Sunshine Coast Aquatic Plan 2011-2026 - Sunshine Coast Council

Aquatic facilities are unique community assets,
which contribute towards significant health,
fitness and social benefits for the whole
spectrum of the region’s population base.
The Sunshine Coast Council owns 12 aquatic
facilities which are spread across the region
and has arrangements with seven school
and community pools to provide additional
community aquatic access opportunities. The
development of these facilities and support
agreements was largely undertaken by the
previous local government authorities of
Caloundra, Maroochy and Noosa prior to
amalgamation. As such there has been no
coordinated regional strategic rationale to these
locations other than they were developed as
a need was identified and/or funds became
available, and/or the community mobilised for
such facilities.
In a time of rapid population growth and
change, it is important that council understands
the role of its 12 council owned aquatic
facilities, and considers future arrangements
with additional pools providing community
access within the region to ensure:
‘The provision of a diverse range of quality
aquatic facilities and infrastructure across the
region which positively contributes towards
the Sunshine Coast’s character, identity and
vibrancy and helps attain physically active
and healthy communities.’
As a result, the Sunshine Coast Aquatic Plan
2011-2026 has been developed to inform
and guide the planning, development and
management of the aquatic network across the
Sunshine Coast region through to 2026. This
Plan focuses on council owned land where
aquatic programs and ancillary services are
delivered, or where council has a defined role in
the delivery of an aquatic facility. The Plan was
not required to address natural areas such as
beaches, rivers, man-made or natural lakes.
This document forms a strategic planning tool
for council and is based on an assessment
of current council aquatic infrastructure,
demographic planning, contemporary pool
design and management trends and, most
importantly, extensive community consultation
and customer feedback. A detailed analysis
of each venue’s financial performance and
attendance was not undertaken as the majority
of council’s pools are leased and there is a
lack of consistent historical data. Where the
information was supplied to the study, it has
been reviewed but performance comparisons
across venues throughout the region were
not possible.
This network currently performs well from a
quantity of venue point of view, however has a
number of failings being:
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the majority of the region’s facilities are
small-scale with duplicated styles, elements
and experiences which only service
neighbourhood catchment areas
user conflicts due to poor facility design and
placement
poor linkages to transport and other
community infrastructure.
The Sunshine Coast region is experiencing high
growth with the population projected to increase
dramatically by 2031. Currently aquatic facilities
appear well distributed, with a high percentage
of residents living within 5 kilometres of a
council owned or supported swimming pool.
However, new growth areas will provide
additional activity areas, and future community
planning will need to respond to this growth.
The Sunshine Coast Aquatic Plan 2011-2026
has been largely based on an extensive
community engagement program undertaken
in conjunction with the development of the
Sunshine Coast Sport and Active Recreation
Plan 2011-2026. Individual discussions, focus
groups, community forums and meetings
and surveys were conducted to capture the
broadest possible range of ideas, feedback
and issues from across the Sunshine Coast
community.
Sunshine Coast Aquatic Plan 2011-2026 7