Media Release: Have your say on Parks, Pools and Play

20 October 2017

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE FUTURE OF PARKS POOLS AND PLAY

Blue Mountains City Council is seeking community comment on its ten year plan for providing open space and sport and recreation facilities for the local community and visitors.

The purpose of the draft Open Space and Recreation Strategic Plan is to guide how the Council provides and manages open space and sport and recreation facilities and services over the next ten or more years.

Council’s current approach to providing open space and recreation facilities is not sustainable. The way the community uses local sport and recreation facilities and open spaces is changing. Many of these facilities are ageing and do not meet modern standards.

The draft plan explores a broad range of different sport and recreation themes such as walking, cycling, play, parks, pools, nature based recreation, organised and informal sports, as well as funding options and potential partnerships with other providers, for example, NPWS, sporting groups, and the NSW Office of Sport and Recreation.

The draft plan draws on important data including, the current and projected demographics of the Blue Mountains, changing community needs, the demand for recreation, and patterns and trends in how people use sport and recreation facilities and open spaces.

Council has done a lot of research to inform the draft plan and the options for the best possible mix of sport and recreation services across the City. Now we are asking the community, have we got the balance right?

The draft plan has attracted a high level of community interest in the proposed changes to Council’s swim centres, especially Katoomba outdoor pool. It is important that the community is aware that no decision has been made to close Katoomba outdoor pool.

At its meeting on 17 October, the Council approved the draft Open Space & Recreation Strategic Plan being placed on public exhibition. This means the plan and other supporting information are made available to the public to view and comment on. The option of closing the Katoomba outdoor pool is one of many proposals in the draft plan, which considers all of the swim centres, not just Katoomba.

The Blue Mountains has five swim centres which is much higher than other areas with a higher population. The infrastructure at all of the swim centres is ageing, many facilities do not meet modern industry or community standards, and require significant investment to replace or repair. Katoomba outdoor pool, for example, will cost an estimated $6.8 million to replace the pipework, filtrations systems and the pool shell.

Council aims to provide the best possible services to meet the needs of the community, now and in the future, within available resources.

Residents are encouraged to be informed and be part of the conversation about the future of sport and recreation facilities and open spaces in the Blue Mountains.

The draft Open Space and Recreation Strategic Plan is on public exhibition for community comment for six weeks until Wednesday 6 December 2017. To view the draft plan and to make a submission visit www.bluemountainshaveyoursay.com.au/openspace. Printed copies of the draft Plan are available at Council’s Katoomba & Springwood offices and branch libraries. Submissions are accepted by email to council@bmcc.nsw.gov.au and Locked Bag 1008 Katoomba NSW 2780.

Photo: Blue Mountains City Council is seeking community comment on its ten year plan for providing open space and sport and recreation facilities for the local community and visitors. Have we got the balance right?