verge street sports complex masterplan · 3.2.1 survey 10 3.2.2 workshops 10 4. facility masterplan...

VERGE STREET SPORTS COMPLEX MASTERPLAN DRAFT REPORT

NOVEMBER 2017

Prepared by Otium Planning Group Pty Ltd in association with Rupert G.H Milne Home Landscape Architect

OTIUM PLANNING GROUP PTY LTD

Head Office: Level 6 60 Albert Road South Melbourne VIC 3205 Phone: (03) 9698 7300 Email: [email protected] Web: www.otiumplanning.com.au ABN: 30 605 962 169 CAN: 605 962 169 Sydney Office Suite 1/273 Alfred Street North North Sydney NSW 2060 Contact: Simon Haire Phone: 0428 600657 Email: [email protected] Otium Planning Group has offices in:

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(NSW33-17) � Kempsey Shire Council � Verge Street Sports Complex Masterplan Draft Report � 5/11/17

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Document History

Document Version Date Checked Distribution Recipient Draft Report 6-11-17

© 2017 Otium Planning Group Pty. Ltd. This document may only be used for the purposes for which it was commissioned and in accordance with the terms of engagement for the commission.

Otium Planning Group � National Expertise � Local Understanding Page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1

1.1 Background 1 1.2 Project Objectives 1 1.3 Methodology 1 1.4 Project Area 2 1.4.1 Demographic Review 3

2. Site Review 5

2.1 Land Details and Planning 5 2.2 Characteristics and Use 7 2.3 Summary of Constraints and Opportunities 8

3. Planning Context and Demands 9

3.1 Strategic Review 9 3.1.1 Macleay Valley Sports Strategy 10 3.2 Stakeholder Consultation 10 3.2.1 Survey 10 3.2.2 Workshops 10

4. Facility Masterplan 12

4.1 Overview 12 4.1.1 Concept Masterplan 14 4.1.2 Staging Options 16 4.2 Cost Estimate 16 4.3 Funding Options 16 4.3.1 Internal/Local Funding 16 4.3.2 External Funding 17

5. Summary and Recommendations 18

Warranties and Disclaimers 19

(NSW33-17) � Kempsey Shire Council � Verge Street Sports Complex Masterplan Draft Report � 5/11/17

DIRECTORY OF TABLES

Table 1: Kempsey Population Forecast 3 Table 2: Existing Sports Facilities 7 Table 3: Preliminary Cost Plan Summary 16

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 – Verge Street Sports Complex - Concept Masterplan 20

Appendix 2 – Cost Plan 21

(NSW33-17) � Kempsey Shire Council � Verge Street Sports Complex Masterplan Draft Report � 5/11/17 Page 1

1. Introduction

Kempsey Shire Council (KSC) engaged Otium Planning Group (OPG) to prepare a masterplan for the upgrade of the Verge Street Sports Complex. This report outlines the supporting research and information that has informed the development of the masterplan and review key points and information relating to the final draft. This section introduces the report by outlining the project background, methodology and area profile. Later sections address the project site, planning and demand considerations and present the masterplan itself.

1.1 Background

The initiative to prepare this masterplan was developed through previous planning work and was formally supported when KSC adopted the Macleay Valley Sports Strategy in March 2017. Amongst other things, the sports strategy recommended the preparation of a masterplan for the site to guide its development as the premier sports facility in the Local Government Area (LGA) and to address current utilisation issues.

1.2 Project Objectives

As part of the engagement for this project, Council identified the following considerations for the masterplan:

• The upgrade of the existing Verge Street Sports Complex

• Connections and linkages between these sites and other nearby recreation and social infrastructure

1.3 Methodology

The methodology for developing the masterplan included the following stages and key tasks.

• Stage 1 – Background and Research

o Inception Meeting

o Site Assessment

o Review of Background Information

o Trends Analysis

• Stage 2 - Consultation

o Stakeholder Scan

o Consultation with Staff

o User Group Survey

o User Group Design Workshop

• Stage 3 – Concept Development

o Facility Mix Brief

o Concept Plans

o Indicative Cost Estimates

• Stage 4 - Reporting

o Draft Masterplan

o Feedback on Draft Concept Plan

o Study Finalisation


1.4 Project Area

The following area profile has been developed using data and analysis from a Kempsey Shire Council Community Profile Report created and downloaded from the Profile.id website. The Kempsey LGA which is located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, about 400 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD and 400 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD. Figure 1, below, shows the Kempsey LGA and the location of the ‘Kempsey District’ area which encompasses the localities of East Kempsey, Greenhill, Hampden Hall, Kempsey, South Kempsey and West Kempsey, and the western part of the locality of Verges Creek.

Figure 1 - Kempsey Local Government Area

Settlement of the area dates largely from the 1830s when the first land grants were made on the eastern side of the Macleay River. The township of Kempsey was established soon after, with a punt service operating across the Macleay River. Land was used mainly for grazing, dairy farming and timber getting. Growth took place from

Crescent Head

Frederickton

Willawarrin

Smithtown/Gladstone

Kempsey

South West Rocks

Stuarts Point


the 1850s into the late 1800s. Expansion continued during the early 1900s, aided by the opening of the railway line in 1917. Significant development occurred from the post-war years, particularly from the 1970s. The population and dwelling stock were relatively stable between 1991 and 2011. Major features of the area include Kempsey Central Shopping Centre, North Coast TAFE (Kempsey Campus), Kempsey District Hospital, Slim Dusty Centre, Kempsey Golf Club, Kempsey McElhone Swimming Complex, Kempsey Showground, the Macleay River and numerous schools.

1.4.1 Demographic Review

As a sub-regional facility, the Verge Street Sports Complex will service the entire LGA, but the primary catchment will be the ‘Kempsey District’ area. The 2016 Estimated Resident Population for the Kempsey District is 10,287, with a population density of 0.94 persons per hectare. This is expected to grow by around 9% over the next 20 years. The table below presents forecast population growth for the Kempsey LGA by area. Table 1: Kempsey Population Forecast1

Area 2016 2036 Change between 2016 and 2036

East Kempsey 2,436 2,620 +184 +7.5%

South Kempsey 2,558 2,794 +236 +9.2%

West Kempsey - Greenhill 5,422 5,908 +486 +9.0%

Kempsey District Area Subtotal 10,416 11,322 +906 +8.7+ Aldavilla - Euroka - Yarravel 2,800 2,941 +142 +5.1%

Crescent Head - Kundabung 2,185 2,487 +303 +13.9%

Frederickton and District 2,194 2,541 +347 +15.8%

Rural West – Bellbrook 2,556 2,655 +99 +3.9%

Smithtown - Gladstone and District 2,356 2,322 -34 -1.4%

South West Rocks - Jerseyville 5,310 7,660 +2,351 +44.3%

Stuarts Point and District 1,444 1,526 +82 +5.7%

Kempsey Shire Total 29,261 33,457 +4,195 +14.3%

This shows that the majority of growth for the Kempsey LGA is forecast to occur in the South West Rocks-Jerseyville area followed by the Kempsey District area. Knowledge of how the age structure of the population is changing is essential for planning age-based facilities and services, such as sports facilities. Figure 2 shows the forecast age structure change from 2016 to 2026 and 2036.

1 Population and household forecasts, 2016 to 2036, prepared by .id , the population experts.


Figure 2 - Forecast Age Structure Groups

In Kempsey Shire between 2016 and 2026:

• The number of persons aged under 17 is forecast to increase by 158 (2.4%), and will comprise 21.8% of the total population.

• The number of persons aged over 60 is expected to increase by 1,660 (18.6%) and comprise 34.3% of the total population.

• The largest service age group in 2026 is 'Seniors (70 to 84)', with a total of 4,889 persons.

Whilst this shows a general aging of the population, it is important to note the continued increase in younger, more active age groups.


2. Site Review

This section outlines the current site and relevant details. The subject study area for this masterplan and major features are shown in Figure 3 below.

The masterplan is focused on improving the current sports facilities located within the Verge Street complex (shown by the yellow outline above). Adjacent sport facilities include the Kempsey Swimming Centre and Services Park which contains a grass athletic track and associated facilities. The site is set between the two main business areas of Kempsey including commercial buildings immediately to the North. To the west of the site is a railway line and to the east is a mix between residential and commercial areas. To the South of the site is the Eden Street and the Macleay River.

2.1 Land Details and Planning

The site is divided into multiple lots, but all are owned by Council and classified as community land. The area is categorised as a sportsground and is covered by a generic plan of management. The lot layout for the area is shown in Figure 4 below.

Services Park

Swimming Pool

Verge 1

Netball Courts

Sports Fields

Figure 3 – Subject Site


Figure 4 - Property Boundaries

The Kempsey Local Environmental Plan 2013 identifies that the area is zoned ‘RE1 – Public Recreation’ which amongst other things enables the following (relevant) development types permitted with consent:

• Recreation areas

• Recreation facilities (major)

• Recreation facilities (outdoor)

The pertinent zones and zone boundaries are shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 - Kempsey LEP Zones


2.2 Characteristics and Use

As noted previously, the focus for this masterplan is the existing sportsfield area which is currently used for netball, football (soccer), cricket and rugby league. The existing conditions for the site are shown below including the current sports layout and basic flood information (shown by blue line work). Figure 6 - Existing Conditions

From this, it is noted that layouts for cricket and netball are currently restricted by the available space, but the overall set out is generally reasonable. Despite a levee bank to the south, the vast majority of the site is affected by flooding. The width of the floodway is shown by bold blue lines in the figure above. This has a particular impact on options for large structures/buildings on the site. Current facilities by sport are shown in the table below. Table 2: Existing Sports Facilities

Sport Facilities

Cricket 3 x synthetic pitches, 3 x synthetic nets

Rugby League 3 full-sized fields (3 with lighting - 1 competition level, 2 training level), 2 junior fields

Football (soccer) 2 full-sized fields, 5 junior fields (1 senior and 1 junior with lighting [training level])

Netball 8 x Asphalt hard courts (3 with lighting for training) The total area of the playing surface areas is approximately 9.5ha. Other facilities include:

• Car parking

• Amenities buildings


o One shared basic toilet block and storage area for soccer and netball near Verge Lane

o Amenities building for junior rugby league between Verge 1 and Verge 2

• Grandstand overlooking Verge 1

• Outdoor basketball court (x2)

An outline of sue by each sport is as follows: • Cricket

o 4 synthetic pitches October to March o Jnrs Saturday morning, seniors Saturday afternoon o Sundays - representative teams o One gala day with 7 teams o Training nets used by clubs and by schools and for representative selection o Facility is adjoined by ground across the road

• Netball o Season March to September

§ Summer twilight Aug - Nov o Saturdays - 500 members, 1,00 spectators o Training Monday to Thursday o Sunday representative games o School gala days

• Soccer o 430 members - 36 junior teams, 6 senior o Use 7 fields o Training Tuesday to Friday o Saturday competition all day o Sunday some representative use when other sites are out of play due to rain

• League o Senior club - 4 teams in group 3 o Junior club use o Between seniors and juniors all day use on Saturday o Train on Verge 2 o Junior gala day hosts 60 teams using 9 fields

• Union o Train on Verge 3

2.3 Summary of Constraints and Opportunities

The following points provide a brief summary of key site constraints and opportunities.

• Constraints

o Flooding affects all of the site except for Verge 1

§ Impact on building options and other large structures

o Storm water line in northern section

• Opportunities

o Site size

o Linkages to commercial and residential areas

o Proximity and connection to athletics facility and swimming pool

o Good road network to facilitate multiple access points

o Suitable land zoning

o Good natural drainage for most of the site


3. Planning Context and Demands

The key driver for this masterplan is the need to improve facilities to act as a sub-regional or shire-wide facility capable of catering for multiple sports and large scale events. This is supported by previous research and planning, in particular, the Macleay Valley Sports Strategy. This section outlines the planning context and support for the masterplan.

3.1 Strategic Review

This masterplan is the result of findings and a recommendation from the Macleay Valley Sports Strategy. Relevant points of the strategy are outlined in section 3.1.1. Other relevant plans are reviewed below. Corporate Planning Council’s corporate planning suite includes its 20 year community strategic plan, 4 year delivery program and 1 year operating plan. Together these documents set out long, medium and short term priorities and actions. These documents have been reviewed to identify existing links to the provision of sport services. Pertinent points from each plan area shown below:

• Community Strategic Plan

o Councils Community values are

§ Being healthy, being social, being safe and being wealthy

o Key value relevant to sport

§ Being healthy

• Having health that allows people to do the things they enjoy

• Having health that does not limit people from earning a living

• Not suffering from ill health

• Living a long and fulfilling life

• Living in a healthy environment

• The environment being in a healthy state.

o Key related strategy

§ Plan for and provide infrastructure that encourages and allows for active lifestyles (HS-02)

• This strategy is targeting the need to have infrastructure in place that encourages and promotes healthy life choices.

• Delivery Program

o Program: Provide sporting fields and facilities

§ Provide and maintain sporting fields and sporting facilities

§ Increase the self-funding of sporting facilities over time

§ Identify improvements seen as valuable to sporting community Open Space and Recreation Planning Council has a basic section 94 plan for the Kempsey area which specifies requirements for open space acquisition and embellishment. However, there is not specific provisions for sportsgrounds. Further, the growth rate of the area is such that open space contributions are minimal and occur infrequently.


3.1.1 Macleay Valley Sports Strategy

The Macleay Valley Sports Strategy was adopted in 2017 and outlines a range of recommendations for sport in the valley. Relevant findings and outcomes for this masterplan include:

• General shire-wide need for improved quality of facilities (lighting, surface �and amenities) �

• Verge Street Sports Complex categorised as a sub-regional facility (peak facility for the Shire)�

o These facilities are considered to be a fully developed sports complex

o They have formally maintained sports field/ovals and/or courts for a mixture�of winter and/or summer sports

o Although there will be primary users of the grounds, facilities should be as multi-purpose as possible to allow a broad range of uses, particularly for major/high profile events and finals

o The fields/ovals and courts�comply and are maintained to State regulations for the sport codes using the grounds

o Sub-regional sports grounds generally include spectator seating, canteen buildings and multiple amenities buildings catering for the range of sports at the ground

o Car parking will be extensive and the facility will be suitable to attract competition at a local, district, regional and (possibly) state level

• From a sports point of view, the facility is regarded as the peak facility for rugby league, netball and football (soccer) in the LGA and a second-tier facility for cricket �

• High priority recommendation is the preparation of a masterplan to guide the an upgrade of existing complex

3.2 Stakeholder Consultation

Stakeholder consultation for the masterplan included utilising survey data from the sports strategy survey and conducting two workshops with user groups. Key points for these are outlined in the subsections below.

3.2.1 Survey

The sports strategy survey was conducted online and asked sporting groups to provide information including:

• Membership details

• Current facility use and management

• Facility development priorities

• Other sports management priorities

Unfortunately, there was a very low response rate from organisations linked to the Verge Street complex and/or Kempsey based clubs. Therefore, no Kempsey specific data can be analysed. Nevertheless, current participation numbers have subsequently been report by each user as follows:

• Netball - 500

• Football (soccer) - 430

• Rugby League - 250

• Cricket – 529 (across multiple venues)

3.2.2 Workshops

Two workshops were held with key users and stakeholders. Workshop 1 was held in July 2017 and workshop 2 was held in September 2017. Feedback from workshop 1 helped inform the initial drafting of the masterplan, whilst workshop 2 reviewed the draft and facilitated input into suggested amendments and additions. The discussion topics for these workshops are outlined below.


Workshop 1 - User Group Design Workshop �

• Site constraints and opportunities �

• Establish a vision for the site.�

• Key needs and plans of existing/ potential user groups �

• Priorities to address �

• Discussion on issues/ concerns/ priorities raised in survey responses �

Workshop 2 – Draft Review

• What is missing and needs to be added

• Thoughts on form and function

o what will work and what ‘won’t’

• Thoughts on priorities/staging

• Funding opportunities -

o Regional Growth - Sports Infrastructure Program

• Other issues

Notes collected from the workshops include the following: Current Issues

• Poor quality of toilets, change facilities • Poor lighting, not enough lighting • Impact of school use on field quality • Drainage is good (much better than other grounds in the region), but could be better in some locations • Need irrigation, could be sourced from bore • Issue with turf type and length • 3 netball courts out of use for competition due to surface issues, all courts require resurfacing • Flooding impacts

o Buildings and other structures (locations, construction costs) o Flood study information to be provided by council

Ideal Facility Requirements

• Cricket - 4 pitches (ideally 2 turf and 2 synthetic) • Netball - 8 hardcourts and 3 to 5 grass • Football - as per current provision (2 full-size, 1 to 2 [70 x 50], 2 x [50 x 40], 2 x [30 x 20]) • League - Verge 1, 2, 3 • Union - 1 training • Fitness - ‘granitic’ running track (1.5-1.8m wide) (passive rec/run - fit ness stations)

Development Input

• Football already has application in for lighting of ‘northern area’ • Lighting for football could be used to light for junior cricket (3 pitches) and assist netball

o Lighting for Friday night football games • Turf wicket between two football fields with appropriate lighting • Major shared amenity/clubhouse facilities

o Consider access by sports and flood impacts • Improve facilities for all sports to enable events to be held • Option to use verge 1 as premier ground for all football codes • Option to look at relocation of all facilities to provide better layout vs improving current facilities in

similar/same layout o Consider ‘greenfield site’ option to relocate facilities in best position, remove/relocate

facilities


4. Facility Masterplan

This section presents the proposed masterplan and pertinent information to assist with it implementation. As noted above, this has been developed in consultation with Council staff and key stakeholders. This included the consideration a various facility location options. However, consideration of alternative layouts found that, generally, the existing layout is an effective use space. Some points of note are as follows:

o Verge 1 was viewed as a ‘given’ due to the scale and intensity of existing infrastructure

o The northwest corner lends itself to netball over other sports due to its size, shape and proximity to the main road

o The layout of fields along the levee bank is an effective model (cricket pitches between rectangular fields)

o The requirement for a new shared facility to service netball, soccer and cricket limited potential location options (a ‘centralised’ amenity building near the current cricket nets would be too far from netball)

o Dispersing ‘activity nodes’ will assist with traffic management

4.1 Overview

The full set masterplan design drawings are shown in Appendix 1. The overall site has been separated into 3 key areas as shown in the Figure 7 below. Figure 7 – Masterplan Areas

The masterplan is structured around these areas and each has a specific focus and represent potential development stages. The basis/rationale and specific developments for each area are outlined below.


Area 1 – Verge 1

• Key focus is to provide higher quality facilities (playing surface, lighting, seating, amenities etc.) for use by football codes for high level games

• Proposed development includes

o Irrigation installation

o Lighting upgrade to existing system (use existing poles) to 200 lux

o Warm up area construction

o Construction of carpark 2 (extensions)

o Re-surface existing carpark 1

o Improve access to building ‘C’

o Upgrade building ‘A’ (long term)

o Develop overflow car park area 3

Area 2 – multipurpose area

• This area will be developed to be as multipurpose as possible catering for a mix of uses between football (soccer), rugby league, cricket and rugby union.

o Combination goal posts will be installed on Verge 2 and 3 to facilitate shared use

o All fields will be laid out to enable use by anyone sport for major events


o Irrigation upgrade to reconfigured fields

o Lighting upgrade to reconfigured fields – 100 lux

o 2 x new synthetic cricket pitches (remove 2 x existing pitches)

o Construction of shade structures (buildings ‘H’ and ‘I’)

o New asphalt basketball court

o Re-surface existing carparks 4, 5 and 8

Area 3 – northern area

• The stated demand for netball courts by the local club and association is for four courts

• These can be accommodated in the suggested location without conflict with other uses

• The location of the two current courts would be converted to carpark once this area is developed


o Irrigation upgrade to reconfigured fields

o Lighting installation to reconfigured fields – 200 lux

o New turf cricket square (removal of existing synthetic)

o Refurbishment of building ‘E’

o Construction of building ‘F’ (elevated 3.5m above ground level with basic disabled access lift)

o Construction of building ‘G’ (shade structure)

o Resurfacing of 9 asphalt netball courts with acrylic surface and construction of 1 asphalt netball court with acrylic surface

o Construction of carparks 6 and 7

o Upgrade existing cricket nets


General

• The whole site will be addressed with a landscape statement with facilities installed to cater for unstructured/passive recreation use


o Bollards to control vehicle entry along Sydney street and verge street

o Circulation paths (crushed granite)

o Exercise stations x 4

o Landscape planting

4.1.1 Concept Masterplan

The concept masterplan is shown on the next page with larger versions shown in Appendix 2.


4.1.2 Staging Options

As noted above, the masterplan site has been divided into three main areas. If the project is not undertaken in one stage, then these are likely to represent main development stages for the implementation of the plan. It is also possible that these stages could be broken down further or elements mixed between stages.

4.2 Cost Estimate

A preliminary cost plan of indicative costings has been prepared by Townsend Turner Quantity Surveyors. At this level of planning, cost estimates should be regarded as preliminary only as the scope of work is subject to future clarification and detailed design. A summary of the cost plan is provided below with a full cost report provided in Appendix 3. Table 3: Preliminary Cost Plan Summary

Item Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Total Building Works - 236,900 1,810,740 2,047,640 Sports Facilities 512,000 1,636,500 1,880,000 4,028,500 External Works and Services 574,305 194,200 1,297,000 2,065,505 Allowances and Contingencies 173,000 328,000 787,000 1,288,000 Fees and Charges 74,000 191,000 389,000 654,000 Total 1,333,305 2,586,600 6,163,740 10,083,645

4.3 Funding Options

There are several ways Council could fund capital works associated with the development of community infrastructure like community sports facilities. The exact nature of the project will influence the eligibility as well as the scope and level of funding that can be achieved. The following information is supplied as a guide that is, to the best of our knowledge, current at the time of writing this report.

4.3.1 Internal/Local Funding

Generally, the starting point for funding priorities will be internal sources from within Council or local sources throughout sporting bodies or their supporters. Some of these are outlined below:

• Council budget – through its integrated planning and reporting framework Council can consider the allocation of funding towards sport projects based on findings of the strategy.

• Section 94 contributions - existing S94 funds which have been obtained for specific developments or are proposed for future developments, are a potential funding source for some recommendations or sport needs identified in the future.

• Sports Facility Levy/Small Grants Program – Council’s operating plan indicates a desire to recover up to 20% of the cost of maintaining sports facilities. However, through project consultation, key issues related to the standard of facilities have been raised. One option to address this, is to use the proposed funding collected through the 20% sports levy to create a fund for a small grants program open to local sporting groups on a dollar for dollar basis towards the renewal or upgrade of facilities (particularly playing surface, lighting and amenities). For some projects, this could also be leveraged for external funding.

• Community fundraising - there are many examples from around Australia where the community has been the catalyst to raising significant amounts of money for specific community projects through community events and grant applications and community co-operatives. Such fund raising also endorses the community support for projects and can influence the availability of other grants and subsidies when applications are lodged and the level of self-sufficiency exhibited in the feasibility research.

• Special rate variation – funding requirements for sport asset improvements and/or renewals could be included in a specific or general special rate variation (subject to community consultation and state government endorsement).


4.3.2 External Funding

With a shrewd funding strategy, Council and the community can use any internal and/or local funding to leverage external grant opportunities. By partnering with one or two external funding bodies, the local contribution to a project can be reduced to 50% or less. Some of the main external funding opportunities are outlined below.

• State Government

o Club Grants (category 1 or 2) - delivers funding to communities across NSW to support healthy lifestyles through increased participation in sport, recreation, arts and cultural activities

o Liquor and Gaming NSW, Sport and Recreation Grants - funding is available for building, upgrading or the development of community sport and active recreation infrastructure facilities

o Community Building Partnerships Program - offers grants across the State at an individual State Electorate level for the enhancement of community facilities

o Local Sport Grant Program - there are four project types within the Program: Sport Development, Community Sport Events, Sport Access and Facility Development

o Regional Sports Infrastructure Fund - this fund will invest in new and existing venues to improve the participation and performance in sports at all levels.

o Sport Specific Programs – The Office of Sport administers funding programs for sport specific initiatives. These include the ‘Footy Facilities Program’ for rugby league projects and the Asian Cup Legacy Fund for football (soccer) projects.

• Federal Government

o The Commonwealth Government through GrantsLINK provides a comprehensive website maintained by the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government offering direct links to existing information on Commonwealth Government grants programs. GrantsLINK © may assist Councils to find suitable and relevant grants for community projects from the many Commonwealth grants that are available. The Community Portal provides information for community groups in Australia including a selection of links to sources of grants and funding.

o Building Better Regions Fund - this program provides funding for infrastructure projects and community investment that will create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger regional communities into the future.

o Stronger communities Fund - small capital projects in local communities in each of the 150 Federal Electorates.

• A range of non-government philanthropic funding programs exist. While generally not appropriate for large capital projects, by working with community groups Council could possibly obtain smaller amounts of funding for specific elements of sport upgrades.


5. Summary and Recommendations

This report outlines the rationale, process and outcomes associated with developing the Verge Street Sports Complex Masterplan. The plan has been developed with identified demand, opportunities and constraints in mind and provides a basis for future planning and development of the area to accommodate current and future needs of the community. In order to implement the masterplan, the following recommendations are offered:

• Update the sport strategy to incorporate outcomes of the masterplan and enable inclusion in forward funding programs

• Develop a funding strategy to leverage any internal funds with available external grant programs in order to acquire as many facilities as possible in a first stage of development

• Determine staging options based on the funding strategy and prepare detailed designs as required


Warranties and Disclaimers

The information contained in this report is provided in good faith. While Otium Planning Group has applied their own experience to the task, they have relied upon information supplied to them by other persons and organisations. We have not conducted an audit of the information provided by others but have accepted it in good faith. Some of the information may have been provided ‘commercial in confidence’ and as such these venues or sources of information are not specifically identified. Readers should be aware that the preparation of this report may have necessitated projections of the future that are inherently uncertain and that our opinion is based on the underlying representations, assumptions and projections detailed in this report. There will be differences between projected and actual results, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected and those differences may be material. We do not express an opinion as to whether actual results will approximate projected results, nor can we confirm, underwrite or guarantee the achievability of the projections as it is not possible to substantiate assumptions which are based on future events. Accordingly, neither Otium Planning Group, nor any member or employee of Otium Planning Group, undertakes responsibility arising in any way whatsoever to any persons other than client in respect of this report, for any errors or omissions herein, arising through negligence or otherwise however caused.


Appendix 1 – Verge Street Sports Complex - Concept Masterplan


Appendix 2 – Cost Plan

verge street sports complex masterplan · 3.2.1 survey 10 3.2.2 workshops 10 4. facility masterplan...

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