The draft Mount Gambier City Council Sport, Recreation and Open Space Strategy (SROSS) is open for community consultation.
The first of its kind for the city, the strategy provides strategic direction for the future development and management of council’s open spaces.
City and Community Growth General Manager Tim Coote said council understood the importance of open spaces within the community, whether they are used for sporting activities, exercise, socialising with family and friends or walking the dog within one of council’s 26 recreational areas, 10 sporting spaces, 14 nature spaces or eight cultural or civic spaces within our public realm.
“This strategy is driven by council’s desire to continue to provide quality, well-planned spaces and guide the future direction of open spaces and facilities in Mount Gambier,” he said.
“This important document explores our existing strengths and points of difference, highlights opportunities for improvement and sets a vision and key goals for Council to pursue in collaboration with our community into the future.”
Mr Coote said council began work with Outerspace Landscape Architects and InsideEdge Sport and Leisure Planning in early 2021 to develop the draft strategy.
“As part of the process council’s own project team conducted surveys, drop in sessions, interviews, workshops and roundtables with a range of key stakeholders to better understand the needs of our community and the current status of a range of sporting facilities and recreational and open spaces within the city,” he said.
“It is clear from that feedback the community would like us to look at improving facilities for our youth and consider different options for play spaces for all ages.
“There was also a call for improved spectator opportunities, the activation of our inner-city through hubs of sport and recreational activity and improvement of player facilities across all codes, but particularly for women and junior participants.
“The Mount Gambier Sport, Recreation and Open Space Strategy addresses the current gaps in sport, recreation and open spaces throughout the city, based on the needs of the community now and into the future.
“It provides an audit of each open space area and outlines six guiding principles to provide a framework as to how sport, recreation and open spaces can be delivered.”
Mr Coote said the six guiding principles focussed on open spaces being well distributed and accessible, providing access for all abilities and genders, the incorporation of local stories, heritage and culture to foster community ownership and pride of place, ensuring sport and recreation facilities are fit for purpose and used as shared resources and that council adopts an approach to develop and maintain open spaces and provide a connected and safe network.
“The strategy also proposes short, medium and longer term recommendations to provide and/or improve public spaces.
“This includes the development of additional site/precinct specific master plans and strategies and undertaking scoping projects for future works,” Mr Coote said.
Council endorsed the draft strategy last week and initiated an additional period of community consultation for feedback before the final strategy being presented to council for endorsement.
Community members, sporting groups and other key stakeholders are invited to visit haveyoursaymountgambier.com.au/sross to provide feedback on the draft strategy.
“Council encourages the community to complete the feedback form on the Have Your Say website, or to make contact with the project team directly via phone on 8721 2555 during office hours,” Mr Coote said.
“All feedback received during the community consultation period will be considered and the strategy will be amended accordingly before to the final document is presented to council for endorsement.
Community consultation will close at 5pm February 8.
