Next stage
On the 7 April 2020 Council formally adopted the Open Space Strategy and Study. We will be working towards delivering the objectives of the strategy over the next 10 years.
How it was developed
Last year Council began the process to replace Council's 2010 Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Needs Study.
Over 1,000 local voices contributed to the conversation about how we plan open spaces over the next 10 years.
We then prepared a draft Study and Strategy, which will guide the planning and development of open space, parks, sporting fields and community facilities. The Study and Strategy focuses on:
- Active Open space
- Passive Open space
- Aquatics; and
- Facilities that are directly associated with a recreational use
The draft Study and Strategy was placed on public exhibition during February 2020. There was a lot of feedback received during this period, with the Study and Strategy formally adopted by Council 7 April.
The Study
The Study includes a review of all of Council’s current and planned open space, sport, recreation and aquatics facilities, plus findings from a desktop policy and research review. It also includes a review on industry-accepted benchmarks and populations ratios, and best practice open space and recreation planning.
Findings from the extensive community and stakeholder engagement program are included, which were influential in shaping priorities and recommended actions in the Strategy. The Study and Appendices provide the detail and the evidence that informed the development of the Strategy and the recommended actions within it.
The Strategy
Informed by changing population needs and community expectations identified throughout the Study, the Strategy provides a blueprint for Open Space and Recreation planning up to 2030 and beyond. The purpose of the Strategy is to guide how Council will plan, implement and manage current and future open spaces, sport, recreation, aquatics and associated community infrastructure.
