Q. What is the range of recreation facilities that could be developed on this site?
Recreation facilities that could be developed on this land include:
- Sportsgrounds for active recreation;
- Informal parkland providing BBQ facilities, open grassland, a water body as a feature;
- A significant playground;
- Walking, cycle and mountain bike trails and connections to adjoining areas;
- Dog off leash areas; and
- Community gardens.
Q. Why do we need additional sportsgrounds?
Council’s Leisure Strategic Plan (2002) identifies that there is strong demand for additional recreation facilities and a shortage of land for the development of these to respond to these demands. Council’s Sports Facility Strategy (2006) highlights gaps in the availability of active sports facilities, particularly sportsgrounds for cricket, soccer and softball codes.
Q. Why are recreation areas in Old Mans Valley identified as a project that will receive funds from the proposed infrastructure levy?
Council’s research shows that there is a lack of active and passive recreation facilities in the shire and there is a growing demand for these facilities to be improved to respond to the changing needs of the community. The proposed infrastructure levy will ensure that these open space facilities are developed sooner than if Council relied on alternative funding sources.
Q. Why do we need to develop this open space land now?
The land has been owned by Council for over 30 years. It was originally purchased for the purpose of open space development. While Council has decided to seek the necessary environmental approvals to enable it to fill the Quarry pit with excavated material, the process of filling the quarry pit, if approved, will take a number of years to complete. Council wishes to take the opportunity to develop the Old Mans Valley lands for recreation purposes now, and make the land available for use by the community ahead of the quarry lands becoming available for open space development.
Q. What issues have Council already identified with developing this land for open space recreation?
Significant issues that Council is aware of include:
- Recreation demands from a growing population for additional sportsgrounds and other recreation facilities to respond to changing demands;
- A high cost for the development of the parkland due to:
> Known geotechnical constraints associated with the previous filling operations;
> The need to develop new access and services to the parkland; and
> The steep slope of the land.
- Potential impact on neighbours from noise and traffic associated with the recreation facility;
- Issues associated with potential impacts on the environment including flora and fauna and bushfire hazards; and
- The need to preserve access to the quarry lands from the Old Mans Valley lands for filling purposes and longer term open space purposes.
Q. What is a landscape masterplan and what will be the outcome of this current consultation process?
A landscape masterplan will identify the range and scale of the recreation facilities to be developed on the site in a drawing. It will identify the potential elements of the park including:
- Sportsgrounds;
- Roads and carparking;
- Informal parkland areas including BBQ facilities, water features, playgrounds, walking, cycle and mountain bike trails, dog off leash areas; and
- Areas to be retained as bushland or requiring bush regeneration works.
The current consultation process will identify a range of criteria that can be used to set the priority for the various open space facilities, forming the basis of what is ultimately included in the landscape masterplan drawing. In accordance with requirements of the Local Government Act 1993, Council will then prepare a Plan of Management that will include the landscape masterplan drawing and will state what the land will be used for and how it will be managed into the future. Council must prepare and adopt a Plan of Management prior to using the land for open space purposes. It will outline Council’s objectives and strategic intentions and establish a program for determining priorities, implementation and measuring performance.
Q. When will the land be developed?
The outcome of the current consultation is expected to be the adoption of a landscape masterplan for the Old Mans Valley lands. This masterplan will then be incorporated into a Plan of Management which is currently expected to be adopted in late 2010 or early 2011. There would be a further year of detailed design and approvals before Council could commence construction work. If funding is identified construction could commence in 2012.
Q. What sort of constraints are there on the development of these lands?
The most significant constraints are those associated with:
- Servicing and access requirements;
- Requirements to address filling and drainage issues raised in geotechnical reports;
- The need to ensure that works on the lands do not preclude access to, and are not incompatible with possible future uses of the Quarry pit;
- Costs associated with undertaking earthworks to develop useable recreation lands due to the steep slopes; and
- The extent of bushland.