Hannah Hammoud
Following extensive community feedback and consultation, Brimbank council has adopted an updated Sports Facility Development Plan at the October 17, council meeting.
The Sports Facility Development Plan 2023 identifies the sporting infrastructure needs of the Brimbank community, and establishes ways to provide people of all ages, abilities and gender the opportunity to access and participate in a range of sporting activities.
Following adoption of the plan, Brimbank mayor Bruce Lancashire said more and more people in Brimbank are playing sport and council continues to support, build and maintain community facilities for use and enjoyment.
“The Sports Facility Development Plan Updated 2023 is the result of detailed work with community discussion and input, to ensure the best outcomes for our sporting community,” he said.
“It is great to see so much community interest and engagement with the update to the Sports Facility Development Plan. Thanks to everyone who submitted feedback, you will be notified of the outcome and the reason for that outcome.”
The Sports Facility Development Plan provides clarity to local sports clubs in terms of how their facility development needs are being or will be met by council.
Updates to the plan have been undertaken previously in 2016 and 2018.
Council received 280 written submissions during the four-week community consultation period.
Councillor Virginia Tachos said the updated plan is an acknowledgement of the growing role sports facilities have in building strong communities.
“I am very proud of this council and the previous term council for all their achievements in pushing hard for an overhaul of what was some pretty run down sports facilities right across Brimbank,” she said,
“It has been a slow and evolving process, and a recognition that sports facilities really have become community hubs for our communities.”
Council will write to all submitters to advise them of decisions made in relation to the Sports Facility Development Plan 2023, and the reason for that decision.
All projects identified for funding will be referred to council’s annual budget process for consideration.