JULY 2017 | Sharon Webb

CONSULTANTS LOOKING at the future of recreation facilities in Deloraine and district have spoken to around 30 local recreation groups to gain insight into the area’s future needs.

The study was prompted by a joint sports body lobbying Meander Valley Council to establish an enlarged sports precinct at the Deloraine Community Complex on Alveston Drive.

But two public information-gathering sessions in early June were poorly attended, with an evening meeting attracting around 15 people and only three turning up to a daytime Complex walkabout.

Discussion at the evening meeting, aimed at giving non-sports club members of the general public the opportunity to voice their opinions, was vigorous, with John Hepper from Inspiring Place consultancy emphasising that current recreation facilities were catering for a much larger group than just Deloraine residents.

On funding issues he commented, “Some sports clubs are drawing members from as far afield as Latrobe and Launceston. This is important because at the end of the day there could be very high costs involved in activating this precinct.

“The days of governments paying for white elephant and one-off facilities are long gone – they want to see shared facilities.

“It’s important to break up any plan into manageable chunks that can be pitched to government for funding.”

According to Mr Hepper organised sport is not the only consideration. Other important trends include:

• Walking and biking trails, which are high on community agendas because people don’t want to use established roads;

• Dancesport, the fastest growing sport in Australia, indicating that recreation changes are not always foreseeable;

• Masters Games facilities,because baby boomers are pushing the boundaries of what older people can do.

One issue that arose at the meeting was that consultants planned no direct information-gathering from the municipality’s children and teenagers, with this being left to schools and teachers if they felt inclined.

Meander Valley council community development manager, Patrick Gambles, also made the point that while the flood-affected football club had obvious needs, effective use of the underused racetrack area needed to be examined.

Christy Hall from the Deloraine Pony Club said that her group would be pleased to use those facilities, the club having lost 50 per cent of their equipment in floods at their Deloraine Showground location.

“We’re struggling to have enough space there for 150 horse floats and 300 people at our meets,” she said.

Photo | Mike Moores