recreation & open space strategic plan - cessnock … and... · 9 cessnock city council...

RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE STRATEGIC

PLAN

PREPARED BY THE RECREATION

SERVICES SECTION

2 Cessnock City Council Recreation and Open Space Strategic Plan

Summary

The Recreation and Open Space Strategic Plan (2009) seeks to assist Cessnock City Council to

plan and manage the future development and maintenance needs of open space and recreation

facilities throughout the Cessnock Local Government Area. It is also the intent of the strategic plan

to be utilised by the community and local sporting groups to see future recreation works planned

within their town or sporting facility.

Strategic direction for the plan is provided through a number of planning concepts and guidelines

including Council’s Strategic Plan (Our People, Our Place, Our Future); open space guidelines

provided by the Department of Planning (1992); public land management which is drawn from the

Local Government Act (1993); park and sportsground guidelines which reflect the level of facilities,

service standards and size of the catchment that attracts users to parks; and the Recreation

Opportunity Spectrum along with the settings approach which focuses on providing a diversity of

recreation experiences.

Recreation supply throughout the Cessnock Local Government Area was analysed and examined.

Recommendations have been provided where gaps in the provision of recreation settings were

found. A number of methodologies were utilised to examine current recreation demand including

resident and user group surveys, an investigation into recreation and leisure trends at a National,

State and Local level, analysis of past capital works, review of parks maintenance and

playgrounds, and review of aquatic facilities and indoor sports facilities.

An analysis of supply and demand through the use of spatial maps identified a number of areas of

over/under supply in open space throughout the LGA. The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy and

the significance that the proposed area rezonings will have on the provision of recreation and open

space areas have been included in the analysis of supply and demand. Open space

recommendations for the Cessnock LGA are also provided in the plan. Thirty two parcels of

Council owned land identified as ‘surplus’ land are highlighted along with parcels of land to be

acquired for future expansions of recreation and sporting facilities.

Recommendations were developed for Council’s open space and recreation areas. These

Recommendations are a culmination of the data collected from the previously mentioned

investigations. Recommendations are categorised into six key subject areas, those being, parks

and gardens, active sporting/recreational open space and facilities, natural areas, ancillary open

space, management and access. Following the recommendations a five year Recreation Capital

Works Program for Floodlights, Buildings, Playgrounds and Field Improvements has been

established and is included in the 2008 Recreation and Open Space Strategic Plan.


Key Recommendations

• Areas where the supply of open space is insufficient (Aberdare, Ellalong) to be investigated

and addressed;

• Partnerships with private land owners to be investigated by Council within the Pokolbin

area for the purpose of establishing sporting facilities;

• That Council continue to implement the Aquatics Policy with an emphasis on Cessnock

Pool, i.e. Finalise investigations into the relocation of Cessnock Pool to an alternate

centralised location;

• That a more consistent approach be taken in terms of the implementation of the Small

Towns Masterplans for the townships of Greta, Branxton and Weston.

• That Public art within Councils parks and reserves be incorporated into Councils Cultural

Plan with key projects identified;

• A skateboard and BMX needs study to be undertaken to determine the demand for these

types of youth facilities in the Cessnock LGA;


TABLE of CONTENTS

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK................................................................................................ 5

VISION.......................................................................................................................................................................... 6

GOALS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6

HOW DOES THIS PLAN LINK TO OTHERS ............................................................................................................................... 6

STUDY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................................ 8

PLANNING CONCEPTS....................................................................................................................................................... 8

PLANNING DISTRICTS ......................................................................................................................................................11

CESSNOCK LGA OVERVIEW AND SOCIAL PROFILE ......................................................................................................13

GEOGRAPHIC NATURE OF THE AREA ...................................................................................................................................14

SOCIAL PROFILE .............................................................................................................................................................15

HEALTH PROFILE ............................................................................................................................................................20

RECREATION SETTINGS SUPPLY .................................................................................................................................23

RECREATION DEMAND ..............................................................................................................................................29

SURVEY OF RESIDENTS.....................................................................................................................................................30

SURVEY OF USER GROUPS ................................................................................................................................................31

RECREATION AND LEISURE DEMAND TRENDS........................................................................................................................32

ANALYSIS OF FIELD USAGE................................................................................................................................................34

ANALYSIS OF CAPITAL WORKS...........................................................................................................................................36

REVIEW OF PARKS MAINTENANCE......................................................................................................................................40

REVIEW OF PLAYGROUNDS ...............................................................................................................................................41

REVIEW OF AQUATIC FACILITIES.........................................................................................................................................42

REVIEW OF INDOOR SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES .................................................................................................43

ANALYSIS OF SUPPLY & DEMAND..............................................................................................................................45

RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................................................................61

PARKS CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAM............................................................................................................................77

OPEN SPACE RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................................................90

APPENDICES ..............................................................................................................................................................95

APPENDIX A – RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE GUIDELINES.......................................................................................96

APPENDIX B – SCHEDULE OF PLANS OF MANAGEMENT AND MASTERPLANS ..........................................................102

APPENDIX C – SPATIAL ANALYSIS MAPS ..................................................................................................................103

APPENDIX D – MAPS OF EXCESS OPEN SPACE..........................................................................................................105


Strategic Direction

and Planning

Framework


Vision

Cessnock City Council has adopted the following statement as its vision:

“Cessnock City Council’s vision is for a safe, healthy environment where residents can

enjoy a high quality of life. Our Cessnock City of the future will offer quality lifestyle and

security, local services and shopping, local jobs, an unspoiled environment, safety,

convenience, comfort and confidence in the future.”

Goals

Council’s goals are as follows:

1. To promote and provide quality services and facilities which focus on the needs of the

community;

2. To protect, enhance and promote our natural, developed and cultural environment;

3. To actively foster the creation of employment and sustainable development opportunities

acceptable to community and environmental standards;

4. To be a professionally managed and customer focused organisation which provides leadership

through partnerships with the community; and

5. To identify needs, share information and provide opportunities for active participation and

community consultation.

How Does This Plan Link to Others

The Vision Plan “Our People, Our Place, Our Future” is Council’s strategic plan for the future and

was developed following extensive community consultation. The plan identifies the many tasks

that Council will undertake in order to achieve the goals of the Vision Plan. The Recreation and

Open Space Strategic Plan addresses the following recreation and open space objectives listed in

the Vision Plan:-

• Review and update the 1996 Outdoor Recreation and Open Space Plan as well as the

complementary Plans of Management and Masterplans;

• Targeting the establishment of centralised high quality parkland and sporting facilities;

• Progressively address issues of concern to major stakeholders, in particular the replacement

of floodlighting systems and carparking at recreational settings;

• Investigation of the future direction of aquatics and indoor sporting facilities throughout the

LGA; and

• Maximisation of external funding options via collaborative approaches such as partnerships

and joint ventures.


Council’s Management Plan 2008 - 2011 is a summary of what Council plans to do for the coming

year and includes broad proposals for the next two years. Aside from the review of the 1996

Outdoor Recreation and Open Space Plan, Cessnock City Council has a number of principle roles

within the Management Plan which directly relate to Council’s Social and Community Plan as well

as the provision of recreational and community facilities and services. These are:

• The provision, maintenance and management of sporting and recreational infrastructure

including playing fields and amenities, floodlights, children’s playgrounds, pathways, public

open space including public toilets, park furniture, swimming pools and community halls and

centres;

• The development and review of Masterplans for key recreation and community facilities. This

role entails close consultation with key users of facilities as well as Council staff and includes an

exhibition period to ensure community input into the process;

• Assisting groups to improve or refurbish sporting or community facilities and purchase

equipment with long term benefits to the groups and Council via the administration of dollar for

dollar grant schemes for Community Facilities, Tidy Towns and Sporting Facilities; and

• The implementation of strategies that ensure all Council services and facilities are as equitable

and accessible as possible to all segments of the community.

Additionally, the annual budget for recreation and open space areas and community facilities is

prepared in line with Council adopted Masterplans and Plans of Management for community and

recreation facilities. Programs for prioritised capital works and planned maintenance for a three

year period are incorporated into each budget. This ensures that Council’s expenditure in this area

is clear and concise and meets the needs of the community.


Study Aims and Objectives

This study aims to assist Council to plan and manage the future development and maintenance

needs of open space and recreation facilities throughout the LGA for the people of the City.

The objectives of the study are:

• To ensure that the distribution of open space and recreation settings matches the current

and future population characteristics;

• To plan for open space areas in consideration of opportunities; and

• To provide the basis for Council to determine the direction of open space and recreational

capital development and maintenance needs over the short to medium term.

Planning Concepts

A number of planning concepts and guidelines utilised within the 1996 Open Space Plan are

embedded within Cessnock City Council’s recreation planning framework and are still relevant and

valid today. As a result these will be utilised within the current Recreation and Open Space

Strategic Plan and are outlined below.

Recreation Opportunity Spectrum and the Settings Ap proach

The concept of Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) was developed by Driver and Brown

(1978). The ROS provides a conceptual framework for thinking about how to create a diversity of

recreation experiences, rather than just provide standard recreational facilities. The Cessnock

Local Government Area contains a variety of recreation settings including indoor and outdoor,

natural and built. An analysis of recreation settings has been undertaken within this report by the

Infrastructure and Services Department to identify any gaps within the recreation settings supply.

Open Space Guidelines

In recent years, planning for open space, recreation and community facilities has moved away from

the use of quantitative standards of provision, such as fixed ratio of supply of open space per 1000

people, towards a more ‘needs’ based approach. This focus on ‘needs’ based planning has been

applied to this plan, with standards used only as an indicative guide. Standards in this regard help

to ‘benchmark’ or quantify current practice against future plans.


Some of the standards and benchmarks commonly applied to facilities and open space include:

• Total open space (passive and active) – 2.83 hectares per 1000 people (Department of

Planning)

• Active Open Space – 1.21 hectares per 1000 people (Department of Planning)

• Passive Open Space – 1.62 hectares per 1000 people (Department of Planning)

In 1992 the Department of Planning published guidelines to aid Council’s in preparing strategies for

Open Space. The guidelines incorporated several concepts that Councils are encouraged to adopt

in the preparation of open space strategies:

• Open space provision determined via a needs-based approach that allows the characteristics

of the local community and environment to be considered and open space and recreation

facilities to be developed to match the community’s needs;

• A shift towards an open space classification system based on what experiences users gain

from a visit rather than what facilities are present;

• Classification of each open space area according to recreation settings.

It is important to note that the Department of Planning is currently reviewing the Open Space

Guidelines, however no clear timeframes have been provided for when the new guidelines will be

published. Depending on the significance of the changes these may be incorporated into this plan

at a later date.

Recreation and Open Space Guidelines

Parks and sportsgrounds within this strategy have been assigned a hierarchy being local, district or

regional, that reflects the level of facilities, service standards and size of the catchment that attracts

users of the park and/or sportsground.

The hierarchy a park or reserve is assigned will provide a guide to the:

• Levels of development and infrastructure expected by the community;

• Service level standards, particularly relating to maintenance;

• Carrying capacity, that is, the ability to accommodate intensity of visitors;

• Flexibility to meet changing demands;

• Leasing, licensing and casual hiring requirements; and

• Funding priorities.

The recreation and open space guidelines can be found in Appendix A. These guidelines can be

used in the review of facilities at individual parks and sportsgrounds when undertaking Masterplans

or Plans of Management, when making comments on subdivisions and area re-zonings or when

considering requests from the public for extra facilities.


Public Land Management

The introduction of the Local Government Act (1993) significantly changed the manner in which

Councils identify, classify and manage land that they own or control. All public land must be

classified by Council as either ‘community’ or ‘operational’ land.

Community land is land dedicated to community use such as parks, natural areas and

sportsgrounds. The Local Government Act requires that community land be managed in

accordance with plans developed in accordance with the Act.

Conditions that apply to community land are:

• Community land cannot be sold;

• Cannot be leased, licensed or have any other estate granted over the land for more than 21

years; and

• A Plan of Management must be prepared or applied.

Operational land has no special management restrictions other than those that may apply to any

piece of land such as zoning. Operational land does not require a plan of management.

Community Land must be categorised as one or more of the following:

• Natural Area

• Park

• Sportsground

• Area of cultural significance e.g. Aboriginal or historical.

• General Community Use

It is important to note that a portion of community land may involve more than one category i.e.

Local Park with a children’s playground and remnant bushland.

Council initially adopted Plans of Management for all of its community land in 1996 and have

subsequently reviewed and updated a number of these plans in the interim. A five year plan for

updating Council’s Plans of Management and associated Masterplans is provided in Appendix B.


Planning Districts

Similarly to the 1996 Outdoor Recreation and Open Space Plan, for this study the City has been

divided geographically into planning districts.

There are six separate districts covering different parts of the Local Government Area. There are

three Urban Districts, covering the main built up areas of the City; and there are three Rural

Districts, covering the remaining largely rural area.


Cessnock LGA

Overview and Social

Profile


Geographic Nature of the Area

Cessnock is a sub-region of the Hunter Valley with a current population estimated to be 49,016

people (Community Profile 2007), in an area of 1950 square kilometres. The majority of the

population of the City is located in a thin urban belt between Cessnock and Kurri Kurri with the

remainder located in outlying rural areas.

Some communities within this Local Government Area, notably Greta/Branxton and

Laguna/Bucketty, are geographically close to major population centres in other Local Government

Areas (Maitland and Wyong/Gosford respectively).

The City of Cessnock is centrally located, being within relatively easy driving distance from

Sydney, Newcastle and the Coast. Cessnock is the dominant town in the City servicing the

surrounding rural areas.

The Cessnock Local Government Area is characterised by a variety of geographic features, which

include large areas of state forest, national parks and world heritage areas, grazing land and areas

for viticulture. There is no major river system and extremes of temperature are experienced.


Social Profile

The LGA has two main townships, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri, with much of the population

concentrated in a narrow urban belt between these. The population grew slightly between 2001

and 2006. Over the last 10 years, the enumerated population (excluding overseas visitors), has

remained stable with a small increase of 1,730 people in the Cessnock LGA (from 44,289 in 1996,

to 46,019 in 2006).

Chart 1: LGA Population

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Census 1996

Census 2001

Census 2006

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2006 Census of Population and Housing


Age Structure

An analysis of the age structure, based on the 2006 Census Data, suggests that compared to the

Hunter Statistical Division, the Cessnock LGA has a larger portion of people in the younger age

groups (0-17 years) but a smaller portion of people in the older age groups (60 + years). Overall,

26.2% of the population was aged between 0 and 17 years, and 18.8% were aged 60 years and

over, compared with 24.1% and 21.2% respectively for the Hunter Statistical Division.

The largest change in age structure within the Cessnock LGA between 2001 and 2006 were in the

age groups:

• 25 to 34 years (-285 people)

• 35 to 49 years (-233 people)

• 50 to 59 years (+ 782 people)

• 60 to 69 years (+ 675 people)

Chart 2: Age Structure


**Please note that the Hunter Statistical Division is a large regional type spatial unit and aggregate tha t contains

Dungog, Gloucester, Great Lakes, Muswellbrook, Singl eton and Upper Hunter Shire Local Government Area’s.


Income Levels

Analysis of individual income levels in the Cessnock LGA in 2006 compared to the Hunter

Statistical Division shows that there was a smaller proportion of persons earning a high income

(those earning $1,000 per week or more) but a larger proportion of low income persons (those

earning less than $400 per week).

Overall, 13.1% of the population earned a high income, and 50.0% earned a low income,

compared with 15.8% and 47.0% respectively for the Hunter Statistical Division.

Chart 3: Weekly Individual Income


Educational Profile

Analysis of the qualifications of the population in the Cessnock LGA in 2006 compared to the

Hunter Statistical Division shows that there was a smaller proportion of people holding formal

qualifications (Bachelor or higher degree; Advanced Diploma or Diploma; or Vocational

qualifications) and a larger proportion of people with no formal qualifications. Overall, 32.1% of the

population held educational qualifications, and 54.1% had no qualifications, compared with 38.4%

and 49.2% respectively for the Hunter Statistical Division.

The major difference between the qualifications held by the population in the Cessnock LGA and

the Hunter Statistical Division was:

• A smaller percentage of people with Bachelor or Higher degrees (5.5% compared to

10.6%).

The largest changes in the qualifications of the population in the LGA between 2001 and 2006

were in those with:

• Vocational qualifications (+1,268 persons), and;

• No qualifications (-1,156 persons)

Chart 4: Level of Education



Employment Profile

The size of the LGA’s labour force in 2006 was 19,600 persons, of which 6,374 were employed

part-time (32.5%) and 10,936 were full time workers (55.8%). Analysis of the employment status of

the population in the LGA in 2006 compared to the Hunter Statistical Division shows that there was

a smaller proportion in employment, and a larger proportion unemployed.

Overall, 91.5% of the labour force was employed (49.9% of the population aged 15+), and 8.5%

unemployed (4.6% of the population aged 15+), compared with 93.0% and 7.0% respectively for

the Hunter Statistical Division.

Between 2001 and 2006, the number of people employed in the Cessnock LGA showed an

increase of 1,878 persons and the number unemployed showed a decrease of 421 persons.

Chart 5: Employment Profile

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Cessnock NSW Australia

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Note: The Social Profile text was provided by I.D (Informed Decision)


Health Profile

Two reports are considered within this section at both a national and local level to determine the

current health status of residents, particularly in the areas of obesity. The documents reviewed

include:

• Australian Bureau of Statistics Publication: Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Australia

2004-2005

• Hunter Valley Research Foundation Wellbeing Research Program: Health, Wealth and

Happiness 2006

National level

Key findings of the Australian Bureau of Statistics publication show that:

• More than half (54%) of Australian adults are either overweight or obese

• This has increased from 18 years ago when 38% of adults were regarded as being

overweight or obese (in 1989-90).

• In 2004-05 the number of Australians aged 18 years and over who were regarded as

overweight or obese was 7.4 million, an increase of 2.8 million people over the previous 15

years.

• Men were more likely to be overweight or obese than women.

• Adults with a degree, diploma or higher qualification were less likely to be overweight or

obese than those with other or no non-school qualifications.

• Those in low income households were more likely to be obese. Around one fifth (21%) of

adults in low income households were obese compared with 16% of adults in high income

households.

Local Level

It is evident when examining the following report that the trend of obesity flows through to the local

level. The following report identifies that there is a high level of obesity and heart disease within the

Cessnock LGA.

Specifically, the Hunter Valley Research Foundation Report found that:

• Cessnock LGA lags behind the rest of the Hunter in some key indicators for health, wealth

and happiness.

• Alarmingly approximately 36% of Cessnock residents surveyed had a BMI score that put

them in the very overweight/obese category. This proportion is significantly higher than for

the rest of the Hunter (22.2%).

• Given the links between obesity and many chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes

and hypertension, the above finding indicates that a higher proportion of Cessnock

residents are at risk of chronic disease if their weight remains excessively high.

• That increasing venues in Cessnock that provide opportunities for more active forms of

leisure may assist in addressing the high level of obesity.


Lower Hunter Regional Strategy

The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy (LHRS) was released by the Department of Planning (DoP) in

October 2006. The strategy will guide local planning in the five local government areas of

Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland and Cessnock. The strategy aims to ensure

that adequate land is available and appropriately located to sustainably accommodate the

projected housing, employment and environmental needs of the region’s population over the next

25 years. The strategy is based on forecasts that there will be a 25% increase in the region’s

population over the next 25 years.

At the local level, key components of the strategy include:

• Provides for 21,700 new dwellings. It is proposed that 2000 dwellings are to be found as

urban infill and 19,700 dwellings in new release (Greenfield) sites.

• Provides for a population increase of 45,000;

• Promotes Cessnock as one of six regional centres and designated growth areas;

• Highlights the importance of the Vineyards District and Hunter Employment Zone (HEZ) as

employment centres and their protection;

• Provides for additional 2200ha of land to the Werekata National Park, near Cessnock; and

• Provides for an additional 6000ha of land to Wollemi and Yengo National Parks.

With both an ageing and growing population, the cumulative impact will see a long term increase in

demand on Council’s current recreation and open space areas. The major increased demand is

expected where the planned population increases will occur particularly in the townships of

Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Millfield, Branxton and Greta.

A summary of major areas of development and the implications on existing and open space areas

is further explored when examining supply and demand.


Summary of Social Profile

Through undertaking a comparative analysis of the 2001 and 2006 census data as well as

examining findings within the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy a number of areas which require

further consideration have been identified. These include:

• The Cessnock LGA has an ageing population, with a significant increase in persons aged

50 years and over from the 2001 to 2006 census. This is a trend which is expected to

continue and is in contrast to the younger age groups in the region which have seen a

decrease in persons;

• Half of the population in the Cessnock LGA are low income earners, i.e. earning less than

$400 per week;

• Over half of the population in the Cessnock LGA have no formal qualifications (tertiary,

Tafe level etc). More importantly this figure continues to rise each census; and

• An expected population increase in the Cessnock LGA of 45,000 persons over the next 25

years will have a significant impact on the current social profile and the provision of

recreation and open space areas.

The following broad actions address the concerns raised in the data presented above and will be

discussed in further detail throughout the plan. Actions include:

• Emphasis to be placed on improving design standards (access, clear signage, frequent

seating etc) when establishing recreation and community areas;

• That pathways be incorporated into all newly established recreation and community

facilities including playgrounds, sporting fields, amenity buildings etc which will create clear

linkages between recreation and open space areas and encourage physical activity;

• As the percentage of persons aged 50 years and over within the Cessnock LGA increases,

that Council be innovative in creating recreation opportunities for this demographic;

• That Council continue to distribute recreation and community facilities evenly and without

prejudice throughout the Local Government Area to maintain current access standards;

• That Council continue to provide recreation and community facilities at minimal costs to

users through subsidisation of facilities and nominal fees charged to utilise Council’s

recreation and community facilities e.g. outdoor pools.


Recreation Settings

Supply


Analysis of Recreation Settings Supply

Utilising the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum approach, the Cessnock Local Government Area

contains a variety of recreation settings including indoor and outdoor, natural and built. An analysis

of recreation settings has been undertaken utilising the categories for Community Land as a base.

Recreation settings have been grouped as:

• Natural areas - as defined under the Local Government Act 1993 (as amended), these

include bushlands, wetlands, escarpments, watercourses, and foreshores

• Parks and gardens

• Active sporting/Recreational Open Space and Facilities – including sportsgrounds, sport

and recreation centres, aquatics facilities, outdoor courts etc

• Ancillary Open Space including drainage and vacant land

A summary and findings of the recreation settings provided within the Cessnock Local Government

within the above categories has been outlined below.

Natural areas

Within the Local Government Area there is a mix of natural areas including national parks,

bushland, and nature reserves.

National Parks

Approximately 24% of land within the Cessnock Local Government Area is reserved as National

Park. The national parks located within the LGA (either partly or wholly) include:

• Watagans National Park with a catchment location of Congewai Creek and Wollombi Brook

• Werakata National Park with a catchment of Black Creek, Wallis/Swamp Creek

• Yengo National Park with a catchment of McDonald River, Stockyard Creek, Wollombi

Brook and Yengo Creek

Council does not have detailed information on the patronage of its natural areas however, it is

recognised that these areas are valued for their scenic, ecological/environmental, cultural and

aesthetic qualities.

Bushland

There is no recorded bushland at Bellbird or Heddon Greta, however overall the LGA has good

provision of bushland.

Key Bushland areas within the Local Government Area that Council maintains include:

• Kitchener Poppethead Reserve

• Hunter River Reserve (Greta)


• Bimbadeen Lookout (Mount View)

These areas represent an important passive and active recreation resource within the LGA

however limited funds have been allocated in previous years to maintain and improve these sites.

Areas such as interpretative signage, tracks and trails, fencing and weed control need to be

improved upon and factored into future Recreation budgets.

Parks and Gardens

This section describes the characteristics of the Local Government Areas existing local, sub-

regional and regional parks and gardens including cycleways/shared pathways and playgrounds

(as these are generally located within the parks and gardens).

Formal Gardens

Formal gardens are defined as plants within a garden bed which require a high standard of

maintenance. Formal gardens have been traditionally provided in centralised parks throughout the

Local Government Area e.g. Rotary Park, Kurri Kurri and Former Rotary Park, Cessnock. Formal

gardens are presently limited to the central business districts of Cessnock, Kurri Kurri and Greta as

well as Aberdare and Bellbird. A gap identified in the provision of formal gardens is Branxton. This

gap will be addressed through the implementation of the Branxton Masterplan which was prepared

in conjunction with the Branxton Tidy Town Committee in 2007 and has been adopted by Council.

Masterplans for Greta and Weston were also adopted and contain gardens.

Tidy Towns Committees have traditionally been involved in civic image projects such as the

establishment of formal gardens throughout the LGA and will be encouraged to continue to do so.

It is also important to note that whilst the Hunter Valley Gardens (located in Pokolbin) is privately

owned it contains over 25 hectares of formal feature gardens which service the LGA.

Parks and Playgrounds

There are 52 parks located throughout the LGA with 41 of these containing playgrounds. There is

substantial diversity in terms of the size and shape of the City’s parks and reserves. There is not

however, a diversity of features, particularly cultural and design features including sculptures,

information signage, heritage interpretation and landscaping. It is intended that public art within

Council’s parks and reserves be incorporated into Council’s Cultural Plan with key projects

identified.

As expected on the basis of population numbers, most playgrounds are located in Cessnock,

followed by Kurri Kurri and Weston/Abermain. Recorded with nil in this category is Bellbird Heights

and Neath. The lack of parks and playgrounds at Bellbird Heights is expected to be rectified

through proposed infrastructure within the Bellbird Heights area rezoning. The lineal nature of the


Neath township and the current population threshold is unlikely to be adequate to justify a new

facility in the short term. However, additional population in the medium term will justify a new,

centrally located small park/playground.

Parks and gardens are utilised for active and passive recreation such as walking, socialising,

picnicking, cycling, ball games, play and dog walking. Council does not have detailed information

on the patronage of its parks and reserves. However observations for this plan suggest that these

areas as well as cycleways/shared pathways are very well used.

Cycleways

There are approximately 60 kilometres of cycleways throughout the LGA (both on road and off

road) and approximately 50 Kilometres of pathways. Although this is encouraging a great deal

more cycleways/pathways need to be provided, placing significance on providing links between

open space areas. As mentioned within the Health Profile at the beginning of the document, it is

essential that Council continues the planning and provision of both on and off road cycleways

throughout the LGA.

Significant gaps in the provision of cycleways/shared pathways include the areas of Millfield,

Cessnock, Nulkaba, Abermain, Branxton and Greta. Through the Local Government Area

Pathways program it is intended these priority areas will be addressed over a period of time.

Addressing these gaps is heavily reliant on resources allocated towards pathways by Council as

well as partnerships with the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and other key stakeholders.

Active Sporting/Recreational Open Space and Facilit ies

Council owns and manages a significant amount of active sporting and recreational open space

and facilities. The active sporting recreational space is comprised primarily of sportsgrounds/ovals,

of which there are 23. Most outdoor sports recreation facilities are located in Cessnock, followed by

Kurri Kurri and Weston/Abermain, Branxton and Greta.

Listed with nil in this category are Neath, Kitchener, Paxton, Heddon Greta and Nulkaba. The

release of the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy and identified area rezonings within will require

additional sporting infrastructure (including outdoor sports facilities) to be established in each of the

above areas excluding Neath. An outdoor sporting facility is not required at Neath in the short to

medium term due to current population levels and the close proximity of sporting facilities at

Abermain and East Cessnock.

Sportsgrounds/Ovals

There are currently 23 sportsgrounds/ovals at Abermain, Bellbird, Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, Weston,

Millfield, Greta, Branxton, Pelaw Main, Kearsley, Kitchener and Mulbring.


Cricket

Wickets

There are 28 cricket wickets provided across the LGA. All are within the sportsgrounds/ovals listed

above and are made up of a combination of 21 turf and 7 concrete wickets.

Practice Nets

There are currently 8 sets of cricket practice nets provided within the Cessnock Local Government

Area at Cessnock (2), Kurri Kurri (2), Weston (1), Greta (1), Branxton (1) and Mulbring (1). Some

of the practice nets are in poor condition and require upgrading and/or replacement. Council’s

current practice on developments or upgrades to cricket practice nets is that they are completed

via a partnership (preferably a three way split) between the cricket club, Council and an external

party.

Tennis Courts

There are eight Council provided tennis facilities which are located at Cessnock (18 courts),

Bellbird (2 courts), Kurri Kurri (8 courts), Branxton (2 courts), Greta (2 courts), Kearsley (2 courts),

Mulbring (2 courts) and Wollombi (2 courts). The current provision of these facilities is adequate.

Netball Courts

Additionally there are three netball facilities currently provided at Cessnock (18 courts), Branxton (2

courts) and Kurri Kurri (8 Courts). Each of these facilities is highly utilised year round.

Hockey

There is one regional hockey facility containing a synthetic pitch located in Cessnock. Current

membership numbers within this sport across the LGA does not currently justify the establishment

of additional hockey facilities at this stage.

Skateparks and BMX Tracks

Council’s current philosophy on the establishment of skateparks is that in order to capture a large

catchment area, achieve maximum use and accessibility to users, these facilities would be

centrally located. As a result there are three skateboard parks centrally located at Cessnock, Greta

and Kurri Kurri. Additionally there is one BMX track located at Bellbird. A skateboard and BMX

needs study should to be undertaken to reassess Council’s current philosophies and determine the

demand for these types of youth facilities across the LGA.

Indoor Sport

Two indoor sports facilities are provided within the Cessnock LGA at Cessnock. Cessnock Civic

Indoor Sports Centre (CCISC) and the Greta Arts and Sports Community Hall. Greta presently

caters for basketball and indoor netball. CISC caters for basketball, indoor netball, volleyball and


soccer. An indoor aquatics facility is provided in Kurri Kurri and has provision for expansion for dry

facilities. However, indoor sports such as cricket, soccer and netball are not available in this

township. Additional outdoor aquatics facilities are located at Cessnock and Branxton and will be

discussed in further detail later in the document.

Ancillary Open Space

There is a large quantity of ancillary open space in the Cessnock LGA. Some of this land is for a

specific purpose such as bushfire prevention, roadside buffers, reserves or drainage. Other areas

are largely unusable due to their characteristics (e.g. they have steep terrain) or location (not easily

accessible). In terms of quality there are a number of areas of underutilised open space in the LGA

(vacant land not appropriate for a specific recreation or civic purpose) which will be identified later

in the document.


Recreation Demand


Analysis of Recreation Demand

Following an analysis of the supply of recreation settings a number of investigations were

completed to analyse the demand for these areas. Methodologies utilised include survey of

residents, survey of user groups, analysis of field usage, analysis of capital works since 1996,

review of parks maintenance and review of playgrounds, aquatics and indoor sporting facilities.

Survey of Residents

In 2003, the Hunter Valley Research Foundation was commissioned to undertake a random

telephone survey of residents across the LGA. The purpose of the survey was to gain feedback

from residents on various aspects of their use of Council provided sporting and recreation facilities

in the area and what their expectations are in regards to provision of these.

Key results from the survey are outlined below:

• Respondents mainly preferred to have a 'new' parcel of land developed as a park for

general community use such as picnics, barbeques and get-togethers;

• In general, residents were not in favour of increases in rates or charges, or a reduction in

maintenance services, in order that new or better facilities and services could be provided;

• There was a relatively marginal preference for less than full cost charges at a new

recreational facility, funded by reduced expenditure in other recreation areas;

• In relation to facilities which are currently provided, there was a clear preference for Council

to maintain the present standard and number of services and keep rates and charges at

present levels;

• On balance, respondents agreed with a proposal for Council to build high quality sporting or

recreational facilities in a central location, rather than a larger number of local facilities of

lesser quality;

• Residents use of outdoor sporting and recreational facilities was marginally higher than use

of small parks and playgrounds and use of outdoor swimming facilities and formal gardens

and civic spaces is considered to be moderate given the nature of their use; and

• Residents considered litter removal, provision of toilets and amenities and the cleaning of

those facilities to be the most important services provided at sporting and recreational

facilities. Weed removal and ground improvements such as fertilising and top dressing

were not important to residents.

An updated resident survey will be undertaken in July 2009 so that comparisons can be made

between the surveys and any anomalies/trends identified.


Survey of User Groups

In December 2007, Recreation Services undertook a survey of users of Council’s sporting and

recreational facilities. Sporting Clubs and/or organisations that had used a Council owned sporting

or recreation facility during the past year were chosen to participate in the survey. The purpose of

the survey was to find out how users of Councils sporting and recreational facilities felt about

specific areas of Councils provision of such facilities.

When asked to rank in order of importance typical items provided at Council sporting facilities,

playing surface was the most important item (57%) and carparking the least important (31%). This

is in contrast to the resident survey where amenities were the highest ranked and ground

improvements the least. It is important to note however, that the survey was distributed to a

targeted group (sporting user groups) and as such the priorities and needs identified within the

completed surveys are reflective of sporting clubs interests and not the general community.

When respondents were asked which facilities they considered to be the three highest quality

sporting facilities in the Cessnock LGA, the facilities identified were:

1. Cessnock Sportsground

2. Turner Park (Cessnock) soccer grounds.

3. Kurri Kurri Aquatic Centre

The three facilities identified by respondents when asked about poor quality facilities were:

1. Drain Oval, Cessnock

2. Howe Park, Abermain

3. Mount View Basin, Cessnock

Use of Council provided sporting facilities is considered to be very high as over 85% of sporting

participants trained and played at sporting facilities which, some weeks included over 30 teams

and in addition to this some facilities had over 200 spectators during one week.

Playing surface, mowing and trimming, amenities and floodlighting were the most important items

to sporting clubs, which is reflective of the high usage rates and the subsequent need for nighttime

training and competition.

Almost 72% of sporting facility users were very satisfied or satisfied with the current level of service

Council provides at sporting facilities. Additionally, 36% were neither dissatisfied nor satisfied and

this may be attributed to a number of factors including:

• Council’s high standard of sporting facilities in comparison with neighbouring LGA’s;


• Council does not charge fees for use of outdoor sporting facilities; and

• The good rapport that Council has with the majority of sporting clubs throughout the LGA is

reflected in the use of the facilities by sporting clubs.

Recreation and Leisure Demand Trends

Prior to analysing demand at a local level statistics are examined at a State and National level.

Trend data on recreation participation includes:

• Australian Sports Commission Publications: Participation in Exercise, Recreation and Sport

Survey 2006

• Game Plan 2012: NSW Sport and Recreation Industry Five Year Plan 2008

• NSW Centre for Physical Activity and Health: Trends in Population Levels of Sufficient Physical

Activity in NSW 1998 – 2005

National Level

Key findings of the Australian Sports Commission Publications for persons aged 15 years and over

show that:

• In 2006 the activities with the highest participation rate were walking (36.2%), aerobics/fitness

activities (19.1%), swimming (13.6%), cycling (10.1%) and running (7.4%);

• Estimated 1.6million persons participated 3 or more times per week in a physical activity for

exercise, recreation and sport that was organised by a club, association, fitness centre or other

type of organisation;

• Males were more likely to participate in organised sport compared to females. Females were

more likely to participate in sports organised by fitness, leisure or indoor sports centres, while

males were more likely to participate at a sports and recreation club or association; and

• Before the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, 6% of those who had increased the time

spent participating said the Commonwealth Games influenced that decision. This rose to 8% in

the period after the games.

This last point emphasises how successes in sport at a national level such as the Commonwealth

Games, the ‘Socceroos’ and the ‘Diamonds’ (netball) can have a significant impact on participation

rates at the local level. These trends need to be monitored and planned for.

State Level

A Key finding within the NSW Sport and Recreation Industry five year plan shows that:

• The number of adults and children participating in sport and physical activity in NSW is

expected to increase at a rate of one per cent per annum. Based on this anticipated growth,


there will be an estimated 4.66 million adults and 607,300 children participating in sport and

physical activity by 2012.

Key findings of the NSW Centre for Physical Activity and Health indicate that:

• The prevalence of sufficient physical activity in NSW has increased significantly in recent

years;

• Between 1998 and 2005, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of people aged

16 years and over in NSW undertaking sufficient physical activity (at least 150 minutes of

walking, moderate and/or vigorous activity per week over at least 5 occasions);

• The prevalence of sufficient physical activity was stable from 1998 (47.6%) to 2002 (46.5%),

decreased in 2003 (44.7%), increased markedly in 2004 (50.5%) and remained steady in 2005

(51.3%);

• Walking was a major contributor to the change in prevalence of sufficient physical activity, with

increased participation in walking since 2004; and

• NSW is the only state showing a sustained increase in prevalence of sufficient physical activity

compared with other states using the Active Australia Survey.

There is also a clear trend nationally and state-wide for partnerships between public and providers

of recreation facilities and the shared use of spaces. Multi-use leisure facilities have become

increasingly popular and the majority of these incorporate leases to private operators particularly

fitness centres, cafes, child care centres etc.

The major implication of these trends is that facilities and services must be flexible, accessible and

varied. This is to allow for population change (particularly age) and shifts in recreation focus. The

ability to make adjustments over time and cater for future needs will be best met where facilities

have inbuilt flexibility.

The significance of providing adequate infrastructure for walking and cycling is identified within the

above statistics and flows through from a National, State to Local level. This is further supported in

that a record 1.4 million bicycles were sold in 2007. For the 8th consecutive year Australian’s

purchased more bicycles than cars. Furthermore, according to the 2006 census bicycle journeys to

work have also increased by 22%.


Analysis of Field Usage

The summer sporting season has a duration of 24 weeks and commences on the first weekend of

October, concluding on the third weekend in March. The winter season commences on the first

weekend in April and ends in the second week in September, totalling 23 weeks.

Use of sporting fields in winter is higher than in summer. Traditional summer use is predominantly

for cricket and occasionally touch football. Winter use is much higher and has a greater impact on

playing field surfaces. This is attributed to the nature of sports such as soccer, rugby league and

rugby union being harsher on playing field surfaces as well as the high numbers of teams and

subsequent “traffic” on a sporting field on a daily basis.

Some sporting fields are currently only used on a seasonal basis, for example Booth Park (Kurri

Kurri) and Mulbring Park are utilised only during the summer sporting season, while Abermain

Soccer Ground and Pelaw Main Centenary Park have only winter use. This type of seasonal use

provides opportunity for these sporting fields to be used as spill over training venues for playing

fields that are subject to year round use.

An analysis of sporting fields provided by Council suggests that there are currently sufficient

playing fields provided within the Cessnock LGA. The catchment area of Kurri

Kurri/Weston/Abermain has experienced a shortage of cricket wickets in the past (during the

summer season) however this shortage fluctuates from season to season which is heavily

influenced by the number of hotel affiliated teams in the cricket competition. It is important to note

that additional sporting infrastructure will be required as part of any proposed area rezonings.

Usage of sporting fields during the 2006/2007 summer sporting season and the 2007 winter

sporting seasons has been summarised and is presented on the following page. It should be noted

that use of facilities which are licensed to predominantly sole user groups has not been shown in

the summaries. Such facilities include Cessnock Sportsground, Kurri Kurri Sportsground, a portion

of Carmichael Park Bellbird, Turner Park Soccer Complex (directly behind Aberdare Bowling Club)

and Cessnock Hockey Complex.

35 C

essnock City C

ouncil

Recreation and O

pen Space S

trategic Plan

Sum

mer 2006/2007

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500Centenary Park

Branxton Oval

Birrallee Park

Kurri Kurri Central

Stanford Merthyr Park

Margaret Johns Park

Booth Park

Mulbring Oval

Varty Park

Howe Park

East Cessnock Oval

Drain Oval

Allandale Oval

Millfield Oval

Jeffereys Park

Vernon Street Netball Courts

Chinaman's Hollow

Molly Worthington Netball

Turner Park

Greta Central Oval

Carmichael Park

Miller Park

Mount View Basin

Baddeley Park

Winter 2007

0200400600800

100012001400160018002000

Allandale Oval

Millfield Oval

Chinaman's Hollow

Centenary Park

Mulbring Oval

Kurri Kurri Central

Stanford Merthyr Park

Branxton Oval

Booth Park

Molly Worthington Netball Courts

Jeffereys Park

Varty Park

Turner Park

Howe Park

Mount View Basin

Carmichael Park

Vernon Street Netball Courts

East Cessnock Oval

Miller Park

Margaret Johns Park

Birrallee Park

Greta Central Oval

Drain Oval

Baddeley Park


Analysis of Capital Works

A review of capital works from 1996/97 to 2006/07 was completed by Council to determine where

funds had been directed over a ten year period and emphasise where funds need to be directed in

the future.

Over $7M was spent from 1996/1997 to 2006/2007 upgrading and developing recreation and open

space infrastructure. External funding to the value of $2.3M has been provided via a number of

means such as grants and partnerships with external bodies, while Council has directly contributed

$5M.

On the following page is a summary of playground, floodlighting and capital works expenditure as

well as funding sources for the period 1996/1997 to 2006/2007.


Table 1: Summary of recreation capital works expend iture 1996/1997 to 2006/2007.

PROGRAM FUNDS %

Playgrounds Capital Works Program 818,000

11

Recreation Capital Works Program 3,726,300

52

Recreation Buildings Capital Works Program 1,409,600

19

Floodlighting Program 1,283,500

18

Total 7,237,400 100


Table 2: Summary of funding sources from 1996/1997 to 2006/2007.

FUNDING SOURCE FUNDS %

Council $5,037,500 69

External $2,295,600 31

Total $7,333,100 100


Summary of Findings

• The higher than expected amount of funding towards floodlighting improvements (18%) is

reflective of the initial poor condition of Council’s floodlighting infrastructure. Over this period,

Council has progressively upgraded the majority of its floodlighting infrastructure to more

efficient and effective systems. Following the end of the 2008/09 financial year, funding levels

towards floodlighting may be significantly reduced and redirected into planned maintenance

projects as Council will be relatively up to date with floodlights.

• $800,000 has been expended on upgrading children’s playground equipment. Although the

program has funded the re-development of over twenty sites, there are still a number of

playgrounds to be upgraded. It is recognised that the prioritised program needs to remain and

be expanded to address the ongoing change to Australian Standards and the decreasing

quality of many of Council’s existing playgrounds.

• Approximately half of Council’s expenditure has been on recreation capital works which

comprises of a diverse range of works including the installation of automatic irrigation systems,

park furniture, garden construction and refurbishment, installation of path systems and sporting

field construction and re-development. This trend will continue in future capital works

programs.

• Less than 20% of expenditure has been directed towards upgrading and developing new

recreation based building’s including amenities blocks and public toilets. It is expected that the

level of funding towards recreation building projects will increase in the future as the building’s

age and the needs by sporting bodies increases. Additionally an annual allocation from the

Special Rates Increase (SRI) will assist in funding amenity upgrades and replacements over

the next three years. This will progressively address the replacement of poorer quality

recreation buildings.


Review of Parks Maintenance

Analysing current maintenance levels has further demonstrated current demand for recreation and

open space areas within the Cessnock LGA.

In 2003 a consulting firm was engaged to review Council’s parks maintenance service levels. The

service level audit concentrated on broad acre mowing, ride on mowing, trimming, edging fertilising

etc.

Interesting statistics identified by the 2003 review were that:

• Councils Recreation Operations section maintained 552ha of open space per year which takes

9,200 staff hours;

• 508,178 lineal meters of park was edged per year;

• Council fertilised approximately 29ha per year; and

• 93,084 lineal metres of sporting field lines were marked per year.

It was recognised that Council’s service levels for parks maintenance were comparatively low and

that Council had benefited by uncharacteristically short growing seasons over the past few years.

Conversely, Council has upgraded its plant over the past eight years (out-front mowers, sprayers,

mulchers etc) which has resulted in improved work practices and greater efficiency.

Subsequently, a full review of how expenditure within the recreation area has been undertaken

with an aim to:

• Improve open space maintenance standards in terms of quality and timeliness (particularly

broad acre mowing);

• Review the balance between capital and maintenance expenditure;

• Clarify the direction of specific programs (particularly floodlighting); and

• Provide consistency for routine parks maintenance and minor capital works.

Increases in funding to parks maintenance has substantially increased the service levels in

particular to passive parkland areas and to sporting venues in the smaller townships and will also

address minor open space area increases e.g. Cessnock Civic Park. The service level

improvements have been attained through a 43% increase in broad acre mowing and the

designation of 2.5 parks crews to exclusively undertake maintenance (mowing, trimming, softfall

top-ups etc) at open space venues. Additionally, a third parks maintenance crew looks after

recreation capital works projects and burials at both lawn cemeteries.


Review of Playgrounds

Background

Over $800,000 dollars has been spent upgrading children’s playground equipment since

1996/1997. The establishment of a specific capital works program for playgrounds was introduced

and has been maintained following the initial review of the standards of Council’s playgrounds in

1996 and the subsequent need to remove and upgrade the majority of playground sites.

In 1997 over 45 playgrounds in the LGA either had some, if not all, of their play equipment

removed due to safety concerns and the implementation of Australian Standards for playgrounds

and softfall areas. In each subsequent year playground equipment was removed from additional

sites.

Safety Assessment

In 2007 an independent safety assessment was made of Council’s 41 playgrounds. The

assessment, which considered the Australian Standards, identified the following:

• Three playgrounds were unsafe and required immediate attention;

• 140 items of play equipment were considered unsafe due to equipment design or potential

safety issue;

• Each of Council’s playgrounds (41) were identified as requiring at least one replacement item;

and

• The majority of softfall areas did not meet the Australian Standards;

In terms of playground distribution, Council’s current policy is that playgrounds are distributed

through a series of regional, district and local parks.

For details on items to be provided within Councils playgrounds please refer to the Recreation and

Open Space Guidelines (Appendix A).


Review of Aquatic Facilities

There are three Council provided public swimming pools in the LGA;

• Cessnock swimming pool;

• Branxton swimming pool; and

• Kurri Kurri Aquatic Centre (KKAC).

KKAC is the LGA’s year round swimming facility and was opened in November 2002. The aquatic

centre replaced the outdoor facility at Kurri Kurri, which had reached the end of its economic life

and major capital funding was necessary for the ongoing operation of the pool. Cessnock

swimming pool was opened in the 1940’s and Branxton pool was opened in the mid 1960s.

In late 2002 and early 2003 a review of the future direction for the development, management and

operation of Council’s aquatic facilities was undertaken.

The goals of the review were to:

• Improve the balance of pool users (general public and special interest groups);

• Not increase the operational deficit of Councils swimming pools;

• Provide a strategic plan for the long-term development of swimming facilities; and

• Continue to review the operation of pools with the needs of the general public and

special interest groups.

The review culminated in the development of an Aquatics Policy which was adopted by Council in

2007. Key recommendations from the policy include:

• A “family” for family entry or family season pass to Cessnock and Branxton Pools be

defined by the names listed on a Medicare card and continue to include foster children;

• No-smoking be permitted within the grounds of the Cessnock and Branxton Pools effective

from October 2007;

• No pass-outs be issued for any of Council’s aquatic facilities. This means that patrons

leaving the facility for any reason (e.g. to purchase food….) must pay to re-enter unless

they are a season pass holder or have a membership (KKAC).

• All Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) patrons with a war veteran’s Gold Card will

be allowed free entry to any of Council’s public swimming pools.


Review of Indoor Sporting and Recreational Faciliti es

Apart from the Kurri Kurri Aquatic Centre (KKAC), the only other stand-alone indoor sporting

centres owned by Council are the Cessnock Civic Indoor Sports Centre and Greta Arts and Sports

Community Hall. Conversely, many of Council’s community halls are used on a regular basis for a

mix of activities including art, culture, education, recreation and sporting activities. Following is a

summary of current venues utilised for indoor sporting and recreational activities.

Community Halls

Community Hall usage rates collected by the Strategic and Community Services department in

2007 indicated that a total of 15 community halls were used on a weekly basis by over 240 groups

for over 155 hours to conduct activities which have large sporting and/or recreational components.

For example, Yoga classes, exercise and lifestyle groups, self defence and dance classes,

playgroup and recreation and social gatherings. An analysis of the data highlighted a general shift

from more traditional social gatherings at community halls to a progressive move towards the

establishment of localised community centres. While community halls do not provide facilities like

those in a traditional indoor sporting centre (large open halls with high roofs, several playing

arenas, tiered seating etc) they do provide opportunity for a rich diversity of services and activities

that contribute to the indoor recreational needs of the community.

Kurri Kurri Aquatic Centre

Kurri Kurri Aquatics Centre’s (KKAC) primary role is to provide a year round swimming facility for

the residents of the Cessnock LGA. The centre was primarily designed to fulfil this role as well as

have the capacity to expand and incorporate dry facilities within the centre. Dry facilities are areas

not associated with water that are used to conduct activities such as fitness and self defence

classes, gymnasium etc. KKAC currently offers limited dry activities such as gentle exercise

classes in the existing multi purpose room at the centre. The establishment of dry facilities has

been factored into the design of the building and noted in the site specific Plan of Management and

would entail an extension resulting in a space large enough to house dry facilities. A feasibility

study and associated financial forecast was completed for the development of dry facilities at

KKAC in 2006. The study indicated that the proposed fitness facilities will be viable after the first

year of operation and would be in a position to self fund itself over a five to ten year period. As well

as being financially viable the development would provide a high quality, highly utilised piece of

additional recreation infrastructure for the community.


Cessnock Civic Indoor Sports Centre

The Cessnock Civic Indoor Sports Centre has been managed by the Cessnock Basketball

Association, via a licence agreement with Council, since its opening in 1983.

Consultation with community and sporting groups over the past five years revealed that

organisations would consider using the facility if they knew more about its features and if

modifications were made to address their specific needs (which were predominately additional

meeting space, programming rooms and an improved general appearance).

Results from the consultation combined with increased participation rates at the site resulted in the

redevelopment of the centre. Works included:

• Re-branding the facility from Cessnock Basketball Stadium to Cessnock Civic Indoor Sports

Centre;

• Redeveloping the centre including extending the building to incorporate a large community

meeting area, additional storage space and general meeting rooms. Modernising the

aesthetics of the buildings including changing the façade, colouring and streetscape as well

as the provision of suitable sporting items to facilitate other uses; and

• Proactive promotion of the centre to be identified by key stakeholders (sporting groups,

community organisations and schools) as a multi-faceted indoor sporting and community

facility.

Land Expansions

Council currently owns the land encompassing the carpark adjacent to Mt View Road, a 2m buffer

around the Cessnock Civic Indoor Sports Centre as well as a small portion on the eastern side of

the facility which was acquired in 2006. Any substantial expansion of the Centre would require the

acquisition of surrounding property.


Analysis of Supply &

Demand


Analysis of Supply and Demand

A radial analysis of all recreation settings within the Cessnock Local Government Area was one

method undertaken to determine the spatial distribution of open space. In line with the Department

of Planning open space guidelines and goals, a 500m radius was applied around each parcel of

public land. (Spatial analysis maps are contained within Appendix D).

As the Cessnock LGA contains a mix of suburban and rural areas, the radial method as mentioned

above, could not be applied for all open space areas throughout the LGA. Methods utilised to

assist in analysing supply and demand in Councils rural areas included a review of social profiling

data for each township, an investigation of the use of existing facilities, as well as an investigation

of Council records to determine the demand for additional recreational facilities in these areas.

It is important to emphasise that the supply and demand analysis relates to both currently

developed areas of population as well as future population growth. The release of the Lower

Hunter Regional Strategy, 2006 (a strategic planning document aimed at catering for the projected

housing and employment needs of the regions population over the next 25 years) will have a

significant impact on open space and recreation settings currently provided by Council.

The tables on the following pages identify each township on a planning district basis, whether the

supply of open space and recreating settings is adequate; and make recommendations on how to

address areas of over/under supply.

Maps are provided for each of the planning districts to provide a reference point for the reader.

47 Cessnock City Council Recreation and Open Space Plan


Cessnock Urban Planning District

Area Status and Action Partners

Aberdare Undersupply at eastern extent. Investigate the feasibility of establishing an informal sports area

and playground in the vicinity of Melbourne Street, Colliery Street and Duffy Drive.

N/A

Bellbird Deficiency in areas to the west of Charlton Street. The Bellbird North area rezoning (3,500 lots)

will need to provide for the expansion of Carmichael Park (Bellbird) incorporating additional

sporting facilities, playgrounds and tennis facilities.

N/A

Bellbird Heights Undersupply. Topography may present problems with provision/access. Examine imminent

Bellbird Heights area rezoning (700 lots) to the south of Mathieson Street and Keelendi Road

with the view to incorporating requirements for open space purposes.

N/A

Central

Cessnock

Supply adequate. Continue plans to develop a large Civic Park at Vincent Street Cessnock

taking into consideration the number of small civic parks in the area.

N/A

East Cessnock Supply Adequate. Play equipment at Alkira avenue not to be replaced. Additional playgrounds

and passive recreation and open space areas will be required as part of the Government Road

area rezoning (450 lots).

N/A

Kearsley Supply adequate. N/A

North Cessnock Oversupply. Look to sell some lots of vacant land due to this land not being appropriate for a

specific recreation or civic purpose. Further develop sporting facilities at Drain Oval.

N/A




South Cessnock Supply adequate. N/A

West Cessnock Supply adequate. N/A

Nulkaba Undersupply. The Nulkaba area rezoning (400 lots) and Valley View Place area rezoning (246

lots) to provide playgrounds, passive recreation areas and sporting facilities.

N/A


Kurri Kurri - Abermain Urban Planning District


Abermain Supply adequate. N/A

Heddon Greta Supply currently adequate however there is limited access to sporting facilities. Additional

sporting facilities have been requested as part of the Cliftleigh area rezoning (900 lots) which will

improve access. Additional sporting facilities, parks and gardens and playgrounds as well as

cycleways will need to be provided within the Heddon Greta (213 Lots) and the proposed

Avery’s Village (Heddon Greta, 1200 lots) area rezonings.

N/A

Neath Undersupply at the western and eastern ends of this lineal township though current population

threshold unlikely to be adequate to justify new facility. Additional population in the medium term

will justify a new, centrally located facility.

N/A

North Kurri Kurri Supply adequate. N/A

Pelaw Main Over supply. Lloyd Park to be sold due to this vacant land not being appropriate for a specific

recreation or civic purpose.

N/A

Stanford

Merthyr

Supply adequate. Examine the feasibility of developing the former trotting track and surrounds

into additional sporting facilities to cater for surrounding areas, e.g. Kurri Kurri, Heddon Greta.

N/A




West Kurri Kurri Oversupply Boundary Road/Embleton Street precinct. Undeveloped parkland at Embleton

Avenue to be sold due to this vacant land not being appropriate for a specific recreation or civic

purpose.

N/A

Weston Oversupply. Depending on the relocation of local soccer clubs to Weston Bears Park the sale of

a portion of Varty Park could be considered. Additional sporting facilities will need to be provided

within the proposed Sawyers Gully area rezoning (900 lots).

N/A


Greta-Branxton Urban Planning District


Branxton Undersupply at eastern extent. Develop new park/playground with any new subdivision north of

Dalwood Road. Although there is an undersupply in East Branxton, it is proposed that the

Tulloch Street Park be sold due to this vacant land not being appropriate for a specific recreation

or civic purpose.

Purchasing the frontage to Miller Park to continue to be investigated.

Singleton Council

Greta Supply adequate. The Anvil Creek area rezoning (2000 lots) and Greta area rezoning (316 lots)

will require additional sporting facilities, parks and gardens as well as additional playgrounds.

Provision also needs to be made within these area rezonings for the expansion of the sporting

facilities at Greta Central Oval. Upgrades to Hunter River Reserve (Greta) including

improvements to tracks and trails, fencing and signage will also need to be considered within

these developments.

N/A

** North

Rothbury

Supply adequate. Provision will need to be made for an additional park and garden within the

Anvil Creek area rezoning.

N/A

**The proposed Huntlee area rezoning (North Rothbury, 7200 lots), subject to state government approval, will have a significant impact on each of the above townships

and provision will need to be made for open space a nd recreation areas.


Northern – Rural Planning District


Pokolbin,

Lovedale,

Council based recreation facilities are generally not provided due to the dispersed rural

characteristics of this planning district.

Council has historically taken the approach that private developments in the Vineyards area

would provide higher quality recreation and leisure facilities (than Council) to cater for tourists

and the local community. This philosophy needs to be updated as sporting groups have

increased in the Pokolbin area and additional infrastructure is required.

The proposed area rezonings at Pokolbin, those being Golden Bear (300 Lots) and Vintage

Balance Land (450 lots) are to make provision for open space areas such as sportsfields, parks

and gardens.

N/A


Southern & Eastern – Rural Planning District


Abernethy Supply adequate. N/A

**Ellalong Supply inadequate. Passive recreation area to be investigated at the southern extent. N/A

Kitchener Oversupply. Look to sell vacant lots on Cessnock Road as this vacant land is not appropriate for a

specific recreation or civic purpose, especially since it is directly opposite Kitchener Poppethead

Park. Provision to be made within the Kitchener area rezoning (900 lots) for the expansion of

Kitchener Poppethead Park to incorporate sporting facilities. Additionally parks and gardens and

playgrounds will need to be incorporated within the development area.

N/A

**Millfield Supply adequate. There are access problems to existing open space from residents in the western

side of Millfield however, this can be addressed via establishment of pathways. Upgrades to

Crawfordville Oval will need to be considered within the Millfield area rezoning (139 lots). Additional

open space areas will need to be considered as part of the Mount View Road area rezoning, Millfield

(280lots).

N/A

Mulbring Supply adequate. N/A

**Paxton Supply inadequate. Investigate the feasibility of establishing sporting facilities at Paxton. The Paxton

area rezoning (49 lots) is to assist in the development of this sporting facility should it be feasible.

N/A

**The proposed Part 3a Sanctuary Villages rezoning (7 00 lots), subject to state government approval, wil l have a significant impact on the townships of Mil lfield, Paxton

and Ellalong and provision will need to be made for open space and recreation areas.


Yango - Coolamin Rural Planning District


Wollombi Supply adequate. N/A

Laguna Supply adequate.

The radial spatial maps utilised to complete the supply and demand by planning district can be found in Appendix D.


RECOMMENDATIONS


Recommendations

Utilising information from examinations and investigations previously mentioned, the

recommendations on the following pages provides the framework for the management of

recreation and open space areas throughout the Local Government Area. The actions and

recommendations listed are consistent with anticipated availability of resources.

The priorities listed have been determined through stakeholder consultation, current practices and

philosophies and recreation planning data and are subject to the availability of resources.

The key objectives which were cited in the strategic direction section of this document are revisited

to illustrate what each recommendation is aiming to achieve.

The objectives of the plan are:

• To ensure that the distribution of open space and recreation settings matches the current

and future population characteristics;

• To plan for open space and recreation areas in consideration of opportunities; and

• To provide the basis for Council to determine the direction of open space and recreational

capital development and maintenance needs over the short to medium term.

The recommendations on the following page are divided into key subject areas. These are:

• Parks and Gardens

• Natural areas

• Active Sporting/Recreational Open Space Facilities

• Access

• Management

• Ancillary Open Space


Parks and Gardens

Public Art

Recommendations Partners

Public art within Council’s Parks and reserves be incorporated into Council’s Cultural Plan with key projects

identified.

N/A

Increase opportunities to incorporate public art into open space revitalisation projects and upgrades. Ministry for Arts

Cultural Committee

Local Artists

Establish site specific artworks that interpret and articulate the heritage, culture and identity of the site and

surrounding areas (e.g. Civic Park, Cessnock Community Performing Arts Centre, Greta Median Strip).

Ministry for Arts

Cultural Committee

Local Artists


Playgrounds


Council continue to review, develop and implement a prioritised capital works program for children’s playgrounds

which recognises the changing Australian Standards and community demand for quality facilities.

Kids Playsafe,

Australian Standards

A playground safety audit is completed on a biannual basis.

N/A

Council continues to target the establishment of district playgrounds which are supported by local playground

facilities.

Local community

groups

The removal of CCA treated timber is completed via a staged process in Councils playgrounds and their

replacement with alternate materials be incorporated into a prioritised playgrounds capital works program.

N/A

Playgrounds are sited under established tree canopies where possible or incorporate advance stock trees into

playground design and construction. Suitable shade structures to be used in short to medium term until trees are

established.

N/A


Parks


Implement the Recreation and Open Space Guidelines. Ensure that any new parks added are consistent with the

hierarchy of Local, District and Regional facilities.

NA

Council to take a collaborative approach with recreation and environmental groups as a means to maximise

external funding opportunities and continue the good rapport it has with such groups. Assistance with preparation

of grant applications should continue as should financial contributions from an adopted capital works program to

such projects.

National Parks &

Wildlife Service,

Cancer Council,

Envirofund, Keep

Australia Beautiful,

Key community

groups, DSR

Ensure the existing locations and standards for Off leash Dog Exercise Areas are maintained. Key community

groups

That newly established recreation facilities address the following criteria:

• Level changes have handrails and are clearly marked;

• There is frequent seating with arm and back rests;

• Buildings have obvious entrances;

• Toilets are provided on ground level;

• Clear signs are provided throughout the facility; and

• Wide, smooth, non slip pathways are provided (without cycle lanes)

CCC Access

Advisory Committee

Public toilets will be established in parks and reserves where Council is encouraging users to spend long periods of

time e.g. where barbeques and picnic facilities are provided. N/A

Partnerships with shopping centres providing public toilet facilities to be investigated. Local business

groups


Gardens


A formal garden is established at Branxton in line with the Small Town Masterplan Branxton Tidy

Towns Committee

Continue to implement the Small Town Masterplans for the townships of Greta and Weston. Tidy Town

Committees

Tidy Town Committees to continue to be involved in improving the existing gardens throughout the city.

Tidy Town

Committees


Active Sporting/Recreational Open Space Facilities

Sportsgrounds/Ovals


To continue to identify and assess existing and future community needs for outdoor recreation and sporting facilities N/A

Council continue to upgrade and develop sporting facilities with emphasis on playing field surfaces, amenities and

floodlighting systems as part of a prioritised capital works and planned maintenance program.

DSR, local sporting

groups

Council should continue the seasonal allocation of sporting and recreational areas in conjunction with facility

managers and user groups. Council’s allocation of sporting field’s policy (2006) should continue to be implemented.

Local sporting clubs

DSR

The current conditions of use for sport and recreation areas should continue to be enforced and updated as

required.

Key user groups

That Council continues to develop and enhance centralised, high quality sporting and recreational facilities. Local sporting

groups, all funding

bodies

Council continue to investigate and implement the relocation of sporting groups whereby there is a distinct short

term and long term benefit to the stakeholders. These investigations will be undertaken in close contact with the

identified key stakeholders.

Local sporting

groups



Council to take a collaborative approach with sport, recreation and environmental groups as a means to maximise



such projects.

DSR

NPWS

Cancer Council

DIPNR

Envirofund

DLWC

EPA

KAB

Key user groups

Partnerships with private land owners to be investigated by Council within the Pokolbin area for the purpose of

establishing sporting facilities.

Local businesses

Local sporting

groups

The allocation of funds via the Sporting Facility and Equipment dollar for dollar grant scheme should continue with

funds being allocated each year for this purpose.

N/A

Review all open space in areas of high demand and low recreation facility provision to determine opportunities for

multi-use facilities (e.g. Multi-purpose courts, recreational use of carparks, detention basins etc).

N/A


Indoor Facilities


Council’s Community Halls continue to be developed and upgraded via a prioritised capital works program

incorporating external funds where possible.

Funding bodies

A Community Facilities Review is to be undertaken every five years and results reflected within capital works

programs. The next facilities review to be undertaken in 2013.

Key user groups

The floor maintenance/improvement program for all of Council’s community halls continue to be maintained and

implemented within capital works programs.

N/A

Additional basketball courts at Cessnock Civic Indoor Sports Centre to be considered. Key user groups,

Developers

That Council continue to discuss the long-term acquisition of additional land from the Cessnock Agricultural Show

Society.

N/A


Aquatics


Council should investigate the feasibility of implementing a broader range of programs at Cessnock and Branxton

Pools.

DSR, local

swimming clubs,

KKAC Management

body,

Branxton Pool

Council should continue to operate Branxton pool and upgrade it over a number of years to meet local public needs.

This includes replacement of the concrete concourse around the pool, pool heating and access improvements via

external funding opportunities and an adopted prioritised planned maintenance and capital works program.

NA

Cessnock Pool

Investigations to relocate Cessnock pool to an alternate centralised location to continue. Previous feasibility studies

regarding the relocation of Cessnock Pool to be revised. Concept plans for a new aquatic facility within the

Cessnock LGA to be developed.

Local swimming

clubs and the

community

KKAC

Dry facilities to be established at the site. A feasibility study for an outdoor 50m pool at the site be undertaken

N/A


Skateparks and BMX Facilities


A Skatepark needs analysis is to be completed to determine the demand for these types of youth facilities across

the LGA.

Local Youth and

other Local Councils

Continue to maintain and upgrade existing BMX and Skatepark facilities. DSR

Tennis, Netball Facilities


Developments and upgrades to tennis facilities will continue to be undertaken via a partnership approach between

the tennis club, Council and preferably an external body.

Local Tennis Clubs,

Department Sport

and Recreation

Look to expand the Cessnock Netball facilities. Department Sport

and Recreation,

Developers, Netball

Association


Natural Areas


Ensure the broader community is provided with facilities and activities to encourage the understanding and

appreciation of the LGA’s Natural areas.

Tidy Town

Committees,

Community groups,

National Parks and

Wildlife Service.

Keep Australia

Beautiful, State

Forest

Continue to improve bush walking opportunities through the construction of paths, improved interpretative signage,

fencing and weed control.

Same as above

Council to take a collaborative approach with recreation and environmental groups as a means to maximise



such projects.

Same as above

Development site specific Plans of Management and associated Masterplans in line with the Local Government Act. Key community

groups

Seek community and other stakeholder involvement prior, and during the implementation of all proposed works

within these areas to account for all community needs and values.

Key community

groups


Ancillary Open Space


A register of all of Council’s excess open space be developed, maintained and revised on an annual basis. N/A

Analyse future census data and adjust the register in line with demographic trends and projections Australian Bureau

Statistics

Give high priority to the acquisition of land where the development and completion of open space linkages can

occur.

Landholders

Identify any inconsistencies between current zoning and actual open space land use and amend the zoning of open

space parcels accordingly

Department

Infrastructure

Planning & Natural

Resources

Utilise the findings of future open space studies and documents to guide future open space planning in the

Cessnock LGA e.g. Lower Hunter Regional Strategy.

Department

Infrastructure

Planning & Natural

Resources

Liaise with adjoining Councils and other land holders of open space, both inside and outside the boundaries of the

LGA, to better determine open space needs in Cessnock.

Singleton Council

Maitland Council

Wyong Council

Other Councils


Management


Ensure the range of risks associated with open space are identified, assessed and controlled in line with risk

management standards.

Work Cover

Council investigates and provides assistance to sporting clubs in the development of business plans. DSR

Local sporting

groups

A media release is developed in conjunction with information days on the development of business plans for local

sporting groups. Local media

Licensing of facilities to predominantly sole users of sporting facilities should continue. Local sporting

groups

Council continue to develop key open space settings through a staged approach which correlates to an adopted

site specific Masterplan.

NA



That Masterplans be developed and implemented, via a prioritised capital works program incorporating external

funds where possible.

Landcare,

Tidy Towns

Committees,

Key user groups,

Department of

Lands,

Catchment

Management

Authority,

Department of

Environment and

Climate Change

That the level of funding towards parks maintenance be maintained to retain 2.5 parks crews to exclusively

undertake maintenance at open space venues (mowing, trimming, softfall etc) on a clearly defined and rigid cyclic

routine that is reflective of utilisation rates and the profile of the venue.

NA

That maintenance funding increases as the amount of open space increases. Developers

That the upgrade of plant continues in conjunction with improvements to surfaces that are being maintained and

that new items of plant are trialled on those surfaces prior to purchase.

NA

That a service level audit be completed every 5 years commencing in 2010. NA


Access


Council’s Bike Plan be updated RTA

That a prioritised Pathways Program continues to be developed and implemented. RTA

That pathways be incorporated into all newly established recreation and sporting facilities including playgrounds,

sporting fields, amenity buildings etc.

N/A

Maintain and develop partnerships with State Government organisations, adjoining Councils and other landowners

to extend pedestrian and cycle links to areas outside the LGA such as: Maitland.

RTA, DIPNR

Other Councils

Ensure that opportunities and provisions for people with disabilities are provided for amongst the LGA’s suite of

recreation facilities.

RTA, CCC Access

Advisory Committee

Ensure all formal carparks servicing open space areas incorporate identified disabled carparking spaces. N/A

Ensure that all open space user groups, with a variety of access requirements, are considered in the development

of facilities such as car and bicycle parking.

RTA, CCC Access

Advisory Committee


PARKS CAPITAL WORKS

PROGRAM


Parks Capital Works Program

Capital improvements on areas of open space in the past have included items such as field renovations, building improvements, irrigation systems,

refurbishment of parks, provision of playground equipment, floodlighting, fencing, establishment of carparks and the installation of

pathways/cycleways etc.

In completing the plan, a review of all major community and recreation infrastructure (floodlighting, community buildings, playgrounds, irrigation

systems and recreation buildings) was undertaken. The review of infrastructure found that due to the age of many of Council’s recreation buildings,

facilities within them are either not meeting user’s needs and/or are in a less than desirable condition. This has resulted in an increase to the scope

of works associated with buildings maintenance and has, in some cases, led to major facility upgrades or facility replacements.

A five year improvement program is provided in the table below for all Council’s sporting and recreation facilities. The priorities in this five year

improvement program have been determined through community consultation and recreation planning data and are subject to the availability of

resources. It should be noted that the costs are estimates only and that timeframes are dependant on the level of funding allocated to programs.

5 YEAR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 2008/2009 – 2013/2014


Facility Location Proposed Works Timeframe Estimate

($)

Improvements to fencing 2008/09 6,000

Upgrade and expansion to hockey kiosk 2011/12 45,000

A power upgrade to the facility 2010/11 50,000

Baddeley Park

Hockey, soccer, cricket,

dog facilities

Evans Street,

Cessnock

Installation of four floodlighting poles on main cricket oval 2010/11 120,000




($)

Bellbird Community Hall

Playground

Wollombi Road,

Bellbird

Installation of rubber wetpour safety surfacing 2008/09 16,000

Bellbird Miners

Memorial Park

Wollombi Road,

Bellbird

Upgrade to pergolas, picnic shelters and seating 2012/13 25,000

Bridges Hill / Convent Hill

Park

Victoria Street,

Cessnock

Upgrade and expansion of skateboard facility 2011/12 40,000

Stage 2 Amenities upgrade 2008/09 49,700

Formalisation of carparking 2009/10 30,000

Continuation of mounding, installation of seating 2009/10 13,000

Playground upgrade 2010/11 70,000

Upgrade existing BMX track 2011/12 25,000

Tennis court upgrade 2012/13 200,000

Carmichael Park Sparke Street,

Bellbird

Construction of tennis amenities incorporating BBQ area 2013/14 50,000

Refurbishment of change rooms and toilet facilities,

improvements to boundary fencing

2010/11 30,000 Cessnock Civic Indoor

Sports Centre

Mount View Road,

Cessnock

Establishment of ½ asphalt court outside 2011/12 20,000

Drain Oval Dover Street,

Cessnock

Upgrade to existing kiosk 2013/14 20,000




($)

Public toilet upgrade 2013/14 15,000 East Cessnock Oval Victoria Street,

Cessnock Car parking improvements 2013/14 30,000

Hall Park Stephen Street,

Cessnock

Playground upgrade and installation of rubber wetpour safety

surfacing.

2008/09 37,000

Upgrade to existing kiosk, change rooms 2010/11 40,000

Installation of automatic irrigation 2012/13 40,000

Upgrade to playground equipment and seating 2012/13 60,000

Replacement of boundary fencing 2013/14 50,000

Jeffrey Park Caledonia Street,

Kearsley

Construction of public toilet block 2013/14 55,000

Manning Park Blackwood Avenue,

Cessnock

Establish fire fighter training facilities 2008/09 23,000

Margaret Street Playground Cnr Margaret &

James Street,

Cessnock

Refurbishment of gardens 2010/11 10,000

McFarlane Street Park McFarlane Street,

South Cessnock

Installation of picnic facilities 2012/13 10,000

Mount View Basin Mount View Road,

Cessnock

Upgrade to amenities 2013/14 200,000

Not replace existing play equipment NA NA Quarry Street Park Quarry Street,

Cessnock Retain for passive use NA NA



Facility Location Proposed Works Timeframe Cost ($)

Replacement of roof on central amenities 20012/13 45,000 Turner Park (Cessnock)

• Athletics/soccer field

• Soccer

• Quarter-pipe

• Tennis Courts

Aberdare Road,

Cessnock Improvements to carpark 2012/13 30,000

Formalisation of carpark 2008/09 85,000

Improvements to landscaping and retaining wall 2008/09 –

2010/11

60,000

Turner Park netball

complex

Vernon Street,

Cessnock

Establishment of additional netball courts at southern end 2013/14

50,000

Installation of automatic irrigation in gardens and upgrade to

war memorial

2010/11

40,000

Play equipment upgrade and installation of rubber wetpour

safety surfacing

2010/11 60,000

Veterans Memorial Park Aberdare Road,

Cessnock

Upgrade to pergola 2009/10 25,000




Refurbishments to existing amenities 2009/10 10,000

Demolition of the existing cricket nets 2009/10 10,000

Upgrade the existing amenities incorporating accessible toilet

and increased storage

2010/11 20,000

Branxton Oval John Rose

Avenue, Branxton

Formalisation of carparking 2011/12 30,000

Stage 1 boundary fencing, installation of synthetic surface on

tennis court

2008/09 40,000

Formalisation of carpark 2009/10 40,000

Stage 2 boundary fencing 2009/10 20,000



Installation of floodlighting on western playing fields 2011/12 50,000


Greta Central Oval New England

Highway, Greta

Field Improvements 2013/14 30,000




Improvements to fencing 2012/13 10,000 Hunter River Reserve Greta

Installation of interpretive signage, pathways and seating 2013/14 25,000

Demolition and relocation of existing amenities 2008/09 700,000


Formalisation of carpark at netball and tennis facilities 2008/09 20,000


surfacing

2009/10 75,000

Formalisation of carpark at new soccer amenities block 2010/11 50,000

Miller Park New England

Highway, Branxton

Expansion to cricket amenities 2013/14 30,000

Demolition of existing tennis courts 2010/11 15,000

Improvements to fencing and landscaping 2009/10 20,000

Playground upgrade, consolidation and installation of rubber

wetpour safety surfacing

2013/14 65,000

North Rothbury

Playground

Rothbury Street,

North Rothbury

Installation of picnic shelter and seating 2010/11 10,000




Installation of two floodlighting poles 2008/09 60,000 Abermain Soccer Ground Orange Street,

Abermain Replacement of boundary fencing 2011/12 –

2012/13

50,000

Small formalised carpark to be developed at the eastern end of

the park

2011/12 25,000 Bailey Park Cessnock Road,

Abermain

Additional picnic shelters and seating to be installed 2011/12 35,000

Enclosure of the grandstand 2010/11 35,000 Birralee Park Senior Heddon Street,

Kurri Kurri Replacement of existing amenities 2011/12 300,000

Extension of concrete concourse seating area 2011/12 15,000 Birralee Park Junior Heddon Street,

Kurri Kurri Replacement of existing amenities 2012/13 300,000

Installation of two picnic shelters and seating 2010/11 15,000 Bluey Frame Park Station Street,

Weston Play equipment not to be replaced N/A N/A

Replacement of boundary fencing 2009/10 40,000

Demolition of toilet block 2012/13 12,000

Installation of floodlights 2013/14 50,000

Booth Park Rawson Street,

Kurri Kurri

Construction of a small amenity block 2013/14 55,000




Water and electricity upgrade to the site 2008/09 60,000

Installation of floodlighting on western side of venue 2008/09 40,000


Construction of new amenities block 2008/09 -

2009/10

340,000

Replacement of Internal fencing 20010/11 35,000

Howe Park Charles Street,

Abermain

Construction and formalising of car parking 2010/11 50,000

Power upgrade 2008/09 27,500

Replacement and relocation of existing toilet block 2010/2011 60,000

Jeffries Park Cessnock Road,

Abermain

Upgrade of children’s playground 2012/13 60,000

Ken James Memorial

Tennis Courts

Coronation Street,

Kurri Kurri

Clubhouse improvements 2012/13 15,000

Replace boundary fencing 2010/11 30,000

Installation of two floodlighting poles 2010/11 55,000

Kurri Kurri Central Oval

cricket/soccer field

Coronation Street,

Kurri Kurri

Replace amenities 2010/11 300,000




Refurbishment of existing facilities 2009/10 –

2013/14

25,000 Kurri Kurri Sportsground Coronation Street,

Kurri Kurri

Replacement of boundary fencing 2010/11 –

2011/12

50,000

Margaret Johns Park Boundary Street,

Kurri Kurri

Extension to the concrete concourse at the playing fields 2011/12 15,000

Molly Worthington Park Maitland Street,

Kurri Kurri

Improvements to retaining wall 2013/14 20,000

Pelaw Main Cententenary

Park

Installation of floodlighting 2012/13 50,000

Rotary Park Lang Street, Kurri

Kurri

Rotunda at eastern end of park to be upgraded. Picnic seating

to be upgraded

2011/12 15,000

Ernie Dunlop Park Appleton Avenue,

Weston

Fencing removed from aged tennis court, maintain as outdoor

multipurpose court

2010/11 15,000

Improvements to cricket field surface 2012/13 30,000 Varty Park Swanson Street,

Weston Replacement of existing amenities 2013/14 300,000

Wermol Street Playground Wermol Street,

Kurri Kurri

Picnic shelter refurbishment 2012/13 10,000




Upgrade of existing amenities 2010/11 20,000

Establishment of additional sporting fields

Upgrade of existing fields

Construction of new amenities

Installation of floodlighting

Installation of automatic irrigation

Weston Park Government Road,

Weston

Establishment of formalised carparking

To be

determined

by Council

Northern – Rural Planning District


Stage 2 upgrade - fencing improvements, Formalisation of car

parking and refurbishment of existing shelters

2008/09

24,000 Pokolbin Park McDonalds Road,

Pokolbin

Stage 3 upgrade – installation of large picnic shelter and

BBQ’s

2009/10

33,000


Southern & Eastern – Rural Planning District


Bimbadeen Lookout Mount View Road,

Millfield

Improve fencing to the site and adjoining properties, Implement

a weed control program

2011/12 20,000

Installation of fencing 2011/12 60,000

Formalisation of carpark 2010//11 20,000

Crawfordville Park Crawfordville

Street, Millfield


surfacing

20011/12 60,000

Stage 1 painting Poppethead 2010/11 20,000 Kitchener Poppethead Cessnock Street,

Kitchener Stage 2 painting Poppethead 2011/12 20,000

Demolition and replacement of cricket practice nets 2008/09 35,000

Installation of retaining wall and fencing around cricket oval 2009/10 20,000

Formalisation of carparking area, 2012/13 40,000

Mulbring Park Maitland Road,

Mulbring


surfacing

2013/14 60,000

Paxton Park McDonald Avenue,

Paxton

Investigate the feasibility of establishing sporting facilities 2009/10 8,000


Yango - Coolamin Rural Planning District


Fencing improvements and shelter refurbishments 2008/09 11,500

Installation of picnic shelter 2009/10 10,000

Installation of picnic shelter 2010/11 10,000

Replacement of public toilets 2011/12 50,000

Slacks Park Maitland Road,

Wollombi

Upgrade and consolidation of playground equipment 2011/12 60,000

Laguna Community Hall Main Road,

Laguna

Construction of ½ court multipurpose court 2009/10 30,000


OPEN SPACE

RECOMMENDATIONS


Open Space Recommendations

Along with investigations into supply versus demand, the Cessnock Draft Comprehensive Local

Environmental Plan (LEP) also assisted in planning for open space areas within the Cessnock

LGA.

The NSW government introduced a range of reforms aimed at streamlining the planning process.

One of the reforms includes the release of a standard Local Environmental Plan template

(Standard Instrument) for Councils to use. An element of this template includes standard land use

zones which reduces the number of land use zones previously provided by Council. Provided is an

outline of how this relates to both privately and council owned open space.

RECREATION ZONES

Old Zones New Zones

6 (a) (Open Space) and 6 (b) (Proposed open

space)

RE1 Public Recreation

6 (c1) (Private Recreation) RE2 Private Recreation

The table on the following page lists the parcels of land identified by Council as ‘surplus land’ that

could be sold, principally to fund upgrades to surrounding sporting and recreation areas. The

parcels of land identified for sale are largely unusable due to their characteristics (e.g. they have

steep terrain) or location (not easily accessible, creating linkages to other open space areas would

be difficult). In terms of quality there are a number of areas of underutilised open space in the LGA

(vacant land not appropriate for a specific recreation or civic purpose).

It is Councils intent to first rezone these parcels of surplus land within the new LEP and then at a

later date reclassify them from ‘Community’ land to ‘Operational’ land. Prior to the reclassification

and sale of any excess open space land a Plan of Management (in accordance with the Local

Government Act, 1993) will be prepared and exhibited.


Council Owned Land

Council-owned land proposed to be rezoned as part of the new comprehensive Local

Environmental Plan.

Location Description

Cessnock Lot 7,DP5015 Stephen Street

Cessnock Lot 3, DP4927, William Street

Cessnock Lot 1, DP597795, Lindsay Street

Cessnock Lots 3,4,5,6, DP13454 and Lot 7DP657199,

Kenny Street

Cessnock Lots 7,8,9, and 10, DP9164, Mavis Street

East Branxton Lot 9, DP259718, Tulloch Street

Kitchener Lots 9,10,11,12 , DP758576, Cessnock

Street

Pelaw Main Lot 61, DP263954, Evatt Street

Weston Lot 1, DP382568, Embleton Avenue

Branxton Lot 2 DP 1049557, Maitland Street

Cessnock Lot 12, 13, 14,15 & 20, 21, 22, 23 DP

9164, Myra Street

Kurri Kurri Lot 38 DP 262837, Brooks Street

Cessnock Lot 502, 507 & 508 DP 755215

Quorrobolong Road


Proposed Acquisitions

Following an analysis of recreation setting supply versus demand a number of opportunities were

identified for recreation purposes in regards to privately owned land. These allotments have been

identified in order to cater for further expansion of existing facilities, or the establishment of

additional sporting and recreation facilities. These parcels will be shown on the Land Acquisition

Map that will accompany the new comprehensive Local Environmental Plan.

Location Description Comment

Abermain 327 Hebburn Road, DP755259, (Howe Park)

additional training facilities

Branxton Lots 1-8 DP758153 and Lots

1-8 DP772428, Maitland

Street, (Miller Park

Frontage)

Acquisition of additional land for

future expansion of netball and

tennis facilities

Cessnock Lot 123 DP1110717, Mount

View Road, (adjacent

Cessnock Civic Indoor

Sports Centre)

Acquisition of additional land

from Cessnock Agricultural

Show Society for future

expansion of Basketball Courts

Cessnock 1 Doyle Street,

Lot 1 DP 1103032

Term for Forced acquisition to

be inserted

Kitchener Lot 588, Quorrobolong

Road, Cessnock,

DP729017,

Look to acquire this land for the

future development of sporting

facilities

Pelaw Main 1 Tarro Street, DP755259 For future development of

centralized sporting facilities

including netball courts, playing

fields and associated amenities

Weston Cessnock Road,

Lot 1 DP 508142

For future sporting facilities in

the long term


Privately owned land

As the strategic document which encompasses all open space areas within the LGA, this plan

includes comments on privately owned land. Private land previously zoned 6 (b) which is no longer

required for recreation purposes has been identified in the table below.

Location Description Recommended Zone

Cessnock Lot 584 DP 1046691,

Edgeworth Street

R2 Low Density

Residential

Cessnock Lot 503, 504, 513, & 509

DP 755215, Quorrobolong

Road

RU2 Rural Landscape

Cessnock Lot 11, 12 & 13 DP

880374, Mount View Road

RU2 Rural Landscape

Kurri Kurri Lot 812 DP 729860, Deakin

Street

R2 Low Density

Residential

Kurri Kurri Lot B DP 383109, Deakin

Street

R2 Low Density

Residential

Kurri Kurri Lot 27 DP 589825, Deakin

Street

R2 Low Density

Residential

Kurri Kurri Lot 24 & 25 DP 589826

Deakin Street

R2 Low Density

Residential


APPENDICES


Appendix A – Recreation and Open Space Guidelines

Generally, Cessnock City Council provides a high level of open space for passive and active recreation purposes. All residents of the Cessnock LGA are within a 500m radius of some form of publicly owned open space and it is Council ’s intent to maintain this. Within the City of Cessnock there is currently 11.9 hectares of open space per 1,000 people. This is significantly higher than the traditional standards of 2.83 hectares per 1,000 people. Passive open space is defined as space to undertake unstructured, informal outdoor activities eg picnics, walking, frisbee etc. Active open space is defined as public land formally dedicated to certain organised activities such as sporting facilities and recreation centres eg hockey, soccer, rugby league, cricket etc. The guidelines listed below have been developed and influenced via a combination of the following:-

• Review of current provision of recreation and open space areas by Cessnock City Council and comparisons against other similar Local Government Areas

• Review of other Council’s recreation planning principles • Department of Planning Guidelines

It is important to note that the Department of Planning is currently reviewing the Open Space Guidelines, however no clear timeframes have been provided for when the new guidelines will be published. Depending on the significance of the changes these may be incorporated into this document at a later date.

Park and Playground Guidelines

Whilst they are generally located in parks, the provision of playgrounds is assessed on a case by case scenario considering the proximity of the park to other community and recreation facilities (eg sportsgrounds, large passive spaces, community halls etc…) Local Parks

• Minimum 0.5 hectare in size • Should be accessible with a maximum of a 10 minute walk from residences • Generally contain basic facilities suitable for short term visits by the local community • Generally do not provide facilities for larger groups • Access for most users is by walking or cycling • Are more numerous than district and regional parks • Local Parks would usually contain:-

� A picnic shelter and seating � A rubbish receptacle � Some form of shade � A small kick about area � Concrete pathways � A drinking fountain � A local playground catering for the zero to teen age bracket which is compliant with

Australian Standards and incorporates rubber safety surface as well as a small play unit containing a slide and climbing apparatus, swing set, spring rocker and slide.


EXAMPLES OF LOCAL PARKS IN THE CESSNOCK LGA

Park Town Park Town Abernethy Abernethy Manning Cessnock Alkira Avenue Cessnock Margaret Street Cessnock ANZAC Reserve Wollombi Mc Farlane Street Cessnock Apex Cessnock Meredith Street Weston Apex Kurri Kurri Norman Brown Greta Community Hall Bellbird North Cessnock Cessnock Miners Memorial Bellbird North Rothbury North

Rothbury Bluey Frame Weston Nulkaba Playground Nulkaba Brunner East Branxton O Brien Street Cessnock Chalmers Kurri Kurri Macquarie Avenue Cessnock Crawfordville/Millfield Millfield Oxford Street Greta Edgeworth David Abermain Paxton Paxton Ellalong Ellalong Plantation Reserve Greta Ernie Dunlop Weston Quarry Street Cessnock Hall Cessnock Shiraz Close Cessnock Harle Street Abermain Simm Kurri Kurri Hedleigh Heddon Greta Slacks Wollombi H J Sternbeck Cessnock Spion Kop Reserve Spoin Kop Jefferies Abermain Standford Merthyr Standford

Merthyr Lloyd Pelaw Main Thomas Fell Weston Winter Park Kurri Kurri

District Parks

• Area greater than 0.5 hectares, but less than 2 hectares • Generally caters for a population between 10,000 and 20,000 people • Can attract visitors from surrounding suburbs • Offer a more diverse range of activities than Local Parks • Provide for longer term visits than for Local Parks (e.g. toilets, BBQ’s) • May have a specialized use • Cater for larger groups • Are generally not as numerous as Local Parks, but more numerous than Regional Parks • Many have sports facilities and/or playgrounds • Access for most users is by car or public transport however walking and cycling is available

via clear pedestrian/cycleways being provided to the site • District parks would usually contain:-

� Car parking � Rubbish receptacles � Picnic shelters and seating incorporating at least one BBQ � Some form of shade � Public Toilets incorporating male, female and accessible cubicles � Drinking fountains � A larger kick about area than a local park � Lighting � Concrete pathways � A district playground catering for the 0 to teen age bracket which is

compliant with Australian Standards and incorporates rubber safety surface as well as a medium sized play unit containing a slide and climbing apparatus, swing set, spring rocker and slide. At least one of the items must be targeted towards the 0-4 age bracket.


EXAMPLES OF DISTRICT PARKS IN THE CESSNOCK LGA

Park Town Park Town Abermain Centenary Abermain Margaret Johns Kurri Kurri Bailey Abermain Pokolbin Pokolbin Buckland Avenue Cessnock Rotary Kurri Kurri Log of Knowledge Kurri Kurri Veteran’s Memorial Cessnock

Regional Parks

• Minimum size of 2 hectares • Large or unique areas • Generally caters for a population of over 20,000 people • Serving more than one local government area where users will be prepared to drive

significant distances • May have a mix of uses or a specialised use • High quality facilities and maintenance standards • May have high heritage, environmental, amenity or other significance • Access for most users is via car or public transport however walking and cycling is available

via clear pedestrian/cycleways being provided to the site • Regional Parks would usually contain:-

� A formalised car park with the capacity for bus/coach parking incorporating disabled parking spaces with direct links to the park via concrete pathways

� Picnic shelters and seating with the capacity for large groups incorporating at least two BBQs

� Drinking fountains � Rubbish receptacles � Public toilets incorporating male, female and accessible cubicles � Lighting � An extensive network of concrete pathways � Large areas of shade � Good access to public transport links and major roads � The ability to cater for large amounts of people � A regional playground compliant with Australian Standards incorporating:-

o Access for all ages and abilities o Rubber safety surfacing comprising three different colours o A large play centre with a slide and climbing apparatus o A swing set o At least two spring rockers o At least two vertical spinners o A separate and unique piece of equipment such as a flying-fox, spider-

web type climber, revolving spinner etc o Seating o At least two of the items must target the 0-4 age bracket o At least one of the items must target teenagers o Minimum 1.2m wide concrete pathway around the playground

REGIONAL PARKS IN THE CESSNOCK LGA

Park Town Park Town Bimbadeen Lookout Mount View Miller Park Branxton Bridges Hill Cessnock Peace Park/Chinaman’s

Hollow Weston

Cessnock Civic Cessnock Poppethead Reserve Kitchener Hunter River Reserve

Greta


Sportsground Guidelines

The provision of playgrounds, aquatic facilities and indoor sporting facilities will be assessed on a case by case scenario considering the proximity of the facility to other community and recreation facilities (eg sportsgrounds, large passive spaces, community halls etc…) For the purpose of interpreting these guidelines two full sized sporting fields are to be located within a full sized cricket oval and are depicted in the following diagram:-

Local Sportsgrounds

• Minimum 2 hectares in size • Cater for up to 5,000 people • Generally no more than a 10 minute walk or 5 minute cycle ride for most users • Two full sized sporting fields with a cricket wicket in between • Four floodlight poles and lights to Australian Standards • Automatic irrigation • Amenities building incorporating two changerooms, male, female and accessible toilet,

storage, kiosk, first aid/referee’s room. • Ideally link to local cycleway/pathway • A sealed car park

LOCAL SPORTSGROUNDS IN THE CESSNOCK LGA Park Town Park Town Abermain Soccer Ground

Abermain Drain Oval Cessnock

Booth Kurri Kurri East End Oval Cessnock Branxton Oval Branxton Howe Abermain Centenary Pelaw Main Jacobs Pelaw Main Chinaman’s Hollow Weston Kitchener Kitchener Crawfordville Millfield Mulbring Mulbring

2 Full sized sporting fields

Cricket wicket

Cricket oval


District Sportsgrounds • Minimum 5 hectares in size • Generally caters for a population of between 5,000 and 15,000 people • Ideally close to neighbourhood centre or major adjoining passive recreation • An amenities building incorporating four changerooms, referee’s room, first aid room, kiosk,

male, female and accessible toilets and storage. • A spectator area • Four full sized sporting fields with a cricket wicket in the centre of each one • Four floodlight poles and lights on one field and two floodlight poles and lights on the other

to Australian Standards • Automatic irrigation on each field • Ideally linked to a major transport route cycleway/pathway • A sealed car park larger than a local sportsground

Additional District Facilities to be considered when establishing district sportsgrounds may include:-

• Aquatic facilities incorporating o Indoor 25m swimming pool o Purpose built leisure/program pool o Changerooms, meeting room, toilets, storage, kiosk, office space and

spectator areas incorporating seating o Capacity for construction of a 50m outdoor pool in the future o Dry facilities incorporating gymnasium, changerooms, program rooms

• Indoor sporting facilities incorporating o At least two multi purpose courts (eg basketball, netball, soccer, volleyball

etc…) o Sizeable foyer with the capacity for civic receptions/community events o Meeting rooms, office space o Kiosk, referee’s room, first aid room, changerooms, significant storage

space o Outdoor half court o Sealed car park

DISTRICT SPORTSGROUNDS IN THE CESSNOCK LGA

Park Town Park Town Birralee East Kurri Kurri Mount View Basin Cessnock Birralee West Kurri Kurri Varty Weston Jefferey Kearsley Weston Bears Weston Margaret Johns Kurri Kurri Wollombi Recreation Reserve Wollombi


Regional Sportsgrounds

• Minimum 10 hectares in size • Generally caters for a population of 15,000 people and over • Ideally close to major adjoining passive recreation area • Amenities building containing minimum four changerooms, referee’s room, first aid room,

kiosk, male, female and accessible toilets and storage. • Second amenities building containing a kiosk, storage and male, female and accessible

toilets • Contain tiered seating/raised spectator areas • Four full sized sporting fields with a cricket wicket in the centre of each one • Four floodlight poles and lights on each field to Australian Standards • Two full sized sporting fields • Two floodlight poles and lights on the field to Australian Standards • Minimum of six consolidated multipurpose all weather courts, all floodlit to Australian

Standards • Minimum of two synthetic tennis courts, fully floodlit to Australian Standards and fully

fenced • Ideally linked to major transport route cycleway/pathway • A sealed car park with the capacity for over 100 vehicles

REGIONAL SPORTSGROUNDS IN THE CESSNOCK LGA Park Town Park Town Baddeley (East) Cessnock Kurri Kurri Central Kurri Kurri Cessnock Sportsground

Cessnock Miller Branxton

Carmichael Bellbird Turner Cessnock Greta Central Oval Greta


Appendix B – Schedule of Plans of Management and Ma sterplans

Year Plans of Management Masterplans

2008/09 Kurri Kurri Central

- Cricket Ovals

- Rugby League Field

- Tennis Courts

Generic Small Parks and Playgrounds

North Rothbury

Kurri Kurri Central

Civic Park

Miller Park (r)

Carmichael Park (r)

Pokolbin Park (r)

Howe Park (r)

North Rothbury

2009/10 Weston Park

Varty Park (r)

Veterans Memorial Park

Slacks Park

Drain Oval

Bailey Park

Turner Park

Slacks Park

Small Towns (r)

- Weston

- Greta

- Branxton

Jeffries Park

Cessnock Civic Indoor Sport Centre (r)

Peace Park (r)

2010/11 Generic Parkland

Millfield Oval

Cessnock Netball Courts

Branxton Oval

Molly Worthington Netball Courts

Birralee Ovals

Small Towns

- Weston

- Greta

- Branxton

Millfield Oval

Greta Central Oval (r)

2011/12 Generic Formal Gardens / Civic

Spaces

Rotary Park

Miller Park (r)

Margaret Johns Park (r)

Bimbadeen Lookout

Lloyd Park (r)

Civic Park (r)

Rotary Park (r)

Bimbadeen

Carmichael Park (r)

2012/13 Hunter River Reserve

Kitchener Poppethead Reserve

Standford Merthyr

Mulbring Park

Paxton Park

Hunter River Reserve

Kitchener Poppethead Reserve

Standford Merthyr

Howe Park (r)

Baddeley Park (r)

Paxton Park

Note: (r) indicates revision of existing document


Appendix C – Spatial Analysis Maps


Appendix D – Maps of Excess Open Space

recreation & open space strategic plan - cessnock … and... · 9 cessnock city council...

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