Council has adopted the Sportsgrounds and Sporting Facilities Strategy 2023-2027, which will help Council manage its expansive portfolio of sport and recreation facilities across the Local Government Area.
The Strategy also guides Council's work to prepare for future demands of these spaces, including a growing popularity of unstructured sports and recreational activities such as skateboarding, mountain biking and outdoor basketball.
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said that Council is committed to making it easier for both pavement-pounding diehards and the exercise-evaders to enjoy everything the region has to offer.
"We all know that exercise and sport is crucial for supporting physical and mental health,'' Cr Bradbery said.
"Wollongong's physically active population has some 2,400 hectares of Council-managed open space to enjoy. That's a large area, but we've about 26,000 residents who participate in organised sport across our City's almost 400 sportsgrounds and facilities. With soccer alone, more than 9,300 of us are running around 85 soccer fields."
"What this Strategy does is set out a roadmap for Council to guide how we're looking to support access to our facilities across a wide range of codes and interest groups, while also have plans in place to allow it to be responsive to changing sporting habits into the future."
Image: Lindsay Park sportgrounds includes a Velodrome and Criterium track.
The community feedback gathered through the consultation phase of the Strategy's development was diverse and assisted Council in refining and shaping the focus areas and direction of the Strategy.
The Strategy outlines 10 'key focus areas' which will guide implementation:
- Renew and enhance sports facility infrastructure
- Manage sportsground capacity issues
- Effectively plan and manage sportsground precincts
- Support safe and inclusive participation in sport
- Strategically plan for the development of new sports facilities
- Support female participation in sport
- Cater for emerging and unstructured sport and recreation pursuits
- Strengthen partnerships and leverage effective collaboration
- Transition facilities towards greater climate resilience
- Attract and support sporting events and tourism
Among the projects proposed for development in the Strategy is a focus on providing skating facilities for Wollongong and the northern suburbs, as well as repurposing under-utilised surfaces to better cater for sports like basketball.
Image: Basketball courts near King George V Oval, Port Kembla.
Council will continue working with local sporting clubs and associations to provide amenities, encourage participation and plan upgrades.
"This is a win for the enthusiastic sport-lovers in the community, and those who we hope to don the footie boots, pick up a cricket bat, or shoot some hoops. Anyone who appreciates the importance of open and green spaces will also be pleased to note our renewed commitment to maintaining the many outdoor recreational spaces," said Cr Bradbery.
"Keeping our momentum coming out of a global pandemic, there's a greater need for investment into keeping our community active and healthy than ever before."
Attracting and supporting sports events and related tourism, such as the UCI Road World Championships and recent Australian Beach Volleyball Tour, will help support the region's growth and inspire participation.
"Wollongong City Council has two keen focuses when it comes to sporting participation and engagement,'' said Kerry Hunt, Wollongong City Council's Director Community Services.
"We want to ensure we're providing our residents the right mix of sporting facilities and opportunities at a grassroots level while also continuing to raise the city's profile as a destination for professional or elite sporting competitions. We've recently seen the Australia Beach Volleyball Tour on North Wollongong Beach and we hosted the UCI Road World Championships last year. The netball season has kicked off on the refurbished Fred Finch Park Netball courts where we now have 16 courts of that meet the required standard for staging inter-district level and higher-grade representative level competitions.
"Plus, over the near year, works will start on the Tier 2 Regional Tennis facilities at Beaton Park, which will also be a drawcard for high level competition in the future.''
Read the Council report: Post Exhibition – Sportgrounds and Sporting Facilities Strategy 2023-2027.
