Council backs regional plan for hard-to-accommodate sports

Council has endorsed a new plan to ensure the region’s difficult-to-locate sports are better catered for.

Noosa partnered with Sunshine Coast and Gympie Councils to develop the Regional Facilities Plan for Difficult to Locate Sports, with the Queensland Government providing financial assistance under the Sport and Recreation Planning Program.

Each of the three councils also contributed funds.

The Plan considers the needs of aviation sports, motorcycling sports, competitive powered water sports and shooting.

“These sports have special requirements – such as the need for large land areas, or sites where the noise they generate won’t impact residents,” says Council’s Community Services Project Officer, Mark Borgert.

“It makes sense to work with our neighbouring councils to support the delivery of these sports to avoid unnecessary doubling up of infrastructure across the three areas and to maximise the use of the facilities that are already available,” he said.

“The Plan includes recommendations to guide the planning and development of the four difficult to locate sports and it will assist in identifying short, medium and long term priorities.”

Mr Borgert thanked the community for having a say during the recent consultation period to help form the new plan.

Key themes that emerged from the consultation included participation rates being either static or increasing across the four sports. The local clubs are predominantly satisfied with the standard, provision and location of their current facilities and there are some local facilities which have the ability to expand to a regional level.

“It is important to note the Plan focuses on public land and community-based clubs and sports and does not include private facilities,” he said.

Noosa Council residents will be able to view the Plan on Council’s Your Say Noosa website.

29 March 2019