The department will be closed from Monday 23 December 2024 and will reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025. We will respond to queries in the new year. Best wishes for a safe and happy festive season.
Facility development case studies provide great examples of developing facilities in WA.
Case studies include:
This project was stage two of a three stage project amalgamating seasonal sporting activities around two recreational facilities, the golf club and the Shire's main sports pavilion.
With a population of just under 1,000, Brookton is a small community located 140km south east of Perth. The initiatives identified in the application were high priority recommendations identified in the Shire of Brookton Sport and Recreation Plan 2006–2015.
It was recognised that the current community sporting facilities were in poor condition and generally consisted of single–use facilities, most of which served seasonal activities and sat idle in the offseason.The abundance of individual facilities posed sustainability issues and restricted clubs from refurbishing and bringing them up to contemporary standards. Therefore the Shire proposed the amalgamation of counter seasonal sporting activities around two recreational nodes – the Golf Club and WB Eva Pavilion.
Stage one of the project was the colocation of the bowling and golf clubs. The Shire received a CSRFF grant of $366,000 in the 2007/2008 funding round for stage one. The grant was finalised in April 2009.The colocation of the Brookton Tennis Club and Brookton Netball Club at the WB Eva Pavillion was stage two of the three stage project. The application also included a contribution towards the planning for stage three, extension and refurbishment of the WB Eva Pavilion.
The project included the construction of six courts, four synthetic grass courts and two multi–marked hard courts to be shared with the netball club, as well as the provision of lighting. The project was completed in 2010.
The need for rationalisation of the sport and recreation facilities within the Shire was the key finding of the needs assessment done in 2007.
Key sporting groups were surveyed and follow-up stakeholder meetings were conducted. A reference group comprising representatives from clubs and the Shire was formed to project manage the colocation. This involved development of the detailed design brief and the management plan.
TennisWest and Netball WA both provided technical advice to the project, ie surface selection and lighting.
The project also included the capture of water run-off from the new surfaces into sub-soil drainage and transfer to an existing holding tank for watering of the adjacent oval.
**Department of Transport and Infrastructure Regional partnerships (Community Water Grants)
Locating the upgraded facilities at the Shire’s main sports pavilion has led to an increase in public participation and community activities. A number of new ad hoc programs have been introduced, including:
While club memberships have seen mixed results, social tennis and netball competitions have seen a significant increase in community participation, largely due to additional lighting. Programs such as Beatball Basketball have also increased indigenous participation, attracting over 80 indigenous children and family members.
The provision of lighting has seemingly had the largest impact on the facility usage. It has allowed for both tennis and netball to establish social competitions on Friday and Saturday nights, increasing operation and usage by around 4–5 hours per week. This has attracted a wider demographic and promoted spill-over between clubs and sports.
To ensure continuing growth of club membership is sustainable, some improvements will be essential to the functional requirements of the facility, including greater viewing access and increased storage. However, the current design and layout of the facility will allow for any necessary expansions and additions, supporting future development.
While no basketball team has been established yet, there is growing community demand among the youth demographic, and the multi-marked courts will accommodate a new club.
The facility supports access for people of all ages and capabilities, as well as encouraging casual and social use.
The Shire and associated sporting clubs have also established a number of free school holiday programs to support community participation.
The upgraded facilities have created an active social hub among the community and has attracted a broader demographic than what was previously achieved through the run–down individual facilities. It has allowed the sporting clubs to provide more activities and programs that are benefiting children, young adults and families, and developing a sense of community pride.
The multi-purpose facility is also ensuring the sustainable and long-term viability of community sporting clubs. The surrounding environment provides space for future expansion of the WB Eva Pavilion, and an outdoor gym adjacent to the courts has already been developed to further enhance the multi-purpose sporting precinct.
The City of Armadale recognised the need to provide a youth activities area to allow people to participate in unstructured physical activity such as skateboarding and BMX riding.
Armadale was identified in Directions 2031 and Beyond as a strategic metropolitan centre in Perth. Located 28km south east of the Perth CBD, Armadale has undergone significant redevelopment to become a diverse community and commercial activity hub. With a population of almost 63,000, the area has experienced 23% growth since 2006, and this is expected to increase by a further 50% by 2026.
In 2005 a Youth Precinct Study initiated by the City of Armadale identified the need to provide adequate recreation facilities to increase youth participation in the region. Subsequent studies suggested that there was a high demand from the youth demographic for facilities allowing unstructured physical activity.
This led to the development of a youth activities area (YAA), incorporating skate and BMX facilities, located on Orchard Avenue in Armadale’s city centre.
The City currently has three skate facilities located in Armadale, Roleystone and Forrestdale. These facilities cater for younger skaters at the beginner level.
The location for the proposed facility was adjacent to the City’s Administration Centre, Minnawarra Park and the Westzone Shopping Centre.
The concept design was for a “street-real” skate facility that included elements attractive to street skaters. The design included also a space for young people to access social and passive recreation and meeting the demand for an acceptable skate area and youth friendly space in the City.
Convic Design, a leading skate design company, was appointed to developed the YAA design concept and held workshops with youth, councillors and City officers. The facility design and location aimed at reducing the negative connotations people have toward traditional skate parks.
The City also developed a management plan and education campaign to ensure skaters were aware of local laws, skate friendly access to the YAA, code of conduct and acceptable behaviour when using the facility.
Engaging young people can be a challenge but was easily overcome in this program as there was such a large interest in the Freestyle Now teams coaching program. Drug ARM WA
Drug ARM WA
The City’s application to CSRFF outlined the following objectives:
Project cost components
An annual allocation of $55,000 for physical maintenance of the YAA has been factored into the City’s annual technical services budget as one of the City’s assets.
The City’s youth budget has also incorporated a YAA event or activity line item to ensure that regular events are coordinated each year.
The City applied for a CSRFF Forward Planning grant of 200,000 allocated in the 2010/11 funding year. A grant of $200,000 was approved to assist with the project.
The project was due for completion date in April 2011. The project was completed in February 2012 and the final project cost was $1,120,120. The delay in completion of the project was due to late delivery of project components.
Between February and April of 2012, the youth organisation Drug ARM WA utilised the facility to introduce a program called Freestyle Now. The program included a two and half hour session each week, involving free BMX, skate and scooter workshops. These workshops provided the organisation with opportunities to engage with youth in the area.
In their short time at the facility, Drug ARM WA recorded a total of 472 participants, an average of 52 participants each session. Of the recorded participants, almost 99% were in the organisation’s target age group, with 12.7% Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 18.7% CaLD.
This information suggests extensive and consistent use of the facility by the target demographic in unstructured physical activity.
The YAA and all associated events and activities are free to the public, promoting access for families and low income earners.
The design incorporates ramps, shade, seating and water to accommodate all members of the community, and provides access and use for people of all abilities.
The location of the facility in the city centre has increased activity in the area. This allows future possibilities for the development of complimentary assets and promotes participation in unstructured physical activity.
The success of the Drug ARM WA Freestyle Now program has led to the City establishing new long term programs, commencing in August and September of 2012.
While the area is aimed primarily at youth, the design of the facility has incorporated shade, grassed areas, seating, a large plasma screen and drinking water. Being located directly adjacent to the Armadale council building in the city centre has enabled the area to be utilised for passive recreation by the wider community. This includes families and the elderly, who are often seen using the facility during the week.
All indications suggest that the YAA has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the Armadale community. The facility has encouraged youth participation in physical activity through the provision of informal recreation and social opportunities. It has also provided youth service providers such as Drug ARM WA and Communicare Youth Connections to directly communicate with youth on a range of social and mental health issues.
A recent survey conducted by the City called Ask Armadale indicated that since the inception of the YAA, community members feel that the City has increased its interest in young people, and has demonstrated that young people are welcome in the Armadale city centre.
The design of the skate and BMX park incorporates a variety of elements providing for both amateur and advanced use. It also meets the needs of a wide range of youth and allows for the ongoing use of the facility as children get older and develop their skills.
The inclusion of a large plasma screen and shaded grassed areas provides for a range of activities and events to ensure the ongoing, active use of the area.
A local government, Shire of Wandering, working in partnership with the local community, State government and a state sporting association to upgrade the community oval.
Wandering is a small community located 120km south east of Perth. The Shire has recently experienced a growth in population with an influx of families with young children. From 2006 to 2011 the population increased by over 23% to 438.
With limited community sporting facilities, the cricket oval is the only one in the local government area, servicing the whole community including the cricket club, school and recreational users. Due to extensive use, lack of reticulation and water supply and poor soil type, the facility was in dire need of an upgrade.
Upgrading the oval was to become stage one of a three stage plan by the Shire to develop the existing community centre into a multi-purpose, colocated recreational facility. The project, which was completed in late 2010, involved rejuvenating the oval surface, installation of reticulation and improvements to fencing.
The Shire contacted various stakeholders who were willing to be involved in the project. These included:
The Shire’s initial application to CSRFF outlined the following objectives:
Even given the level of enthusiasm I had when taking on the project I have been overwhelmed by both the success of the project and levels of increased participation. Martin Whitely, CEO Shire of Wandering
Martin Whitely, CEO Shire of Wandering
The Shire applied for a CSRFF Small Grant of $49,340. A grant was approved for the 2010/2011 financial year.
The project was due for completion in December 2010.
The above costs included $9,875 voluntary labour and $4,000 in donated materials.
The grant was acquitted in June 2011, six months later than the anticipated completion date.
The total project cost was $185,168 which was $37,146 over budget.
Voluntary labour was $24,245 which accounted for a large part of the cost overrun.
The rejuvenation of the oval surface involved the assistance of the Curator and Assistant Curator of the WACA, ensuring the standard of the surface was high and would be suited to local conditions. An agreement between the Shire and the Water Corporation was also established, providing cost effective water and reducing the reliance on the usage of scheme water.
Additional association cricket matches were fixtured during the recent season due to the upgraded facility. It is also attracting regional interest and the Shire is currently in discussions with several corporate businesses and cricket clubs to host corporate cricket days and preseason matches.
The oval upgrade was the first of a potential three stage plan to develop a multi-purpose recreation facility within the community centre. The likely future development of added recreation facilities will support continued and growing use of the oval and will likely reduce the maintenance and operating costs of community infrastructure.
Information acquired by the Shire has demonstrated that a broader community demographic is utilising the facility for sport and recreation pursuits, suggesting diverse community engagement. Following the project completion, youth and senior participation has accounted for 50% of users, up from 20%, while female participation now accounts for 50% of overall users, an increase from 15%. The Wandering Cricket Club has also experienced an increase in Indigenous members.
The project has seen an increase in community volunteers and has led to the introduction of a number of new activities such as the Wandering Walking Club, interschool carnival, cricket clinic, movie nights and family day. This has helped to establish a sense of pride amongst the community who are taking greater ownership in maintaining the facility.
In addition, the upgraded oval has seen an increase in regional use, attracting people from surrounding local government areas which is benefiting local businesses.
The Wandering cricket oval is a free, public facility, supporting the recreational pursuits of the entire community.
The inclusion of free barbecue facilities as well as ongoing free events, including movie nights and family fun days, has established a family—friendly environment, and seen an increase in passive use by families and children.
Improvements have also been made to surrounding access points and the barbecue area to support access and movement for people of all ages and abilities.
Due to the small population size of Wandering sporting club membership numbers often remain stagnant, however, the benefits of the upgraded facility became evident in the 2011/12 financial year. The Wandering Cricket Club experienced its greatest level of participation in years with 28 members, including 10 new members, and the Wandering Walking Club was established with 15 active participants.
In addition to this, the facility has catered for a number of new activities and events that have increased participation amongst children. A junior cricket clinic attracted 40 participants over six weeks, while the Wandering Primary School held an inter–association carnival for the first time, hosting in excess of 180 students from Wandering, Boddington, Williams and Darkan.
A metropolitan local government, City of Cockburn, developing a sub-regional community sport and recreation infrastructure project servicing the area.
The Hammond Road Reserve project is an example of development of a multi-purpose regional sport and recreation facility for the City of Cockburn and its residents.
Since the submission of the application in 2008, the City has experienced a 20% increase in population, currently 90,000. Much of this growth has occurred in the newly–developed suburbs in the southeastern portion of the City, including Success, Atwell, Aubin Grove and Hammond Park. This has led to the requirement for sub–regional community sport and recreation infrastructure servicing these areas.
The City of Cockburn’s Corporate Strategic Plan 2006–16 identified the Hammond Reserve sporting facility as a major community infrastructure project in the region. The complex would become a multi-purpose sporting precinct housing netball, tennis and rugby at the one facility.
The City applied for funding through CSRFF for the following components as part of the building construction phase at an estimated cost of $6 million:
A comprehensive needs analysis was undertaken by the YMCA. This outlined the priority issues for planning, development and management of the facility.
A project control group (PCG) was involved in the design phase. This included an experienced design group and a variety of skilled and experienced City staff.
Consultation was undertaken with various stakeholders with regards to design of the project. These included:
The City’s initial application to CSRFF outlined the following objectives:
The City applied for a CSRFF Forward Planning Grant of $1.8 million for the 2009/2010 funding year.
A grant of $400,000 was approved to assist with construction of 20 netball courts with floodlighting. A further commitment of $200,000 was approved for the pavilion, conditional upon final approval of the plans by DSR.
Component
The netball and lighting project was completed in May 2010 at a total cost of $1,187,805.
Incorporating both outdoor and indoor facilities, the Hammond Road Reserve complex will achieve maximum use year—round, reducing infrastructure requirements and catering for a wide range of sport and community needs into the future.
Currently accommodating netball, rugby and indoor activities such as taekwondo and zumba, the size and design of the facility has the capacity to support additional sports such as tennis, football, soccer and cricket as community demand increases.
The facility currently accommodates junior and senior level competition for both netball and rugby. The facility components comfortably meet these requirements and allow for an increase in both the level and quantity of competition taking place. The size and function of the complex is able to support regional events.
Incorporating lighting into the development of the netball courts also provides for extended competition and training opportunities while establishing a safe recreational environment for passive use.
The new Hammond Road Reserve sporting complex has attracted a number of new clubs and community groups, including:
In the facility’s opening financial year of 2010/11, membership numbers of all associated clubs totalled 248. By the 2011/12 financial year this had increased by 70% to 422.
The inclusion of a playground, barbecue area, shade shelters and walking paths has provided passive recreation opportunities, while the open outdoor courts have seen strong use of the reserve by the general public.
The Hammond Road Reserve complex has become a central recreational hub for Cockburn’s developing southeastern suburbs, meeting the organised and passive recreational needs of the community. In it’s very short time in operation, the facility has already prompted significant growth in community sport and recreation participation.
In addition, it has established a quality base for local sporting clubs, allowing for future expansion and enhancing club identity and culture. Since the completion of the project the rugby club has had the Western Force hold development squad training at the facility, and the Council has implemented a number of community events such as a regional concert that attracted more than 6,000 people.
The clubroom was designed to Australian standards and is accessible for people of all physical capabilities, while walking paths, shade shelters and seating cater to people of all ages.
The netball courts incorporate an open design allowing public access and use at all times, while barbecue and playground equipment provide a family friendly environment.
A local government, City of Kwinana, working in partnership with the Department of Education to provide multi-sport facilities.
The Orelia Oval pavilion project is an example of a local government, the City of Kwinana, working in partnership with the Department of Education to provide multi-sport facilities in the Orelia sport and recreation precinct.
Kwinana is located in the outer southern suburbs of Perth, 30km south of the CBD. The current population is close to 31,000 and is predicted to increase by around 77% by 2026. Numerous sporting and recreation facilities in the local government area were run down and past their life expectancy.
The deterioration of key sporting facilities restricted the growth potential of sporting clubs in the area and were deemed inadequate to service the community in the immediate future.
To address these issues, the City of Kwinana recommended rationalising existing facilities and forming partnerships where possible. This involved consolidating six under-utilised and out-dated reserves into three main recreation reserves, focusing on higher quality facilities and reducing infrastructure pressures.
Orelia Oval was identified as a key active reserve in the area, and in partnership with the Department of Education, planned to become a multi-purpose, shared sports facility. The extension would support increased competition and club membership, attract new user groups and used by the new Orelia Primary School located on adjacent land.
The upgraded Orelia Oval pavilion would become the central focus of the Orelia Sport and Recreation Precinct, which serves as the primary site for active sporting codes in the northern suburbs of the City. The precinct incorporates three ovals (two senior), hockey fields and covered and uncovered hard courts.The pavilion would provide extra storage, additional social space, meeting rooms, change rooms and toilets. It was completed in mid 2010.
The City’s objective was to provide a multi-purpose facility for use by sporting clubs, local community groups and the local school community.
The extension to the pavilion was designed to enable shared-use and also act as a stand alone community facility.
Consultation was undertaken with a broad range of stakeholders including:
The cricket, football and hockey clubs and Ngala had input into design requirements during the concept planning stage.
The City applied for a CSRFF Forward Planning Grant of $901,703 for the 2008/09 funding year. A grant was approved of $613,000 for upgrade of the pavilion, floodlighting and relocation of the cricket nets.The kiosk and bar areas were excluded from funding.
The project was due for completion in December 2009.
In October 2008 the Minister for Sport and Recreation approved a change of purpose to the original grant. At the time of the application, upgrading the existing facility was the most beneficial and cost effective.
The configuration of the new oval being serviced by the pavilion changed and constructing a new facility at a similar cost was the prefered option. This meant that all three ovals in the Orelia Sporting Precinct connected directly with the building.
The new project cost was $3.15 million, with the City meeting the additional cost.
All users were consulted regarding the new proposal and were very happy with the improvements.
The grant was acquitted in June 2011. with a project cost of $3,043,092.
A licence agreement between Department of Education and Training and the City was drafted outlining each party’s contribution to the cost of the grounds/playing fields establishment and maintenance.
The increased capacity of the upgraded pavilion has attracted several new clubs and community groups, and has allowed existing clubs to increase their utilisation of the facility.
With separate function rooms, a multi-level design and additional lighting, the pavilion can now support multiple sports and activities to be run at once, tripling the amount of competition that takes place each week and increasing the facility usage by around 47%.
Currently hosting local level competition, the facility has the capacity to support regional and state events.
The City has ensured equitable access for the whole community. The pavilion includes a lift, access ramps and landscaping to cater for a diverse range of ages and abilities.
The City now has the capacity to run free classes and programs aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, people with a disability, seniors and low-income earners. Additional playground and barbecue facilities have established a family friendly environment.
The new pavilion has increased participation and use of the facility, however the current lighting to Orelia Oval is restricting additional growth. Increasing the standard of lighting will provide extra training opportunities later into the evening for both the football and cricket clubs.
Following the pavilion upgrade, membership in sporting clubs in the area has experienced around a 25% increase. The football club has been the largest beneficiary of the new facility. After relocating from a facility that restricted growth, club membership has increased by 45%.
Bookings of the facility for community sporting groups and the general public have also increased dramatically. From 2006/07 to 2009/10, the facility averaged around 35 bookings per year. In 2010/11, annual bookings increased to 689, and increased again to 1,120 in 2011/12.
This suggests a significant increase in physical activity within the community, and is evident by the introduction of new community recreation and social groups, including:
The new Orelia Oval pavilion has facilitated the growth of existing clubs, while attracting new community groups, developing a vibrant and active culture that is encouraging participation in structured and passive recreation.
Having a variety of different activities available from the facility is attracting a broad demographic and establishing a sense of community by creating connections between people and clubs. The project is also supporting the City’s strategy of reducing community infrastructure pressures through the consolidation of individual reserves into upgraded, multi-purpose facilities.