Since 2003, the City has completed six studies and delivered nine polls/surveys incorporating sport and recreation needs. During this time, the community has indicated significant support for aquatic facilities, indoor sports and a gymnasium.
As a reflection of this, the proposed RAF was included in the City’s Strategic Community Plan in 2017 and the City has been working towards realisation of this goal.
The RAF will also assist the City to deliver on its objectives for the Public Health Plan.
The most recent community engagement process for the RAF in August-September 2020 demonstrated a high level of community support for the project.
The City has no public aquatic facilities. 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 in an area of this size is three to eight courts.
As outlined in the City’s Strategic Community Plan 2020-2030, the City has committed to the planning for and promoting of recreation and aquatic facilities to service City of South Perth needs.
The City and the Federal Government have both committed $20 million to the RAF project. Curtin University have made a capital commitment of $2-3 million.
The City is awaiting a response from the State Government regarding the funding request of $20 million for the RAF project. The remaining funding will be sought from the RAF Operator and other project partners
No. The RAF will not result in an increase in rates.
The proposed operating model is for an integrated facility including golf, aquatics, gym, indoor courts, food and beverage and retail. The combination of these business units will ensure its financial viability.
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. Proximity to Curtin University 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 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.
Council endorsed Collier Park Golf as the preferred site for the RAF at the September 2019 Council meeting. The report to Council and related attachments can be found below:
Council report - Proposed Recreation and Aquatic Facility
Attachments:
Recreation and Aquatic Facility Long List Assessment
Recreation and Aquatic Facility Short List Assessment
Recreation and Aquatic Facility Additional comments
A number of City assets were considered when reviewing potential locations that could accommodate or integrate with the RAF including George Burnett Leisure Centre.
At the feasibility stage of the project it was determined that the facility would need to be located within a 5km radius of Curtin University to take advantage of partnership opportunities and potential links with students and education programs.
Each site was evaluated and assessed based on factors including available space, funding partnership opportunities, traffic management, accessibility to main roads, public transport and bike lanes/paths.
The selected sites were further shortlisted to Collier Park Golf Course (north of the clubhouse) and George Burnett Leisure Centre. The Golf Course is preferred due to the greater potential funding opportunities the site offers, better opportunities for establishing integrated facilities, enhancing commercial and operational viability and future proofing the golf course.
The golf course is a highly accessible location with direct access to Curtin University and links to a large population base, which is essential for the viability of such a facility.
Council endorsed Collier Park Golf as the preferred site for the RAF at the September 2019 Council meeting. The report to Council and related attachments can be found below:
Council report - Proposed Recreation and Aquatic Facility
Attachments:
Recreation and Aquatic Facility Long List Assessment
Recreation and Aquatic Facility Short List Assessment
Recreation and Aquatic Facility Additional comments
The City is still at the early stages of this project. Depending on funding and partnership outcomes, the facility could 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.
The City conducted extensive engagement with key stakeholders and the wider community from 26 August to 23 September 2020.
As part of this engagement, independent consultants Research Solutions were contracted to analyse all engagement data and Elton Consulting facilitated the in person and online workshops. A report detailing the outcomes of this engagement can be viewed here.
Financial sustainability and partnership funding opportunities are the key focus of the project at this stage and 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.
The City is committed to the ongoing financial viability of the RAF.
The combination of facilities (with an existing highly profitable golf business) requires an innovative approach. A single operator model would maximise the returns to the City and the potential operator and provide a seamless customer experience for visitors to the RAF.
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.
A review of Collier Park Golf 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 to broaden its appeal to women, families, diverse groups and younger generations in order to stay relevant and commercially viable.
Traditional golf will always be part of the offering at the proposed RAF, however, there will be a move towards more short form based golf and technology and entertainment driving range options. This will ensure that the golf course remains a financially sustainable community asset for many years to come.
The RAF development offers significantly improved facilities. The 27 hole course will be retained with shorter form golf included. By retaining 27 holes, the Lakes will be shorter but will still consist of 9 full length holes.
The concept plan is for the Lake 9 to be remodelled to a par 31 consisting of 5 x par 3 and 4 x Par 4 holes. This will provide an option that is not only faster to play, but will preference accuracy and skill over strength and distance provide an appealing alternative for both new and experienced golfers of all ages, abilities and skill levels.
The facility as a whole will be more welcoming and engaging across the broader community, supporting the long term financial sustainability of the course. The area adjacent to the existing club house will be remodelled to provide the double storey technology based driving range and an improved short game practice area. It will also include the mini-golf facility that is currently under development.
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 - completed March 2021
Stage 2: S3.59 Business Plan advertising and approval, funding and final scoping - March 2021 to January 2022
Stage 3-5: Design - February 2022 to December 2022
Stage 6: Procurement and Tender - October 2022 to April 2023
Stage 7: Construction - April 2023 to January 2025
Stage 8: Completion and Handover - January to March 2025
Stage 9: Operational - March 2025
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.
The Business Case is a suite of documents that will ultimately comprise a number of reports that fully detail the proposed facility and demonstrate its value or otherwise to the Community.
To date the focus has been on the financial viability of the facility, and therefore the Business Case documentation comprises a Project Definition Plan that defines the scope of the project and an Operational Feasibility Report that reviews the viability of that scope.
A Treasury Business Plan will be developed to address the non-cost impacts of the project for State Government funding consideration and a funding document will be prepared as funding is confirmed.
Distinct from the Business Case documentation is the Business Plan. This is a legislative requirement under Section 3.59 of the Local Government Act 1995 that formally acknowledges the City’s intention to enter into a ‘major land transaction’. The Business Plan is the legal requirement that provides the City with the ability to build on City managed land.
The City received legal advice that it could not sign the Federal Funding agreement or commence procurement of commercial funding without Council approval of the Business Plan.
The Business Plan was approved by Council at a Special Council Meeting on 15 March 2021.
