Recreation and Aquatic Facility (RAF)

Since 2003 the City has conducted six studies and delivered nine community polls/surveys incorporating sport and recreation needs. The community has indicated significant support for aquatic facilities, indoor sports and a gymnasium.

The City has no public aquatic facilities, which restricts the local community’s ability to participate in recreation programs such as ‘Learn to Swim’. A review undertaken in 2015 indicated that a conventional swimming pool, whilst publicly supported would require ongoing financial subsidy to meet operational costs.

The City's only indoor recreation facility (George Burnett Leisure Centre) is below industry standard for provision of indoor sports and recreation, comprising one under-sized sports court. The minimum requirement for indoor sports such as basketball and netball is three to eight courts. 

A central and highly accessible location that has links to a large population base is essential for the viability of such a facility and using existing City assets would reduce both the economic and environmental costs.

A number of potential site locations within a 5km radius of Curtin University were identified to take advantage of partnership opportunities and potential links with students and education programs. This location provides potential to service a regional catchment across the neighbouring Town of Victoria Park and the City of Canning as well as the University student and staff population. 
 
Twenty-three possible sites were identified and six were shortlisted. The shortlisted sites were identified based on the following criteria:

• available building footprint
• integration opportunities with existing City owned facilities
• funding partner opportunities
• environmental impact
• land and stakeholder impact
• good road access and traffic impact
• long term planning for the area
• space for parking

Opportunities and constraints of each site were investigated based on functional requirements, delivery viability, funding, market and value for money. 

Council has confirmed Collier Park Golf Course as the preferred site for the proposed Recreation and Aquatic Facility (RAF) due to the strong additional funding opportunities it offers. The City needed to select a site in order to progress the Stage 1: Project Definition and Business Case, which is vital to determine whether the project is worth pursuing.

The business case will include a stakeholder and funding strategy, estimates on capital and operational costs, delivery and operational procurement models, delivery risk assessment, facility scope and accommodation plans, and any required commercial and partner agreements.

The City is at the very early stages of exploring the feasibility of the RAF project. Depending on funding and partnership outcomes, the facility could incorporate aquatic facilities, public gymnasium, golf and group exercise space.

The benefits of developing a multi-purpose recreation facility like the proposed RAF were highlighted in the City’s Community Recreation Facilities Plan. The adopted Plan recommends the City to investigate provision of a Regional Recreation and Aquatic facility to include:

• Six to eight indoor sports courts to accommodate netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis and other relevant sports
• Outdoor and indoor swimming pool, leisure water, spa/sauna and other necessary aquatic sports
• Education spaces, commercial spaces, entertainment spaces (function areas, golf), gymnasium, health and wellness space
• Partnerships with Federal, State and regional stakeholders such as Curtin University and the Town of Victoria Park and commercial operators to assist in capital and life cycle funding
• Re-purposing of the existing George Burnett Leisure Centre.

This question will be better answered following the completion of a full Project Definition and Business Case for the proposal. This is presently under way and scheduled to be presented to Council in October 2020.

Yes.

Whilst this project is currently in its infancy and financial sustainability and partnership funding opportunities are the key focus of the feasibility study at this stage, the City is committed to engaging and consulting with the community throughout the process.

Sporting groups and clubs and the community will all have expectations and considerations that will need to be planned for to ensure the success of this project.

Options for the management of the facility will be reviewed as part of Statge 1: Project Definition and Business Case.

There are a number of models in use across the country including:

• Direct Management where the City retains total control and accountability for operations
• Indirect Management where the City retains control through a body corporate

The City is committed to working in partnership with key stakeholders in the development of this project  to ensure that it is a financially sustainable facility.

A review of the Collier Park Golf Course has identified that the current business focused on the traditional golf market will not support the facility into the future. The business model needs to become more market-focused and adapt in order to stay relevant. 

The golf course now needs to actively engage with the local community, be more customer-focused and broaden its appeal by targeting women, families, diverse groups and younger generations in order to stay relevant and commercially viable.

The introduction of short-format, social and golf entertainment participation options would support this goal.

The development of the RAF would enable diversification whilst still retaining the original 18-hole layout for traditional golfers.

Golf provides a range of broad community benefits that align with the core purposes of local government. Siting the RAF on CPGC allows for the maximisation of benefits whilst financial demands are concentrated and reduced through the focus on a single facility.

The preferred site for the RAF is the northern area of the golf course. The trees in this area are junior pine trees planted in the late 1990's. They do not form part of the cockatoo roosting site. 

Plans for the RAF are still at the early project definition stage and there are still a number of considerations to be taken into account before making a final decision about this site, including the requirement to protect the black cockatoo habitat.

The environmental impact of any proposed facility will be undertaken as part of the project.

The City is committed to ensuring that the cockatoos on the site are protected and we will continue to carry out the extensive work we already undertake to protect the environment of the golf course.

A Gateway structure is being developed to facilitate governance and decision making support and to retain Council oversight and control of the project.

The key stages have been identified as follows: 

Project Initiation: Feasibility and Site Selection completed

Stage 1: Project Definition and Business Case – March to October 2020

Stage 2 - 5: Design - November to July 2021

Stage 6: Procurement and Tender – August to November 2021 

Stage 7: Construction - November 2021 to July 2023

Stage 8: Completion and Handover – August to December 2023

Stage 9: Operational - January 2024

These gateways align with the anticipated stages of financial contributions towards the project for both Council and other project partners to limit financial exposure for all as the project progresses to the approval of the construction stage.

The key decision gateways for Council would be:

1. Confirmation of site location and approval to proceed to finalise financial partners and project scope
2. Confirmation of financial partners and approval of Project Definition and Business Case to commence detailed design
3. Confirmation of final design and approval to commence to construction.