Wellington Shire Council: Gippsland Regional Sports Complex
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Gippsland Regional Sports Complex is an example of local government designing and constructing significant public works infrastructure, adding significant value to the benefiting community.
This project delivered a high quality set of infrastructure that provides for increased opportunities across a wide cross section of the community whilst actively encouraging participation and inclusion.
Gippsland Regional Sports Complex (GRSC) is a regionally significant piece of sporting infrastructure. It is an evolution of a master planned project that delivers a multitude of leisure, sporting and community well being outcomes. Please refer Site Masterplan attached below. The capital cost of GRSC was $8M and was comprised of funding from all tiers of government, with Wellington Shire Council being the greatest contributor.
The multi-purpose complex was designed to allow for indoor and outdoor facilities, including a four court indoor sports stadium with associated change rooms, public amenities, conference areas, and café. In addition, the complex also boasts 12 outdoor netball courts with associated time keeping facilities and competition level lighting. All courts were designed to meet regional level competition standards. Other attributes of the design included car parking, shade shelters, administration areas and open café area used as general community space.
Positive Impact of Project
Planning for GRSC involved a high level of consultation, both internal and external. The primary internal method was through the Project Control Group (PCG). Input received from user groups who were represented on the GRSC Steering Committee was evaluated and incorporated into the project. Having these two core groups with joint responsibilities for consultation worked exceptionally well in delivering a project that exceeded community expectation. The main objectives of the GRSC project were as follows:
- Deliver a regional level sporting facility promoting accessibility and inclusiveness
- Host major tournaments for multiple sports
- Provide a venue for accommodating large groups delivering training and conferences
- Responsibly expand and renew Council assets
- Meet domestic level competition requirements
- Cater for the future recreation needs of the Wellington community through a master-planned approach
- Attract high levels of supporting funding offsetting the financial burden on Council
All key objectives have been aptly achieved, and the delivery of GRSC has enabled the key user groups (netball / basketball) to expand their existing competitions and tournaments, whilst attracting other regional events. Some of the key events have been attracted to the region thus far include:
- WM Loud Regional Netball Tournament.
- Australian Floorball Open
- Indoor Hockey National Championships
Since GRSC commenced operations in early 2011, both netball and basketball have since seen a strong increase in numbers. This is particularly evident in the junior age groups whereby the local basketball association has seen strong increases in participation, with at least 60 new players having become involved over the past 12 months.
In addition to the positive outcomes generated by the GRSC project through the inter relationships generated between the sporting, education, health and tourism sectors, other positive outcomes the project will continue to deliver include:
- Creating a stronger sense of well-being through sports participation;
- A stronger sense of community as a result of a happier, healthier community;
- The potential for reduced crime and vandalism through the engagement of the community in programmed sporting activities;
- A wiser use of land and building resources, preservation of natural areas and appreciation and protection of the environment;
- Improved access for those with special needs;
- Attract and accommodate regional level sporting events;
- Sustainable design aspects;
- Renewed sporting assets which replace expired ones reducing duplication of facilities generating subsequent efficiencies;
- Consolidate a variety of dispersed sports onto the one location;
- Significantly improve the amenity of facility that a variety of sporting groups access to train and compete on;
- Future location of soccer and hockey (GRSC stage II).
Another major benefit that GRSC provides the Wellington Community and wider Gippsland region is improved social inclusion. Key statistics relative to Wellington Shire when compared to the Victorian average show:
- Lower life expectancy;
- Higher levels of disadvantage (SEIFA);
- More low income residents;
- Higher unemployment rate;
- Lower participation rates;
- Higher number of indigenous people;
- Higher number of people classified as overweight or obese.
All of the above factors contribute to making people feel socially isolated. GRSC promotes social inclusion by providing accessible facilities and programs which will reduce barriers and allow increased participation and social interaction for all of the community. GRSC is located within a geographic area defined as disadvantage, and its close proximity to these areas is within walking distance removing barriers that can be presented by lack of transport.
A number of innovative processes and features associated with the construction of GRSC have been indentified within this application, and in summary include:
- Sustainability aspects;
- Project consultation through a steering committee;
- Council demonstrating sound planning processes which played a key role in obtaining supporting funding from state and federal governments – the masterplan development was highly important in this respect;
- Consolidating what Council had previously located in separate locations onto the one site (netball / basketball with GRSC stage II allowing for co-location of soccer, hockey and touch football);
- Use of a synthetic indoor sports flooring surface – this provides reduced life costs and is more suitable to a wider range of uses including for example the ability to withstand heavy traffic and equipment which may be required for major events.
Landscape design has been based on sustainability principles, including:
- Use of low water use native plants throughout;
- Irrigation designed to use captured stormwater;
- Use of drought tolerant grass species.
GRSC also benefits the community from a natural environmental perspective and features a number of water and energy efficient features. These include systems such as:
- Rain water harvesting;
- Roof run off collected in tanks for use in toilets to reduce potable water use;
- Tank overflow into stormwater retention lake;
- Low water cisterns, AAA (WELS) rated fittings and fixtures;
- Passive solar design, performance glasses, natural ventilation and thermal chimneys to reduce the need for heating and cooling;
- Solar heating for hot water;
- Photo electronic lighting control;
- Use of translucent material to provide natural lighting reducing power usage;
- Used of recycled materials used for landscaping;
- Choice of materials with high thermal values, resilient, durable and corrosion resistant.
As the project was a new initiative there was a requirement to complete operational budget modelling. During the process Council engaged a consultant to prepare a business plan for the new centre using industry benchmarks to establish expected income, expenditure and programming. This was used as evidence for management to assert the benefits and understand the operational budget impact the project would have: a highly positive one. This was also referred to throughout the design phase to ensure the facility could deliver the range of opportunities the business plan had identified.
Council is very proud of the outcomes and successes GRSC has provided. In this respect there are only minor changes suggested if completing another project of this type. Such changes relate to ensuring that when community consultation is completed, the levels of technical detail are better simplified so as not to create confusion, for example, ensuring there are 3D plans as opposed to detailed drawings.