia
lised
Sof
tbal
l d
iam
ond
s ar
e p
rovi
ded
at
Ste
phe
nson
Par
k.
5 ad
diti
onal
tem
por
ary
dia
mon
ds
are
pro
vid
ed o
n th
e ou
ter
field
s, w
hich
are
util
ised
b
y ot
her
cod
es d
urin
g th
e w
inte
r se
ason
.
Par
ticip
atio
n ha
s in
crea
sed
mod
erat
ely
in
rec
ent
year
s.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
Ste
phe
nson
Par
k to
b
e ac
cess
ible
to
Sof
tbal
l 12
mon
ths
of
the
year
.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
imp
rove
d fa
cilit
ies
to a
llow
for
max
imum
use
of f
acili
ty,
esp
ecia
lly fl
ood
light
s.
Futu
re d
eman
d is
pro
ject
ed t
o re
mai
n st
able
.
Ste
phe
nson
Pak
ser
ves
as a
dis
tric
t /
regi
onal
leve
l fac
ility
, b
ut t
he s
oftb
all i
nfra
stru
ctur
e ha
s no
t b
een
dev
elop
ed t
o th
is
stan
dar
d.
To s
upp
ort
the
need
s of
sof
tbal
l with
in t
he r
egio
n, t
he in
stal
latio
n of
floo
dlig
hts
allo
win
g ni
ght
com
pet
ition
mat
ches
, an
upgr
ade
of
bac
ksto
p n
ets
and
gre
ater
acc
ess
to o
utsi
de
field
s fo
r m
atch
es
is r
equi
red
. The
se c
apita
l im
pro
vem
ents
are
pro
ject
ed t
o m
eet
futu
re d
eman
d.
Dev
elop
a s
por
ts fa
cilit
y im
pro
vem
ent
pla
n w
hich
iden
tifies
op
por
tuni
ties
for
the
upgr
ade
and
ad
apta
tion
of e
xist
ing
recr
eatio
nal f
acili
ties
to a
ccom
mod
ate
add
ition
al c
odes
, use
rs a
nd t
he c
hang
ing
need
s of
the
com
mun
ity.
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Net
bal
l co
urts
Ther
e ar
e 51
Cou
ncil
oper
ated
ou
tdoo
r ne
tbal
l cou
rts
loca
ted
th
roug
hout
New
cast
le.
They
are
loca
ted
with
in 9
faci
litie
s.
All
faci
litie
s co
ntai
n 2
asp
halt
cour
ts,
exce
pt
for
Up
per
Res
erve
(3) K
entis
h (6
) and
Nat
iona
l Par
k (3
2).
Nat
iona
l Par
k is
a r
egio
nal l
evel
fa
cilit
y. A
ll co
mp
etiti
on w
ithin
N
ewca
stle
is c
ond
ucte
d fr
om t
his
faci
lity.
Ther
e ar
e ap
pro
xim
atel
y 22
net
bal
l co
urts
loca
ted
with
in P
rimar
y an
d
Sec
ond
ary
scho
ols
thro
ugho
ut
New
cast
le.
Net
bal
l cou
rt p
rovi
sion
rep
rese
nts
one
cour
t p
er 3
,053
peo
ple
.
Par
ticip
atio
n ha
s in
crea
sed
in r
ecen
t ye
ars.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
imp
rove
men
ts
to t
he e
xist
ing
faci
lity
to a
llow
for
max
imum
use
.
The
Nat
iona
l Par
k P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t al
low
s th
e d
evel
opm
ent
of a
n ad
diti
onal
3
cour
ts t
o m
eet
futu
re g
row
th.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
a d
istr
ict
leve
l ne
tbal
l fac
ility
to
be
dev
elop
ed in
the
w
este
rn g
row
th c
orrid
or t
o m
eet
the
need
s of
the
futu
re p
opul
atio
n.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
the
pro
visi
on o
f a
no -
inte
rest
loan
for
the
dev
elop
men
t an
ind
oor
netb
all f
acili
ty t
o ac
com
mod
ate
high
er le
vel c
omp
etiti
on
and
wet
wea
ther
tra
inin
g ne
eds.
Dem
and
for
netb
all c
ourt
s is
like
ly t
o re
mai
n st
rong
as
pop
ulat
ion
cont
inue
s to
incr
ease
, bot
h w
ithin
new
res
iden
tial
esta
tes
and
urb
an g
row
th c
orrid
ors.
The
conc
entr
atio
n of
cou
rts
at N
atio
nal P
ark
to
faci
litat
e w
eeke
nd c
omp
etiti
on h
as r
esul
ted
in t
he
ineq
uita
ble
dis
trib
utio
n of
loca
l cou
rts
thro
ugho
ut
the
LGA
.
As
a re
sult
recr
eatio
nal n
etb
all d
oes
not
app
ear
to
be
adeq
uate
ly p
rovi
ded
for
thro
ugho
ut t
he L
GA
.
Com
par
ison
to
ind
ustr
y b
ench
mar
ks s
ugge
sts
the
tota
l pro
visi
on r
ate
for
the
pop
ulat
ion
is a
deq
uate
.
The
qua
lity
of t
he n
etb
all f
acili
ties
at N
atio
nal P
ark
is h
igh,
but
con
sid
ered
gen
eral
ly p
oor
in t
he o
ther
lo
catio
ns.
The
loca
tion
of s
ome
cour
ts d
o no
t en
cour
age
com
mun
ity u
se d
ue t
o la
ck o
f pas
sive
su
rvei
llanc
e, p
erip
hera
l lig
htin
g.
Ther
e is
som
e co
mm
unity
use
of s
choo
l cou
rts.
The
pro
visi
on o
f har
d c
ourt
s to
allo
w fo
r re
crea
tiona
l net
bal
l op
por
tuni
ties.
with
in n
ew r
esid
entia
l est
ates
and
urb
an g
row
th
corr
idor
s in
ad
diti
on t
o th
e ex
istin
g co
mm
uniti
es
will
be
nece
ssar
y to
mee
t th
e ne
eds
of t
he
pop
ulat
ion.
Pro
vid
e p
athw
ays,
bic
ycle
lane
s, fi
tnes
s eq
uip
men
t an
d c
ourt
s to
enc
oura
ge in
form
al a
nd u
nstr
uctu
red
re
crea
tion
par
ticip
atio
n.
Dev
elop
a s
por
ts fa
cilit
y im
pro
vem
ent
pla
n w
hich
id
entifi
es o
pp
ortu
nitie
s fo
r th
e up
grad
e an
d
adap
tatio
n of
exi
stin
g re
crea
tiona
l fac
ilitie
s to
ac
com
mod
ate
add
ition
al c
odes
, use
rs a
nd t
he
chan
ging
nee
ds
of t
he c
omm
unity
.
Dev
elop
a d
istr
ict
spor
ts fa
cilit
y p
lan
to g
uid
e th
e co
ord
inat
ed a
pp
roac
h, p
lann
ing
and
dev
elop
men
t of
dis
tric
t sp
ortin
g fa
cilit
ies.
Dev
elop
ass
essm
ent
crite
ria t
o gu
ide
the
prio
ritis
atio
n of
pro
pos
ed c
apita
l pro
ject
s, in
p
artic
ular
sp
orts
fiel
d im
pro
vem
ent
pro
ject
s.
Bas
ketb
all
cour
tsTh
ere
are
nine
Cou
ncil
man
aged
ou
tdoo
r b
aske
tbal
l cou
rts
loca
ted
th
roug
hout
New
cast
les
LGA
.
They
con
sist
of f
our
full-
size
d c
ourt
s an
d fi
ve h
alf-
cour
ts.
Bas
ketb
all c
ourt
pro
visi
on r
epre
sent
s on
e co
urt
per
28,
310
peo
ple
.
Ane
cdot
al e
vid
ence
sug
gest
s so
cial
us
e of
bas
ketb
all f
acili
ties
is r
elat
ivel
y hi
gh.
Ther
e is
like
ly t
o b
e a
dem
and
for
loca
l re
crea
tiona
l lev
el b
aske
tbal
l cou
rts
to
mee
t th
e ne
eds
of t
he in
crea
sing
futu
re
pop
ulat
ion,
par
ticul
arly
you
ng p
eop
le.
Com
par
ison
to
ind
ustr
y b
ench
mar
ks s
ugge
sts
the
tota
l pro
visi
on r
ate
for
the
pop
ulat
ion
is
inad
equa
te. T
he lo
catio
n of
som
e co
urts
do
not
enco
urag
e co
mm
unity
use
due
to
lack
of p
assi
ve
surv
eilla
nce
and
/or
per
iphe
ral l
ight
ing.
The
pro
visi
on o
f har
d c
ourt
s to
allo
w fo
r re
crea
tiona
l bas
ketb
all o
pp
ortu
nitie
s w
ithin
new
re
sid
entia
l est
ates
and
urb
an g
row
th c
orrid
ors
in a
dd
ition
to
the
exis
ting
com
mun
ities
will
be
nece
ssar
y.
The
dev
elop
men
t of
cou
rts
with
in d
istr
ict
par
ks
and
oth
er h
igh
use
recr
eatio
n p
reci
ncts
pro
vid
e an
op
por
tuni
ty t
o co
-loc
ate
with
oth
er y
outh
or
ient
ated
faci
litie
s.
Ret
rofit
ting
exis
ting
recr
eatio
nal n
etb
all c
ourt
s w
ith d
ual–
use
bas
ketb
all/n
etb
all g
oal p
osts
and
lin
e m
arki
ng m
ay p
rovi
de
a re
lativ
ely
inex
pen
sive
w
ay o
f filli
ng e
xist
ing
gap
s in
pro
visi
on.
Con
tinue
to
pla
n fo
r th
e p
rovi
sion
of a
ran
ge
of p
arkl
and
rec
reat
ion
faci
litie
s fo
r th
e fu
ture
p
opul
atio
n w
ithin
the
Wes
tern
Pla
nnin
g C
orrid
or.
Pro
vid
e p
athw
ays,
bic
ycle
lane
s, fi
tnes
s eq
uip
men
t an
d c
ourt
s to
enc
oura
ge in
form
al a
nd u
nstr
uctu
red
re
crea
tion
par
ticip
atio
n.
Dev
elop
a s
por
ts fa
cilit
y im
pro
vem
ent
pla
n w
hich
id
entifi
es o
pp
ortu
nitie
s fo
r th
e up
grad
e an
d
adap
tatio
n of
exi
stin
g re
crea
tiona
l fac
ilitie
s to
ac
com
mod
ate
add
ition
al c
odes
, use
rs a
nd t
he
chan
ging
nee
ds
of t
he c
omm
unity
.
Pre
par
e a
yout
h fa
cilit
ies
stra
tegy
, whi
ch p
rovi
des
st
rate
gic
dire
ctio
n on
the
dev
elop
men
t of
you
th
faci
litie
s, in
clud
ing
cour
ts.
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Tenn
is
cour
ts17
ten
nis
faci
litie
s ar
e lo
cate
d
thro
ugho
ut N
ewca
stle
.
13 t
enni
s co
urts
are
Cou
ncil
owne
d
faci
litie
s.
The
larg
est
tenn
is c
omp
lex
is D
istr
ict
Par
k, B
road
mea
dow
. Bro
adm
ead
ow
is a
reg
iona
l lev
el fa
cilit
y.
Thes
e 17
faci
litie
s co
ntai
n 79
cou
rts,
68
are
syn
thet
ic, 9
are
asp
halt
and
2
are
gras
s.
Tota
l ten
nis
cour
t p
rovi
sion
re
pre
sent
s on
e co
urt
per
1,9
71
peo
ple
.
Sp
ecifi
c vi
sita
tion/
use
stat
istic
s on
co
urt
use
and
hire
is n
ot c
urre
ntly
co
llect
ed a
nd m
emb
ersh
ip o
f a c
lub
or
with
Ten
nis
NS
W is
not
req
uire
d t
o hi
re c
ourt
s. A
necd
otal
info
rmat
ion
from
m
anag
emen
t co
mm
ittee
ind
icat
es u
se
of t
enni
s co
urts
is h
igh.
Nat
iona
lly, p
artic
ipat
ion
has
stea
dily
d
eclin
ed o
ver
the
pas
t 10
yea
rs,
but
ten
nis
still
att
ract
s hi
gh le
vels
of
par
ticip
atio
n in
chi
ldre
n an
d a
dul
ts
whe
n co
mp
ared
to
othe
r sp
orts
.
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
imp
rove
d fa
cilit
ies
to a
llow
for
max
imum
use
.
Ther
e is
a b
ackl
og o
f inf
rast
ruct
ure
imp
rove
men
ts.
The
qua
lity
of t
enni
s fa
cilit
ies
varie
s th
roug
hout
th
e LG
A.
All
Cou
ncil
tenn
is fa
cilit
ies
are
man
aged
by
355
com
mitt
ees
or v
ia d
irect
leas
es. A
num
ber
of
faci
lity
leas
es a
re e
xpire
d.
Feed
bac
k in
dic
ates
in
cons
iste
ncie
s in
ann
ual l
ease
fees
, hire
fees
and
m
aint
enan
ce r
esp
onsi
bili
ties.
Con
cern
has
bee
n ra
ised
tha
t d
elay
s in
leas
e re
new
als
are
hold
ing
up p
oten
tial i
nves
tmen
t an
d u
pgr
ades
to
tenn
is
faci
litie
s.
Cap
ital i
mp
rove
men
t an
d m
aint
enan
ce a
re
del
egat
ed t
o le
ssee
s in
lieu
of h
ire r
enta
l fee
s,
how
ever
no
spec
ific
sche
dul
e of
wor
ks a
pp
ear
to
have
bee
n d
evel
oped
.
Fina
ncia
l per
form
ance
of f
acili
ties,
pat
rona
ge o
f co
urts
and
the
leve
l of i
nves
tmen
t re
qui
red
or
pro
pos
ed fo
r te
nnis
faci
litie
s in
unk
now
n.
The
pro
visi
on o
f ten
nis
cour
ts is
con
sid
ered
ad
equa
te. T
he p
rovi
sion
rat
e is
one
cou
rt p
er
1,97
1 p
eop
le, s
imila
r to
the
ind
ustr
y b
ench
mar
k of
on
e p
er 1
,875
peo
ple
.
Ther
e is
a n
eed
to
revi
ew t
he le
asin
g ar
rang
emen
ts, r
esp
onsi
bili
ties
and
rep
ortin
g re
qui
rem
ents
of o
rgan
isat
ions
man
agin
g C
ounc
il ow
ned
ten
nis
faci
litie
s. S
uch
actio
n is
nec
essa
ry
to e
nsur
e m
axim
um p
ublic
use
, per
form
ance
an
d t
he o
ngoi
ng fi
nanc
ial s
usta
inab
ility
of t
hese
co
mm
unity
ass
ets.
Dev
elop
a t
enni
s d
eliv
ery
pla
n to
gui
de
the
dev
elop
men
t an
d p
rovi
sion
of t
enni
s fa
cilit
ies.
Rev
iew
gui
del
ines
for
the
man
agem
ent
of
orga
nisa
tion
leas
ing/
man
agin
g te
nnis
cou
rts
on
beh
alf o
f Cou
ncil.
Dev
elop
cle
ar g
uid
elin
es t
o im
pro
ve s
usta
inab
ility
and
per
form
ance
.
Bat
bal
l co
urts
Ther
e ar
e th
ree
bat
bal
l cou
rts
with
in
New
cast
les
LGA
. Th
ey a
re lo
cate
d
at E
mp
ire P
ark,
Bar
Bea
ch.
Ane
cdot
al in
form
atio
n in
dic
ates
hig
h le
vels
of d
eman
d fo
r b
at b
all c
ourt
s w
ith p
eop
le t
rave
lling
from
out
sid
e th
e re
gion
to
acce
ss t
he c
ourt
s.
Ther
e is
like
ly t
o b
e a
dem
and
for
fa
cilit
ies
that
cat
er t
o m
ultip
le u
sers
an
d a
bili
ties
in a
dd
ition
to
the
need
s of
the
incr
easi
ng fu
ture
pop
ulat
ion,
p
artic
ular
ly y
oung
peo
ple
.
Bat
bal
l cou
rts
pro
vid
e in
exp
ensi
ve o
pp
ortu
nitie
s fo
r a
rang
e of
age
s an
d a
bili
ties.
The
pro
visi
on o
f ad
diti
onal
faci
litie
s to
allo
w fo
r un
stru
ctur
ed r
ecre
atio
nal o
pp
ortu
nitie
s w
ithin
new
re
sid
entia
l est
ates
and
urb
an g
row
th c
orrid
ors
in a
dd
ition
to
the
exis
ting
com
mun
ities
will
be
nece
ssar
y.
Pro
vid
e p
athw
ays,
bic
ycle
lane
s, c
ourt
s an
d fi
tnes
s eq
uip
men
t to
enc
oura
ge in
form
al a
nd u
nstr
uctu
red
re
crea
tion
par
ticip
atio
n.
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Ska
te/B
MX
fa
cilit
ies
Ther
e ar
e 10
ska
te/B
MX
fa
cilit
ies
in t
he N
ewca
stle
LG
A.
Thes
e fa
cilit
ies
acco
mm
odat
e B
MX
, ska
te a
nd in
-lin
e ac
tiviti
es.
Bar
Bea
ch a
nd W
alls
end
are
d
istr
ict
leve
l fac
ilitie
s.
All
othe
r fa
cilit
ies
are
clas
sifie
d
as lo
cal.
Loca
l ska
te/B
MX
pro
visi
on
rep
rese
nts
one
faci
lity
per
22
,698
peo
ple
.
Ther
e is
con
tinue
d h
igh
dem
and
for
acce
ss t
o sk
ate
faci
litie
s.
Res
earc
h un
der
take
n b
y C
ounc
il d
urin
g 20
09 id
entifi
ed h
igh
leve
ls o
f us
e, e
spec
ially
the
Bar
Bea
ch s
kate
p
ark
whi
ch is
reg
ard
ing
as a
one
of
Aus
tral
ia’s
pre
mie
r b
owls
, att
ract
ing
peo
ple
from
out
sid
e th
e re
gion
.
Ther
e is
str
ong
dem
and
for
high
er
qua
lity
faci
litie
s th
at c
ater
for
mul
tiple
us
ers
and
ab
ilitie
s.
It is
pro
ject
ed t
he d
eman
d fo
r sk
ate/
BM
X fa
cilit
ies
to m
eet
the
need
s of
the
in
crea
sing
futu
re p
opul
atio
n, p
artic
ular
ly
youn
g p
eop
le, w
ill b
e st
rong
.
Acc
ord
ingl
y, t
he p
rovi
sion
of a
dd
ition
al
faci
litie
s to
allo
w fo
r re
crea
tiona
l op
por
tuni
ties
with
in n
ew r
esid
entia
l es
tate
s an
d u
rban
gro
wth
cor
ridor
s in
ad
diti
on t
o th
e ex
istin
g co
mm
uniti
es w
ill
be
nece
ssar
y.
The
qua
lity
of s
kate
/BM
X fa
cilit
ies
varie
s si
gnifi
cant
ly t
hrou
ghou
t th
e LG
A. D
istr
ict
faci
litie
s ar
e of
a h
igh
qua
lity
whi
lst
the
loca
l fa
cilit
ies
are
bas
ic.
The
curr
ent
pro
visi
on r
ate
is a
pp
roxi
mat
ely
one
per
20,
000
peo
ple
, con
sid
erab
ly u
nder
the
ind
ustr
y p
rovi
sion
rat
es o
f one
p
er 1
0,00
0 p
eop
le.
Anc
illar
y fa
cilit
ies
incl
udin
g sh
elte
r an
d w
ater
and
sea
ting
are
lack
ing
at m
any
loca
tions
.
The
dev
elop
men
t of
a r
egio
nal s
kate
/BM
X fa
cilit
y to
ser
ve t
he
LGA
, in
add
ition
to
faci
litie
s to
ser
vice
the
gro
win
g co
mm
unity
w
ithin
the
wes
tern
gro
wth
cor
ridor
will
be
req
uire
d.
The
dev
elop
men
t of
ska
te/B
MX
faci
litie
s w
ithin
dis
tric
t p
arks
and
ot
her
high
use
rec
reat
ion
pre
cinc
ts p
rovi
de
an o
pp
ortu
nity
to
co-
loca
te w
ith o
ther
you
th o
rient
ated
faci
litie
s.
The
dev
elop
men
t of
few
er q
ualit
y d
istr
ict
stan
dar
d fa
cilit
ies
as
com
par
ed t
o a
larg
er n
umb
er o
f sm
alle
r lo
cal s
kate
par
ks s
houl
d
be
cons
ider
ed. D
istr
ict
par
ks h
ave
the
cap
acity
to
pro
vid
e fo
r a
num
ber
of s
tyle
s (s
tree
t, r
amp
, tra
nsiti
on),
abili
ties
and
age
s ra
nges
are
pro
vid
e gr
eate
r op
por
tuni
ties
for
skill
dev
elop
men
t.
Con
tinue
to
pla
n fo
r th
e p
rovi
sion
of
a ra
nge
of s
kate
/BM
X fa
cilit
ies
for
the
futu
re p
opul
atio
n w
ithin
the
Wes
tern
P
lann
ing
Cor
ridor
Rev
iew
and
up
dat
e C
ounc
il’s
stra
tegi
c ap
pro
ach
to s
kate
/BM
X fa
cilit
ies
dev
elop
men
t.
Gol
f co
urse
sTh
ere
are
thre
e go
lf co
urse
s in
N
ewca
stle
.
The
Ber
esfie
ld G
olf C
ours
e is
ow
ned
and
op
erat
ed b
y C
ounc
il. M
erew
ethe
r an
d
Sho
rtla
nd a
re p
rivat
ely
owne
d
and
man
aged
.
Two
othe
r 18
-hol
e go
lf co
urse
b
oard
ers
the
New
cast
le L
GA
, lo
cate
d a
t Fe
rn B
ay a
nd W
est
Wal
lsen
d a
nd a
re p
rivat
ely
man
aged
.
A g
olf d
rivin
g ra
nge
is lo
cate
d
at S
hort
land
.
Ane
cdot
al e
vid
ence
sug
gest
s us
e of
gol
f fa
cilit
ies
is r
elat
ivel
y hi
gh.
Nat
iona
lly, p
artic
ipat
ion
has
rem
aine
d
high
ove
r th
e p
ast
10 y
ears
, and
stil
l at
trac
ts h
igh
leve
ls o
f par
ticip
atio
n in
ad
ults
whe
n co
mp
ared
to
othe
r sp
orts
.
Ber
esfie
ld G
olf C
lub
, ow
ned
and
m
anag
ed b
y C
ounc
il, r
ecei
ved
ap
pro
xim
atel
y 30
,000
vis
its p
er a
nnum
d
urin
g 20
10/1
1, 2
011/
12 a
nd 2
012/
13
resp
ectiv
ely.
Com
par
ison
of e
xist
ing
sup
ply
to
ind
ustr
y b
ench
mar
ks s
ugge
sts
the
curr
ent
pro
visi
on r
ate
for
the
pop
ulat
ion
is in
adeq
uate
. H
owev
er, b
ased
on
the
pro
xim
ity o
f the
New
cast
le a
nd W
est
Wal
lsen
d fa
cilit
ies,
thi
s ‘s
hort
fall’
is c
onsi
der
ed t
o ha
ve b
een
met
.
The
annu
al c
osts
of m
anag
ing
Ber
esfie
ld G
olf C
ours
e ar
e si
gnifi
cant
. The
faci
lity
incu
rs a
n op
erat
ing
defi
cit
of
app
roxi
mat
ely
$200
,000
pa.
The
finan
cial
per
form
ance
of t
he fa
cilit
y is
con
sid
ered
un
sust
aina
ble
. Cou
ncil
has
rece
ntly
res
olve
d t
o se
ek e
xpre
ssio
ns
of in
tere
st fo
r th
e ex
tern
al m
anag
emen
t of
the
faci
lity
as a
m
etho
d t
o re
duc
e th
e co
st o
f pro
visi
on.
Ber
esfie
ld G
olf C
ours
e p
rovi
des
an
imp
orta
nt r
ecre
atio
n an
d
soci
al r
ole
with
in t
he lo
cal c
omm
unity
. Its
ong
oing
pro
visi
on
is c
onsi
der
ed im
por
tant
to
pro
vid
ing
a ra
nge
of a
fford
able
an
d a
cces
sib
le r
ecre
atio
n op
por
tuni
ties
for
this
soc
ially
d
isad
vant
aged
and
isol
ated
com
mun
ity.
Exa
min
e op
por
tuni
ties
to im
pro
ve
the
finan
cial
sus
tain
abili
ty o
f the
gol
f co
urse
whi
lst
mai
ntai
ning
thi
s im
por
tant
co
mm
unity
faci
lity.
41Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Sw
imm
ing
poo
lsTh
ere
are
five
pub
lic 5
0m
outd
oor
swim
min
g co
mp
lexe
s in
New
cast
le.
Ther
e ar
e th
ree
priv
atel
y ow
ned
an
d o
per
ated
ind
oor
swim
min
g p
ools
.
Thes
e in
clud
e:
The
Foru
m U
nive
rsity
of
New
cast
le -
50m
hea
ted
;
Vik
ing
Hea
lth C
lub
- 2
5 m
in
doo
r he
ated
;
Arn
old
s sw
im c
entr
e- 2
5m
ind
oor
heat
ed;
Cro
wn
Pla
za H
otel
- 3
0m
outd
oor.
Ther
e ar
e 2
ocea
n b
aths
loca
ted
at
New
cast
le a
nd M
erew
ethe
r.
Dem
and
for
aqua
tic fa
cilit
ies
is h
igh
and
is
pro
ject
ed t
o co
ntin
ue in
to
the
futu
re.
Com
mun
ity s
urve
y re
sults
und
erta
ken
dur
ing
2011
iden
tified
hig
h fr
eque
ncy
of u
se a
nd v
alue
of s
wim
min
g p
ools
. S
wim
min
g w
as id
entifi
ed a
s on
e of
the
m
ost
pop
ular
rec
reat
iona
l act
iviti
es
und
erta
ken
on a
reg
ular
bas
is w
ithin
N
ewca
stle
.
Vis
itatio
n ha
s flu
ctua
ted
ove
r th
e p
ast
15 y
ears
. Fa
ctor
s im
pac
ting
on
atte
ndan
ce in
clud
e co
ol/w
et s
umm
er
and
incr
easi
ng e
ntry
fee.
Nat
iona
lly, p
artic
ipat
ion
has
rem
aine
d
high
ove
r th
e p
ast
10 y
ears
, and
stil
l at
trac
ts h
igh
leve
ls o
f par
ticip
atio
n in
ad
ults
and
chi
ldre
n w
hen
com
par
ed
to o
ther
sp
orts
. A
BS
dat
a id
entifi
es
swim
min
g am
ongs
t th
e ac
tiviti
es
that
exp
erie
nce
the
high
est
rate
s of
p
artic
ipat
ion,
bot
h or
gani
sed
and
un
orga
nise
d, f
or c
hild
ren
and
ad
ults
th
roug
hout
Aus
tral
ia.
Dem
and
is e
xpec
ted
to
cont
inue
as
the
pop
ulat
ion
ages
and
incr
easi
ng
num
ber
s of
old
er p
eop
le s
eek
acce
ss t
o no
n-co
ntac
t re
crea
tion
activ
ities
. Oth
er
driv
ers
of d
eman
d in
clud
e th
e in
crea
sing
nu
mb
er o
f chi
ldre
n w
ithin
the
LG
A a
nd
the
des
ire fo
r un
stru
ctur
ed a
ctiv
ities
to
acco
mm
odat
e d
ecre
ased
leis
ure
time,
ch
angi
ng p
atte
rns
of p
artic
ipat
ion
and
re
crea
tion
tren
ds.
Sw
imm
ing
poo
ls a
re w
ell p
rovi
ded
for
in N
ewca
stle
. Fac
ilitie
s ar
e w
ell d
istr
ibut
ed w
ith m
ost
resi
den
ts lo
cate
d w
ithin
5km
of a
poo
l.
Ther
e is
ap
pro
xim
atel
y on
e 50
m p
ool p
er 2
6,00
0 p
eop
le. I
ndus
try
pro
visi
on r
ates
for
50m
poo
ls v
ary
cons
ider
ably
, fro
m o
ne p
er
35,0
00 p
eop
le t
o on
e p
er 7
5,00
0 p
eop
le, s
ugge
stin
g N
ewca
stle
m
ay b
e ov
ersu
pp
lied
.
The
geog
rap
hic
isol
atio
n of
Sto
ckto
n an
d B
eres
field
and
the
p
opul
arity
of s
wim
min
g m
ay e
xpla
in t
he r
easo
n b
ehin
d t
he
exis
ting
high
er p
rovi
sion
rat
e.
The
Foru
m is
the
onl
y in
doo
r he
ated
aq
uatic
faci
lity
avai
lab
le 1
2 m
onth
s of
the
yea
r.
Cou
ncil’
s P
ool S
ervi
ce D
eliv
ery
Mod
el (P
SD
M) i
den
tifies
the
re
dev
elop
men
t of
Lam
bto
n P
ool i
nto
a re
gion
al a
qua
tic a
nd
leis
ure
cent
re a
s a
prio
rity.
Fun
din
g fo
r th
is p
roje
ct h
as b
een
secu
red
thr
ough
a s
pec
ial r
ate
varia
tion.
The
red
evel
opm
ent
of L
amb
ton
Poo
l is
antic
ipat
ed t
o ha
ve a
n im
pac
t on
the
op
erat
ions
of t
he o
ther
four
cen
tres
. The
nee
d a
nd
viab
ility
of t
he r
emai
ning
four
sw
imm
ing
cent
res
iden
tified
will
ne
ed t
o b
e re
view
ed fo
llow
ing
the
Lam
bto
n re
dev
elop
men
t.
Man
agem
ent
of t
he in
land
poo
ls is
bec
omin
g in
crea
sing
ly
com
ple
x d
ue t
o d
eclin
ing
pat
rona
ge, t
he s
igni
fican
t su
bsi
die
s an
d t
he a
ge o
f the
faci
litie
s.
The
cost
to
pro
vid
e in
land
poo
ls is
sig
nific
ant
and
op
por
tuni
ties
to r
educ
e co
sts
whi
lst
cont
inui
ng t
o p
rovi
de
this
ser
vice
req
uire
in
vest
igat
ion.
Dev
elop
a r
egio
nal a
qua
tic c
entr
e at
La
mb
ton.
Up
on c
omp
letio
n of
the
Lam
bto
n re
dev
elop
men
t, u
nder
take
a r
evie
w o
f th
e P
SD
M a
nd t
he s
trat
egic
dire
ctio
n fo
r aq
uatic
pro
visi
on w
ithin
New
cast
le.
Inve
stig
ate
opp
ortu
nitie
s to
imp
rove
th
e fin
anci
al s
usta
inab
ility
of i
nlan
d
swim
min
g p
ools
.
March 2014 42
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Ind
oor
Sp
ort
Cen
tres
Ther
e ar
e 4
ind
oor
spor
t ce
ntre
co
mp
lexe
s in
New
cast
le.
How
zat
Ind
oor
Sp
orts
Cen
tre
is a
9 c
ourt
in
doo
r m
ulti
- p
urp
ose
faci
lity
pro
vid
ing
pro
gram
s an
d c
omp
etiti
ons
acro
ss a
ra
nge
of s
por
ts.
New
cast
le B
aske
tbal
l Sta
diu
m, a
6
cour
t fa
cilit
y, c
urre
ntly
acc
omm
odat
es
bas
ketb
all,
volle
ybal
l and
futs
al a
ctiv
ities
.
The
Foru
m, (
The
Uni
vers
ity o
f New
cast
le
Cal
laha
n C
amp
us) i
s a
two
cour
t fa
cilit
y w
hich
org
anis
es in
doo
r sp
ort
com
pet
ition
s p
rimar
ily t
arge
ting
its
stud
ents
.
Bro
adm
ead
ow P
CY
C is
a 1
cou
rt fa
cilit
y,
cont
aini
ng g
ymna
stic
and
wei
ght
trai
ning
ar
eas,
whi
ch d
eliv
ers
a nu
mb
er o
f p
rogr
ams
focu
sed
mos
tly t
owar
ds
yout
h.
Eac
h of
the
faci
litie
s ar
e p
rivat
ely
owne
d,
dev
elop
ed a
nd o
per
ated
.
Use
of i
ndoo
r re
crea
tion
faci
litie
s is
hig
h.
Nat
iona
lly, p
artic
ipat
ion
in
bas
ketb
all,
netb
all,
gym
nast
ics,
d
ance
and
oth
er in
doo
r sp
orts
re
mai
ns s
tead
y.
Dem
and
for
ind
oor
spac
e is
p
roje
cted
to
incr
ease
inlin
e w
ith
pop
ulat
ion
grow
th w
ithin
the
w
este
rn c
orrid
or
An
exam
inat
ion
of e
xist
ing
Ind
oor
Sp
ort
Cen
ter’s
sug
gest
s th
e su
pp
ly o
f exi
stin
g fa
cilit
ies
may
not
be
adeq
uate
to
mee
t fu
ture
ne
eds
of t
he c
omm
unity
.
New
cast
le B
aske
tbal
l Sta
diu
m h
as b
een
dev
elop
ed s
pec
ifica
lly
for
bas
ketb
all c
omp
etiti
on. O
ther
rec
reat
ion
activ
ities
are
on
ly a
ccom
mod
ated
dur
ing
the
off-
seas
on. T
he c
ontin
ued
d
evel
opm
ent
of b
aske
tbal
l with
in t
he r
egio
n m
ay fu
rthe
r lim
it th
e ab
ility
of t
his
faci
lity
in a
ccom
mod
atin
g ot
her
activ
ities
and
ser
ving
a
mul
ti –
pur
pos
e fa
cilit
y ro
le.
How
zat
Ind
oor
Sp
orts
Cen
tre
is t
he o
nly
know
n in
doo
r m
ulti
- p
urp
ose
ind
oor
spor
t ce
ntre
with
the
LG
A t
hat
pro
vid
es p
rogr
ams
and
com
pet
ition
s ac
ross
a r
ange
of s
por
ts. W
hils
t th
is fa
cilit
y cu
rren
tly h
as t
he c
apac
ity t
o ac
com
mod
ate
add
ition
al m
emb
ers,
its
ab
ility
to
acco
mm
odat
e th
e d
eman
ds
of t
he g
row
ing
pop
ulat
ion
with
in b
oth
the
inne
r ci
ty a
nd w
este
rn g
row
th c
orrid
ors
is u
nlik
ely.
The
abili
ty o
f The
For
um a
nd P
CY
C (w
hich
con
tain
less
tha
n th
ree
mul
ti-p
urp
ose
cour
ts) t
o ca
ter
to t
he b
road
er m
ulti
pur
pos
e re
crea
tiona
l nee
ds
of t
he g
row
ing
New
cast
le c
omm
unity
will
be
limite
d.
All
exis
ting
ind
oor
spor
t ce
ntre
com
ple
xes
are
priv
atel
y ow
ned
. Th
e on
goin
g us
e of
thi
s la
nd fo
r re
crea
tiona
l pur
pos
es is
sub
ject
to
cha
nge.
Exi
stin
g fa
cilit
ies
are
conc
entr
ated
pre
dom
inat
ely
in t
he e
ast
and
cen
tre
of t
he L
GA
. Fut
ure
dem
and
is li
kely
to
incr
ease
p
red
omin
atel
y w
ithin
the
wes
tern
gro
wth
cor
ridor
.
Und
erta
ke fu
rthe
r in
vest
igat
ion
into
th
e ne
ed o
f a m
ulti
– p
urp
ose
ind
oor
spor
t fa
cilit
y, p
artic
ular
ly t
o se
rvic
e th
e fu
ture
pop
ulat
ion
with
in t
he
wes
tern
pla
nnin
g co
rrid
or.
Inve
stig
ate
opp
ortu
nitie
s to
p
rovi
de
grea
ter
sup
por
t to
oth
er
recr
eatio
n p
rogr
am p
rovi
der
s w
ithin
th
e LG
A t
o st
reng
then
the
ran
ge
of o
pp
ortu
nitie
s av
aila
ble
to
the
New
cast
le c
omm
unity
.
Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Foot
pat
hs,
shar
ed
pat
hs a
nd
bic
ycle
la
nes
Ther
e is
ap
pro
xim
atel
y 26
0km
of
foot
pat
hs, 6
0km
of d
edic
ated
sha
red
p
athw
ay/b
icyc
le t
rails
thr
ough
out
the
New
cast
le L
GA
.
An
exte
nsiv
e ne
twor
k of
mou
ntai
n b
ike
and
wal
king
tra
ils is
loca
ted
in G
lenr
ock
Sta
te C
onse
rvat
ion
Are
a.
Bla
ckb
utt
Res
erve
con
tain
s ov
er 1
0km
of
ded
icat
ed w
alki
ng n
atur
e tr
ails
.
Dem
and
and
use
of s
hare
d p
aths
, bic
ycle
lane
s,
foot
pat
hs a
nd t
rails
is h
igh
and
als
o p
roje
cted
to
cont
inue
in t
o th
e fu
ture
.
Com
mun
ity s
urve
y re
sults
ind
icat
e, h
igh
freq
uenc
y of
use
and
val
ue o
f tra
ils. T
he b
each
fo
resh
ore
and
cyc
le/w
alki
ng t
rails
wer
e id
entifi
ed
as t
wo
of t
he t
hree
mos
t re
gula
rly u
sed
leis
ure
and
rec
reat
ion
area
s/fa
cilit
ies
with
in N
ewca
stle
.
Hig
h d
eman
d fo
r ad
diti
onal
pat
hway
s/tr
ails
, es
pec
ially
alo
ng c
oast
al a
reas
and
con
nect
ing
open
sp
aces
.
AB
S d
ata
iden
tifies
wal
king
, cyc
ling
and
run
ning
ar
e am
ongs
t th
e ac
tiviti
es t
hat
exp
erie
nce
the
high
est
rate
s of
par
ticip
atio
n fo
r p
eop
le a
ged
15
year
s+ t
hrou
ghou
t A
ustr
alia
.
Str
ong
dem
and
for
add
ition
al m
ount
ain
bik
e tr
ails
was
exp
ress
ed t
hrou
ghou
t th
e d
evel
opm
ent
of t
he C
yclin
g S
trat
egy.
Dem
and
is e
xpec
ted
to
cont
inue
as
the
pop
ulat
ion
ages
and
the
com
mun
ity w
ish
to le
ad
activ
e an
d h
ealth
y lif
esty
les,
the
mod
al s
hift
from
ca
rs a
nd t
he r
equi
rem
ent
for
activ
ities
tha
t ca
n b
e un
der
take
ind
ivid
ually
, at
any
time
of t
he d
ay.
The
qua
lity
and
div
ersi
ty o
f tra
ils w
ithin
New
cast
le is
co
nsid
erab
le.
The
Fern
leig
h Tr
ack,
Cen
tral
Coa
st c
ycle
way
rou
te a
nd
Gre
at N
orth
Wal
k ar
e w
ell u
tilis
ed r
egio
nal l
evel
tra
ils.
Cou
ncil
has
secu
red
$50
M t
hrou
gh a
sp
ecia
l rat
e to
d
evel
op a
num
ber
of t
rails
iden
tified
in t
he N
ewca
stle
B
icyc
le S
trat
egy
and
New
cast
le C
oast
al R
evita
lisat
ion
Str
ateg
y va
riatio
n ov
er t
he n
ext
10 y
ears
.
This
incl
udes
the
Bat
her’s
Way
pro
ject
whi
ch w
ill p
rovi
de
a co
ntin
uous
fore
shor
e p
athw
ay fr
om M
erew
ethe
r to
N
obb
y’s
bea
ch. T
his
will
gre
atly
enh
ance
acc
ess,
saf
ety
and
op
por
tuni
ties
for
wal
king
and
cyc
ling.
The
cont
inue
d d
evel
opm
ent
a ne
twor
k tr
ials
link
ing
bea
ches
, sho
pp
ing
cent
res,
rec
reat
ion
and
oth
er fa
cilit
ies
thro
ugho
ut t
he lo
cal g
over
nmen
t w
ill b
e im
por
tant
to
imp
rove
acc
ess
and
sup
por
t in
cid
enta
l exe
rcis
e an
d
heal
thy
lifes
tyle
s.
Pro
vid
e p
athw
ays,
bic
ycle
la
nes
and
fitn
ess
equi
pm
ent
to e
ncou
rage
info
rmal
and
un
stru
ctur
ed r
ecre
atio
n p
artic
ipat
ion.
Imp
rove
con
nect
ions
to
othe
r op
en s
pac
e op
por
tuni
ties
for
resi
den
ts li
ving
furt
her
than
50
0m fr
om lo
cal p
arkl
and
.
Oth
er s
por
t sp
ecifi
c fa
cilit
ies
Arc
hery
New
cast
le c
onta
ins
one
spec
ialis
t A
rche
ry c
omp
lex,
loca
ted
in W
arat
ah
Wes
t.
Pis
tol S
hoot
ing
New
cast
le c
onta
ins
one
spec
ialis
t P
isto
l S
hoot
ing
com
ple
x, lo
cate
d in
War
atah
W
est.
Par
ticip
atio
n in
Arc
hery
and
Pis
tol s
hoot
ing
is
high
.
Sp
orts
sur
vey
resu
lts in
dic
ate;
• hi
gh le
vel o
f use
of f
acili
ties
• S
igni
fican
t gro
wth
in m
embe
rshi
p
• In
abili
ty to
acc
omm
odat
e ne
w m
embe
rs
• W
aitin
g lis
ts fo
r m
embe
rshi
p
Ther
e is
dem
and
for
imp
rove
d a
nd e
xpan
ded
fa
cilit
ies
to a
llow
for
add
ition
al u
se.
The
War
atah
Arc
hery
and
Pis
tol f
acili
ties
serv
e as
reg
iona
l le
vel f
acili
ties.
The
two
faci
litie
s ha
ve b
een
dev
elop
ed o
n C
row
n la
nd b
y a
com
mun
ity o
rgan
isat
ions
, who
m a
re r
esp
onsi
ble
for
the
man
agem
ent,
mai
nten
ance
and
cap
ital i
mp
rove
men
ts
No
finan
cial
or
in-k
ind
sup
por
t s
pro
vid
ed b
y C
ounc
il.
With
out
furt
her
dev
elop
men
t, t
hese
faci
litie
s w
ill b
e un
able
to
mee
t fu
ture
dem
and
.
Fina
ncia
l sup
por
t fr
om C
ounc
il to
ass
ist
with
the
ong
oing
p
rovi
sion
of t
hese
faci
lity
is t
he k
ey im
pro
vem
ent
that
w
ould
ben
efit
the
spor
t.
Inve
stig
ate
opp
ortu
nitie
s to
p
rovi
de
grea
ter
sup
por
t to
ot
her
com
mun
ity r
ecre
atio
n fa
cilit
y p
rovi
der
s w
ithin
the
LG
A t
o st
reng
then
the
ran
ge
of o
pp
ortu
nitie
s av
aila
ble
to
the
New
cast
le c
omm
unity
. C
onsi
der
che
aper
acc
ess
to
coun
cil m
anag
ed la
nd.
March 2014 44Faci
lity
Sup
ply
Dem
and
Ana
lysi
sR
eco
mm
end
atio
n
Dog
E
xerc
ise
Are
as
Ther
e ar
e nu
mer
ous
dog
exe
rcis
e fa
cilit
ies
loca
ted
thr
ough
out
the
LGA
.
Ther
e ar
e 17
sp
ecifi
c d
ogs
off t
he
leas
h ar
eas
thro
ugho
ut N
ewca
stle
in
ad
diti
on t
o th
e b
alan
ce o
f pub
lic
area
s, w
here
dog
s ar
e p
erm
itted
w
hen
on a
lead
.
Four
off
the
leas
h ar
eas
have
tim
e re
stric
tions
.
Ther
e ar
e ov
er 2
5,00
0 re
gist
ered
dog
s in
New
cast
le
In 2
003,
the
re w
ere
alm
ost
25,0
00 d
ogs
regi
ster
ed
with
Cou
ncil
whi
ch e
qua
tes
to a
pp
roxi
mat
ely
one
in
thre
e ho
useh
old
s ac
ross
the
loca
l gov
ernm
ent
area
. Th
is n
umb
er is
est
imat
ed t
o ha
ve in
crea
sed
ove
r th
e p
ast
dec
ade.
Com
mun
ity s
urve
y re
sults
und
erta
ken
dur
ing
2011
id
entifi
ed, h
igh
freq
uenc
y of
use
and
val
ue o
f dog
ex
erci
se a
reas
, dem
and
for
add
ition
al le
ash
– fr
ee
area
s es
pec
ially
alo
ng c
oast
al a
reas
/wat
erw
ays,
st
rong
dem
and
for
imp
rove
men
ts t
o cu
rren
t fa
cilit
ies,
an
d d
eman
d fo
r ed
ucat
ion
cam
pai
gns
to in
crea
se
awar
enes
s of
dog
ow
ner’s
res
pon
sib
ilitie
s.
The
mos
t p
opul
ar/v
isite
d le
ash
free
are
as w
ere:
• H
orse
shoe
Bea
ch, N
ewca
stle
Eas
t
• K
ing
Edw
ard
Par
k, N
ewca
stle
• D
ixon
Par
k R
eser
ve, M
erew
ethe
r
The
incr
easi
ng p
rop
ortio
n of
old
er a
dul
ts a
nd
high
er d
ensi
ty d
wel
lings
is e
xpec
ted
to
sign
ifica
ntly
in
crea
se t
he n
umb
er o
f com
pan
ion
anim
als,
dem
and
fo
r fe
nced
/co
ntro
lled
are
as a
nd a
dd
ition
al o
ff th
e le
ash
area
s ov
er t
he c
omin
g ye
ars.
Dog
exe
rcis
e ar
eas
are
reas
onab
ly w
ell
pro
vid
ed fo
r th
roug
hout
the
LG
A.
Des
igna
ted
off
leas
h ar
eas
red
uce
the
pot
entia
l for
con
flict
bet
wee
n ow
ners
, p
ets
and
oth
er p
ark
user
s.
Hor
sesh
oe B
each
, whi
ch is
man
aged
by
New
cast
le P
ort
Cor
por
atio
n, is
cur
rent
ly
the
only
coa
stal
leas
h fr
ee a
rea.
A n
umb
er o
f exi
stin
g le
ash
free
are
as
app
ear
to e
xper
ienc
e m
inim
al u
se.
Non
e of
the
exi
stin
g fa
cilit
ies
are
fenc
ed.
Mos
t fa
cilit
ies
lack
sea
ting,
sha
de
and
w
ater
.
Exi
stin
g le
ash
free
are
as a
re n
ot e
venl
y d
istr
uste
d t
hrou
ghou
t th
e LG
A, w
ith a
nu
mb
er o
f pla
ning
are
as w
ithou
t a
faci
lity.
The
pro
visi
on o
f suc
h ar
eas
with
in n
ew
resi
den
tial e
stat
es a
nd e
xist
ing
urb
an
area
s w
ill b
e ne
cess
ary.
Und
erta
ke a
rev
iew
of e
xist
ing
leas
h fr
ee a
reas
in
ad
diti
on t
o fu
rthe
r an
alys
is in
to t
he n
eed
fo
r ad
diti
onal
loca
tions
, inc
lud
ing
sup
por
ting
faci
litie
s an
d e
duc
atio
nal p
rogr
ams.
Com
mun
ity
gard
ens
Ther
e ar
e ei
ght
com
mun
ity g
ard
ens
loca
ted
thr
ough
out
New
cast
le.
Use
of c
omm
unity
gar
den
s ap
pea
rs h
igh.
Com
mun
ity s
urve
y re
sults
ind
icat
e:
• hi
gh fr
eque
ncy
of v
isita
tion
and
use
of lo
cal p
arks
/co
mm
unity
gar
dens
,
• hi
gh le
vel o
f val
ue o
f loc
al p
arks
/com
mun
ity
gard
ens.
Cou
ncil
cont
inue
s to
rec
eive
req
uest
s fo
r ac
cess
to
pub
lic la
nd fo
r co
mm
unity
gar
den
s.
Com
mun
ity g
ard
ens
pro
vid
e op
por
tuni
ties
for
loca
l com
mun
ities
to
enga
ge c
olle
ctiv
ely
for
the
ben
efit
of t
he
who
le c
omm
unity
bui
ld c
apac
ity a
nd
par
ticip
ate
in c
omm
unity
life
.
Und
ersi
zed
par
klan
d m
ay p
rovi
de
an
opp
ortu
nity
for
the
dev
elop
men
t an
d
man
agem
ent
of n
ew c
omm
unity
gar
den
s b
y co
mm
unity
gro
ups.
Imp
lem
ent
and
sup
por
t th
e C
omm
unity
G
ard
ens
Tool
kit
Und
erta
ke a
n ex
pre
ssio
n of
inte
rest
(EO
I) fo
r th
e ex
tern
al m
anag
emen
t of
und
ersi
zed
p
arkl
and
by
com
mun
ity g
roup
s fo
r co
mm
unity
ga
rden
s as
a m
etho
d t
o re
duc
e C
ounc
il’s
mai
nten
ance
exp
end
iture
whi
lst
enco
urag
ing
Pla
ce M
akin
g in
itiat
ives
.
45 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
March 2014 46
10. Key DirectionsThe key directions provide strategic context for the future parkland and recreation initiatives to be undertaken by Council.
They provide a summary of the:
• key findings;
• consultations;
• investigations; and
• assessments undertaken throughout the development of the Parkland and Recreation Strategy.
The key directions provide broad recommendations on how identified challenges and gaps can be addressed and will inform the strategic actions identified in the action plan.
10.1 Planning and development of facilitiesCouncil needs to plan strategically to ensure provision is equitable, accessible and relevant to the needs of the current and future population.
Opportunities for the upgrading and development of a number of local parks are limited in many areas due to physical constraints. The development of higher quality district parks which provide a range of active and passive infrastructure will be key in meeting parkland needs and helping to mitigate local deficiencies. Similarly, improving connections to other open space opportunities for residents living further than 500m from local parkland will be essential to minimise access barriers. The development of regional and district playground facilities, which also incorporate opportunities for people with a disability, will be important to providing quality play experiences.
The provision of recreation facilities including pathways, bicycle lanes, fitness equipment, bicycle paths and swimming pools will be important to cater for the aging population, the continued increase in unstructured recreation participation and broader community demand.
The development of the proposed regional aquatic centre at Lambton will provide an important recreation facility and meet a longstanding community need.
The continued planning of parkland and recreation facilities to meet the needs of the growing population is required. To ensure the provision of meaningful parkland and recreation facilities for the future population within the Western Planning Corridor, planning will need to carefully address the spatial constraints whilst maximising funding provided by developers. An opportunity exist for the development of district recreation complex in Wallsend to serve this future population, however a partnerships with private land owners, such as Xstrata Coal will be essential to realise this. A further investigation into the need for an indoor sports complex for this future population is also required.
A coordinated approach to the planning and development of district sporting facilities is needed. A number of sporting associations have expressed a desire to develop sport specific facilities and a strategic approach is required to maximise opportunities, funding and to ensure ongoing sustainable provision.
The adoption and utilisation of new technologies such as synthetic grass, which increase capacity of existing sports fields whilst providing opportunities for commercial use and the generation of new revenue streams, will be a key strategic approach to meeting active sports needs. The upgrade and adaptation of existing recreational facilities to accommodate additional uses and changing needs provides similar opportunities.
The development of criteria for the prioritisation of capital projects, in particular sports field projects, is key to improve decision making transparency, relationships with community stakeholders and to attract funding from sporting organisations and government.
47 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
10.2 Management of facilitiesImproving the management and financial performance of parkland and recreation facilities and services is essential to support sustainable provision.
Developing clear service levels which are aligned with facility roles will assist with maintenance programming and budget management.
The investigation of opportunities for partnerships allowing the external management of sporting facilities, particularly district sporting complexes where there is a predominant use or single user, may reduce Council’s maintenance expenditure whilst encouraging additional private investment. Furthermore, the management of undersized parkland by community groups for community gardens may further reduce costs.
The development of clear responsibilities and financial requirements whilst providing necessary support, training and oversight to private and community organisations managing recreation facilities on behalf of Council will be key in improving the sustainability and performance of recreation facilities.
Providing opportunities for greater commercial use, activities and advertising within parkland, recreation facilities and services and the generation of new revenue will be key to improving the sustainability of recreation facilities. Opportunities including the development of cafes, the temporary installation of recreation facilities in parkland on weekend/school holidays such rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks and corporate sponsorship of facilities and specific capital projects should be explored.
District and regional facilities, which attract high levels of use and visitation, should be examined as priority sites.
10.3 Partnership developmentTo meet community demand for parkland and recreation facilities, strategic partnerships with community organisations, other levels of government and the private sector will be essential.
The establishment of formal partnerships between Council, the NSW Education Department and local schools for community access to sports fields will be essential in meeting future demand. Whilst upgrading Council sports fields will increase capacity, the number of existing and future sports fields is not expected to be sufficient to meet the growing demand for organised sport.
The limited amount of flat, unencumbered land within the Western Planning Corridor is expected to significantly affect the provision of future sports fields. Partnerships with large land owners, such as Coal and Allied and Xstrata, will be important to ensure the provision of accessible sports fields, particularly district sports fields which require larger footprints.
Including key stakeholders in the planning, decision making and prioritisation of parkland and recreation projects is essential to developing strategic partnerships. Furthermore, this coordinated approach has the potential to attract financial investment from regional and state sporting organisations, the business community and governments for facility development.
Supporting the initiatives of recreation program providers such as the NSW Office of Sport and Recreation, personal trainers, gyms and other community groups through providing access to council managed land and promotions will be instrumental in strengthen the range of opportunities available to the Newcastle community.
Similarly, developing partnerships and supporting community organisations managing specialised sporting facilities will be essential to maintain the provision and viability of these facilities.
The establishment of a trust which encourages and facilitates benevolent acts from community members and business to finance and/or subsidise recreational initiatives provides opportunities for the generation of new revenue streams. Donations to the Trusts provide an opportunity for people to give something back to their community, with tax deductions also possible, in accordance with the provisions of the Income Tax Act.
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10.4 Promotion of facilities and opportunitiesAn extensive range of parkland and recreation facilities are available within the Newcastle LGA. While there are a number of sources of information about recreation opportunities, obtaining comprehensive and easily accessible information on what is available within Newcastle can be challenging.
The need for more information about parkland and recreation opportunities was a key issue raised during community consultations. Details on what is available, locations, opportunities offered and contact details for greater information is required to better connect residents and visitors to facilities. The development of a comprehensive parkland and recreation directory on council’s website will be key in improving awareness of these opportunities.
The ongoing promotion and marketing of parkland and recreation facilities and the many benefits of healthy lifestyles will also be important in raising awareness of existing opportunities. Identifying the opportunities offered by all recreation providers within these promotional and marketing activities will be important in meeting the varying needs and interests of the community.
The continued support and attraction of state, national and international events will be a key strategy in promoting recreation opportunities and healthy lifestyles within the city of Newcastle.
“The Council is currently doing a good job in maintaining the parklands throughout most of Newcastle but more efficient and cost effective thought needs to be put into changes before they are made.”
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11. Action Plan11.1 Strategic objectives and prioritiesTo achieve the policy direction identified in The Parkland and Recreation vision, a range of actions have been identified. These actions build upon the current initiatives and projects and will guide future priorities and actions in recreation planning and management.
The actions are presented under four strategic directions and objectives, although a number of actions will meet more than one strategic objective. The four strategic directions include:
• Equitable Provision and Development of Facilities;
• Efficient Management of Facilities;
• Partnership Development; and
• Promotion of Facilities.
Each action contains a timeframe for implementation, based on priority and achievability. The actions are proposed to be delivered over a ten year time frame and included within Council’s four year delivery program. The time frames are:
• High - within 2 years (June 2014 - 2016);
• Medium - within 6 years (June 2014 June 2020);
• Long - within 10 years (June 2014 - 2024); and
The Parkland and Recreation Strategy will be a key document in delivering the vision identified in the CSP. Accordingly, each action identifies the specific CSP strategic direction and objective it will implement.
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51 Parkland and Recreation Strategy
Strategic Direction 1 – Equitable Provision and Development of FacilitiesQuality parkland and recreation facilities that are diverse, accessible and responsive to changing needs and will provide positive experiences for current and future residents and visitors. A clear decision making framework is essential to guide development and sustainable provision.
Strategic Objectives
• To ensure that a variety of parkland and recreational facilities are provided, accessible and distributed equitably across Newcastle.
• To ensure that recreation facilities provide opportunities for the full range of age groups and abilities.
• To ensure spaces and facilities are multi-functional and adaptable to changing needs.
• To maximise use of existing facilities.
No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
1.1 Review relevant Plans of Management (POM) and Master plans.
Develop new POM and Master plans to guide the upgrade of local and district parks into quality district parks to meet the changing need of the community.
Priority sites include;
• Gregson Park,
• Jesmond Park,
• Lambton Park,
• Warabrook Wetlands Reserve,
• Centennial Park,
• King Edward Park,
• Taro Recreation Area
• Griffith Reserve.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Infrastructure Planning
Medium Detailed and costed master plans which provide for a range of active and passive recreational opportunities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.2 Identify a site for the development of a district park within the following planning areas:
• Adamstown - Kotara;
• Shortland - Jesmond;
• Maryland - Fletcher - Minmi;
• Wallsend - Elermore Vale;
• Lambton - North Lambton.
Consider Wallsend Brickworks Park, Wal Heard Oval, Wallsend Park, Waratah Park and Braye Park as potential sites.
Develop master plans for each site.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Infrastructure Planning
Medium Identify a site within each planning area capable of being developed into a district park.
Detailed and costed master plans which provide for a range of active and passive recreational opportunities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.3 Continue to plan for the provision of a range of parkland recreation facilities for the future population within the Western Planning Corridor.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Infrastructure Planning
Medium A range of parkland recreation facilities within the Western Planning Corridor.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
Table 6: Action Plan
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No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
1.4 Establish a partnership with Xstrata Coal for land at Creek Road, Maryland for the development of district recreation complex to serve the future population.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Commercial Property
Parks and Recreation Services
High A signed agreement. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.5 Commence detailed design of a district recreation complex at Creek Road, Wallsend.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium Detailed design plans and estimates.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.6 Undertake further investigation into the need for an indoor sports complex for the future population within the Western Planning Corridor.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Long Investigation report. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.7 Develop a regional aquatic centre at Lambton.
Upon completion of the Lambton redevelopment, undertake a review of the PSDM.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A regional aquatic centre.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.8 Upgrade playgrounds within identified district parks to a district standard. Incorporate opportunities for people with a disability.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Infrastructure Planning
Medium A district playground within each planning area.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.9 Develop a regional playground at Foreshore Park.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Medium A regional playground. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.10 Develop a district sports facility plan to guide the coordinated approach, planning and development of district sporting facilities.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Newcastle Sporting Associations
Medium A development proposal articulating opportunities, benefits, cost and proposed investment strategy.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.11 Investigate the utilisation of new technologies to increase capacity of existing sports fields to meet sporting needs of the community. Consider benefits including multi – code use, reduced maintenance, commercial use and income generation.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium An investigation report which details the benefits of new technologies in addressing sports fields needs.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.12 Develop a sports facility improvement plan which identifies opportunities for the upgrade and adaptation of existing recreational facilities to accommodate additional codes, users and the changing needs of the community.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Infrastructure Planning
Medium A development proposal articulating opportunities, benefits, cost and proposed investment strategy.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
1.13 Review and update TCoN sportsground hierarchy to reflect the changing needs of the sporting community.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium An update hierarchy which reflect the needs of the sporting community.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.14 Develop assessment criteria to guide the prioritisation of proposed capital projects, in particular sports field improvement projects.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Newcastle Sporting Associations
High A clear and transparent assessment and investment framework.
A 4 year prioritised capital works program.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
Open and Collaborative Leadership
Objective 7.2
1.15 Develop a local playground action plan to guide planning and provision of local play equipment.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium Improved equitable provision of parkland throughout LGA.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.16 Provide pathways, bicycle lanes, courts and fitness equipment to encourage informal and unstructured recreation participation.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Infrastructure Planning
Medium A range of accessible opportunities catering to various age groups and abilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.17 Improve connections to other open space opportunities for residents living further than 500m from local parkland.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Infrastructure Planning
Medium A range of accessible opportunities catering to various age groups and abilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.18 Review existing and investigate the establishment of additional dog leash-free areas.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Regulatory Services
Long A development proposal articulating opportunities, benefits, cost and proposed investment strategy.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
1.19 Review the future role of local parks less than 0.2 hectares in size and refer to Council’s Asset Review and Implementation Plan (ARIP).
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Commercial Property
High Clearly defined roles for small sized parks.
A Caring and Inclusive Community
Objectives 3.1
1.20 Review and update Council’s strategic approach to skate/BMX facility development.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A Skate/BMX strategy. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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Strategic Direction 2 – Efficient Management of Facilities
Parkland and recreational facilities are sound investment for our community, playing a major role in improving human health, both mental and physical. Ensuring recreation facilities are well governed, financially sustainable and responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities are fundamental to efficient management and positive community experiences.
Strategic Objectives
• To ensure recreation and sport facilities managed by Council are maintained at a level suitable to sustain high usage.
• To improve the long-term financial viability of community and recreation facilities.
• To develop and sustain public and private sector partnerships to maximise delivery opportunities
No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
2.1 Develop parkland and recreation facility service levels which are aligned with facility roles and provide operational efficiencies.
Facilities & Recreation Services
High Clearly defined service levels.
A Caring and Inclusive Community
Objectives 3.1
2.2 Investigate opportunities to improve the financial sustainability of swimming pools and golf courses.
Facilities & Recreation Services
High A report identifying opportunities, benefits, costs and proposed implementation plan.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objective 3.1
2.3 Identify recreation facilities that have the potential to be externally managed as a method to reduce Council’s maintenance expenditure whilst encouraging additional private investment.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A prioritised list of facilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objective 3.1
2.4 Develop a facility leasing policy and guidelines to facilitate the leasing of district sporting facilities, which are enclosed or where there is a predominant use or single user.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Long A policy and guidelines which facilitates the external management and investment of district facilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
2.5 Where Council choses not to sell un-required parkland, undertake an expression of interest for the external management of undersized parkland by community groups for community gardens as a method to reduce Council’s maintenance expenditure whilst encouraging Place Making initiatives.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Commercial Property
Medium A report identifying the results of a EOI process.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
2.6 Review guidelines for the management of recreation facilities by community park committees. Updated guidelines to reflect the objectives of greater financial sustainability, utilisation and performance of Council facilities.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Medium Updated guidelines. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
2.7 Review guidelines for the management of organisation leasing / managing tennis courts on behalf of Council. Develop clear guidelines to improve sustainability and performance.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Council Services
Tennis NSW
Newcastle Tennis Lessees
Medium Updated guidelines/ tennis facility leasing policy.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
2.8 Investigate opportunities for greater commercial use and advertising within parkland, recreation facilities and services. Consider the development of cafes, temporary use of spaces, corporate sponsorship of facilities and capital projects. District and regional facilities, which attract high levels of use and visitation, should be examined as priority sites.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Long A prioritised list of opportunities for greater commercial use, activities and advertising within parkland, recreation facilities and services.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
2.9 Review and amend the Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012 and Newcastle Development Control Plan 2012 to allow for greater commercial use and advertising within parkland and recreation facilities.
Strategic Land Use
Facilities & Recreation Services
Long An amended LEP and DCP which provides for greater commercial use within parkland and recreation facilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
2.10 Develop a commercial fitness operators policy and licence to manage and facilitate commercial use of public space.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Council Services
Medium A commercial fitness operators policy and licence.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
Caring and Inclusive Community
Objective 4.2
2.11 Review and update the TCoN Sports Policy, Parks Booking Policy and Foreshore Usage Policy.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium Updated policies which provide accurate guidance for the management and use of facilities
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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Strategic Direction 3 - Partnership DevelopmentWhile Council is a major driver for the advancement of recreation in the city, actively encouraging and fostering strategic partnerships with community organisations, other levels of government and the private sector to strengthen the range of opportunities available to the Newcastle community is vital. Supporting the initiatives of other stakeholders and engaging the community in decision making fosters inclusion, strengthens partnerships and is instrumental in the provision of opportunities and the creation of active and vibrant places.
Strategic Objectives
• To actively engage with other providers of sports and recreation facilities and services within the city.
• To forge partnerships for the provision of parkland, recreation and sport facilities, programs and events.
• To support and encourage the provision of recreation programs and events by community groups, not for profit and other private providers
• To maximise external funding opportunities for the provision and management of parkland, recreation and sport facilities, in line with priorities.
• Increase corporate involvement in parkland and recreation facility improvement.
No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
3.1 Establish formal partnerships the NSW Education Department, local schools and sporting associations to increase community access to recreation facilities to meet future demand.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Medium Partnerships which facilitates the community use of facilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
3.2 Strengthen partnerships and develop opportunities with Newcastle sporting associations for information sharing and participation in the planning, decision making and prioritisation of recreation projects.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Hunter Academy of Sport
NSW Communities - Sport and Recreation
Newcastle Sporting Associations
High A sporting association network.
Caring and Inclusive Community
Objective 4.1
Open and Collaborative Leadership
Objective 7.3
3.3 Develop partnerships with local resident groups and community organisations that support volunteer involvement in parkland maintenance. Eg. ‘Adopt a Park’ program.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Long Partnerships which facilitates greater community use and management of facilities.
Caring and inclusive community
Objective 4.2
3.4 Expand Council’s Place Making Program to promote grants for the provision of physical exercise programs to the community.
Strategic Land Use
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A range of physical exercise programs within public spaces provided by other key stakeholders.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
Caring and Inclusive Community
Objective 4.2
3.5 Establish a Trust which encourages and facilitates benevolent donations from community and business to finance and/or subsidise recreational initiatives.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Council Services
Long A Recreation Trust. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
3.6 Enter into financial partnerships with regional and state sporting organisations, the business community and government for recreation facility development.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Council Services
High Increased external funding for recreation facility development.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
3.7 Develop partnerships with community organisations managing specialised sporting facilities to support the ongoing provision and viability of these facilities.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium The sustainable provision of specialised sporting facilities.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
3.8 Investigate opportunities to provide greater support to other recreation program providers within the LGA to strengthen the range of opportunities available to the Newcastle community.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A range of recreation opportunities available to the Newcastle community.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
3.9 Investigate opportunities to encourage private sector/commercial operators to provide low cost fitness activities in public spaces targeting at risk community groups.
Facilities & Recreation Services
Strategic Land Use
Medium Low cost fitness activities in public spaces targeting at risk community groups.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
3.10 Implement and support the Community Gardens Toolkit.
Strategic Land Use
Facilities & Recreation Services
High Community Gardens Toolkit
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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Strategic Direction 4 – Promotion of Facilities and OpportunitiesThe City of Newcastle provides an array of venues for people to recreate and play sport. The Parkland and Recreation Strategy proposes a range of promotion and marketing strategies to capitalise on its unique features and maximise the benefits of attracting people to the city to spend their leisure time.
Strategic Objectives
• To provide residents and visitors with information on the range of existing recreation and sport opportunities within the City to enable participation in healthy lifestyle activities.
• To support and encourage use of recreation and sport opportunities.
No. ActionResponsible Unit and Key Partners
Priority Deliverables CSP link
4.1 Develop a comprehensive promotion and marketing plan aimed at promoting the benefits of healthy lifestyles and the availability of recreation facilities and opportunities within community.
Identify opportunities offered by all recreation providers within promotional initiatives.
Customer Service
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A marketing plan. Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
4.2 Develop a comprehensive parkland and recreation directory on council’s website to improve access and awareness of opportunities.
Customer Service
Facilities & Recreation Services
High A parkland and recreation directory on council’s website.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
4.3 Continue to support and attract the staging of State, National and International events within Newcastles LGA.
Strategic Land Use
Facilities & Recreation Services
Medium A range of high quality events held annually within Newcastle which positively contributes socially, culturally and economically.
Vibrant and Activated Public Places
Objectives 3.1 & 3.3
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12. MonitoringMonitoring of the strategy’s implementation will be crucial to its success. An annual review of the progress of implementation will provide advice on the achievements to date, changes in Council’s strategic direction and barriers to implementing the actions. In order to review the progress of the implementation of the Parkland and Recreation Strategy actions, a number of community indicators and measures have been adopted (Table 7).
Measuring our progress towards equitable provision and development of facilities
Community Indicator Measure Source
Adequacy of good quality parks and recreation areas
Percentage of residents who agree there are enough good quality parks and recreation areas.
Council’s Community Survey
Adequacy of natural areas for pursuit of leisure time activities
Percentage of residents who agree there are adequate natural environments to pursue leisure time activities.
Hunter Valley Research Foundation Wellbeing Research Program
Measuring our progress towards the efficient management of facilities
Financial performance of parkland and recreation facilities
Percentage of parkland and recreation facilities operating within allocated budgets / meeting financial designated targets.
Council
External funding Amount of external funding received for recreation programs and capital development.
Council
Measuring our progress towards partnership development
Partnerships with residents, community groups, sporting associations and business sector. recreation.
Percentage of residents and stakeholders who are satisfied with level of involvement, partnerships and communication with Council on recreation projects/issues.
Council’s Community Survey
Measuring our progress towards the promotion of facilities
Increased awareness of parkland and recreation opportunities.
Number of visits to Council parkland and recreation directory website.
Council
Attraction of large sporting and cultural events.
Number of state, national and international events held annually within Newcastle.
Council
L!vesites
Table 7: Parkland and Recreation Strategy performance assessment criteria
The actions within the Parkland and Recreation Strategy are proposed to be delivered over a ten year time frame and included within Council’s four year delivery program. The implementation of the actions within the identified timeframes will be subject to budget allocation, resource availability and Council priorities. It is recommended that a full review of strategic actions be undertaken by 2017.
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For more information visit:www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au