Cardinia Shire Council
Recreation Reserve Facility Standards Policy
Version: Final
Prepared by:
Cardinia Shire Council
Sustainable CommunitiesUnit
Adopted: 16April 2012
Published
© Cardinia Shire Council 2012
Henty Way, Pakenham
PO Box 7, Pakenham Vic 3810
Phone:1300 787 624
Fax:(03) 5941 3784
Email:
Web:
1
1.Purpose
To provide a consistent and equitable approach to the development of new recreation reserve facilities to meet current and future community needs.
2.Definitions
Recreation Reserve Facilities – open space containing facilities for active recreational opportunities such as ovals, courts and pavilions.
Playing area– recreation reserve area used for active recreation such as australian rules football, cricket, soccer, netball, tennis, fitness activities etc.
Supporting Infrastructure – a range of facilities required to support the provision of an activity such as pavilions, floodlighting, scoreboards, coaches’ boxes, car parking etc.
Amenities – includes showers and toilet facilities within the pavilion for use by reserve users.
Community Space – additional space within the pavilion to enable regular use by other community groups (in addition to tenant sporting club/s).
Committees of Management – section 86 Committees appointed by Council or DSE appointed committees, undertaking the management and maintenance of a recreation reserve.
User Groups – club or organisation who have an agreement with Council and/or a Committee of Management for regular use a recreation reserve.
3.Objectives
The goal of this policy is to provide for the ongoing provision of recreation reserve facilities within the Shire through:
- Providing a standard approach to Council’s provision of facilities;
- Provide a clear understanding to developers and the community of the requirements for recreation reserve facilities;
- Ensure equitable provision of facilities across Council’s recreation reserves; and
- Ensure the standard of facilities meets the current and future needs of the community and sports.
4.Background
There are currently thirty (30) recreation reserves in Cardinia Shire and approximately ten (10) new reserves are planned for construction within the growth corridor over the coming years. Each of these reserves has a range of facilities and supportive infrastructure to meet the needs of user groups and provide opportunities for residents to participate in sport and recreation activities.
The Recreation Reserve Facility Standards Policy has been designed to guide the development of facilities at new recreation reserves and to ensure a consistent and equitable approach is applied across the municipality. The policy will also ensure playing areas (such as ovals, courts etc.) meet relevant standards and supporting infrastructure (such as pavilions) are not over or under developed. More specifically, facilities will be provided in accordance with the needs of individual sports,competition standards and usage levelswhilst ensuring that resources are not inappropriately allocated. This policy will also be used to guide the re-development of existing facilities, through existing asset renewal budgets and/or available grant funding.
Thispolicy will provide Council with a useful planning tool for use with property developers in planning for new recreation reserves and associated facilities. It will also assist Council and the community to plan for capital works projects at existing reserves and to assess / prioritise community capital works grant submissions.
The methodology used in developing this policy involved extensive research into publications on sports dimensions for playing areas, guidelines published by peak sporting associations, relevant Australian Standardsand benchmarking with other local government authorities. Specialist advice was also sought on playing surfaces and a review of relevant internal standards and strategies was undertaken to ensure consistency with Council’s existing policies.
5.Policy
5.1Facility Hierarchy
Council will provide a range of recreation reserve facilities to meet the needs of the community and service a specified population catchment. The five (5) levels of facility provision are:
Local –Local level facilities will generally cater for junior competition and some low level senior competition. These facilities will generally be parkland areas with limited supporting infrastructure used as overflow venues. Catchment for these facilities will primarily be from the immediatelocal areaand may include facilities co-located with or adjacent to schools.
Neighbourhood – Neighbourhood facilities will generally cater for junior competition and low level senior competition. Catchment for these facilities will primarily be from the immediate neighbourhoods and may include facilities co-located with or adjacent to schools.
District –District level facilities will cater for senior and junior competition for clubs, schools and sporting associations. Catchment at these facilities will be from the surrounding suburbs and it is envisaged this level of facility will formthe majority of facilities within the shire.
Municipal (Shire-Wide) –Municipal level facilities will cater for and have a catchment Shire wide. These facilities will generally accommodate sports and activities with lower participation rates where only one or two facilities are required Shire wide.
Regional – Regional level facilities will cater for and have catchment greater than Cardinia Shire boundaries and be capable of hosting state and regional level tournaments.
It should be noted that not all levels of the facility hierarchy are applicable to all sports. For example it is anticipated that baseball / softball, hockey and rugby league will require only “municipal” level facilities due to these sports having lower participation numbers and therefore a reduced need for multiple facility developments within the shire.
Additionally, standards for “Regional” facilities have not been included in this policy due to the need to undertake detailed feasibility planning to determine the scale and scope of any future facilities.
5.2Design Guidelines
Council will ensure that the following design guidelines are considered in the planning and development of recreation reserve facilities.
Multi-use – to achieve the most efficient use of space and resources by ensuring joint-use of recreation reserve facilities, except where inappropriate for safety, management or environmental reasons. Priority will be given to maximum and multi-functional use of facilities including year-round use of playing areas and pavilions that are shared between user groups and other interest / community groups.
Consolidation – to ensure efficient use of resourcesby consolidating facilitieswithin a single building envelope, as opposed to numerous stand-alone buildings on the one site.(I.e. pavilion to include public toilets, storage, spectator shelter etc.). Multiple playing areas may also be serviced by a single centralised pavilion depending on the proximity of facilities and compatibility of uses.
Sustainability – to consider the long term viability of recreation reserve facilities through the use of environmentally sustainable practices and by ensuring facilities are integrated into the existing built and natural environment.
Quality – to ensure that all recreation reserve areas and facilities are attractively designed and located and comply with standards that are appropriate to the level and type of use.
Access – to ensure that public access to recreation reserves and associated facilities is maintained to encourage community participation in sport and recreation activities. Where access is limited (i.e. due to fencing around tennis courts etc.) arrangements for casual use of facilities should be clearly displayed.
Safety – to give adequate consideration to public safety in the design, location, management and use of all recreation reserve areas and facilities.
Equity – to ensure recreation reserve facilities are accessible and inclusive of people of all abilities, ages and genders. In addition to providing access for people with a disability, change rooms and associated amenities should be suitable for both genders to cater for the increasing trend for sport to cater for both male and female participants. Umpires rooms should also be designed to cater for both genders by ensuring change, shower and toilet facilities are separated.
In addition to the facility standards outlined in this policy, Council will ensure that the development / redevelopment of recreation reserve facilities comply with the following legislative and policy documents:
- Building Code of Australia
- Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992)
- Disability Access and Inclusion Policy (Cardinia Shire Council, 2007)
- Access Design Guidelines (Cardinia Shire Council, 2007)
- Crime Prevention for Environmental Design Principles
- Health and Food Safety Regulations / Food Health Regulations
- Advertising Signs Guidelines (Cardinia Shire Council)
- Sports Dimensions Guide For Playing Areas (July 2008)
- State Sporting Associations Facility Guidelines.
5.3Planning and Development
Council will develop master plans for all new recreation reserves and major developments / redevelopments at existing reserves. Such plans will ensure a coordinated and planned approach to facility provision that is consistent with the Recreation Reserve Facility Standards Policy and considers individual site characteristics.
Council will require a detailed design and development process to be undertaken for pavilion improvements or developments to address all relevant building regulations, facility standards, site conditions and design guidelines.
Council will assess future development proposals to ensure they are consistent with the standards outlined in this policy, including those lodged by developers, clubs and committees of management. This approach will ensure that recreation reserve facilities are not overdeveloped and that residential amenity is preserved.
The Recreation Reserve Facility Standards Policy will not be applied retrospectively to existing recreation reserve facilities, but may be used as a framework to guide the redevelopment of existing recreation reserve facilities or in response to a demonstrated need for facility improvement/s.
5.4Partnerships
Council will adopt a ‘whole-of-Council’ and community approach to the implementation of the Recreation Reserve Facility Standards Policy, working across a number of different Council teams and facilitating partnerships with a range of stakeholders including sporting clubs, committees of management and property developers. Council will also seek external funding from other sources such as state and federal government, state sporting bodies and other external funding agencies.
Council will support the provision of recreation reserve facilities and infrastructure that are used for the purpose of participating in, or supporting a sporting activity. Tables 1-10 (Section 5.5 Facility Standards) identify the facility components that are included within the core components of facility provision by Council. Funding requests for facility re-development will be considered as part of Council’s Capital Works Program and Community Capital Works Grants Program. Facility components above those outlined in the policy will be the responsibility of committees of management and user groups to meet the costs.
Council approval is required for all capital works projects at recreation reserves regardless of whether a financial contribution is being made towards the project. Approval must also be sought for any application being made to state or federal governments or other external funding agencies.
5.5Facility Standards
Tables 1 – 10 specify the standards of provision and funding eligibility for playing areas, pavilions and associated supporting infrastructure for the following outdoor sports:
- Australian Rules Football / Cricket
- Soccer
- Rugby League
- Hockey
- Baseball / Softball
- Netball
- Tennis
- Lawn Bowls
- Bocce
- Basketball Half Court
Standards for some facility components (i.e. car parking, floodlighting, spectator viewing areas and fencing) have not been provided for all sports due to the need to determine these on a “case by case” basis. Such facility components will vary due to a range of factors such as site conditions, usage levels, training and competition standards and must therefore be individually assessed. Sports field sizing may also require individual assessment due to site constraints. Changes may also be required to components to meet changes in legislation or governing bodies requirements.
It should also be noted that pavilion allowances for Australian Rules football / cricket, soccerand rugby league are based on the number of sports fields and the requirements for change facilities.
Table 1: Australian Rules Football / Cricket Facility Standards
Facility Component / Facility ClassificationLocal / Neighbourhood / District / Municipal
Pavilion
Change Rooms (each) / Nil / 35m2 / 45m2 / 45m2
Amenities (each) / Nil / 25m2 / 25m2 / 25m2
Accessible Change rooms / Nil / 8m2 / 8m2 / 8m2
Umpires Rooms / Nil / 15m2 / 30m2 / 30m2
Public Toilets (internal) / As required for social space
Public Toilets –Female / Case by case / 10m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
Public Toilets – Male / Case by case / 10m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
Public Toilets -Accessible / Case by case / 5m2 / 5m2 / 5m2
Utility Service Area / Nil / / /
Social Room / Nil / Included in change rooms / 90m2 / 90m2
Storage Tenant Groups / Nil / 20m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
Cleaners Store / Nil / 5m2 / 5m2 / 5m2
Kiosk/Kitchen / Nil / / 30m2 / 30m2
Kiosk only / Nil / 15m2 / /
Rubbish Storage / Nil / / /
Spectator Cover / Nil / 50m2 / 75m2 / 90m2
Meeting Room/Office / Nil / 10m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
First Aid/Massage / Nil / 15m2 / 15m2 / 15m2
Gym / Nil / / 25m2 / 25m2
Timekeepers/Score / Nil / 8m2 / 8m2 / 8m2
Groundsman Shed / Only where Committee of Management exists
Playing Area
No. of playing areas / ovals / 1 / 1 / 2 or more / 2 or more
Size – main oval / 160m x 130m / 160m x 130m / 165m x 135m / 165m x 135m
Size – second oval / 150-165m x 120-135m / 150-165m x 120-135m
Run off / 5m / 5m / 5m / 5m
Profile / 100-150mm top soil / 200-250mm deep Sand to loamy sand / 200-250mm deep sand to loamy sand / 200-250mm deep sand to loamy sand
Turf / Kikuyu/Couch / Couch / Couch / Couch
Irrigation / / Pop-up automatic irrigation system / Pop-up automatic irrigation system / Pop-up automatic irrigation system
Drainage / / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain
Spectator viewing area / / Case by Case / Case by case / Case by case
Reserve Fencing / / Case by Case / Case by case / Case by case
Sports field fencing / Bollards to prevent access to playing area / 1.1m high pipe & rail with infill / 1.1m high pipe & rail with infill / 1.1m high pipe & rail with infill
Synthetic practice wickets / / 2 / 3 / 4
Concrete centre wicket with carpet / 23m (22.12m playing area) x 3.05m / 23m (22.12m playing area) x 3.05m / 23m (22.12m playing area) x 3.05m / 23m (22.12m playing area) x 3.05m
Car parking surface
(sealed or unsealed) / Case by case / Case by case / Case by case / Case by case
Floodlighting / / 100 lux / 100 lux / 100 lux
Scoreboard / Case by case / Case by case / /
Coaches box (each) / Case by Case / 4.8m x 1.2m / 4.8m x 1.2m / 4.8m x 1.2m
Interchange box (each) / Case by Case / 1.8m x 1.2m / 1.8m x 1.2m / 1.8m x 1.2m
Turf Table / / / / Case by case
Ticket box / / / /
Goal Posts / 8m goal and 4m point with sleeves / 8m goal and 4m point with sleeves / 10m goal and 5m point with sleeves / 10m goal and 5m point with sleeves
Table 2: Soccer Facility Standards
Facility Component / Facility ClassificationLocal / District / Municipal
Pavilion
Change Rooms (each) / 25m2 / 25m2 / 30m2
Amenities (each) / 15m2 / 15m2 / 20m2
Accessible Change rooms / 8m2 / 8m2 / 8m2
Referees Rooms / 15m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
Public Toilets (internal) / As required for social space
Public Toilets - Female / 10m2 / 15m2 / 15m2
Public Toilets - Male / 10m2 / 15m2 / 15m2
Public Toilets - Accessible / 5m2 / 5m2 / 5m2
Utility Service Area / / /
Social Room / Included in change rooms / 90m2 / 90m2
Storage Tenant Groups / 20m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
Storage Community Groups / Considered with additional social room / community space
Cleaners Store / 5m2 / 5m2 / 5m2
Kiosk/Kitchen / / 30m2 / 30m2
Kiosk only / 15m2 / /
Rubbish Storage / / /
Spectator Cover / 50m2 / 75m2 / 90m2
Meeting Room/Office / 10m2 / 20m2 / 20m2
First Aid/Massage / 15m2 / 15m2 / 15m2
Gym / / 25m2 / 25m2
Timekeepers/Score / 8m2 / 8m2 / 8m2
Groundsman Shed / Only where Committee of Management exist
Playing area
No. of playing areas / 1 / 2 or more / 3 or more
Size – main pitch / 105m x 68m / 105m x 68m / 105m x 68m
Size – subsequent pitches / 90-120x45-90m / 90-120x45-90m / 90-120x45-90m
Run off / 5m / 5m / 5m
Profile / 200-250mm deep sand to loamy sand / 200-250mm deep sand to loamy sand / 200-250mm deep sand to loamy sand
Turf / Couch understorey oversown with ryegrass / Couch understorey oversown with ryegrass / Couch understorey oversown with ryegrass
Synthetic Surface / / Case by Case / Case by Case
Irrigation / Pop-up automatic irrigation system / Pop-up automatic irrigation system / Pop-up automatic irrigation system
Drainage / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain
Spectator viewing area / Case by case / Case by case / Case by case
Reserve Fencing / Case by case / Case by case / Case by case
Sports field fencing / 1.1m high pipe & rail with infill / 1.1m high pipe & rail with infill / 1.1m high pipe & rail with infill
Car parking surface (sealed or unsealed) / Case by case / Case by case / Case by case
Floodlighting / 100 lux / 100lux / 100lux
Scoreboard / Case by case / /
Coaches box (each) / 4.8m x 1.2m / 4.8m x 1.2m / 4.8m x 1.2m
Ticket box / / /
Goal Posts / 2.44x7.32m / 2.44x7.32m / 2.44x7.32m
Table 3: Rugby League Facility Standards
Facility Component / Facility ClassificationMunicipal
Pavilion
Change Rooms (each) / 35m2
Amenities (each) / 20m2
Accessible Change rooms / 8m2
Umpires Rooms / 20m2
Public Toilets Internal / As required for social space
Public Toilets - Female / 15m2
Public Toilets - Male / 15m2
Public Toilets - Accessible / 5m2
Utility Service Area /
Social Room / 90m2
Storage Tenant Groups / 20m2
Cleaners Store / 5m2
Kiosk/Kitchen / 30m2
Rubbish Storage /
Spectator Cover / 90m2
Meeting Room/Office / 20m2
First Aid/Massage / 15m2
Gym / 25m2
Timekeepers/Score / 8m2
Groundsman Shed / Only where Comm. of Management exists
Playing area
No. of playing areas / 2 or more
Size / 68m x 100m
Run off / 5m
Profile / 200-250mm deep Sand to loamy sand
Turf / Couch understorey oversown with ryegrass
Irrigation / Pop-up automatic irrigation system
Drainage / Complete network of subsurface drains and perimeter drain
Spectator viewing area / Case by case
Reserve Fencing / Case by case
Sports field fencing / 1.1m high pipe and rail with infill
Car parking surface (sealed or unsealed) / Case by case
Floodlighting / 100lux (Amateur competition standard)
Scoreboard /
Coaches box (each) / 4.8m x 1.2m
Interchange box (each) / 1.8m x 1.2m
Ticket box / Case by case
Goal Posts / 16m x 5.5m with sleeves
Table 4: Hockey Facility Standards