Strategy for Mount Gambier Sport, Recreation and Open Space opened for community consultation

January 21, 2022

The City of Mount Gambier has opened its draft Sport, Recreation and Open Space Strategy (SROSS) 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.

Council understands 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.

City of Mount Gambier City and Community Growth General Manager, Tim Coote advises “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.

“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.”

Council began work with Outerspace Landscape Architects and InsideEdge Sport and Leisure Planning in early 2021 to develop the draft strategy.

Coote adds “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.

“It is clear from that feedback that 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.

Coote highlights “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.”

The six guiding principles focus 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,” Coote said.

On Tuesday 18th January 2022, Council endorsed the draft strategy and initiated an additional period of community consultation for feedback prior to the final strategy being presented to Council for endorsement.

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 members, sporting groups and other key stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the draft strategy

Community consultation will close at 5:00pm Tuesday 8th February 2022.

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