FAQs
- A strategic approach to meet the needs of our growing and changing community
- Optimisation of our existing spaces and facilities
- Improved supporting infrastructure and amenities
- Sustainable active and passive recreation use
- Community consultation and survey 'Planning for Sport Strategy' with 723 complete responses.
- Sports Stakeholder Survey with representatives from 18 different sports.
- 23 consultations with stakeholders from State Sporting Organisations, local sporting associations and local sporting clubs.
- 6 presentations to, and discussions with, Council's Sport and Active Communities Sub-Committee.
- 20 consultations with Council staff and officers.
- Sutherland Shire has a highly active sporting community across a diverse range of sports.
- Sutherland Shire organised sport participation rates are among the highest in the state.
- The number of organised sports fields and facilities which the community has access to is lower than state averages (based on facility-per-population benchmarks).
- There is a strategic priority to grow the number of facilities which community sporting groups have access to.
- Many current organised sports fields and facilities require upgrades to meet sport-specific industry facility standards.
- Some of the key priorities for existing facilities include improving sporting surfaces, drainage, irrigation and lighting for existing facilities.
- Decision Making Criteria and Prioritisation Framework.
- Sport Facility Hierarchy Allocation.
- Sport Facility Hierarchy Standards.
Has Sutherland Shire had a Sports Strategy in the past?
This is the first dedicated sports strategy that Council has developed. The decision to undertake a sports strategy enables the unique priorities of sport to be advocated for based on the community requirements for sporting facilities.
In the past, facility provision and planning for organised sports has been conducted as a component of Council’s Open Space strategy. Moving away from this framework increases the influence and impact which organised sport has on Council’s overall priorities.
Which sports are included within this strategy and where are other sports included?
The primary focus of this strategy is organised sports, which require specific and purpose-built facilities to conduct their activities.
Indoor sports and aquatic sports are considered in Council’s Leisure Strategy, which is also currently being developed. Other sports, recreation and leisure activities which utilise Council’s open space network are considered in the open space and play space strategies and implementation plans available here on Council's website.
How did Council decide on the Key Focus Areas and actions?
The Strategy outlines four Key Focus Areas centred around a strategic approach to facility provision, to meet the current and future needs of the community, and ensure equitable access for all.
The Key Focus Areas are:
The Key Focus Areas resulted from the extensive community consultation, facility analysis, market and industry trend analysis, future demand modelling and strategic planning workshop sessions conducted throughout the process.
To what extent was the community involved in developing this strategy?
The Sutherland Shire community is highly engaged with the sporting facilities, and this translated into high engagement with the strategy development process. Specifically, the following summary highlights the depth of community involvement in this strategy:
What were the key findings from consultation completed so far for the Sport Strategy?
The key findings include:
How long will this strategy be in place and what is the implementation timeline?
The Sport Strategy establishes a framework which will positively contribute to an active, safe, healthy, vibrant and liveable community over the next 15-years. The framework includes implementation actions which are organised into short-term (next 4 years), five years plus and ongoing time frames.
The appendices of the Strategy include tools which will be continually used and referred to. These tools include:
Responsibility for progress towards achieving the Strategy outcomes rests with a range of agencies – with Council, government agencies, local sports associations and clubs, community organisations and the local business community all having a part to play.
The activities that Council will deliver to support progress of the Sports Strategy will be detailed in Council’s four-year delivery program and annual operational plans.
As implementation actions and priority projects are completed, Council will utilise the above tools to update the Key Focus Areas with new priorities and actions – and communicate these with our Sutherland Shire community.