talbot recreation reserve master plan - welcome to … · talbot recreation reserve master plan ......
TRANSCRIPT
Talbot Recreation Reserve
Master Plan 2011 – 2020
Disclaimer
The information contained in this report is intended for the specific use of
the within named party to which it is addressed ("the communityvibe
client") only. All recommendations by communityvibe are based on
information provided by or on behalf of the communityvibe client and
communityvibe has relied on such information being correct at the time
this report is prepared. communityvibe shall take no responsibility for any
loss or damage caused to the communityvibe client or to any third party
whether direct or consequential as a result of or in any way arising from any
unauthorised use of this report or any recommendations contained within.
Report Date: November 2011
Prepared By:
communityvibe
Wendy Holland and Shaun Quayle
5 Allison St, BENDIGO VIC 3550.
Ph: 0438 433 555.
W: www.communityvibe.com.au
www.communityvibe.org.au
Plans for People
Keith Nancarrow
434 Hargreaves St,
BENDIGO VIC 3550.
Ph: 5441 8789
www.communityvibe.org.au
Contents 1.0 Executive Summary ........................................................................ 1
2.0 Introduction ................................................................................... 4
3.0 Methodology ................................................................................. 4
4.0 Policy Context ................................................................................ 5
5.0 Demographic Summary .................................................................. 6
6.0 Participation in Sport and Recreation .............................................. 8
7.0 Benefits of Sport and Recreation..................................................... 9
8.0 Trends in Sport and Recreation ..................................................... 11
9.0 Vision, Mission and Planning Principles ......................................... 12
9.1 Vision ............................................................................................... 12
9.2 Mission ............................................................................................ 12
9.3 Planning Principles .......................................................................... 12
10.0 Facilities and Infrastructure Overview ......................................... 13
10.1 Sports Ground ............................................................................... 13
10.2 Pavilion .......................................................................................... 13
10.3 Visitor Change Rooms ................................................................... 14
10.4 Cricket Practice Nets ..................................................................... 14
10.5 Netball Court and Pavilion ............................................................ 15
10.6 Public toilets .................................................................................. 16
10.7 Indoor Sports Stadium .................................................................. 16
10.8 Play Facilities ................................................................................. 17
10.9 Storage Sheds ................................................................................ 17
10.11 Caravan Park with Shower Block and Laundromat ..................... 18
10.12 Landscaping / Surrounds ............................................................. 20
10.13 Public Transport Access .............................................................. 21
10.14 Car Parks ...................................................................................... 21
10.15 Internal Roadways and Pedestrian / Cycling Access ................... 21
10.16 Water Access ............................................................................... 22
10.17 Signage ........................................................................................ 22
11.0 Community Needs ...................................................................... 23
12.0 Management and Maintenance .................................................. 28
12.1 Management ................................................................................. 28
12.2 Hierarchy of Recreation Reserves ................................................. 29
12.3 Maintenance Roles and Responsibilities ....................................... 30
12.4 Ground and Building Inspections .................................................. 31
12.5 Maintenance Requirements for Turf Playing Fields ...................... 31
13.0 Action Plan ................................................................................. 33
14.0 Appendix ................................................................................... 41
14.1 Best Practice Planning Considerations .......................................... 41
14.1.1 Universal Design Principles .................................................... 41
14.1.2 Environmentally Sustainable Design Principles ..................... 42
14.1.3 Healthy By Design .................................................................. 43
14.1.4 Disability Discrimination Act (1992) ....................................... 44
14.1.5 DSE Safer Design Guidelines (2005) ....................................... 45
14.1.6 Child Friendly Cities / Communities ....................................... 46
14.2 Needs Expressed Through Community Consultation ................... 48
14.3 Needs Expressed Through Key Stakeholder Interviews ................ 50
14.4 Potential Funding Sources ............................................................ 52
14.5 Proposed Site Plan ........................................................................ 58
Page | 1
1.0 Executive Summary To ensure that Talbot Recreation Reserve can continue to cater for the
existing needs of its community and the future demands placed upon it, a
ten year master plan has been prepared with input from user groups,
Central Goldfields Shire Council and the broader community. This master
plan identifies a number of priorities that the
Talbot community believes are of critical importance in ensuring
sustainability and the continuation of quality sport and recreation
opportunities. The Talbot community will use this master plan to guide
their decision making in relation to infrastructure developments,
maintenance regimes, operational systems and management structures
over the next ten years.
Due to competing demands for limited resources, Central Goldfields Shire
Council is unable to make a definite financial commitment to the
developments proposed within this Plan. However, Central Goldfields
Shire Council will assist wherever possible in helping the community to
achieve its priorities at Talbot Recreation Reserve through activities such
as providing information about relevant funding programs; assisting with
the writing of funding applications where possible; and advocating to
funding bodies for assistance.
Proposed developments at Talbot Recreation Reserve have been
identified and prioritised, based on a number of factors including whether
or not the development is consistent with the vision and planning
principles identified for the site. Developments have been included if the
proposed works:
1. are consistent with the vision, mission and planning principles
developed for the Reserve
2. have been demonstrated through a number of sources such
as community plans, previous master plans, surveys, etc, as
needed by the community
3. are consistent with the grading of the reserve and the type of
infrastructure and facilities expected within each grading, i.e.
regional, municipal or local level facility
4. will help to maintain and / or increase participation in sport
and recreation opportunities
5. are likely to benefit the broader community (from a social,
physical, economic and / or environmental perspective) and
involve the community in operations or management
6. create improved access for people of all abilities, ages,
genders, etc
7. increase the opportunity for the site to be used for a variety
of different and / or new activities
8. are likely to increase safety of users and reduce risk
management issues
9. are likely to allow the site to meet industry standards,
regulations and legislation
10. reflect best practice and current industry trends
11. are likely to decrease the impact on the environment and
natural resources, e.g. installation of water saving devices,
double glazing on windows, etc
12. are likely to be financially sustainable in the long term and
take into consideration whole of life funding costs, including
development of replacement schedules
13. are likely to decrease operational costs
Page | 2
14. are likely to reduce the demands on volunteers time (for
activities such as mowing, watering, line marking, etc)
15. will rectify existing infrastructure that is currently in a very
poor state or beyond repair
16. are likely to attract external funding
17. are within the resource capacity of communities to achieve,
i.e. plans are cost effective, user groups have sufficient
resources to make the required financial contribution, user
groups can provide some in-kind labour, user groups can
assist with project management, suitable plans have been
developed, etc
18. enhance the appearance and usability of the site, e.g.
improved landscaping, heating / cooling, marked car parking
bays, etc
19. involve a number of partners to assist with funding and / or
operations, management and maintenance
20. do not duplicate existing facilities.
The key areas identified in this master plan for further development or
upgrading are:
Establish a representative committee of management incorporating succession planning and sharing and retention of corporate knowledge
Provide assistance to user groups with grant information and submission writing
Harvest stormwater from the former motorbike track venue and store in a dam (or utilise and enlarge existing dam).
Upgrade power at the site to three phase power.
Install sub-surface irrigation on the sports ground subject to a site assessment and at the end of the existing irrigation system’s
life
Upgrade the boundary fence around the oval
Promote warm season turf on sports ground to improve surface and reshape and upgrade the oval (includes earth works, top dressing, seeding and fertilising).
Install a basic low cost play area / space at the Recreation Reserve with seats for parents / carers
Consider relocating caravan park in the long term and providing a barrier between active recreation and accommodation zones in the short term
Tidy up surrounds of recreation reserve
Remove dead trees from the site
Upgrade netball court, increase run-off so that court meets Netball Victoria standards, extend asphalt to boundary, and relocate netball pavilion.
Build two new practice cricket nets – one to be locked for cricket club member use and the other to be available at all times for community use
Gravel and shape access roads and upgrade drainage.
Develop an additional netball court should the local football netball league incorporate additional netball grades into the competition
Install more seats around the recreation reserve and the netball courts
Plant more trees around the site
Source groundwater for the sports ground
Upgrade pavilion at the Recreation Reserve to improve functionality and aesthetics, e.g. improved heating / cooling systems
Connect the Recreation Reserve to the town via Camp Street on shared cycling / walking tracks
Redevelop stadium to incorporate change facilities for male and
Page | 3
female umpires and for netballers in necessary
Encourage organisations to hold various events at the site such as twilight netball and hockey competitions; and to find additional uses for the stadium.
Figure 1: Tree at Talbot Recreation Reserve
Page | 4
2.0 Introduction Talbot Recreation Reserve is situated on Avoca Road (bordered by Barnes
Street and McCleary Street. The land is owed by the Crown and managed
by Central Goldfields Shire Council. Facilities at the Reserve include:
Sports oval
Pavilion
Separate visitor change rooms
Netball court and pavilion
Cricket practice nets
Public toilets
Indoor sports stadium
Dam
Time keeper’s box
Scoreboard
Ticket box
Storage sheds
Caravan park with shower block and Laundromat
Cardboard recycling area
3.0 Methodology The process used to obtain the necessary information on which to base
recommendations contained within this plan is as follows:
Review of relevant literature and reports
Demographic analysis
Assessment of the benefits of Recreation Reserves
Analysis of local and state sport and recreation participation
statistics
Review of current state and national leisure trends and their
impact on sport and recreation programs, services and facilities
Surveys of user groups of the Reserve
Interviews with key stakeholders
Community consultation
Site inspection of the grounds and buildings
Examination of potential funding options
Analysis of community needs and preparation of a series of
prioritised recommendations
Page | 5
4.0 Policy Context Central Goldfields Council Plan (2009-2013)
The aim of the Council Plan is to identify Council’s priorities.
Key recommendations in relation to Recreation Reserves include:
Implement the Central Goldfields Shire Recreation Plan
Provide a range of facilities and programs across the municipality
to increase participation in physical activity
Strive to secure a potable water supply for all towns (particularly
Maryborough) which is acceptable in both quality and quantity
Continue to explore improved uses/reuses of all waters
Central Goldfields Recreation Strategy (2008)
The aim of this Strategy was to identify the recreation needs of the
community and to develop strategies to respond to these needs and
increase participation in sport and recreation.
There were no recommendations in this report specifically relating to
upgrades or improvements at Talbot Recreation Reserve.
Central Goldfields Cycling Strategy
The aim of this strategy was to identify improvements to the existing
cycling network and to identify new cycling trails to enhance the
experience and encourage cycling by local residents and visitors.
Key recommendations of relevance include the development of an on-
road path along Camp Street between Scandinavian Crescent and Barnes
Street to link the recreation reserve to the western part of the township,
as well as the development of an off-road trail between Maryborough
and Talbot to provide better access between the two towns and to
facilities in each town.
Operational Asset Management Plan – Parks and Recreation (2010) –
DRAFT
The Operational Asset Management Plan (OPAMP) for Parks Infrastructure incorporates a detailed prescription of how Council intends to deliver service for all parks and recreation related infrastructure within its municipal district. It specifically identifies possible types of defects encountered, the intervention and response required and the possible treatment options for all aspects of recreation reserves including ovals, drainage, roadways, playgrounds, trees, etc. Asset Management Plan Parks and Recreation (2006)
The purpose of this plan is to provide Council with a clear picture of its
future asset commitments in relation to parks and recreation. It
identified that the nine major sports grounds in the Shire have a
rehabilitation cost of approximately $1,833,480 (based on 2005 figures);
need an average annual rehabilitation expenditure of $90,000; and
require an annual maintenance expenditure of $255,410 (pg 29). Overall
the present condition of sporting ovals was considered to be average.
Detailed information on individual recreation reserves was not available.
Page | 6
Drought Proofing Sporting Reserves within Central Goldfields Shire
(2010)
The purpose of this document was to identify strategies to optimise water
and turf management at Council’s sporting grounds.
Key recommendations for Talbot Recreation Reserve include:
Promote warm season turf
Install sub-surface irrigation subject to a site assessment and at
the end of the existing irrigation system’s life
Groundwater (however there is a risk with finding water and then
it may require desalination or dilution)
Harvest stormwater from Avoca Rd drains and runoff from
adjacent property and store in a dam (or utilise and enlarge
existing dam).
Netball Court Playing Surface & Court Dimensions Inspection Report
(2009)
This report states that although the netball court at Talbot Recreation
Reserve is in good condition, it does not meet Netball Victoria’s Standards
in terms of run-off. It states that: “On all sides except the west, there is
sufficient space to increase run-offs but a fence will need to be moved
back before this can be completed”.
5.0 Demographic Summary
Demographic data provides information which can be used by clubs and
committees of management to understand the current make up of the
community. Potential markets can be determined by examining the
number of people in specific age groups. Other details such as household
income may help decision making in terms of setting fees and languages
spoken at home may indicate a need to have information translated into
other languages for example. A brief summary of the demographic make-
up of the Talbot community follows:
The Talbot community comprises of 296 people.
Compared with Australian figures, Talbot has a higher percentage
of people aged 5 to 14 and over 55 years of age.
Older adults (those over 55 years of age) comprise 34.8% of the
population, compared with 23% of the total population of
Australia
Indigenous people make up 2.0% of the population compared
with 2.3% for Australia
The majority of residents were born in Australia (84.8% compared
with the national figure of 70.9%), with a further 9.1% of
residents born in England, Germany and Canada.
The majority of residents speak English at home. 4.0% of
residents speak other languages including German and Italian.
24 (8.2%) people in Talbot have a core activity need for assistance
compared with 4.1% for Australia
31% of people carry out voluntary work compared with 17.9% for
Australia
The majority of dwellings have 1 (34%) or 2 (32%) motor vehicles
compared with 36% and 35% in Australia respectively
Page | 7
94 people were employed at the time of the 2006 ABS Census,
predominantly in printing and printing support services (7.4%);
local government administration (5.3%); and hardware, building
and garden supplies retailing (5.3%).
Talbot features a higher percentage of residents employed as
labourers (22.3% and 10.5% respectively). 19.1% of employed
persons are technicians and trade workers which is higher than
the Australian average of 14.4% and managers represent 12.8%
of the population compared to 13.2% in Australia overall.
The percentage of people listed as unemployed is 11.3%
compared with a rate of 5.2% for Australia. 132 people aged 15
years and over are not in the labour force.
The median household income is $522, compared with the
Australian median household income of $1,027.
The most common form of household composition is a family
household (60% compared with 67% for Australia), and of family
households, the most common form is a couple living together
without children at home (41% compared with Australia at 37%).
The percentage of lone households in Talbot is significantly higher
than for Australia overall (29% compared with 23%); reflecting
the ageing of the community.
There is much higher home ownership in Talbot than in Australia
(58% compared with 33%) and much lower percentage of homes
rented (16% compared with 27%).
For those paying off homes, the median loan repayment in Talbot
is $840 per month, compared with $1,300 for Australia overall,
and for those who are renting homes, the median weekly rental
amount is $110 compared with the Australian median of $190.
40% of dwellings are connected to the internet in some way
compared with 61% for Australia
Source: ABS 2006 Census QuickStats: Talbot (L) (Urban
Centre/Locality) http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au
Population by Age Groups
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0-4 5-14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
Age
Nu
mb
er
of
pe
rso
ns
Page | 8
6.0 Participation in Sport and Recreation In recent years, there has been a shift away from organised sport to more
informal recreational activities that can be undertaken in small groups,
alone, or at varying times of the day. The following table1 shows the most
popular physical activities (organised and non-organised) for people 15
years of age and over in Victoria at present:
Ranking Activity % of Participants over 15 years of age (at least once per year)
1 Walking (other) 35.9 2 Aerobics / fitness 23.5 3 Swimming 13.9 4 Cycling 12.8 5 Running 11.7 6 Tennis 6.0 7 Golf 6.5 8 Basketball 5.4 9 Australian Rules Football 5.1
10 Netball 5.1 11 Bushwalking 4.4 12 Cricket (outdoor) 4.2
1 Australian Government: Participation in Exercise Sport and Recreation –
Annual Report 2009:
http://www.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/377077/ERASS_Report_2
009_State_Tables_VIC.pdf
Facilities that are multi-purpose in design and clubs that are innovative in
their thinking will be best adapted to take advantage of the changing
participation patterns and consequently remain as strong, viable clubs.
Figure 2: Ticket Box at Talbot Recreation Reserve
Page | 9
7.0 Benefits of Sport and Recreation The benefits of participating in sport and recreation are well documented.
Not only do individuals benefit from a health and wellbeing perspective,
but the whole community benefits from a greater sense of community,
economic opportunities, improvement to the environment, reduction in
crime and a healthier society. Some of the benefits that can occur
through participation in sport and recreation are:
Benefits
Individual and Community
Physical and Mental Health
Reduced risk of colon cancer, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure
Less likely to become overweight or obese
Improved balance and coordination, resulting in fewer falls
Stronger muscles, joints and bones
Improved confidence and self-esteem
Improved body image
Improved motor skills
Less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety
Greater sense of achievement
Reduced stress levels
Higher energy and concentration levels
Reduction in incidence and severity of
Benefits
Individual and Community
illness and disability
Increased life expectancy
Social Greater sense of community
Stronger, more self-reliant communities
Greater social and friendship networks
Reduced anti-social behaviour and vandalism
Helps to develop shared attitudes, values and codes of behaviour in the community
Breaks down barriers between different sectors of the community
Stronger family relationships
Economic Employment in sport and recreation
activities, events, venues, clubs
Improvements to local business viability through sale of sport and recreation equipment, services or programs
Reduction in health care costs – According to VicHealth2, physical inactivity by Australians “costs the health system at
2 VicHealth – “Physical Activity Fact Sheet”, April 2007
Page | 10
Benefits
Individual and Community
least $400m in direct health care costs”, and is responsible for approximately 8,000 deaths annually
Increases productivity of workers and reduces number of sick days
Potential to attract businesses to the region if quality sport and active recreation settings, programs and services exist
Flow on benefits to tourism businesses from people participating in sport and recreation events and activities
Environment Protection of habitats, biodiversity and
ecological integrity
More attractive living environments
A greater appreciation and awareness of the natural environment
Participation in physical activity in rural communities, such as Central
Goldfields Shire, brings a different set of benefits to those achieved in
regional or metropolitan settings. In rural communities, leisure provides
one of the few social outlets where people who may spend much of their
time isolated on farms or in small townships, come together to take part
in activities with friends and neighbours in an atmosphere of
camaraderie. The activity is sometimes secondary to the social benefits
and enhanced sense of community connectedness achieved. Driscoll and
Wood, in their report Sporting Capital – Changes and Challenges for Rural
Communities in Victoria3 identify three key components of a successful
and functioning community as trust, goodwill and interaction; all three of
which can be achieved through participation in sport and recreation by its
ability to act as a ‘social glue’.
Figure 3: Score Board at Talbot Recreation Reserve
3 RMIT (Driscoll, Kate and Wood, Liz) – “Sporting Capital – Changes and
Challenges for Rural Communities in Victoria”, 1999
Page | 11
8.0 Trends in Sport and Recreation In terms of sports participation, management and infrastructure, there
has been a trend in recent years towards the:
movement away from many traditional organised sports such as football, cricket, netball and tennis to more individual or small group non-organised activities, e.g. walking, aerobics, fitness classes, cycling, swimming, running, etc
installation of sports surfaces that help to reduce injuries and increase player comfort, e.g. sprung wooden floors, plexipave tennis courts
installation of improved spectator facilities, e.g. retractable seating, shaded viewing areas
installation of facilities to encourage participation by people of all abilities, e.g. use of ramps, unisex toilets with change tables, single storey buildings to allow for wheelchair access, Braille signs, etc
utilisation of indoor sporting facilities such as Leisure Centres with swimming pools for games and aspects of the training and recovery program for a range of different sports
installation of lighting or higher standard of lighting to allow games and training to take place in the evenings
development of environmentally responsible practices such as solar hot water, recycled water systems, etc to reduce the impact of sports facilities and their users on the environment
development or upgrading of facilities and equipment so that they meet the safety requirements of their designated sport, e.g. extension of netball courts to meet recommended run-off distances
master planning of recreation reserves and leisure centres to ensure that needs of all existing and casual users are considered in the long term – including the linking of cycling / walking paths,
development of play spaces, landscaping and BBQ / picnic facilities to encourage family use of facilities
development of multi-use facilities and spaces which can cater for a variety of traditional activities as well as non-traditional or emerging activities, e.g. pilates, yoga, children’s programs, women’s day time social competitions, master’s games, etc
greater emphasis on social competitions mid week during the evenings as opposed to structured competition on a Saturday afternoon
greater use of facilities by personal fitness trainers and their clients
greater demands on some facilities by school groups due to the declining standard of school sporting infrastructure in some areas or the lack of facilities at new schools
greater demand on sporting facilities for special events and tournaments
greater demand for lifestyle/non-traditional forms of sport, i.e. games that can be played on the street or indoors, e.g. street soccer
co-location of several sporting facilities to form recreation precincts to maximise limited resources and to cross-market activities
understanding of the relationship between physical activity participation and improved health, wellbeing and social connectedness
expectation by the community that facilities, programs, services and management will be of a reasonably high standard
expectation that facilities will be available during a range of time slots throughout the week, including weeknight, early morning and weekends
expectation by user groups that draws, ladder, information, etc about local sports competitions are available via the internet.
Page | 12
9.0 Vision, Mission and Planning Principles The vision, mission and planning principles developed as part of the
Central Goldfields Shire Recreation Strategy (2008) are still considered to
be relevant. They have been modified slightly so that they specifically
represent Talbot Recreation Reserve.
9.1 Vision Talbot Recreation Reserve promotes physical activity and inclusion within
the Talbot community by offering a range of quality active sport and
recreation opportunities for all.
9.2 Mission Talbot Recreation Reserve will facilitate opportunities for the Talbot and
district community to benefit both physically and socially by taking part in
accessible, sustainable, localised physical activities.
9.3 Planning Principles Planning Principle Wherever possible, Talbot Recreation Reserve will
support and encourage:
Community
strengthening and
connectedness
Sport and active recreation initiatives which involve
the community in the planning, implementation and
delivery stages. It will also support initiatives that
encourage positive, lasting interactions between
community members.
Multi use of facilities
Facility developments and upgrades that are multi-
purpose in design to allow for a range of different
groups to use the facility. It will also encourage clubs
and organisations to share facilities so that facilities
are used to their maximum capacity and limited
resources are best utilised.
Access and equity Initiatives that allow for greater access to facilities,
programs or services for people of all ages, genders,
abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.
Community benefit Initiatives that provide sufficient physical, social,
economic and environmental benefits to the
community.
Diversity and choice The development of a range of sport and active
recreation facilities and initiatives that meet the
diverse needs of the community.
Volunteer
Involvement and
Support
Initiatives that involve volunteer labour, funding and
expertise in the planning, implementation and
delivery components.
Sustainability Initiatives, that following suitable planning and
research, are considered sustainable from
participation, longevity, economic, environmental
and social perspectives.
Value for money Initiatives that represent value for money to the
community.
Partnerships Initiatives that include a range of relevant partners,
so that limited resources are maximised and facilities,
programs or services are not duplicated.
Safety Initiatives provide a safe environment for all users.
Page | 13
10.0 Facilities and Infrastructure Overview
10.1 Sports Ground The 1.45 ha sports ground at Talbot Recreation Reserve in Talbot is
currently used for football and cricket, and also for events such as Swap
Meets. The ground is in poor condition and features a manual watering
system (which involves moving hoses every 10-15 minutes over a four
hour period) and a synthetic cricket pitch. Its soil type is clay loam and its
surface is somewhat uneven, featuring moderate undulations and
moderate surface depressions. The playing surface is predominantly
made up of ryegrass and Poa with a couch grass understory. Weeds such
as mallow, cape weed and flat weed are prevalent. There is no drainage
system on the sports ground. The ground is 155m long and 114m wide.
Figure 4: Talbot Recreation Reserve Sports Ground
A range of supporting infrastructure exists on site including four training
level lights, a ticket box, time keeper’s box, scoreboard, storage shed for
cricket equipment and the cardboard recycling business and several
water tanks. Mostly these assets are in fair condition and still suitable for
their current purpose and level of use, however the scoreboard box
needs to be upgraded as the stairs are too steep and the fence
surrounding the sports ground also needs to be upgraded. The time
keeper’s box has recently been constructed by the football club and is in
good condition.
The community would like to see the sports ground used for a range of
other events such as: Agricultural Show, circuses, dog shows steam rally,
car show, school fetes, derby cars, Energy Breakthrough, Carols By
Candlelight, Spring Festival Expos, markets, Little Athletics, soccer, etc.
Tennis, bowls and swimming facilities are located in Scandinavian
Crescent in Talbot.
10.2 Pavilion The brick pavilion at the Talbot Recreation Reserve was built in 1991 and
features a social room, bar, kitchen, kiosk, office, medical store, public
toilets (including one disabled toilet – which does not meet DDA
requirements) and change facilities for male home teams. The kitchen
has recently been upgraded by a local employment organisation, i.e.
replastering, repairs to ceiling and painting. Both male and female
umpires are required to change in the caravan park shower block behind
the pavilion. There are no shower facilities for females in the pavilion.
Page | 14
The pavilion is used by football, netball and cricket clubs as well as by the
general community for parties, funerals, weddings and bingo.
Figure 5: Talbot Recreation Reserve Pavilion
10.3 Visitor Change Rooms The visitor change rooms were built in 2005 and are in good condition.
This facility is used by both football and cricket on a regular basis
throughout the year.
Figure 6: Visitor Change Room
10.4 Cricket Practice Nets The cricket practice net at Talbot Recreation Reserve is in fair condition
and should be repaired. There is a desire by the cricket club to construct
another cricket practice net.
Page | 15
10.5 Netball Court and Pavilion There is one asphalt netball court at Talbot Recreation Reserve, a shelter
and a netball pavilion. The pavilion is a relocatable building that was
constructed in 1979 and used as a Maternal and Child Health Centre for
some time before being relocated to the Recreation Reserve.
The Netball Court Playing Surface & Court Dimensions Inspection Report
states that although the netball court at Talbot Recreation Reserve is in
good condition, it does not meet Netball Victoria’s Standards in terms of
run-off. It states that: “On all sides except the west, there is sufficient
space to increase run-offs but a fence will need to be moved back before
this can be completed”.
This extension should be undertaken to ensure that the court meets
industry standards and thereby provides a safe playing surface for
participants. If it is not brought up to industry standards, Netball Victoria,
can, at its discretion, disallow netball finals. This will have a negative
effect on income received by the Talbot Football Netball Club and will
also negatively impact on the image of the club.
Other works to be undertaken to improve the netball area are:
Extend asphalt to the fence so that grass no longer needs to be
mowed in this area
Relocate the shelter slightly south.
If netball grows in the future, there may be a need to construct an
additional court to the east of the current court. However, such a
development is not justified at present. Nevertheless, space should be
included in the master plan to accommodate this potential future need.
Figure 7: Talbot Netball Court, Pavilion and Shelter
Page | 16
10.6 Public toilets The public toilet block at Talbot Recreation Reserve was constructed in
1960. It has recently been refurbished.
Figure 8: Public Toilet Block at Talbot Recreation Reserve
10.7 Indoor Sports Stadium The indoor sports stadium at Talbot Recreation Reserve was constructed
in 1994. It features a foyer area and a wooden sports floor line marked
for a variety of indoor sports such as netball, basketball, badminton and
volleyball. The stadium is used infrequently for netball and football
training. There is a very strong desire in the community to see this facility
utilised on a much more regular basis for activities such as: discos, scrap
booking, games, cooking, movies, circus skills, basketball, indoor cricket,
beach volleyball, mini golf, carpet bowls, badminton, art shows, talent
shows, parties; line dancing; bingo, yoga, gentle exercise, etc.
The courts inside the Stadium do not meet industry standards in terms of
run-off. Hence the attraction of major regional or state sporting
competitions is not likely.
The entrance to the Stadium is very bare and unattractive. A ramp leads
to a door, and the only signage is on a wooden sign board to the right.
Figure 9: Indoor Sports Stadium at Talbot Recreation Reserve
Page | 17
Figure 10: Indoor Sports Stadium at Talbot Recreation Reserve
10.8 Play Facilities Play facilities help to promote a family friendly environment. Currently
there are no items of play equipment on site; instead, children play at
various locations around the site. Natural based play should still be
encouraged, however, it has been suggested that a formalised play space,
suitable for junior to intermediate level be developed in the vicinity of the
netball court and the stadium. Some form of barrier will be required
against the track around the sports oval to protect children from cars,
although full fencing of the space is not supported. Seats should also be
provided to allow parents / carers to watch children playing and shade
trees should be planted to protect people using the play space in warmer
months from the sun. Signage warning motorists of children crossing the
roadway should also be installed, and consideration should be given to
installing formal speed humps if the track is sealed.
There is a play ground situated in the central part of Talbot, however, this
is too far away for users of the Recreation Reserve to access on game and
training days. A skate park also exists in Talbot; hence the duplication of
skate facilities at Talbot Recreation Reserve is not supported. There may
be a case to further enhance the existing skate facilities in Talbot and to
ensure that these facilities are also accessible for people using BMX bikes.
Local residents have suggested that the play space to be developed at
Talbot Recreation Reserve feature some of the following: a maze, a large
pirate ship, a rebound wall and a fitness station.
10.9 Storage Sheds There are a number of storage sheds located at Talbot Recreation
Reserve. The major one was constructed in 1985 and is used for storage
of equipment and as a venue from which to operate a cardboard recycling
initiative. The cardboard recycling business, operated by Talbot Football
Netball Club, provides the club with income in the vicinity of $20,000 per
year. This income is used to undertake capital improvements at the site.
Page | 18
Figure 11: Storage Shed at Talbot Recreation Reserve
10.11 Caravan Park with Shower Block and
Laundromat The Talbot Football Netball Club developed a caravan park and associated
infrastructure (i.e. shower block and laundromat) as a means to provide
an annual source of revenue for the club. The caravan park is primarily
targeted at long term tenants and tends to attract a number of fossickers
or people who may not necessarily be able to afford to rent private rental
properties. There are a few short term visitors. One long term resident
undertakes basic cleaning duties and mowing in exchange for free power
to his site.
The caravan park is located along the northern boundary of the reserve,
behind the sports pavilion. Some residents of the caravan park take part
in activities held in the pavilion such as bingo. It is believed that the
caravan park returns an annual profit in the vicinity of $20,000 per year to
the Talbot Football Netball Club.
Caravan Parks are subject to the Residential Tenancies Act (1997). It is a
legal requirement under this Act that the caravan park owner must
provide residents of caravan parks with the “Caravan Parks: A Guide for
Residents, Owners and Managers”4, on or before the resident occupies a
site in a caravan park. According to the Guide, a caravan park is defined
as “an area of land on which movable dwellings are located for
occupation on payment of rent”. A caravan is defined as “a movable or
immovable dwelling located in a caravan park”.
A person occupying a caravan in a caravan park is classed as a resident
under the Act when they:
have obtained written agreement from the caravan park owner
to do so, or
have lived in the caravan park for at least 60 days without a
break.
A person is not a resident if they:
are on holiday
own a caravan in a caravan park but live somewhere else
4 Consumer Affairs Victoria: “Caravan Parks: A Guide for Residents, Owners and
Managers” (2010)
Page | 19
have not entered into a written agreement with the caravan park
owner or lived in the caravan park for at least 60 days without a
break.
The Guide summarises many of the rights and duties of caravan park
owners and residents under the Act, including residency agreements,
bonds, condition reports, access, caravan park rules, water meter
readings, repairs to infrastructure such as water, violent situations, using
VCAT to resolve disputes, etc. It also details fines that can be imposed if
the Act is not adhered to.
The Country Fire Authority has also produced a document titled “Caravan
Park Fire Safety Guideline”. It identifies six key objectives that must be
met by caravan parks:
Provision and maintenance of access
Prevention of fire spread
Provision and maintenance of fire fighting equipment
Identification and management of fire hazards
Development and implementation of emergency management
plans
Compliance with legislative requirements
It also highlights that under the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and
Moveable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 1999 that
the Local Government Authority is responsible for registering caravan
parks within its municipality in accordance with regulation 9 of the
Regulations. Regulation 5 of the regulations, states that a person must
not operate a caravan park unless the caravan park is registered by the
local council.
Another document of relevance to caravan parks is the “Victoria Caravan
Parks Flood Emergency Management Plan Guidelines”5. This document
aims to assist caravan park owners/ operators and local councils to assess
and manage flood risks in caravan parks, to reduce the consequences of
floods and to create safer caravan parks. It states that under Regulation
36 of the Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Moveable Dwellings
Registration and Standards) Regulations 1999, an Emergency
Management Plan that provides for evacuation procedures in a fire or
other emergency (including a flood) is required and must be prepared to
the satisfaction of the relevant Local Government Authority.
Figure 12: Caravan Park and Shower Block / Laundromat
5 Australian Government’s Attorney-General’s Department and Victorian
Government: Victoria Caravan Parks Flood Emergency Management Plan Guidelines (2008)
Page | 20
Advice received from the Department of Sustainability and Environment
is that Talbot Recreation Reserve Caravan Park meets the requirements of
the Act and the Regulations pertaining to caravan parks. However, from a
land use perspective, the location of caravans so close to a public
recreation facility is not ideal. The preferred option is to relocate the
caravan park to another site where land use conflicts are likely to be
lessened. Discussions with Council officers and Councillors were not able
to identify a more suitable location at this stage. Hence, until such time
as a more suitable location is found, it is recommended that some form of
barrier is established between the caravans and the public area to keep
users of the recreation reserve from inadvertently wandering too close to
caravans and to provide a visual barrier to the caravan park from the
active zone of the recreation reserve.
10.12 Landscaping / Surrounds Landscaping amenity at the entrance of the Reserve needs to be
improved in order to create a more welcoming and inviting environment.
It is suggested that a picnic area is established near the proposed play
space. This picnic area should feature some shady trees and several
picnic tables and seats.
Figure 13: Trees around Talbot Recreation Reserve
Additional landscaping should occur around the netball court and the
Stadium. It may be beneficial to plant trees along the eastern edge of the
Reserve (Barnes Street end) to act as a wind break.
All plantings on site should be drought tolerant and designed in such a
way as to minimise water use (e.g. through mulching).
There has been some concern raised by users of the Reserve about the
need to remove dead trees from the Reserve because of the potential risk
of these trees falling and injuring users of the Reserve.
Page | 21
10.13 Public Transport Access There is no public transport available in Talbot.
10.14 Car Parks Car parking occurs informally around the Recreation Reserve. Ideally a
car-free zone would be developed, particularly in areas where young
people play.
Figure 14: Parking on Internal Roadways
10.15 Internal Roadways and Pedestrian / Cycling
Access There is a gravel track around the exterior of the sports oval. This track
needs regular maintenance to prevent potholes from forming after wet
weather and to prevent dust during drier months.
Walking and cycling access to the Recreation Reserve is poor. Residents
travelling from the town are required to cross the busy Ballarat-
Maryborough Road. This road is a major barrier and no doubt prevents
many people from accessing the Reserve by foot or bicycle. Some form of
off road path from just east of the Ballarat-Maryborough Road along
Avoca Road to the Reserve, with some form of crossing point, would
improve access considerably.
Figure 15: Avoca Road looking towards Talbot township
Page | 22
The Shire’s Cycling Strategy recommended the development of an on-
road path in this area. Whilst an off-road path is the preferred option, an
on-road path will be acceptable if resources or planning regulations do
not allow for an off-road path to be developed.
10.16 Water Access When water restrictions are not in place, sports clubs access water from
the urban water supply. During water restrictions, clubs access water
from an on-site bore and from water purchases that are carted to the
Reserve. According to Central Goldfields Shire’s Drought Proofing
Sporting Reserves within the Municipality, the bore is not able to produce
enough water to sufficiently irrigate the sports ground and the salt
content of this water is unknown. There is also a 3 ML dam on site, which
collects storm water from the Stadium roof.
Figure 16: Dam at Talbot Recreation Reserve
To reduce water usage at Talbot Recreation Reserve, it is recommended
that:
The sports ground is planted with warm season turf
A sub-surface irrigation is installed, subject to a site assessment
and at the end of the existing irrigation system’s life
Groundwater is sourced (however there is a risk with finding
water and then it may require desalination or dilution – which
come at a cost)
Stormwater is harvested from Avoca Rd drains and runoff from
adjacent property and stored in a dam (or utilise and enlarge
existing dam).
10.17 Signage There is minimal signage to direct people to the Reserve and to announce
their arrival. There is no indication to the general public about what
formal and informal activities are available at the site via signage. It
would be useful to have finger board signs within the Recreation Reserve
pointing users to specific sites such as the oval, the netball court, the
stadium, the pavilion and the public toilets.
Page | 23
Figure 17: Entrance to Reserve
11.0 Community Needs Community needs were identified through a range of different
mechanisms including:
User Group Surveys – distributed to all users of the Reserve
Community Consultation – discussions with community members
was undertaken at Talbot Primary School on Tuesday 9 November
2010 as part of the Talbot Primary School New Facilities Opening
between 9.30am and 11.30am. 15 young people from grades 5
and 6 and 19 people (females mostly 30-50 years of age and
males mostly 40 years of age) were interviewed, totaling 34.
Key Informant Interviews – on-site interviews with users of the
Reserve, Central Goldfields Shire Council staff and other key
stakeholders
Literature Review – analysis of previous studies and policies
A summary of community needs follows:
Issu
e /
Faci
lity
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Key
Info
rman
t In
terv
iew
s
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
Stadium Need to find additional uses for stadium, e.g. After School Active Sports Program
Page | 24
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
Play Space Need to install a play area
Sports Ground Irrigation
Need to install sub-surface irrigation on sports ground subject to a site assessment and at the end of the existing irrigation system’s life
Fence Need to upgrade the boundary fence
Committee of Management
Need to establish a representative committee of management incorporating succession planning and sharing and retention of corporate knowledge
Sports Need to promote
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
Ground Surface
warm season turf on sports ground to improve surface
Netball Shelter
Need to relocate netball shelter and asphalt grassed area to the fence
Cycling / Walking Tracks
Need to connect the Recreation Reserve to the town via Camp Street
Landscaping Need to plant more trees around the site and partner with Landcare to undertake works around bike track
Seats Need to install more seats around the recreation reserve
Picnic Area Need to develop
Page | 25
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
a picnic area with grass, chairs and tables that can be promoted as a rest stop for travellers
Surrounds Need to tidy up surrounds of recreation reserve
Support from Council
Need to provide assistance to user groups with grant information and submission writing
Trees Need to remove dead trees from the site
Cricket Practice Nets
Need to build 2-3 new practice cricket nets
Netball Court Need to develop an additional netball court
Scoreboard Box
Need to upgrade score box as
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
stairs are too steep
Power Supply
Need 3 phase power for caravan park
Caravan Park Shower Block
Need to upgrade caravan park shower block
Caravan Park Need to consider relocating caravan park in the long term and providing a barrier between active recreation and accommodation zones in the short term
Sports Ground Water
Need to source groundwater for the sports ground
Sports Ground Water
Need to harvest stormwater from Avoca Rd drains and runoff from
Page | 26
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
adjacent property and store in a dam (or utilise and enlarge existing dam).
Events Need to hold various events at the site
Swimming Pool
Need to relocate the public swimming pool to the site with water slides and waves
Pavilion Need to upgrade pavilion at the Recreation Reserve (including change facilities)
Stadium Court Run-off
Need to upgrade stadium so that the courts meet regulation run-off
Skate and BMX
Need to develop skate and BMX
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
Facilities facilities at the site
Community Garden
Need to develop a community garden at Talbot Recreation Reserve and donate some of the food to the Farmer’s Market
Walking / Cycling Trail
Need to develop an interpretive walking / cycling trail along the creek to connect the town to the Reserve
Dog Park Need to create a dog park or dog friendly area at the Reserve and pooper scoopers
Motorbike Track
Need to remove motorbike track from recreation reserve
Sporting Need to hold
Page | 27
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
Events twilight netball competitions at the netball court and hockey competitions
Netball Pavilion
Need to improve netball pavilion
Netball Courts
Need to repair netball courts
Netball Toilets
Need to upgrade public toilets in netball pavilion (they don’t flush and they don’t have water)
Velodrome Need to develop a mini-velodrome at the site
Go Karts Need to construct a go-kart track / derby carts at the site
Sports Ground Surface
Need to install fake grass at the site
Motorbikes Need to develop a motorbike
Issu
e /
Fac
ility
Ne
ed
Use
r G
rou
p
Surv
ey
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
nsu
ltat
ion
Ke
y In
form
ant
Inte
rvie
ws
Lite
ratu
re
Re
view
Ob
serv
atio
ns
jumps track
Tours Need to operate tours around Talbot, incorporating the Reserve
Walking / Cycling Trail
Need to develop a concrete path around the oval to allow bikes, go-karts, scooters and cars to be raced
BMX Need to develop a BMX track at the Reserve
Private Enterprise
Need to develop spa / body massage treatments for the site
Page | 28
12.0 Management and Maintenance
12.1 Management Talbot Recreation Reserve is currently managed by a DSE appointed
Committee of Management. Only one of the two user bodies attends
Committee of Management meetings, i.e. the football netball club.
Cricket does not attend. Each club also has its own committee of
management, made up of volunteers. Feedback from community
representatives and key stakeholders indicates that committees of
management need to ensure all user bodies are represented, including
general community representatives. Further, succession planning needs
to be addressed as a priority and processes need to be developed to
ensure that corporate knowledge is shared and retained.
To ensure that clubs and the reserve committee of management operate
successfully and sustainably in the future, it is important that clubs and
committees have or develop:
A vision for its future
Strong leadership
Strong governance structures with succession planning in place
Appropriate plans in place to guide operations, e.g. business plan,
annual plan, operational plan, maintenance plan, replacement
schedule, master plan
Appropriate policies in place to guide decision making, e.g.
Sunsmart policy, responsible serving of alcohol, hiring
agreements, sponsorship guidelines, etc
Risk management policies and procedures, e.g. chemical spills,
fire, working with children, ‘blood rule’, insurance, etc
Identified and addressed all health, safety and regulatory
requirements, e.g. food handling regulations, sports field
dimensions, etc
Regular evaluation processes
Effective two-way communication with stakeholders
A focus on providing quality customer service
A good understanding of the needs and expectations of
participants and potential participants
A stable or growing number of players, umpires, coaches and
spectators
Strong networks with other relevant partners , e.g. Central
Goldfields Shire, schools, state sporting associations and other
community groups
A welcoming environment where people of all abilities and ages
are encouraged to participate
A range of programs to attract both competitive and casual /
social players
Well run competitions and events
Well managed and maintained facilities and equipment
Sufficient volunteers or paid staff to assist with tasks
Effective volunteer / staff recruitment, management and
retention processes in place
Sufficient funds to meet operational expenses
Sufficient funds set aside to maintain and replace facilities and
infrastructure
A low environmental footprint
Page | 29
12.2 Hierarchy of Recreation Reserves According to the Central Goldfields Recreation Needs Strategy, Talbot
Recreation Reserve is rated as a Municipal Grade Ground. Hence the type
of facilities expected at this Reserve identified in the table below:
Facility Municipal Grade Ground
Playing surface Good standard of playing surface
Change rooms Separate change facilities for each team
Warm up area Warm up area incorporated into change
facilities
Umpires change
room Separate change facilities for male and
female umpires – basic level
Medical rooms No
Massage tables Yes – 1-2 tables
Coaches box Not usually a designated space
Media facilities No
Timekeepers
area Designated space
Ground lighting Training level lighting
Siren Yes
Scoreboard Yes
Public address No
Facility Municipal Grade Ground
system
Irrigation
system Automatic or manual irrigation system
Underground
drainage Limited or no underground drainage
Fencing Fully fenced
Car parking
facilities Less formal unsealed car parking facilities
Social club
rooms Small social club rooms usually catering for
less than 100 patrons
Public toilets Sufficient number of public toilets to cater for
anticipated crowd level, i.e. 1:250
Cricket pitch Generally concrete or synthetic pitch
Spectator
facilities Limited spectator facilities
Kiosk Basic level kiosk with facilities to heat food
Utilisation Shared use with the community when not in
use by sport
Level of
competition District or senior level
Location May be a stand-alone ground or may form
part of a larger park / recreation precinct
Page | 30
Facility Municipal Grade Ground
Access Public access restricted during games
Maintenance Medium level of maintenance
12.3 Maintenance Roles and Responsibilities Maintenance of the sports facilities at Talbot Recreation Reserve is
currently carried out by volunteers with some assistance from Central
Goldfields Shire for mowing.
Typical maintenance requirements for a Recreation Reserve include:
Watering playing fields / courts
Mowing playing fields / courts
Line marking playing fields / courts
Playing field / court preparation, e.g. aerating, fertilising and top
dressing
Turf, concrete and synthetic cricket wicket preparation
Weed control
Pest control
Sweeping netball courts and fire brigade training tracks
Resurfacing netball / tennis courts / fire brigade training tracks
Litter collection
Public toilet maintenance and cleaning
Playground maintenance
Tree / garden maintenance
Sprinkler / irrigation system maintenance
Replacement of lights
Line marking of car parks
Repairs to internal roadways
Cleaning, painting and carrying out of basic repairs to built
structures such as pavilions, change rooms, grandstands, player /
spectator shelters, storage sheds, scoreboards, coach’s boxes,
time keeper’s boxes, ticket boxes, fences, gates, goal posts, seats,
etc.
Graffiti removal
Affixing sponsorship signage to fences
Fixing of blocked / corroded drains and sewerage systems
Repairs to hot water systems
Repairs to heating / cooling systems and kitchen equipment.
Central Goldfields Shire does not charge the Committee of Management
for use of the site, nor does it provide an annual budgetary allocation to
assist with maintenance costs. User groups have expressed a desire to
receive more support from Council to assist with ongoing operational and
maintenance costs.
Council’s Recreation Strategy (2008) recommends that Council considers
the introduction of a Recreation Reserves Fees and Charges Policy to
ensure that a fair and equitable system of Council support is provided to
sport and recreation facilities throughout the Shire in regards to
maintenance. Under this policy, Council would recoup 25% of all
maintenance costs; however, discounts of up to 25% will be available if
clubs carry out their own maintenance, share facilities, provide
opportunities for traditionally disadvantaged groups and introduce new
Page | 31
physical activity options. Also under this model groups will be responsible
for all utility costs (except insurance); can retain all hire fees; and will be
eligible to apply for funding through Council’s Community Grants
Programs for capital works or program funding. To date this proposed
policy has not been instigated.
12.4 Ground and Building Inspections From a risk and asset management perspective, inspections of sporting
facilities are carried out and signed off by user groups prior to any
competitions being held on site.
Infrastructure at Recreation Reserves in Central Goldfields Shire,
according to the Draft Central Goldfields Shire Operational Asset
Management Plan – Parks and Recreation (2010), is to be inspected at
the following frequency by Council officers on Council owned sites:
Facility Details Scheduled Inspection Frequency
Recreation Reserves
Oval Servicing whole of
Shire and townships Fortnightly
Oval Servicing smaller communities
Monthly
Sports Courts (netball, tennis, etc)
All 6 monthly
Playground All Monthly
Parks
Surrounds Servicing whole of
Shire 3 monthly
Surrounds Servicing townships 6 monthly Surrounds Servicing smaller
communities Annually
Lakes All Annually Monuments All Annually Furniture All 6 monthly Trees All Annually
These frequency schedules have been determined based on Council’s risk
exposure in terms of safety; asset preservation and community / legal
expectations.
Buildings, such as club pavilions and change facilities, are inspected every
two years by Council.
12.5 Maintenance Requirements for Turf Playing Fields According to the Draft Central Goldfields Shire Operational Asset
Management Plan – Parks and Recreation (2010), a turf oval has a life
cycle of approximately fifty years. Specific maintenance tasks required to
keep the sports oval in good condition during its life cycle on an annual
basis include:
Mowing of oval each fortnight
Fertilisation of oval twice per year
Aeration of oval twice per year
Weed control once per year to reduce broadleaf weeds
Page | 32
Promote growth of couch in spring
Over-seeding with rye grass each autumn for winter cover
Strategic top dressing every 2-3 years.
Figure 18: Talbot Recreation Reserve Sports Ground
Page | 33
13.0 Action Plan Recommendations have been identified for Talbot Recreation Reserve based on needs identified by user groups and other potential users of the site via:
user group surveys
community consultation
interviews with key stakeholders
literature reviews
site inspections
Developments have been included if the proposed works:
1. are consistent with the vision, mission and planning principles developed for the Reserve
2. have been demonstrated through a number of sources such as community plans, previous master plans, surveys, etc, as needed by the community
3. are consistent with the grading of the reserve and the type of infrastructure and facilities expected within each grading, i.e. regional, municipal or
local level facility
4. will help to maintain and / or increase participation in sport and recreation opportunities
5. are likely to benefit the broader community (from a social, physical, economic and / or environmental perspective) and involve the community in
operations or management
6. create improved access for people of all abilities, ages, genders, etc
7. increase the opportunity for the site to be used for a variety of different and / or new activities
8. are likely to increase safety of users and reduce risk management issues
9. are likely to allow the site to meet industry standards, regulations and legislation
10. reflect best practice and current industry trends
11. are likely to decrease the impact on the environment and natural resources, e.g. installation of water saving devices, double glazing on windows,
etc
12. are likely to be financially sustainable in the long term and take into consideration whole of life funding costs, including development of
replacement schedules
13. are likely to decrease operational costs
14. are likely to reduce the demands on volunteers time (for activities such as mowing, watering, line marking, etc)
Page | 34
15. will rectify existing infrastructure that is currently in a very poor state or beyond repair
16. are likely to attract external funding
17. are within the resource capacity of communities to achieve, i.e. plans are cost effective, user groups have sufficient resources to make the required
financial contribution, user groups can provide some in-kind labour, user groups can assist with project management, suitable plans have been
developed, etc
18. enhance the appearance and usability of the site, e.g. improved landscaping, heating / cooling, marked car parking bays, etc
19. involve a number of partners to assist with funding and / or operations, management and maintenance
20. do not duplicate existing facilities.
Proposed timeframes are as follows:
High: 1-3 years High-Medium: 4-6 years
Medium: 7-9 years Low: 10+ years
Note that many of the proposed works are conditional upon receiving external grants and local funding contributions.
Facility / Issue Works Responsibility / Potential Partners
Priority Key Planning Principle Relationship
Indicative Costing
1 Committee of Management
Establish a representative committee of management incorporating succession planning and sharing and retention of corporate knowledge
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
Ongoing Sustainability Community strengthening and connectedness Partnerships Volunteer involvement and support
Officer time User group time
2 Support from Council Provide assistance to user Central Goldfields Ongoing Sustainability Officer time
Page | 35
Facility / Issue Works Responsibility / Potential Partners
Priority Key Planning Principle Relationship
Indicative Costing
groups with grant information and submission writing
Shire
Community strengthening and connectedness
3 Sports Ground Water Harvest stormwater from the former motorbike track venue and store in a dam (or utilise and enlarge existing dam).
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
High Sustainability $20,000
4 Power Upgrade Upgrade power at the site to three phase power.
Central Goldfields Shire Council
Powercorp
High Community benefit $70,000
5 Sports Ground Irrigation Install sub-surface irrigation on the sports ground subject to a site assessment and at the end of the existing irrigation system’s life
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
High Sustainability $80,000
6 Fence Upgrade the boundary fence around the oval
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
High Safety $25,000
7 Sports Ground Surface Promote warm season turf on sports ground to improve surface and reshape and upgrade the oval (includes earth works, top dressing, seeding and fertilising).
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
High Sustainability $200,000
Page | 36
Facility / Issue Works Responsibility / Potential Partners
Priority Key Planning Principle Relationship
Indicative Costing
8 Play Space Install a basic low cost play area / space at the Recreation Reserve with seats for parents / carers
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
High Diversity and choice Community benefit
$10,000
9 Caravan Park Consider relocating caravan park in the long term and providing a barrier between active recreation and accommodation zones in the short term
Central Goldfields Shire Council
Department of Sustainability and Environment
Talbot Football Netball Club
High Safety Officer time User group time
10 Surrounds Tidy up surrounds of recreation reserve
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
High Community benefit Working bee
11 Trees Remove dead trees from the site
Department of Sustainability and Environment
High Safety Not costed
12 Netball Court Upgrade netball court, increase run-off so that court meets Netball Victoria standards, extend asphalt to boundary, and relocate netball pavilion.
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
High Safety $100,000
13 Cricket Practice Nets Build two new practice cricket nets – one to be locked for cricket club member use and the other to be available at all times
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Cricket Club
High Community benefit $15,000
Page | 37
Facility / Issue Works Responsibility / Potential Partners
Priority Key Planning Principle Relationship
Indicative Costing
for community use
14 Internal Roadways and Drainage
Gravel and shape access roads and upgrade drainage.
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
High Safety $27,500
15 Netball Court Develop an additional netball court should the local football netball league incorporate additional netball grades into the competition
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
High-Medium Access and equity $40,000
16 Seats Install more seats around the recreation reserve and the netball courts
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
High-Medium Access and equity $4,000
17 Landscaping Plant more trees around the site
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
Landcare
Medium Community benefit $2,000
18 Ground Water Source groundwater for the sports ground
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
Medium Sustainability $130,000
19 Pavilion Upgrade pavilion at the Recreation Reserve to improve functionality and
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football
Medium Community benefit $40,000
Page | 38
Facility / Issue Works Responsibility / Potential Partners
Priority Key Planning Principle Relationship
Indicative Costing
aesthetics, e.g. improved heating / cooling systems
Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
20 Cycling / Walking Tracks Connect the Recreation Reserve to the town via Camp Street on shared cycling / walking tracks
Central Goldfields Shire
Low Community benefit Diversity and choice
$50,000
21 Stadium Redevelop stadium to incorporate change facilities for male and female umpires and for netballers if necessary
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Low Accessibility and equity
$10,000
22 Events Encourage organisations to hold various events at the site such as twilight netball and hockey competitions; and to find additional uses for the stadium.
Central Goldfields Shire
Talbot Football Netball Club
Talbot Cricket Club
Community based organisations
Private organisations
Ongoing Community benefit Multi use of facilities Diversity and choice
Not costed
TOTAL $823,500
Page | 39
Specific community needs not supported include:
Facility / Initiative Suggestion Rationale for Not Supporting Development
Swimming Pool Need to relocate the public swimming pool to the site with water slides and waves
The cost of building a new swimming pool with water slides and a wave pool cannot be justified from an economic or demographic perspective. It may be worthwhile to improve water play opportunities at the existing swimming pool.
Stadium Court Run-off
Need to upgrade stadium so that the courts meet regulation run-off
Whilst it would be ideal for the stadium to meet regulation run-off so that sports can be played at competition level, it is not considered feasible from an economic or demographic perspective to do so. Indoor sports requiring regulation run-offs can be played at the Maryborough Indoor Sports Stadium and at Maryborough Education Centre.
Skate and BMX Facilities
Need to develop skate and BMX facilities at the site
Skate facilities already exist in a central location in Talbot; hence construction of additional facilities at the Recreation Reserve would be an unnecessary duplication. BMX facilities could be considered at the existing motorbike track located near the Recreation Reserve.
Walking / Cycling Trail
Develop an interpretive walking / cycling trail along the creek to connect the town to the Reserve
A more direct trail is supported from the town to the reserve. A trail along the creek doesn’t connect the town to the Reserve. The preference is for a safe crossing to be developed at the intersection of Ballarat Maryborough Road and Avoca Road.
Motorbike Track Need to remove motorbike track from recreation reserve
This action is outside the scope of the Master Plan
Velodrome Need to develop a mini-velodrome at the site
A velodrome already exists in Maryborough; hence this would be a duplication of facilities.
Go Karts Need to construct a go-kart track / derby carts at the site
This development may be more appropriate for private enterprise to consider, although it is unlikely that it would be feasible in Talbot due to a small population base.
Sports Ground Surface
Need to install fake grass at the site At a cost of around $1 million, this initiative is not feasible given the small population base and lack of funds available to undertake this project.
Motorbikes Need to develop a motorbike jumps track
This may be more suitable on the motorbike track near the Recreation Reserve.
Tours Need to operate tours around Talbot, incorporating the Reserve
This is considered to be a private enterprise initiative.
Walking / Cycling Trail
Need to develop a concrete path around the oval to allow bikes, go-karts, scooters and cars to be raced
This may be more suitable on the motorbike track near the Recreation Reserve.
Private Enterprise Need to develop spa / body massage This is considered to be a private enterprise initiative
Page | 40
Facility / Initiative Suggestion Rationale for Not Supporting Development
treatments for the site
Netball Court Develop an additional netball court
Insufficient demand to justify an additional court at this point in time. Warm ups or modified training could take place in indoor stadium if need be.
Dog Park Create an off-leash dog area at the Reserve and provide pooper scoopers
Insufficient space to create an off-leash dog park at the Reserve. Location of caravan park on site would make this problematic too as dogs may wander over to caravans and cause a nuisance. It is expected that people will use the Reserve to walk their dogs, regardless of whether or not there is a designated off-leash area. May be worth considering development of off-leash area for dogs at another site in Talbot.
Power Supply Install 3 phase power for caravan park
Long term plan is to relocate caravan park to a more suitable site, hence expenditure other than maintenance is not supported.
Caravan Park Shower Block
Upgrade caravan park shower block Long term plan is to relocate caravan park to a more suitable site, hence expenditure other than maintenance is not supported.
Community Garden Develop a community garden at Talbot Recreation Reserve and donate some of the food to the Farmer’s Market
Talbot Recreation Reserve is some distance from the township and does not have access to excess water. Such a garden would be more suited in the middle of Talbot.
Page | 41
14.0 Appendix
14.1 Best Practice Planning Considerations To ensure that facilities are planned, developed, managed and
maintained in a sustainable manner and are accessible for people of all
abilities, it is important that the following best practice planning
principles and designs are considered.
14.1.1 Universal Design Principles
Universal design refers to “the design of products and environments to be
useable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need
for adaptation or specialised design.”6
The Principles of Universal Design include7:
No. Principle Description Guidelines
1 Equitable Use
The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities
1a. Provide the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible; equivalent when not. 1b. Avoid segregating or stigmatising any users. 1c. Provisions for privacy, security, and safety should be equally available to all users. 1d. Make the design
6 North Carolina State University, The Center for Universal Design: The
Principles of Universal Design (Version 2.0 – 1997):
http://www.ncsu.edu/www/ncsu/design/sod5/cud/about_ud/udprinciplestext.htm 7 Ibid
No. Principle Description Guidelines
appealing to all users.
2 Flexibility in Use
The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.
2a. Provide choice in methods of use. 2b. Accommodate right- or left-handed access and use. 2c. Facilitate the user's accuracy and precision. 2d. Provide adaptability to the user's pace.
3 Simple and Intuitive Use
Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level.
3a. Eliminate unnecessary complexity. 3b. Be consistent with user expectations and intuition. 3c. Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills. 3d. Arrange information consistent with its importance. 3e. Provide effective prompting and feedback during and after task completion.
4 Perceptible Information
The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of
4a. Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile) for redundant presentation of essential information. 4b. Provide adequate contrast between essential
Page | 42
No. Principle Description Guidelines ambient conditions or the user's sensory abilities.
information and its surroundings. 4c. Maximise "legibility" of essential information. 4d. Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (i.e., make it easy to give instructions or directions). 4e. Provide compatibility with a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory limitations.
5 Tolerance for Error
The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions.
5a. Arrange elements to minimize hazards and errors: most used elements, most accessible; hazardous elements eliminated, isolated, or shielded. 5b. Provide warnings of hazards and errors. 5c. Provide fail safe features. 5d. Discourage unconscious action in tasks that require vigilance.
6 Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue.
6a. Allow user to maintain a neutral body position. 6b. Use reasonable operating forces. 6c. Minimize repetitive actions.
No. Principle Description Guidelines 6d. Minimize sustained physical effort.
7 Size and Space for Approach and Use
Appropriate size and space is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of user's body size, posture, or mobility.
7a. Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated or standing user. 7b. Make reach to all components comfortable for any seated or standing user. 7c. Accommodate variations in hand and grip size. 7d. Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices or personal assistance.
14.1.2 Environmentally Sustainable Design Principles
Environmentally Sustainable Design Principles8 refers to the use of
sensitive design that minimises the impact of the built environment on
the natural environment. Some key features to consider in the
development of sport and recreation facilities are:
Water conservation– installing rainwater tanks for rainwater harvesting,
using reclaimed water, harvesting storm water, planting or warm season
grasses to reduce amount of water required, installing efficient in-ground
8 Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_design
Page | 43
irrigation systems, installing dual flush toilets, installing composting
toilets, installing low flow shower heads, using weather based irrigation
sensors.
Energy efficiency – ensuring products and buildings are designed to
minimise energy use such as fossil fuels, e.g. passive cooling, solar
electricity, solar water, hot water heat recycling, insulation, double
glazing of windows.
Use of low impact materials – using products that are made of recycled
materials or produced using sustainable processes.
Durability and quality– using materials and products of a high standard
with a long life span which don’t need replacing as often as some cheaper
options.
Waste prevention – reusing or recycling products where possible, using
products that are non-toxic, using products that can compost or are
biodegradable.
Sustainable landscape design – planting trees for shade on sports
pavilions or wind protection on sports fields, using local materials (e.g.
timber, gravel, rocks, etc), composting on site for garden beds, planting of
indigenous and drought tolerant trees and shrubs, buying plants and
materials locally to prevent transportation energy costs, and using
recycled materials for seats and other furniture around the reserve.
14.1.3 Healthy By Design
The Heart Foundation (Victorian Division) has produced a series of
resources to encourage planners to develop Supportive Environments for
Physical Activity9. Some key points to note are:
Design Area Some Key Design Considerations for Recreation Reserves
Open Space
Connect walking and cycling routes within open spaces with the broader network
Ensure that feature parks and parks located on busy roads can be accessed via pedestrian crossings leading to or near park entrances
Provide a range of facilities to create active recreation opportunities for children and youth. For example, children’s play equipment, basketball rings and playground markings to encourage activities like hopscotch.
Provide exercise and training equipment along walking paths to encourage more vigorous activity.
Feature park attractions such as community gardens. These provide a sense of community spirit and local ownership.
Design a variety of paths that allow recreational walking around parks or direct passage through parks.
Landscape open spaces to provide pleasant places for people to sit, meet and talk.
Plant tall trunk, broad leaf, broad canopy trees to provide useful shade and an aesthetically pleasing
9 The Heart Foundation (Victorian Division): Healthy by Design: A Planner’s
Guide to Environments for Active Living (2004):
http://www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au/hav/admin.nsf/Images/Healthy_by_Design.p
df/$File/Healthy_by_Design.pdf
Page | 44
Design Area Some Key Design Considerations for Recreation Reserves
Environment. Avoid planting trees that require frequent watering and pruning. Consider drought resistant plants.
Select appropriate species and locate trees to maximise access to shade throughout the day, winter and summer. Chose low maintenance varieties.
Provide natural shade or structured shelter within open spaces to promote sitting, meeting and talking and to provide protection from weather extremes.
Maintain open spaces to a high standard to ensure pedestrian spaces are clean and usable.
Provide drinking fountains in parks and open spaces.
Provide secure trip end bicycle parking facilities for people riding to open spaces
Walking and Cycling Routes
Achieve clear and safe connections through signage, landscaping, lighting and edge treatments.
Maintain clear sightlines along walking and cycling routes using low vegetation (up to 700 mm). Trim tree foliage up to an overhead clearance of 2400 mm above ground level (refer AS1428.1).
Use art to encourage interest and repeated use of the route.
Complement walking and cycling routes with trees for aesthetics and shade.
Maintain walking and cycling routes to a high standard to ensure continuous, accessible paths of travel.
Enable comfortable passage for people in wheelchairs, people with prams, learner cyclists
Design Area Some Key Design Considerations for Recreation Reserves and people walking comfortably side by side with footpaths that are: - A minimum of 1.5 metres wide along collector
or lower order streets. - A minimum of 2.5 metres wide along arterial
roads and approach routes to predictable destinations such as schools, parks and shopping precincts. (Three metre paths or wider are preferred to allow for greater contingency).
Ensure a durable, non-slip surface and even paving designed and constructed for minimum maintenance.
14.1.4 Disability Discrimination Act (1992)
It is unlawful, under the Disability Discrimination Act (1992)10 to
discriminate against someone because they have a disability. The Act
covers access to premises such as sports pavilions and also access to
sports clubs as a player or potential player. The Disability (Access to
Premises – Buildings) Standards 201011 provide details of the Act
specifically as it relates to buildings such as sports pavilions including
10
Commonwealth of Australia Law: Disability Discrimination Act (1992) – start
date: 1/8/10:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/0/C3380D
1AC643D437CA25768E0011A400?OpenDocument
11
Commonwealth of Australia Law: Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings)
Standards 2010:
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/legislation/LegislativeInstrument1.nsf/0/F1E
48F0BD27FFCF4CA2576E2008071DD?OpenDocument
Page | 45
symbols and signs; lighting, hearing augmentation, emergency warning
systems, ramps, toilets, stairways, access ways, doorways, doors,
handrails etc.. It also makes reference to the relevant Australian
Standards for facility design. The new standards, due to commence on 1
May 2011, is complemented by the Building Code of Australia.
14.1.5 DSE Safer Design Guidelines (2005)
This document provides guidelines aimed to create well designed, well managed, safe, accessible and livable places that encourage community participation. Some of the key objectives and design suggestions contained within these Design Guidelines of relevance to play spaces include: Objective 4.1: To maximise natural surveillance of parks and open spaces to encourage use and support people’s perceptions of safety:
Ensure that parks, public open spaces or play areas are visible from neighbouring streets, houses, schools and other buildings.
Buildings with active frontages should be located and designed to overlook public open spaces and parks.
Public open spaces, parks and playgrounds should have active frontages on at least three sides to provide natural surveillance and sightlines deep into the park.
New sub-division layouts should avoid rear fences backing onto public open space and parks.
Avoid cut-off dead spaces or isolated pockets of land within a park that cannot be overlooked. Instead, convert these areas into new residential lots that can overlook the park.
Locate children’s play areas where they are clearly visible from surrounding properties and streets. Install see-through fencing to control access and prevent children from roaming while still providing visibility from the street and surrounding areas.
Objective 4.2: To encourage the use of parks and open space by a range of users at all times of the day to improve the quality of life for the community and improve perceptions of safety in public places:
Provide comfortable places with well-placed seating, good shade and interesting views. These areas are important for encouraging people, particularly the elderly, to use and enjoy public spaces.
Design and position elements such as public furniture, lighting, drinking fountains, public information, public toilets, and play equipment to encourage the informal use of parks.
Provide generous seating opportunities throughout all public open space that is carefully positioned to attract and support its use.
Objective 4.4: To ensure landscaping maintains sightlines of paths in parks and open spaces and allows for natural surveillance:
Where possible, park planting and topography should not block views of paths and open spaces from surrounding streets and houses.
Where landscaping is provided in public open spaces, or in adjacent
streets or parks, ensure trees or vegetation do not block the field of vision between 0.7 metres and 2.4 metres above ground level.
There should be at least one safe through-route in all parks, with frequent ’escape routes’ linking the through-route to surrounding streets and car parks.
Tall shrubs can provide hiding places and should not be planted close to paths or fences.
Ensure vegetation does not obscure lighting, either during its growth phase or at maturity.
Page | 46
NO TREES OR VEGETATION SHOULD BE PLANTED TO BLOCK THE FIELD OF VISION BETWEEN 0.7 METRE AND 2.4 METRES ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
Other relevant objectives include:
To ensure streets and public spaces are attractive and well used to signal care and attention and support people’s feeling of safety
To co-locate pedestrian, cycle and vehicle movement routes, where practical, to maximise activity and natural surveillance opportunities
To provide convenient paths with generous proportions to encourage walking and cycling and promote natural surveillance
To maintain long sightlines along paths and into adjacent spaces to maximise visibility
To provide signage to assist in way finding
To ensure all facilities are well maintained and graffiti is promptly removed to promote a perception of safety and encourage use
To design all car parking areas to maximise natural surveillance and pedestrian visibility
To provide public toilets in highly visible and accessible locations to promote their use and enhance people’s perception of safety
To provide cycle parking in highly visible and accessible locations to enhance user safety
To ensure lighting is carefully integrated to further enhance visibility and natural surveillance of parks and open spaces
To design signage that is easy to see, read and understand. This will assist people to interpret their surroundings and help their way-finding.
14.1.6 Child Friendly Cities / Communities
There is a growing shift world-wide to ensure that communities welcome
children’s participation in all aspects of community life. The United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has developed the concept
of Child Friendly Cities12 to ensure that every child has the right to:
Influence decisions about their city
Express their opinion on the city they want
Participate in family, community and social life
Receive basic services such as health care, education and shelter
Drink safe water and have access to proper sanitation
Be protected from exploitation, violence and abuse
Walk safely in the streets on their own
Meet friends and play
Have green spaces for plants and animals
Live in an unpolluted environment
Participate in cultural and social events
Be an equal citizen of their city with access to every service, regardless of ethnic origin, religion, income, gender or disability.
In order to achieve this vision, nine key elements of inclusion have been identified, as follows:
12
UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Building Child Friendly Cities – A
Framework for Action (2004):
http://www.childfriendlycities.org/documents/view/id/66/lang/en
Page | 47
1. Children’s participation: promoting children’s active involvement
in issues that affect them; listening to their views and taking them into consideration in decision-making processes.
2. A child friendly legal framework: ensuring legislation, regulatory frameworks and procedures which consistently promote and protect the rights of all children.
3. A city-wide Children’s Rights Strategy: developing a detailed, comprehensive strategy or agenda for building a Child Friendly City, based on the Convention.
4. A Children’s Rights Unit or coordinating mechanism: developing permanent structures in local government to ensure priority consideration of children’s perspective.
5. Child impact assessment and evaluation: ensuring that there is a systematic process to assess the impact of law, policy and practice on children – in advance, during and after implementation.
6. A children’s budget: ensuring adequate resource commitment and budget analysis for children.
7. A regular State of the City’s Children Report: ensuring sufficient monitoring and data collection on the state of children and their rights.
8. Making children’s rights known: ensuring awareness of children’s rights among adults and children.
9. Independent advocacy for children: supporting non-governmental organisations and developing independent human rights institutions – children’s ombudspeople or commissioners for children – to promote children’s rights.
Figure 19: Inside Talbot Recreation Reserve Pavilion
Page | 48
14.2 Needs Expressed Through Community Consultation Consultation was undertaken at Talbot Primary School on Tuesday 9 November 2010 as part of the Talbot Primary School New Facilities Opening between
9.30am and 11.30am. 15 young people from grades 5 and 6 and 19 people (females mostly 30-50 years of age and males mostly 40 years of age) were
interviewed, totaling 34.
Recreation Reserve Suggested Improvements
Number
Talbot Rec. Reserve
Find new uses for the Stadium, such as social activities at the Stadium every week for young people (e.g. disco, scrap booking, games, cooking, movies, circus skills); indoor sports such as basketball, indoor cricket, beach volleyball, mini golf, carpet bowls, badminton, etc.; art shows, talent shows; parties; line dancing; bingo, yoga, gentle exercise, etc.
14
Hold various events at the site, e.g. Agricultural Show circuses, dog shows steam rally, car show, swap meets, school fetes, derby cars, regaining, Energy Breakthrough, Carols By Candlelight, Spring Festival Expos, Markets, Little Athletics, soccer, etc
10
Develop a games arcade / fun house at the site 7
Develop play facilities at the site (perhaps a maze, a large pirate ship, a rebound wall, fitness station) 5
Develop retail outlets at the site, e.g. toy shop, gift shop, pet shop, etc 5
Relocate the public swimming pool to the site with water slides and waves 3
Install more seats around the recreation reserve 3
Upgrade pavilion at the Recreation Reserve (including change facilities) 3
Upgrade stadium so that it meets regulation run-off 3
Oval needs better grass coverage – ground is too hard 2
Plant more trees around the site and partner with Landcare to undertake works around bike track 2
Develop skate facilities at the site 2
Develop a community garden at Talbot Recreation Reserve and donate some of the food to the Farmer’s Market 2
Develop an interpretive walking / cycling trail along the creek to connect the town to the Reserve 2
Plant more trees around the Reserve 1
Install pooper scoopers for dog walkers 1
Create a dog park at the Reserve 1
Develop a picnic area with grass, chairs and tables that can be promoted as a rest stop for travellers 1
Remove motorbike track from recreation reserve 1
Page | 49
Recreation Reserve Suggested Improvements
Number
Tidy up surrounds of recreation reserve 1
Hold twilight netball competitions at the netball court 1
Improve netball pavilion 1
Repair netball courts 1
Upgrade public toilets near netball (they don’t flush and they don’t have water) 1
Develop a mini-velodrome at the site 1
Construct a go-kart track / derby carts at the site 1
Hold hockey competitions of the sports ground 1
Install fake grass at the site 1
Hold dog shows at the Recreation Reserve 1
Develop a motorbike jumps track 1
Operate tours around Talbot, incorporating the Reserve 1
Repair fence around the oval 1
Develop a concrete path around the oval to allow bikes, go-karts, scooters and cars to be raced 1
Develop a BMX track at the Reserve 1
Develop spa / body massage treatments for the site 1
General Comments
Need more walking / cycling tracks around all reserves – and ensure that these tracks are maintained 3
Public toilets need to be in good condition, otherwise people won’t use them. Too often public toilets are closed and not properly maintained
3
Need an off leash dog area and information about where you can walk dogs that are off their leashes 2
Need to connect all recreation reserves to public transport and ensure there are seats at bus stops 2
Need access to more water to better maintain all sports facilities 1
Lack of information about opportunities available at recreation reserves 1
Off leash dogs are problematic at some reserves when not controlled by owners 1
User groups need to take some ownership and responsibility for maintaining their sites 1
Page | 50
14.3 Needs Expressed Through Key Stakeholder Interviews A number of key stakeholders, including Council officers and representatives of user groups, were interviewed to seek their ideas on ways to improve the
Recreation Reserve. A summary of their comments follows:
Reserve Comments Talbot Recreation Reserve
Need to find additional uses for stadium, e.g. After School Active Sports Program
Need to relocate shelter and asphalt grassed area to the fence
Need to install a new irrigation system
Need to upgrade the boundary fence
Need to install a play area
Need to remove dead trees from the site
Need to build 2-3 new practice cricket nets
Need to develop an additional netball court
Need to upgrade score box as stairs are too steep
Need 3 phase power for caravan park
Need to upgrade caravan park shower block
General Need to develop a policy regarding signage and sponsorship signage at recreation reserves
Need to involve planning department in any vegetation removals
Need to ensure that any new developments consider sensitive design rather than ‘cheap and nasty’
Need to improve visual amenity of all recreation reserves
Need to provide guidelines to Committees of Management on appropriate trees for planting at reserves
Need to prioritise upgrade of existing buildings wherever possible over development of new buildings
Need to ensure that any buildings developed are as low maintenance as possible, e.g. constructed of steel and colorbond, do not feature weatherboards, do not have internal gutters, etc
Need to ensure that any water tanks installed are fire- and vandal-proof
Need to install extra installation into buildings where possible
Need to consider that solar panels only have a ten year life span
Need to ensure that solar water tanks are constructed of stainless steel and that they are regularly maintained
Need to limit the number of sports grounds with lights
Need to establish level of service that Council will provide to clubs and any associated fees
Need to ensure that Committees of Management have representatives from non-user groups as well
Page | 51
Reserve Comments
Need to discourage development of single purpose facilities, unless the facility is of regional significance with multiple playing surfaces of a high standard
Need to encourage the development of non-traditional physical activities at recreation reserves
Need to provide improved communication between CGS and clubs in relation to roles and responsibilities, funding opportunities and assistance
Need to consider different management models (e.g. Serpentine Inc.)
Need to ensure that clubs and Council are each aware of their roles and responsibilities
Need Council to organise annual meetings of all user groups at Recreation Reserves to allow information distribution and discussions
Need to check club insurances annually
Need to establish a Developer Contribution scheme
Need to ensure that facilities are as multi-purpose as possible
Need to consider drainage, cross-fall, access roads, fencing, venue management, horticulture and standard of construction
Page | 52
14.4 Potential Funding Sources
Funding Program and
Website Address
Organisation Grant Amounts Opening Date
(of current or
previous
round)
Closing Date (of
current or
previous
round)
Details
Community Facility Funding
Program – Building
Community Infrastructure -
Major Facilities
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/community-facilities
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Up to $650,000
for projects
costing more
than $500,000
(excluding GST).
Funding on the
following basis
DPCD $1 : Local
$1 for rural areas
July 2011 24 August 2011 Grants to improve places where communities meet and
interact. Applications should focus on building or upgrading
community sport and recreation facilities that are
innovative, effectively managed, environmentally
sustainable and well-used. Project proposals require
significant justification such as feasibility studies.
Community Facility Funding
Program – Building
Community Infrastructure -
Minor Facilities
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/community-
facilities/community-facilities
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Up to $100,000
for projects
costing up to
$500,000
(excluding GST).
Funding on the
following basis
DPCD $2: Local
$1 for rural areas
July 2011 28 September
2011
Funding will support projects that provide: Upgrades to
outdated and non-compliant facilities, e.g. change facilities
for junior or female use; shared paths and tracks; sports
surface development; increased participation capacity
through lighting developments; projects for young people
and families such as playgrounds and skate parks or BMX
tracks; program and meeting space; more accessible and
inclusive facilities; projects promoting efficient and
sustainable use of Victoria’s natural resources for
community sport and recreation facilities. Application must
be supported by Council.
Page | 53
Funding Program and
Website Address
Organisation Grant Amounts Opening Date
(of current or
previous
round)
Closing Date (of
current or
previous
round)
Details
Community Facility Funding
Program – Building
Community Infrastructure -
Planning
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/community-
facilities/community-facilities
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Up to $30,000.
Funding on a $2
for $1 basis.
July 2011 22 November
2011
Aiming to assist communities to plan for future community
sport and recreation provision through better information
collection, community consultation and strategic planning.
Country Football & Netball
Program
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/country-football-and-
netball
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Up to $100,000
Funding on the
following basis
DPCD $2: Local
$1 for rural areas
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Funding to assist country football and netball clubs and
umpiring organisations to develop facilities in particular
areas of need including: football, netball and umpire
facilities, shared community, club and social facilities, multi-
use facilities or lighting.
Country Action Grant
Scheme
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/country-action-grant-
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Up to $5,000 Currently closed
1 March 2011
For initiatives that help organisations operate more
effectively; e.g. Funding for attendance at relevant training
courses; Initiatives to help organisations provide accessible
sport and active recreation opportunities for members of the
local community
Page | 54
Funding Program and
Website Address
Organisation Grant Amounts Opening Date
(of current or
previous
round)
Closing Date (of
current or
previous
round)
Details
scheme
Active Club Grants
http://www.vichealth.vic.gov
.au/Programs-and-
Projects/Physical-
Activity/PICSAR/Active-Club-
Grants.aspx
VicHealth Up to $2,500 Currently
closed
9 February
2011
For sports injury prevention equipment, essential sporting
equipment, portable shade and volunteer and club training.
These grants aim to:
- Encourage and increase participation opportunities
in physical activity for those who are currently
inactive or traditionally encounter barriers to
participation, by providing equipment or training
- Improve the safety of sporting and active recreation
environments and reduce the likelihood of injury
while promoting physical activity.
Putting Locals First Program:
Project Planning
http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/c
ommunity-programs/putting-
locals-first/community-
initiatives/project -planning
Regional
Development
Victoria
Up to $30,000 Funding on the following basis RDV $3: Other $1 for rural areas
Applications
can be
submitted at
any time
Activities that could be supported include: feasibility
planning for infrastructure projects; initial work to bring
together a range of organisations and groups; short term
work testing the viability and support for an innovative
response to a local community problem or issue.
Page | 55
Funding Program and
Website Address
Organisation Grant Amounts Opening Date
(of current or
previous
round)
Closing Date (of
current or
previous
round)
Details
Putting Locals First Program:
Improved Local
Infrastructure
http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/c
ommunity-programs/putting-
locals-first/local-
infrastructure
Regional
Development
Victoria
Up to $300,000.
Funding on the
following basis,
RDV $3: $1
Other for rural
areas.
Over $300,000 to maximum of $500,000 RDV $2: $1 Other excluding land
Applications
can be
submitted at
any time.
Funding to support investment in priority infrastructure that
meets local needs. Examples include: civic revitalisation
initiatives; building or upgrading shared community facilities;
pathway projects connecting communities and attracting
visitors; innovative water projects that improve the use of
recycled water at community facilities.
Victorian Volunteer Small
Grants
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/victorian-volunteer-
small-grants
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Up to $5,000 Open for
applications
on an ongoing
basis
Open for
applications on
an ongoing
basis
Available for community not for profit groups to: attract new volunteers from diverse backgrounds, e.g. Indigenous people, newly arrived migrants, people with disabilities; create new volunteering opportunities; and strengthen existing volunteering programs as a way of engaging new volunteers. Examples of the activities or projects which could be funded include: a mentoring and awareness-raising program to involve people with disabilities as new volunteers in community organisations; a recruitment plan and advertising campaign, designed in partnership with an Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, to involve newly arrived migrants in rural communities in volunteering; recruiting and training local Indigenous volunteers to develop an Indigenous history program for local school children; providing essential equipment as part of a campaign to recruit and train more volunteers as life savers on local beaches; or developing accessible signage, website and training resources to
Page | 56
Funding Program and
Website Address
Organisation Grant Amounts Opening Date
(of current or
previous
round)
Closing Date (of
current or
previous
round)
Details
increase the participation of people with disabilities as volunteers
Sustainable Sports Ground
Program
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/
home/grants/all-
grants/sustainable-sports-
grounds
Department of
Planning and
Community
Development
Maximum grant is up to $100,000
DPCD $2:$1 local
for rural areas
30 June 2011 10 August 2011 The Sustainable Sports Grounds Program will help local
communities implement sustainable water management
practice and achieve high levels of use and participation at
sport and recreation facilities.
The Sustainable Sports Grounds Program will support
projects that provide sustainable reductions in the use of
potable water, including:
– provision of recycled water infrastructure for sports fields
– replacement of turf or red porous surfaces with hard or
synthetic surfaces
– water run-off harvesting, re-use and storage initiatives
– developing fields with drought resistant turf species
– water efficient irrigation systems for sport facilities
– recycling of water used at sporting facilities
– pool blankets for aquatic facilities
– the development and use of alternative water sources.
Applications can only be submitted by Local Government
Authorities.
Small Grants for Small Rural
Communities Program
http://www.frrr.org.au/progr
Foundation for
Rural and Regional
Renewal
Up to $5,000 Currently
closed
March 2011 Not-for-profit organisations can apply for projects and
activities that offer clear public benefit for communities
living in small rural and remote locations in Australia,
contributing to their development in social and community
Page | 57
Funding Program and
Website Address
Organisation Grant Amounts Opening Date
(of current or
previous
round)
Closing Date (of
current or
previous
round)
Details
amsDetail.asp?ProgramID=4
welfare, economic, environmental, health, education or
cultural areas. Applications from sporting organisations
need to clearly demonstrate a benefit to the wider
community.
Page | 58
14.5 Proposed Site Plan
Page | 59