Wollondilly Shire Council

WOLLONDILLY SHIRE COUNCIL

OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY

S12-0154 R01 Issue G MAY 2014 Cover Image: Tahmoor Sportsground WOLLONDILLY SHIRE COUNCIL OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY

for

Wollondilly Shire Council

Prepared by

CLOUSTON Associates Landscape Architects • Urban Designers • Landscape Planners Level 2, 17 Bridge Street • Sydney NSW 2000 PO Box R1388 • Royal Exchange NSW 1225 • Australia Telephone +61 2 8272 4999 • Facsimile +61 2 8272 4998 Contact: Crosbie Lorimer Email • [email protected] Web • www.clouston.com.au and

Elton Consulting PO Box 1488, Level 6, 332-342 Oxford St, Bondi Junction NSW 1355 t (02) 9387 2600 f (02) 9387 2557 www.elton.com.au

Document Issue Date Status Reviewed Verified Validated S12-0154 R01 A 06/03/2013 DRAFT GM CL - S12-0154 R01 B 09/04/2013 DRAFT GM CL - S12-0154 R01 C 12/08/13 UNCONTROLLED CL - - S12-0154 R01 D 11/10/2013 FINAL DRAFT AJ CD CL S12-0154 R01 E 18/10/13 FINAL DRAFT REV CL CL CL S12-0154 R01 F 31/01/2014 FINAL DRAFT REV AJ CL S12-0152 R01 G 19/05/2014 FINAL AJ CL -

Note: This document is Preliminary unless validated. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I INTRODUCTION 7 OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY 7 THE SHIRE IN A SNAPSHOT 8 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SHIRE 10 VISION FOR THE SHIRE 11 DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS 13 PART 1: STRATEGIC PLANNING CONTEXT 15 GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES AND TRENDS 15 PLANNING FOR THE SOUTHWEST REGION 18 PLANNING IN WOLLONDILLY SHIRE 19 PART 2: THE SHIRE TODAY 27 INTRODUCTION 27 THE SHIRE’S POPULATION 27 TOWN CENTRES, VILLAGES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS 30 TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 31 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 33 CULTURAL HERITAGE 35 TOURISM IN THE SHIRE 37 PART 3A : OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PROVISION 41 OVERVIEW OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACE 41 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION INVENTORY 42 QUANTUM, SIZE OF RESERVES 44 OPEN SPACE DISTRIBUTION AND CONNECTIVITY 47 SETTING TYPES AND RECREATIONAL USE 47 MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF OPEN SPACE 57 PART 3B : COMMUNITY FACILITIES PROVISION 59 HISTORY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE SHIRE 59 COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE REGION 59 COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE SHIRE 59 MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES 61 DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES 61 QUANTUM OF COMMUNITY FACILITY FLOOR SPACE 66 ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES 67 QUALITY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES 67 UTILISATION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES 71 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION 75 CONCLUSIONS COMMON TO OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES 75 CONCLUSIONS ON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PROVISION 76 CONCLUSIONS ON COMMUNITY FACILITY PROVISION 88 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page PART 4 : GROWTH AND CHANGE 91 PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH 91 PART 5: NEEDS AND DEMANDS 97 BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS AND DATA 97 CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PROJECT 99 SPECIFIC COMMUNITY FACILITY NEEDS AND DEMANDS 100 PART 6: EMERGING DIRECTIONS AND STANDARDS 103 EMERGING DIRECTIONS 103 OPEN SPACE PROVISION HIERARCHY AND STANDARDS 104 DEVELOPER OPEN SPACE GUIDELINES 104 PROPOSED COMMUNITY FACILITIES HIERARCHY 106 PROPOSED COMMUNITY FACILITY STANDARDS 108 PART 7: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES 119 OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY 119 COMMON GUIDING PRINCIPLES 122 SPECIFIC OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PRINCIPLES 125 SPECIFIC COMMUNITY FACILITIES PRINCIPLES 125 PART 8: THE STRATEGY 127 THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 127 COMMON STRATEGIC THEMES 127 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION STRATEGY 129 COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY 130 PART 9: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 133 OVERVIEW 133 STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS 136 COMMUNITY FACILITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 138 DELIVERING THE PLAN 146 BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES 152

APPENDICES 154 1: OPEN SPACE INVENTORY 2: TYPICAL PARK AND HIERARCHY SETTINGS AND ATTRIBUTES 3: OPEN SPACE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 4: COMMUNITY FACILITY INVENTORY 5: COMMUNITY FACILITIES DETAILED AUDIT SCORES 6: COMMUNITY FACILITIES UTILISATION ASSESSMENT 7: COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON COMMUNITY FACILITIES 8: COMMUNITY FACILITY NEEDS AND DEMANDS DETAILED INFORMATION 9: COMMUNITY CONSULTATION SUMMARY

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 Executive Summary

MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Wollondilly Shire is known and enjoyed for its rural landscape and lifestyle, as described in the Community Strategic Plan; but with the forecasts of significant growth in the Shire’s population over the next twenty years there is an urgent need to ensure that open space, recreation and community facilities provided by the public and private sector reflect current needs and can respond to that growth in an innovative and adaptive manner.

This Open Space Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy (OSRCF) provides that strategic framework.

OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY The core aims and objectives of the Strategy are to: • Identify and document the existing open space and community facilities and their distribution across the City • Achieve a clear understanding of stakeholder and community needs in relation to open space, recreation and community facilities • Enhance the recreational, environmental and social values of open space, recreation and community facilities across the LGA by better matching facility provision and accessibility to the community’s needs, in line with best practice • Establish clear linkages and corridors that enhance recreational connectivity, walking and cycling accessibility to day-to day destinations (shops, transport, work, school, parks, community facilities) and the natural values of the LGA’s open space • Identify actions and strategies that will enhance the community’s health and wellbeing • Document actions that will ensure that open space and community facilities are sustainably managed from economic, environmental, social and cultural perspectives. The purpose of the OSRCF is to inform a number of key Council Policies and Strategies including: • Council’s Section 94 Developers Contribution Plan • Development of Plans of Management • Levels of embellishment and the scale and nature of future facilities • The Strategic acquisition and disposal of property. The Objectives were outlined in the Project Brief and were tested and refined as the Strategy was developed.

PROJECT PROCESSES The methodology employed by the consultant team to develop the Strategy included: • Extensive field evaluation, document review, inventory development and mapping • Comprehensive consultation with Council staff, facilities managers, government agencies and community members,through a combination of one-on-one interviews, online surveys and workshops.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 I The Strategy also includes a review of a number of critical related factors that have a direct bearing on current and future usage and enjoyment of those facilities, including: • Population forecasts (from 43,834 people in 2011 to a forecasted population of 101,475 in 2036) and the anticipated demography, based on updates of the 2011 Growth Management Strategy • The public and private transport network around the Shire that governs accessibility to facilities • The natural environment, cultural heritage and landscape character of the Shire • Landscape and building operation, management and maintenance.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS Findings and conclusions common to the Shire’s open spaces (101 parks) and community facilities (19 buildings) drawn from the analysis undertaken include: • The need to pursue an integrated approach to all such facilities, as the synergies between them are extensive and central to community benefit, enhanced social interaction, value for money and adaptability to changing community needs • Duplication, particularly of buildings and amenities - is prevalent across the Shire. Many of these facilities are old and with single users, frequently with falling usage patterns. Working with the community to consolidate, integrate and modernise such facilities will have manifest benefits, functionally,economically and socially • The indoor/outdoor relationship is crucial as much to community facilities as it is recreation facilities. The two should be planned on similar principles • The visible profile of all facilities and open space on the street front is key to community awareness, a sense of safety, greater use and a perception of ownership • Optimised accessibility is central to all facilities. While the rural nature of the Shire and the limited public transport available necessarily places greater dependency on car travel, much can be done within towns and villages to improve walkability and bicycle access for journeys of less than 2kms, particularly with paths in residential estates and dedicated cycle spaces on roads • Facilities and amenities need to be adaptable to shared use and high level of multi-functionality if they are to meet future community needs and preclude duplication, with associated additional costs • Play provision is a generator of high social interaction across generations. Its provision within community facilities, in passive parklands and at sports facilities creates higher usage levels, greater social interactivity and longer visit times • The quality and accessibility of toilet facilities have a direct bearing on park and community facility users and visitor experience and may affect visitation choices • The quality and adequacy of night lighting affects perceptions of safety. Active spaces and places tend to reduce anti-social behaviour Many of these common issues are addressed in the suite of planning and design principles that follow.

II MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G GUIDING PRINCIPLES The OSRCF provides a series of ten best practice principles that inform the Strategies under the following headings: • Central to catchment and equitable access • Clustered or co-located facilities • Flexibility and multi-use • Contribute to public domain and a sense of place • Following sustainability principles • Location to promote accessibility and visibility • Connected to public transport • Of size and design to enable expansion and adaptation • Promoting safety and security • Avoiding conflict with neighbouring uses The Strategy provides a commentary for each of the Principles outlined above.

STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKING Standards for delivery will be focused on current best practice and whilst some of these will necessarily be based on formulae (eg floor area per head of population for varying community facilities or minimal area requirements for reserves at differing hierarchies) the other critical factors are accessibility (ie 400-500m walking distances to local reserves in towns), connectivity and local urban and natural geography. Numerical standards form a baseline against which contextual analysis is measured in this Strategy.

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK There are four basic themes around which the Strategies have been developed, are: • Making More of What We’ve Got; enhancing existing facilities where well located to offer contemporary standards and extend users capacity, first and foremost • Ensuring That All Members of the Community Benefit: focusing on the quality of facilities in both urban and rural contexts to a Shire-wide framework • Achieving Value for Money: taking a long view to establish the need, nature and locations for acquisition, consolidation or rationalisation of reserves and facilities • Matching Provision to People; ensuring facilities are delivered in time to meet related population growth thresholds and thus meet needs as they arise. The strategic framework for the OSRCF is based upon the following foundations: • Planning urban growth to retain the key characteristics of rural town and village lifestyles and character for both open space and community facilities • Conserving, promoting and integrating the Shire’s remarkable natural, cultural heritage and scenic values into planning and design of facilities, recreation and tourism

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 III IV MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G • Improving connections between towns and villages and addressing their common and differing needs by developing a strategic network of paths, trails and bicycle routes • Drawing on the rivers and creek networks to better connect communities with nature and each other • Planning, designing and operating all facilities with the specific goal of maximising social connection and integration.

OPEN SPACE STRATEGIES AND IMPLEMENTATION The strategies for open space illustrated in the Open Space Strategy Plan opposite include: • Establishment of higher order open space and recreation facilities in the major projected growth corridor from Camden to Thirlmere • Identification of facilities required to meet major growth centres such as Wilton Junction and Appin • A rural facilities strategy for the centre of the Shire that focuses on The Oaks as its heart • A regional sports and passive parkland focus based on existing facilities and landholdings in Warragamba to be developed in concert with adjoining Councils • Improved accessibility to facilities within towns through use of creek corridors for shared off-road paths • Focus on better access to and enjoyment of the major rivers including development of the Great River Walk on the Nepean River • Integrating the Shires’ unique biodiversity and scenic qualities as part of the open space network and associated recreation and tourism opportunities eg sports and adventure tourism • Developing public and private sector partnerships to deliver the Strategies. The details of the Strategy as illustrated in the Open Space Structure Plan overleaf are outlined below.

Higher Order Facilities The Strategy outlines proposals for the upgrade, extension or creation of higher order facilities for open space settings as follows: • Passive Parklands: establishment of a regional open space destination, including an all abilities playground at Warragamba, to be developed in concert with adjoining Councils; district level town parks at Wilton and Appin • Outdoor Sports: a regional sports hub at Warragamba and district level sports hubs at Wilton, Appin, Douglas Park, The Oaks and Picton/Thirlmere • Civic Urban Space: development of a new civic park at Picton co-located with a new cultural precinct centred on the town hall/Council chambers • Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation: integration of open space with National Parks on their boundaries using sub-regional trails

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 V VI MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G • River Foreshore Creeks and Wetlands: focus on better open space and recreation integration with the Shire’s rivers and creeks, in particular improving access to the Nepean River through the upgrade of key river destinations and the development of the Great River Walk • Indoor Leisure: review of opportunities to expand the outdoor space associated with the existing Leisure Centre at Picton and integration of the pool and an indoor sports complex as part of the regional facilities at Warragamba.

Implementation Actions and Priorities The Strategy recommends implementation priorities should focus on the following in its initial phases: • A Landscape Character Study of the whole Shire to identify the key elements that make up its rural character and how these can be conserved during growth • Tree Replacement Strategy to ensure succession of the Shire’s fine treescape • Corridors and Trails Strategy, centred on creeks and rivers • Open Space Planning and Design Guidelines to assist negotiations with developers • A Shire-wide Sports Strategy to ensure future needs can be met • An acquisition and rationalisation strategy to optimise equity, accessibility and demonstrated value for money in open space provision • Update of the Section 94 Open Space Contributions Plan • A Play and Youth Strategy • Integration of Open Space with Council’s tourism strategy (focusing on sports tourism, adventure, river recreation and regional trails) It is also recommended that the delivery of the strategies be undertaken through key partnerships with adjoining Councils, State Government agencies such NPWS and other organisations such as schools and community groups.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGIES AND IMPLEMENTATION The strategies for community facilities illustrated overleaf is based on a catchment approach and involves a hierarchy of community facilities proposed for the Wollondilly LGA with consideration of projected short term population growth (to 2021) and long term population growth (to 2036). The following are proposed high level facilities: • New District Level community facilities/hub in Picton and Wilton • Neighbourhood level community facilities in Warragamba, The Oaks, Thirlmere, Tahmoor and Wilton (2 facilities). • Local level community facilities in Tahmoor, Bargo, Wilton, Appin, Douglas Park and Camden Park/Menangle. A detailed table of implementation proposals is further described in the Strategy as also the relative order of priority in implementation.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 VII Warragamba Douglas Park/Menangle/Camden Park Neighbourhood facility Douglas Park local facility Possible redevelopment of the Warragamba Town Hall into a Existing Douglas Park Community Centre retained as a local level neighbourhood level facility including space for service provision, Wallacia community facility with increased utilisation. childcare and meeting/activity space (including hall). Warragamba R R Menangle/Camden Park local facility Rationalisation of the Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and NF Warragamba Eldercare Cottage. New local level facility in either Menangle or Camden Park to service additional facility needs in the area.

The Oaks Appin Neighbourhood facility Silverdale Neighbourhood facility Possible redevelopment of The Oaks Community Hall and Seniors Hall into a neighbourhood level facility. Existing Appin Community Hall retained as a local facility (with some enhancement to increase utilisation). Existing facility to be redeveloped Rationalisation of the Oakdale Community Hall and Mount Hunter into a neighbourhood level facility or new neighbourhood facility to be Community Hall. provided as required in the future, in response to population growth. Werombi Picton Theresa Park Key District hub DF District level facility/hub Redevelopment of the Picton Library and Wollondilly Shire Hall into a Redevelopment of existing facilities district level community hub with library and a community centre with a cultural/arts focus. District level facility/hub Orangeville DF New facility Community centre to include performance space, exhibition space and meeting/activity space. Hub to include Picton School of Arts as facility for Brownlow NF Neighbourhood facility service provision. Additional space for service provision to be included in Hill Existing facility Nattai the Picton Hub (either within the School of Arts or through redevelopment Oakdale R Neighbourhood facility of another Council asset in the Town Centre). Glenmore NF Redevelopment of existing facility R Belimba NF Camden Park Park Neighbourhood facility NF Thirlmere/Tahmoor The Oaks New facility Mt Hunter Cawdor Thirlmere neighbourhood facility LF Local facility LF New facility located preferably in the Thirlmere Village Centre. Existing facility Rationalisation of the existing Thirlmere Community Hall. Menangle LF Local facility Tahmoor neighbourhood facility New facility

Existing Tahmoor Community Centre to be retained as a neighbourhood Mowbray Picton Razorback R Existing facility to be rationalised level facility. Tahmoor CWA Hall retained as a local facility providing Park activity space (with some enhancement to increase utilisation). DF Douglas Lakesland Park Bargo R NF LF Darkes Bargo local facilities Thirlmere LF NF Forest Bargo Community Hall retained as a local facility with some enhancement Appin to increase utilisation. LF Tahmoor NF Bonnie Cottage retained as a local facility. LF Couridjah NF LF Buxton Wilton DF District hub and neighbourhood facilities Bargo NF Pheasants Cataract New district hub associated with new development in Wilton Junction. LF Nest Hub to include library and community centre. Focus of facility to LF Wilton compliment/provide a different focus to the Picton district hub. Two neighbourhood facilities also proposed to meet future community needs. Local facilities Yanderra Existing Wilton Community Centre retained as a local facility. New facility also planned for Bingara Gorge.

VIII MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Warragamba Douglas Park/Menangle/Camden Park Neighbourhood facility Douglas Park local facility Possible redevelopment of the Warragamba Town Hall into a Existing Douglas Park Community Centre retained as a local level neighbourhood level facility including space for service provision, Wallacia community facility with increased utilisation. childcare and meeting/activity space (including hall). Warragamba R R Menangle/Camden Park local facility Rationalisation of the Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and NF Warragamba Eldercare Cottage. New local level facility in either Menangle or Camden Park to service additional facility needs in the area.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 IX Introduction

The Picton Botanical Gardens are a popular destination

MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G INTRODUCTION

Wollondilly Shire Council has commissioned CLOUSTON Associates, in association with Elton Consulting to prepare an Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Strategy (OSRCF) for the Wollondilly Shire.

Open Spaces and Community facilities fulfil a range of critical functions in local communities. They provide places from which services are delivered, as well as offering venues where people can come together for activities, social or cultural occasions, recreation or support. As a result, open spaces and community facilities are known to be important in creating a sense of place and community, and contributing to the life of the community. Well designed and managed facilities can host a range of activities and cater to a wide range of population groups in a way that is flexible and adaptable to changing community needs over time.

The OSRCF Strategy determines the type, scale and extent of open space, recreation and community facilities provided by Council. By identifying all facilities the strategy will determine the types of facilities required, where there may be an over provision and where a possible under supply for both the current and future needs of the growing Wollondilly community.

OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY The core aims and objectives of the Study are to: • Identify and document the existing open space and community facilities and their distribution across the City • Achieve a clear understanding of stakeholder and community needs in relation to open space, recreation and community facilities • Enhance the recreational, environmental and social values of open space, recreation and community facilities across the LGA by better matching facility provision and accessibility to the community’s needs, in line with best practice • Establish clear linkages and corridors that enhance recreational connectivity, walking and cycling accessibility to day-to day destinations (shops, transport, work, school, parks, community facilities) and the natural values of the LGA’s open space • Identify actions and strategies that will enhance the community’s health and wellbeing • Document actions that will ensure that open space and community facilities are sustainably managed from economic, environmental, social and cultural perspectives. The purpose of the OSRCF is to inform a number of key Council Policies and Strategies including: • Council’s Section 94 Developers Contribution Plan • Development of Plans of Management • Levels of embellishment and the scale and nature of future facilities • The Strategic acquisition and disposal of property

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 7 INTRODUCTION

The aims and objectives of the OSRCF Strategy recognises the need to address the type and distribution of open space and community facilities across the Wollondilly Shire. The recreational, the environmental, social and connectivity values of the space, creating a community engaged with Council and the future of the sustainable growth and planning in the City .

THE SHIRE IN A SNAPSHOT Wollondilly Shire is located in the Greater Sydney area on the Southern outskirts of Sydney, forming the most southwestern part of the Sydney Metropolitan Region, 80 kilometres from the Sydney CBD. The 2,560 square kilometres of the Shire stretch from Yanderra to Warragamba, taking in the spectacular natural beauty of the Nattai Wilderness and Burragorang Valley (see Figure 0.1 Wollondilly Shire Context).

The Geography The majority (90%) of the Shire’s landscape is comprised of national park, bushland, water catchment or rural land, including gorges, ranges and plains (Profile.id 2014). Warragamba Dam, located in the Wollondilly Shire is fed by the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers and is the primary source of water for Sydney, providing 97% of the city’s water supply.

The Population The Shire’s population is spread across a number of towns and villages, with residents who value their local history, community connectedness, rural lifestyle, community spirit and friendly atmosphere. The current population is approximately 45,000 in 2011.

The Economy Supporting the Shire’s rural lifestyle and economy are market gardens, orchards, dairy and poultry farms that operate alongside the significant coal industry. Rural living is highly regarded by Wollondilly residents and a distinctive rural character exists within the Shire’s towns and villages.

The Natural Environment Wollondilly is recognised as one of the greenest areas remaining in the Sydney Basin. It contains diverse natural environments and ecosystems ranging from forests, wetlands and ranges to open plains. There are many rare or endangered plant and animal species in the Shire and it forms an important link for flora and fauna species between the mountains and the coast.

The Lifestyle Wollondilly’s natural environment, sensitive water catchment lands, extensive public open spaces and opportunities for rural living and relaxation are among its greatest assets, providing facilities and opportunities for Shire residents, visitors and the growing leisure and tourism market.

8 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G INTRODUCTION

The Open Space and Community Facilities The Shire contains 255 hectares of local open spaces and reserves managed by the Wollondilly Shire Council. This includes 14 Sportsgrounds, over 101 parks and reserves, 10 tennis courts, 4 skate parks, 1 BMX park and 2 swimming pools (including 1 Leisure Centre).

Community facilities include one Cultural facility in Picton, 11 Community Halls / Centres spread throughout the area, 3 Mixed Facilities all in Picton and 4 Community Service Centres (2 in Warragamba, 1 in Tahmoor and 1 in Bargo).

Figure 0.1 The Wollondilly Shire context

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 9 INTRODUCTION

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SHIRE The traditional custodianship of the Wollondilly region lies with the clans of the Dharawal (Tharawal), Gundungara and Dharug people who occupied the land for up to 14,000 years before white settlement.

The name Wollondilly is said to be translated from the Aboriginal word ‘wallandillii’ meaning ‘water travelling over rocks’ or ‘a place where spirits dwell’. However, these meanings have not been substantiated and there is no evidence of them in the now extinct language of the local clan of the Tharawal people. Other meanings connected to the name suggest ‘worro’ translated as black coal and ‘dilly’ as basket referring to the method of carrying live coals between camps.

European exploration of the Wollondilly area began in 1795 with early settlement developing in the early 1800s. Two of the earliest settlements in the region began with the towns of Appin, named in 1811 by Governor Lachlan Macquarie, and Picton, originally known as Cowpastures and later (until 1841 when it was renamed as Picton) as Stonequarry. The first land grant in the area was handed to Henry Colden Anthill in 1822 by his associate and friend Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

On the discovery of high quality coal in the Wollondilly area mining was developed and became a major industry for the region. During the 1960s and 1970s coal mines were opened in Appin and Tahmoor.

In 1943, after a series of severe droughts, a proposal was put forward by the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board to investigate a site for the location of a water storage dam. As a result of this investigation, in 1948 construction began for the building of Warragamba Dam.

The resulting dam of the Warragamba River formed Lake Burragorang which is the primary source of water for Sydney and supplies 80% of the city’s needs. Lake Burragorang is bounded by the popular tourist destinations of the Blue Mountains National Park, the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, Nattai and Burragorang State Recreation Areas.

Warragamba Dam wall

10 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G INTRODUCTION

VISION FOR THE SHIRE The ‘Vision’ for Wollondilly Shire, developed through the Wollondilly Community Strategic Plan 2030 (November 2010) states that it :

“ Reflects the Community’s desire to maintain Wollondilly Shire’s rural character together with the sense of belonging to caring communities that have been at its core for generations”.

This Vision is based around nine principles that encompass the core qualities of the lifestyles and landscapes that the people of the Shire most value. These principles are:

• Rural setting and character: farmland and natural areas, separate towns and villages, rural-type roads • Viable agriculture: a productive, sustainable and visible part of our economy, our community and landscape • Lifestyle: residents experience and value living within a rural setting irrespective of where and how they live • Community Spirit: community spirit thrives in villages with separate but interrelated identities • Environment and heritage: natural and man-made settings with environmental and cultural significance • Towns and villages: focal points which provide opportunities for social interaction. • Buildings and development: sympathetic to the traditional character of our built environment • Roads and Transport: rural living factors contribute to the Shire’s overall high car-dependence • Infrastructure and services: rural living factors can result in lower levels of services and infrastructure. This Vision for the Shire informs and directs the strategies that arise form the development of the OSRCF.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 11 There are many significant regional views across the Shire

12 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G INTRODUCTION

DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS A number of definitions and abbreviations appear throughout this document, the explanation for which are set out below.

Definitions For the purposes of the OSRCF, the following definitions apply to terms and phrases outlined below:

• Public Open Space: for the OSRCF, means land under the care control and management of Council for the principal purpose of outdoor public recreation. Although public open space is generally zoned as such under the Local Environment Plan (LEP), the OSRCF also addresses other areas of the public domain (eg. streets, plazas, etc) where relevant to the community’s recreation and leisure. • Recreation: in its broadest sense recreation is ‘an activity done for pleasure or relaxation’. With such a broad description that could include activities such as watching television, reading and visiting friends, the OSRCF limits recreation to those activities in the outdoors that fall within the responsibilities of Council’s provision or facilitation (eg. sports, play, etc).

Abbreviations for Planning Documents The following abbreviations apply to a range of background documents referred to in this Plan:

• OSRCF - Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Plan 2013 • MPS 2036 - Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 • CSP 2030 - Wollondilly Community Strategic Plan (2030) • LEP 2011 - Wollondilly Shire Local Environment Plan (2011)

Abbreviations for Organisations The following abbreviations apply to a range of organisations referred to in this Plan: • WSC - Wollondilly Shire Council • DP+I - NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure • NPWS - NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service • OEH - NSW Office of Environment and Heritage • RMS - NSW Roads and Maritime Services • SWC - Sydney Water • LGA - Local Government Area

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 13 Part 1: Strategic Planning Context Part 1 : Strategic Planning Context

Warragamba Dam visitor centre park and picnic shelter

14 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 1: STRATEGIC PLANNING CONTEXT

The background to the OSRCF is characterised by numerous influences and trends, both global and local in nature, affecting the present and the future of the Shire and its people. These factors include: • The progressive increase of the Sydney Metropolitan Region’s population and the proposals for growth of the Southwest subregion under the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy • Changes in the Shire’s population and lifestyle, where they work, what community facilities they require and how and where they spend their leisure time • New global perspectives on the benefits of open space, recreation and community facilities and associated best practice in delivering services and facilities Set out below is a brief summary of some of these influences and their implications for the OSRCF, commencing at the global level and stepping through the regional influences to the most influential factors within the Shire itself.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES AND TRENDS Ongoing research from across the world highlights the importance of access to high quality open space and community facilities as a measure of a community’s health, creativity and productivity.

Great parks, squares and streets make for a better quality of life. A network of well-designed and cared-for open spaces adds to the character of places where people want to live, work and visit. Likewise, the community facilities available to residents have a direct bearing on the wellbeing of that community, its productivity and its social integration.

Importantly, there is a strong and critical link between open space, recreation and community facilities, with increased synergies of social interaction, diversity of opportunity, multi- functionality and enhanced value for money arising when they are jointly planned.

Open Space and Recreation Benefits Open space provides a range of social, environmental, cultural and economic benefits through: • Providing places for the community to meet and participate in leisure • Providing amenity and attracting significant economic value to an area or region • Assisting in shaping local biodiversity and conservation values • Being a focus for physical activity with associated health and wellbeing outcomes Open spaces also provide the vital green infrastructure that enable us to deal with storm water or mitigate and adapt to climate change while providing wildlife habitats, sporting facilities or beautiful parks and meeting spaces.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 15 Douglas Park Sports Ground and Community Centre integrates sports facilities with a community facility building

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The link therefore between a high quality open space system and a healthy and vibrant society should be a strong one, with open space providing opportunities for: • Recuperation, relaxation and contact with nature • Places for people to enjoy diverse outdoor activities • Children to safely explore the natural environment • Enhancing environmental and recreational corridors and linkages • Conservation of water catchments • Hike and bike trails and linking path networks. These benefits can be broadly summarised under the quadruple bottom line values (social,cultural, economic and environmental) as outlined in the Table 01 below.

PARK VALUES ParkPark ValuesPark Values Values

SOCIALSocialSocial Social EconomicECONOMICEconomicEconomic EnvironmentalEnvironmentalENVIRONMENTALEnvironmental CULTURAL

HealthHealth BenefitsHealth Benefits Benefits AmenityAmenityAmenity ConservationConservationConservation PersonalPersonalPersonal health, health, health, AddsAdds valueAdds value to value to to PreservingPreservingPreserving and and and humanhuman developmenthuman development development surroundingsurroundingsurrounding property property property protectingprotectingprotecting remnant remnant remnant and andquality andquality ofquality life of life of life vegetationvegetationvegetation

CommunityCommunityCommunity TourismTourismTourism HealthHealth Health OrganisationsOrganisationsOrganisations DevelopmentDevelopmentDevelopment of local of local of local AssistAssist inAssist developing in developing in developing a a a DevelopmentDevelopmentDevelopment of of of and andregional andregional regional tourism tourism tourism cleanclean airclean and air andair and communitycommunitycommunity groups groups groups environmentenvironmentenvironment

CommunityCommunityCommunity Benefits Benefits Benefits SocialSocial interaction,Social interaction, interaction, culturalcultural culturaldiversity diversity diversity and and and cohesioncohesioncohesion FigureFigureFigure 1: Values 1: Values 1: Values of Parks of Parks of Parks Table 01: Park Values Source:Source:Source: Modified Modified Modified from from the from Sydneythe Sydneythe SydneyUrban Urban Parks Urban Parks Education Parks Education Education and andResearch andResearch Research Group Group Model Group Model Model Benefits of Community Facilities Community facilities fulfil a range of critical functions in local communities. They provide places from which services are delivered, as well as offering venues where people can come together for activities, social or cultural occasions, recreation or support.

As a result, community facilities are known to be important in creating a sense of place and community and contributing to the life of the community. Well designed and managed facilities can host a range of activities and cater to a wide range of population groups in a way that is flexible and adaptable to changing community needs over time.

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THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING CONTEXT Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 In 2010, the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DP+I) updated the Metropolitan Strategy under the title Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 (MPS 2036). The Plan is laid out in ten subregional strategies and Wollondilly Shire is part of the South West Sub region along with the Camden, Campbelltown and Liverpool LGAs.

The Plan foresees an increased population for Sydney of 1.7 million to the year 2031, with the South West Region accounting for 80, 000 new jobs and 100,000 new dwellings, 40,000 in existing areas, 15,000 in other greenfield areas by 2031.

The development potential of Wollondilly is constrained because more than half of the land is either national park or sensitive water catchment area. All of the settled areas of Wollondilly are located east of the Warragamba Dam (Sydneys’ major water supply).

Consequently the Plan recognises that Wollondilly represents the lowest density of population within the subregion, but that it has a role to play in the future development of the subregion by conserving and promoting the qualities of its extensive range of environmentally sensitive areas and valuable heritage significance.

Subsequent to the publication of the Plan, the DP+I has continued to discuss growth and development scenarios with Wollondilly Shire Council. In concert with proposals from land developers a number of significant new development scenarios are either in progress or in planning for various locations around the Shire including Appin, Camden South, Cawdor, Warragamba, Tahmoor, Thirlmere, Picton and Bargo. These plans are discussed in more detail later in this section.

PLANNING FOR THE SOUTHWEST REGION The NSW Metropolitan Strategy in relation to parks, public places and culture in the South West, outlines the following key points that are relevant to planning in the Wollondilly Shire: • To improve and enhance key natural resources including river systems and corridors such as Georges River, Nepean Gorge, Nepean, Bargo River Wildlife Corridor, Cabramatta Creek, Bents Basin and South Creek • Complete gaps in existing trails including Lake Burragorang- Picton - Georges River trail • Councils to plan for the refurbishment of older facilities along foreshores, including the rehabilitation of bushland and the replacement to park infrastructure • Enhance and establish natural corridors including river systems and significant creeklines • Investigate potential links between Appin, Bulli, Cataract Scout Camp and Cataract Dam • Roads and Traffic Authority to develop the framework for an integrated network of regional recreation trails as part of the overall open space system. • Investigate opportunities further develop the adventure sport market including mountain biking and horse riding within state recreation areas

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• Improvement of major event facilities in Western Sydney and to increase international tourism potential through links with attractions in the area including Mt Annan Botanic Garden, Blue Mountains and Olympic Sites • Enhance existing civic space and provide new civic spaces • Integrate arts as part of the regeneration process.

The provision of community facilities within Wollondilly reflects the relatively small and dispersed pattern of population in the Shire. Facilities to meet predominantly local needs, and some district needs, are distributed among the townships and villages of the Shire, but the Shire lacks any major regional facilities.

For these, the Wollondilly population relies predominantly on Campbelltown, with key facilities including the Campbelltown Arts Centre as well as non-Council facilities such as Campbelltown Hospital, specialist medical services, TAFE College, campus of University of Western Sydney, major government and non-government human services and retail and entertainment facilities.

Regional facilities and services in Wollongong, Liverpool and Penrith are also relied upon. Some facilities within the Southern Highlands are also used, although these tend to be other local and district level facilities.

PLANNING IN WOLLONDILLY SHIRE A number of strategic and statutory planning policies, plans and strategies adopted by Council have a direct bearing on the directions of the OSRCF. Similarly, Part 9: Implementation, provides a summary of the sequence of delivery of the OSRCF and how it will relate to documents in the future. Outlined below is a summary of the key documents.

Wollondilly Community Strategic Plan 2030 Adopted by Council in November 2030, this strategic plan sets out the long term aspirations for the Shire focusing on five key areas: community, economy, environment, infrastructure and governance. Developed in parallel with regional plans and the local community, the Strategic Plan dovetails neatly with wider directives while presenting ‘grass roots’ aspirations and values.

This 20 year community plan is underpinned by a number of specific delivery plans (each a four year program). The following aspects of the community plan which have relevance to this open space study: • Rural living and the distinctive rural landscape character is highly valued by local residents, ‘rural living’ is central to the vision for Wollondilly • Wollondilly is one of the ‘greenest’ areas in the Sydney Basin, containing diverse natural environments and ecosystems, including 255 Ha of open space which is managed by Council • The protection of the natural environment remains a high priority for the local community, particularly around water quality and the health of watercourses • Residents value opportunities for social interaction, recreation, sport, worship and shopping in urban areas of the Shire

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• Upgrades and extensions are required to infrastructure including water and sewage, communication networks and roads • The Shire is a car dependent society with low public transport usage and limited provision of services due to the dispersed nature of rural and village settlement and small populations The implications of the directions outlined above for the OSRCF include: • The need to reflect the regions unique character in the planning and design of open space • Reducing car dependency for local access by improved network of linkages in the open space system • Harnessing social interaction opportunities in all public open space. Wollondilly Local Environmental Plan 2011 Wollondilly’s LEP was adopted in 2011 as the primary instrument used in managing development and change in the Shire. The LEP presents controls for the subdivision of existing lots, development of minimum lot sizes, building heights and floor space ratios as the means of ensuring desirable built form.

It contains the following land use zones: rural, residential, business, industrial, special purpose, recreation and environmental protection. The aims of the LEP explicitly promote conservation and protection of the natural environment (specifically water, being a catchment area) and heritage. The plan focuses on achieving sustainable growth and development whilst maintaining the uniqueness of the area. The LEP contains specific sections (Parts 6 and 7) which relate to Urban Release Areas and biodiversity, flood planning, and water protection.

Growth Management Strategy 2011 The 2005 Metropolitan Strategy identified high rates of population growth for Western Sydney in general and established targets for individual Councils. Within the Wollondilly Shire Council area an increase of some 23,000 people is projected by 2030, resulting in a total population of 60,000 people. This growth will require 7,500 new dwellings as well as new employment opportunities. In addition to this, Council receives many developer- led initiatives (both housing and employment proposals), which would place additional pressures on infrastructure and resources.

Council’s overall position on growth is that a healthy continuation of current rates (ie achieving a population of some 60,000 people by 2030) can be accommodated, but that the environmental amenity of Wollondilly and its highly valued rural character should not be compromised.

The Growth Management Strategy establishes six policy directions to guide change and achieve sustainable growth. The implications of the growth strategy is contained in the ‘Assessment Criteria’, which provides a checklist that every planning proposal must satisfy to comply with the GMS.

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The implications of the directions outlined above for the OSRCF include: • Open space is a critical element in maintaining and enhancing the shire’s rural character • Changes to the GMS since 2011 suggest the need for more and better connected open space, especially on the eastern side of the Shire. Community Facilities and Recreational Needs Study 2010 Prepared by Heather Nesbitt Planning and CD Recreation Services, this Study and associated Plan provides Council with a strategy to address the needs of the community and recreational groups in the Shire.

The Plan provides Council with advice on funding, implementation and management of the desired outcomes and sets the scene for implementation by 2010. The recommendations which have relevance to this Strategy are: • Provision of two multipurpose sport and Community Centres for indoor sport, youth and community activities, ideally in Warragamba/Silverdale and The Oaks • Provision of three multipurpose Community Centres recommended for Picton, Thirlmere and Douglas Park • An upgrade to an existing Community Centre in Appin • Creation of a youth hub (potentially involving the redevelopment of the Tahmoor Community Centre) • Redevelopment of the Picton Cultural Centre to become a Shire wide resource • Recommended implementation of the Sportsgrounds and Reserves Plan of Management 2001 which details works for Tahmoor Sportsground, Wollondilly Pony Club, Thirlmere Sportsground, Bargo Sportsground, Victoria Park, Hume Oval and Wonga Road Reserve • Conversion of tennis courts to multipurpose hardcourts accommodating basketball, netball, volleyball etc. across the Shire • Investigate possibility for a skatepark, potentially located at Picton and upgrade two skateparks at Tahmoor and Bargo • Develop walking, cycling and horse riding tracks. While some of the proposals above have been implemented, many remain in the planning stage and are further reviewed in this Plan.

The implications of the directions outlined above for the OSRCF include: • The need for a greater degree of consolidation and integration of facilities with high and multi- functional values. • The requirement to explore integration of community facilities and recreation facilities. • The need for more indoor recreation opportunities.

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Sustainable Wollondilly Report The Sustainable Wollondilly Report (SWR) is produced annually, replacing the State of the Environment Report. It reports on how Council has met the environmental objectives prescribed by the Community Strategic Plan 2030 (CSP2030).

In order to relate to the CSP2030, this report is structured around the same key issues: community, economy, environment, infrastructure and governance. It awards a ‘star rating’ indicating progress towards sustainability (with zero indicating no progress and five indicating full compliance).

Overall, Council’s rating has improved, achieving an average (across all indicators) star rating of 3.2 for the year 2009-2010, an improvement from 3 stars from the year previously.

The implications for the OSRCF include: • A continued high level of coordination with important stakeholders including the local Aboriginal Community (through the Wollondilly Aboriginal Advisory Committee). • A reduction (1.6%) in the level of open space per person. However Wollondilly provides higher levels of open space per capita than many LGAs. • Council’s efficient DA processing times (WSC was best performing Council in the Southern Highlands) means that open space provision and embellishments need to be planned ahead of urban growth and residential development. • Desired promotion of local heritage via interpretation and information systems could be accommodated in the public domain (parks, reserves, trails and paths). Water quality results for Wollondilly’s streams and rivers indicate fair to good quality, promoting a healthy environment and rural character. This is important for open spaces and recreation opportunities related to waterways. • The open space strategy could support the threatened and endangered ecological communities, flora and fauna species in the Shire, improving Biodiversity indicators. • The open space strategy could support cycling which would improve SWR indicators for Air.

Wollondilly Bike Plan GHD prepared the Wollondilly Bike Plan for Council in 2011, replacing earlier cycling plans and shared path strategies. The Plan sets a comprehensive proposal for extending Wollondilly’s existing cycling network. It aims to reduce the ‘missing links’ in the network, improve safety, provide connectivity with other transport modes and affect an increase in the use of bicycles in the community.

Approximately 30km of new cycle routes are proposed in the plan, divided into 39 distinct sections: 16 off road, 14 on road and 9 on shared paths. The proposed sections vary in length with the longest paths measuring one to two kilometers and the shortest sections comprising railway bridges.

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Priority levels were also awarded to the routes, with sections in Appin, Picton, Thirlmere, Tahmoor and Warragamba given highest priority. The plan provides a picture of the strategic costs associated with delivering the new bike routes, giving a low-end and high- end estimate reflecting relative construction costs for different types of paths and facilities.

The funding of paths by developers or Council is also nominated in the Plan, making it a comprehensive tool for advancing cycling in the Shire.

The implications of the directions outlined above for the OSRCF include: • The need for more local connections between key day-to-day destinations (eg. bike path access to sports fields within a locality). • Focus on local combinations of shared paths. • Priority for low cost opportunities (eg. painted bike paths on wide local roads). • Need for realism about road connections between towns, many of which are too narrow, winding and fast to be safe, even for experienced riders. • Explore off road networks, eg creek corridors as recreational priorities.

The Wollondilly Strategic Community Plan 2030 The Wollondilly Strategic Community Plan 2030 supersedes the previous Wollondilly Community Social Plan (2005-2009) which highlights 5 key focus areas of community, economy, environment, infrastructure and governance. The following proposals within the Strategic Community Plan have relevance to the OSRCF: • Achieve a reduction in travel demand by improving and providing more local facilities • Encourage opportunities for a wider modal split in transport choices, such as cycling and walking • Provide good access to spaces that enable people to participate in healthy living (leisure centres, sports grounds, recreational areas, cycleways and shared pathways, community centres) • Expand Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) in the design of public open space and facilities • Promote the design of public spaces with place specific and distinctive design linking to the existing town form and structure • Ensure that tourism endures and grows, capitalising on the environmental, historic, recreational and commercial assets of Wollondilly • Provide for additional education campuses in the LGA (high schools, TAFE and University) • Develop accessible public spaces, particularly in town centres, which enable people to connect and socialize • Promote and nurture the Shire’s heritage, including appropriately managed Aboriginal history as well as non-Aboriginal heritage (historic features, subdivisions, dams, connections and the cultural landscape)

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• Investigate options for leisure/community service precincts incorporating indoor sport, and recreation • Improve existing sports and recreation facilities using Section 94 funds and other grants • Provide recreation and cultural facilities specific to the following groups and issues – young people; riparian reserves and picnic facilities; cultural venues and major park upgrades. The implications of the directions outlined above for the OSRCF include: • The need for higher level of integration for community facilities and open space, particularly in town centres • Improve accessibility by increased path networks.

Wollondilly Biodiversity Strategy 2004 The Wollondilly Biodiversity Strategy was prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council in July 2004 and adopted in 2005. The aim of the Strategy was to: • Provide a coordinated approach to the conservation of Wollondilly’s native plants, animals, their habitats, and the ecological processes that sustain them. • Provide Council and staff with direction and assistance in making effective and efficient management decisions regarding biodiversity and long term strategic planning for biodiversity. • Ensure the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development are employed when making decisions about the use of natural resources in the Wollondilly Shire. The 2004 Strategy included the following key findings for the Wollondilly Shire: • Six locations ‘registered’ and five ‘indicative’ locations listed on Register of the National Estate • Nine vegetation communities listed as Endangered Ecological Communities • 34 flora species listed as threatened under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) or Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) • 5 amphibian species, 58 avian (bird) species, 1 invertebrate species, 20 mammal species, and 2 reptile species listed as threatened and/or migratory under the TSC Act or EPBC Act • 655 species of flora and 408 species of terrestrial vertebrate fauna. Further to the 2004 Strategy Council is currently developing the Wollondilly Environmental Management Strategy (WEMS). The WEMS has been sufficiently progressed to permit a summary of its key findings in draft which include: • 13 identified Endangered Ecological communities within the highly diverse Cumberland Plain and Sydney Sandstone vegetation • Remnant vegetation along river corridors of high priority for conservation

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• Development pressures on existing natural areas will impact on the current bushland environment • The Roadside Reserves (adopted 2001) and the Biodiversity Strategy (adopted 2005) detail the actions required to assist in the protection of biodiversity in the Shire • Regional cooperation with State agencies exists which provides support and external funding for the delivery of conservation agreements.

The implications of the directions outlined above for the OSRCF include: • The need to enhance native planting and bushcare within the Shire’s reserves. • Increased focus on improving environmental corridor connectivity with enhanced recreational values • Drawing the river and creek systems into open space and recreation planning.

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Main road to The Oaks from the south

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INTRODUCTION This section sets the scene for the OSRCF, describing the key characteristics of the Shire, its people and landscape today, covering the topics of : • The Shire’s population and demographics • Transport, Infrastructure and Access across the Shire • The Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Shire • Tourism in the Shire Under each heading a brief description of the current issues and opportunities that relate to that topic are summarised.

THE SHIRE’S POPULATION The 2011 census indicates that Wollondilly Shire had a population of 43,484 and estimates of the 2012 population show an increase to 45,322. Highlights of this population include that: • The median age is 36 (the same as Greater Sydney) • There are more couples with children (43%) than in Greater Sydney (35%) • Only 5% of the population live in medium/high density housing (Greater Sydney average is 40%) • The number of residents renting properties is 16% (Greater Sydney is 30%) and rent is lower in Wollondilly than Greater Sydney • Only 4% of the population take public transport to work • University attendance (11%) is lower than Greater Sydney (24%) but vocational training (26%) is significantly higher than Greater Sydney (15%).

The demographic structure of Wollondilly Shire is revealed through 2011 census data. It shows that Wollondilly has a higher representation of Australian born residents (81.9% compared to 60.4%) and an indigenous population nearly two times larger than the average Greater Sydney population (1.9% compared to 1.1%).

The Council’s Growth Management Strategy further interrogates the census data, presenting the fact that the Shire has a larger proportion of couple families with children than the Sydney average (family households in Wollondilly account for 80.3% of total households). Wollondilly’s population reflects the larger national pattern of household sizes getting smaller with a growth in 2 person households.

The Shire has lower levels of mature and senior adults than the Sydney average (which indicates they may be moving out of the area at this stage of life).

The population forecast and associated analysis is further outlined in Part 4.

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Douglas Park Sportsground; further improvements to the sports ground are proposed to maximise use and enjoyment by the local community.

Tahmoor Park has been the subject of recent upgrades. This would be further enhanced by tree plantings for additional shade.

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How Wollondilly’s Population May Change The following quote from Council’s Growth Management Strategy 2011 gives some indication of the state of play at that time:

“Council has a dwelling target in the Draft Subregional Strategy of 5,200 new dwellings by 2031. With the agreement of DoP this target is to expected be raised to around 7,500 in the yet to be released final version of the Subregional Strategy. This new target figure will better reflect the forecast population growth rates for Wollondilly and the strategy of planning to accommodate our natural growth forecast.

Two significant housing developments (Bingara Gorge at Wilton and North Appin) are collectively providing approximately 1500 new homes towards this target. Council believes it can sustainably and sensibly plan for the vast majority of the remainder of the 25 year housing target to be located in those parts of the shire not within Macarthur South.

It makes sense for Wollondilly’s residential growth to be primarily focused in and around our existing main population centres. Small scale residential growth would still be able to occur in the Macarthur South area in and around existing centres, but the overall numbers would be expected to be in the hundreds.”

During 2012 Council has been liaising with the DP+I on a range of amendments to the Growth Management Strategy that also address proposals in train from developers in the region that include: • Proposals by a consortium of developers for a new town centre and residential development at Wilton with an ultimate residential population of 30,000 people • A significant new residential development in the Cawdor area • Expansion of the residential population through a significant new developments in Appin. There is also a proposal in train for a bypass to Appin • Additional residential growth in the Bargo area • Infill development in the Picton, Thirlmere and Tahmoor triangle • Up to 2,000 new dwellings in the Warragamaba and Silverdale area These new development scenarios are intended to focus the majority of the growth in an eastern corridor south of Camden whilst retaining the scale and rural character of the towns and villages that border the National Parks to the west.

Given the scale, range and geographic spread of these future developments, forecasting is inevitably highly dependent on the spread of which the related developer’s may develop subdivisions. For the purposes of developing this and other plans, Council has projected population growth up to the year 2026 as outlined in Part 4: Growth and Change.

Implications of change and growth for OSRCF • A growing residential population will require additional open space and an increase in recreation diversity. • With most residents travelling outside of the LGA for work, it is assumed that public open space will come under heaviest demand for use in the evenings, mornings and weekends. • Steady population levels of children and youth (at least to 2031) means investment in age specific recreation facilities (playgrounds, youth facilities) could be well founded. • Steady population growth in middle band years (25 through to 44) and a stable residential pattern of home ownership and smaller household sizes implies that resident will continue to live in the Shire as they age. This indicates that recreation facilities and open spaces be designed to be flexible and accommodate a ‘whole of life’ pattern of use. Focused residential development in Appin and Wilton inside residential estates should, where possible, connect to regional recreation trails and be accessible to residents from outside of those estates.

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TOWN CENTRES, VILLAGES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS Relative to other LGAs in Greater Sydney, Wollondilly Shire has a small population dispersed over a large area. The Shire is comprised of 16 small towns and villages, the largest being Tahmoor with approximately 4,100 residents, other sizeable settlements include Picton, Thirlmere, Bargo and Silverdale – each accommodating approximately 3,000 residents. Large mall shopping centres are located at Tahmoor and Picton. Picton is also the location of Council’s Administrative Centre and the Shire’s only Information Centre.

These larger towns are linked by the Camden Valley Way (Remembrance Drive) and the South Western Freeway which run north-south in the east of the Shire. The Southern Highlands railway line provides a rail link parallel to these roads, connecting the Shire to Goulburn and Moss Vale to the south and Campbelltown, Wolli Creek and the Sydney CBD to the north.

For administrative purposes the Shire is divided into 12 districts (excluding the Oakdale Nattai National Parks in the west of the Shire. The population statistics and forecasts are also defined for each of these districts.

Fig 2.1 Administrative and planning districts in the Shire (see also Appendix 2)

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TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE The transport and infrastructure in Wollondilly is limited. As the Wollondilly Shire is spread throughout a large geographical area, and is made up of a series of small villages. These villages with approximately one hour’s private vehicle travel between the northern and southern areas and the majority of the Villages have no rail and limited bus services. The residents of Wollondilly travel in many directions to reach major town centres including Camden, Campbelltown, Mittagong, Bowral, Penrith and Wollongong to access work, health, commercial, social, recreational and educational facilities.

Bus Bus services are available from Warragamba and Wallacia (Westbus), and Picton and Southern Areas (Picton Coaches/Busways/Picton Omnibus).

There is also a community bus available for use by community groups within the Wollondilly Shire. The bus is provided to assist members of the community that are transport disadvantaged and has a priority to disabled, elderly, youth, non-English backgrounds, and Aboriginal people.

Rail Train Services are available from Menangle, Douglas Park, Picton, Tahmoor and Bargo rail stations.

City Rail also runs limited coach services between Picton and Mittagong, available from Thirlmere, Couridjah and Buxton.

State and regional roads The Hume Motorway runs through Wollondilly from the south-west to north-east with access from Picton Road, Douglas Park Drive, Camden Road, Menangle Road, Remembrance Drive, and Wilson Drive. Burragorang Road links to the National Park and connects The Oaks, Belimbla Park, Oakdale and Nattai.

Cycleways The current ‘cycleway’ network is mainly onroad cycling and the odd shared pathway in some towns. Picton has the largest cycleyway network including a shared path following the creek through the Botanical Gardens. There is also an off road cycleway along Remembrance Drive however terminates before entering the shopping precinct. Paths that terminate before reaching destinations appears to be the case for most of the cycle paths provided throughout the villages.

Implications for the OSRCF The implications of the Shire characteristics outlined above: • A very high level of car dependency driven by distances between towns suggest a focus on targeted path and cycle strategies • Poor recreational connectivity between towns and limited trail connectivity should be addressed both on the road network and through the creeks and river systems • Opportunities to improve walking/cycling activities along the river and between towns.

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The rolling topography of the Shire with its combination of bushland and pastoral landscape lends it much of its appealing rural character.

Many parts of the Nepean River, especially the steep sided gorges appear, largely untouched. Public access to the River is not extensive through the Shire, largely due to the extensive private land ownerships of foreshores.

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NATURAL ENVIRONMENT The Wollondilly Shire located on Sydney’s rural fringe is a popular destination for visitors seeking natural areas containing unspoilt bushland and is recognised as one of the greenest areas remaining in the Sydney Basin. The Wollondilly LGA covers 2,560 square kilometres with over 90% comprised of national park, bushland, water catchment or rural land, including gorges, ranges and plains (Profile.id 2014).

These natural areas of public open space include the Burragorang State Recreation Area and contain National Parks listed under UNESCO as part of the World Heritage listed Greater Blue Mountains National Park that include Nattai National Park, which covers over 48,000 Ha, Thirlmere Lakes National Park and Kanangra Boyd National Park.

In addition to these natural bushland areas the LGA contains 255 hectares of local open spaces and reserves which are managed by Wollondilly Shire Council and a number of cultural heritage sites. Numerous creeks and waterways flow through the steep and pristine landscape of the LGA to feed Sydney’s sensitive water catchment areas which flow into the Warragamba Dam, Sydney’s main source of water supply.

Wollondilly LGA contains nine vegetation communities listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 as Endangered Ecological Communities.

Topography, Geology and Soils The Wollondilly LGA forms part of the broad Sydney Basin which is a major foreland basin system approximately 350 kilometres long and 100 kilometres wide. The LGA extends from the escarpments and foothills of the Blue Mountains National Park in the north, west and south to the Cumberland Plain in the south and east.

The Wollondilly region covers a highly varied range of topography from the rugged Blue Mountains Plateau in the west that rises over 600 metres in the Nattai National Park down to the more gentle topography of the lower Cumberland Plain and its associated alluvial river floodplains. Topography can range from 1:20 (5% slope) across the fertile river floodplains and wetlands of the river valleys to 1:8 (12.5% slope) on the steep sided escarpments and ridges and their associated deep valley gorges.

The soils developed on the Tertiary and Quaternary alluvium vary from shallow, sandy, infertile soils on the higher ground with pockets of more fertile clay to the deep alluvial rich deposits of the floodplain.

The soils on the river flood plain consist of sedimentary clay overlaid with deposits of tertiary alluvial soils, mainly clays and silts collected from further upstream and the higher ridges and escarpments. The surrounding steeper slopes comprise Hawkesbury Sandstone with its associated pockets of remnant Wianamatta Shale.

These factors have meant that Wollondilly Shire has one of the most diverse ranges of plant communities and native fauna, many unique to the region.

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Rivers, Creeks and Water Quality The Wollondilly Shire is divided and dominated by the Nepean which flows through the heart of the LGA.

Other major tributaries include the Warragamba, the Wollondilly, the Bargo, the Nattai and the Cox’s River with many major creeks such as the Werriberri Creek which feed into them.

As a result of these numerous rivers and creek systems across the LGA, Wollondilly contains three of Sydney’s major water catchments which are: • The Wollondilly River Catchment. • The Upper Nepean River Catchment. • The Upper Georges River Catchment. The floodplains are characterised by a network of drainage channels, terraces and backwater swamps overlooking The Nepean River.

Flora and Fauna The Wollondilly region is fortunate in having large areas of national parks and natural bushland reserves with a diverse and complex range of plant communities. These include areas of pristine wilderness, remnant bushland, riparian corridors, wetlands and river foreshores that contain valuable communities of biodiversity and active ecosystems.

These existing communities and vegetated landscapes are important for a healthy environment and society and make Wollondilly a desirable place to work, live and visit.

The Wollondilly Biodiversity Strategy (2004) categorises nine separate vegetation communities all of which are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and determined by the NSW Scientific Committee as Endangered Ecological Communities.

The identified plant communities are categorised under: • Cumberland Plain Woodland • Moist Shale Woodland • Shale Sandstone Transition Forest • Sydney Coastal River • Southern Highlands Shale Woodlands • Sydney Coastal River Flat Forest • Sydney/Turpentine Ironbark Forest • Western Sydney Dry Rainforest • White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland.

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To assist the conservation of these unique and threatened communities Wollondilly Council has put in place a number of strategies which along with the Roadside Reserves Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy previously mentioned include: • The Weed Management Strategy (adopted 2007): which highlights the priority weeds and Class 4 weeds for management. • The Aboriginal Scar Tree Management Plan: which raises the profile of significant trees in the Wollondilly Shire. • The Tree Preservation Order: amended in 2008 to reflect the Native Vegetation Act 2003. • The Wollondilly Community Nursery: to raise the profile of local endemic plants and make available plants to the local community.

CULTURAL HERITAGE Wollondilly Shire has a rich cultural heritage, both Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal as described below.

Aboriginal Heritage The original inhabitants of the Wollondilly area were the Gundangurra and Tharawal Aboriginal people. The land under their custodianship was very expansive stretching from the coast as far south as the Shoalhaven River and the foreshores of Botany Bay extending inland to Cambelltown and Camden.

Archeological research conducted in the Wollondilly region has found a number of Aboriginal archaeology sites recorded in the Aboriginal Sites Register. These discoveries and the potential of more findings in the area will open the potential to understand more about the original custodians of the area, the Tharawal Aboriginal people, and their complex culture.

The beginning of European settlement in the region that is now known as the Wollondilly Shire led to increasing conflict between the original habitants and the new settlers. Land that had traditionally been a resource for food, hunting, shelter and materials was rapidly cleared for agriculture and housing of new settlers leading to a number of violent outbreaks.

The worst recorded incidence of violence in the region occurred on the 17th April 1816 when the Royal British Marines, under the command of Captain John Wallis, killed 14 Aboriginal men, women and children. Captain Wallis being under order to Governor Macquarie to ‘eliminate the nuisance to the south west’. Today the Appin Massacre of 1816 is traditionally remembered with a memorial for the Aboriginal people who were killed during the attack.

Non-Aboriginal Heritage The Wollondilly region was explored as early as 1795 but settlement occurred later from the early 1800s with Appin being one of the earliest established townships in 1811. Today the community of the Shire continues a strong relationship with its European heritage. Numerous sites, buildings and heritage items throughout the region provide a focus on Thirlmere Lakes National Park which to draw from to educate and understand the history of early European settlement in the Shire.

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Cow pastures 1804. Early settlers cleared much of the timber in the Shire to establish agricultural land holdings.

Burragorang Lookout - courtesy of Wollondilly Business Directory and Tourist Guide. The varying views in the Shire have important scenic values.

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The construction and opening of the railway line and viaduct connecting the region to Sydney and Mittagong during the 1860s and 1870s opened the area to development which increased with the discovery of silver at Yerranderie in 1871 and its subsequent opening of silver mines in 1898.

Sydney’s demand for water drove the construction in Appin of Cataract Dam which was completed in 1907. The Cataract Dam is the oldest dam in Sydney’s water system and today is considered one of the most picturesque dams with its amenities and facilities drawing visiting tourists.

Development of the area increased with the discovery of coal and the opening of the Appin and Tahmoor coal mines during the 1960s and 1970s.

TOURISM IN THE SHIRE Wollondilly Shire offers a range of natural and cultural tourism attractions, many of which have direct associations with the Shire’s recreation, open space and community facilities. These include such attractions as: Picton Botanic Gardens • Wirrimbirra Sanctuary • Avon, Napean, Cataract and Warragamba Dams • Antill Park Golf Club • Visitor Centre, lookout and extensive park facilities at Warragamba Park • Wollondilly Scenic Drives: Self Guided brochures available • Past time Tours: Guided walking tours around heritage sites of Picton • The Wollondilly Heritage Centre: Museum of photos and archives located at the Oaks on one acre of land donated by the Shire Council • Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council: Learning about Aboriginal culture and art tours, etc • Theatre and drama groups: Located at Picton and The Oaks • Aviation: joy flights, skydiving and pilot license training • Train Works - Rail and Train Museum • Appin Way Greyhound Track • Ultimate Paintball • Heritage Express: Heritage old steam trains taken from Central Station Sydney to locations in the Wollondilly area • Mowbray Park Picton: 1822 property farmstay • Jarvisfield Antill Park: 1863 homestead and Par 70 golf course • NSW Rail Transport Museum: Located at Thirlmere

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• Thirlmere Lakes • Numerous bush walks in the National Parks and recreation opportunities in the State Recreation Areas A number of sports such as trotting and greyhound racing also draw visitors from outside of the LGA.

Festivals and major community events held annually in the Shire and which draw visitors from across the Sydney Region include: • Thirlmere Fesitival of Steam • Australia Day celebrated in the Picton Botanic Gardens • Picton Rodeo • Earth Hour Organic Dinner at Pine Ends Organics • Picton Show • Damfest at Warragamba • Goulburn to Citi Cycle Classic • Country Music Night, Wirrimbirra • Carols by Candlelight

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The BMX course at Tahmoor Park

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In this section information is provided on the existing provision and distribution of public open space. In particular it addresses: • The amount of open space, its accessibility and connectivity • The distribution of open space across the LGA • The diversity of available recreation setting types and facilities • The relationship of the open space to the population size and its demographic profile • Current recreational usage. This section also includes a draft inventory of all public open space across the Wollondilly Shire.

OVERVIEW OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACE The net use of open space in the Wollondilly Shire is diverse, ranging from small local parks, small reserves amongst residential, regional sportsgrounds and national parks. The rural-residential settings of open space in Wollondilly are also diverse, ranging from bushland to parks, cemeteries, sportsfields and creek and river foreshores.

The Shire contains 255 hectares of local open spaces and reserves managed by the Wollondilly Shire Council. This includes 14 Sportsgrounds, over 101 parks and reserves, 10 tennis courts, 4 skate parks, 1 BMX park and 2 swimming pools (including 1 Leisure Centre).

Active team sports currently provided for within the Wollondilly include:

Rugby League Rugby Union Cricket Tennis Soccer Netball Athletics AFL BMX Basketball Swimming Golf Softball Netball

The Wollondilly Shire also provides a major natural asset in the provision of open space and recreation in the form of national parks.

A more detailed analysis of the Shires’ open space and recreation opportunities is provided later in this section.

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OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION INVENTORY As a key step in the preparation of the OSRCF is the updating and refinement of Council’s existing Open Space Inventory to accurately reflect the open space over which Council has care, control and management and to assist in its future management.

The NSW Department of Planning (DoP) guidelines entitled Recreation and Open Space Planning Guidelines for Local Government (2011) are targeted at assisting local governments in preparing comprehensive and integrated open space and recreation plans. The OSRCF adapts these guidelines in compiling the inventory, the key elements of which are outlined in this section.

The draft inventory is set in a simple table format and gives a clear structure for establishing the Hierarchy and Setting type that will set the basis for the maintenance and service levels of all Council owned open space (see Appendix 1). The core elements of the inventory are described below.

Park Numbers and Reserve To ensure that current and future data on population and open space can be compared at a local level all reserves in the inventory are grouped within administrative/planning areas . Boundaries of these areas do not necessarily match specific suburbs or service catchments of the Wollondilly Shire but are aggregated from ‘ID Profile’ (online population /community analysis) and are divided into 12 districts (plus one district which is National Park).

Ownership, Location and Title The inventory specifies the name of the park or reserve (where available), street address, and the suburb within which the reserve lies, the owner of the land and the Lot and DP details are also listed.

Area and Zoning The area of each reserve is specified in hectares and square metres; the total area of public open space for each suburb is also identified. The zoning of the reserve under Council’s LEP is included in the inventory.

Reserve Hierarchy Three tiers of park/reserve hierarchy are proposed, being Local, District and Regional. While size is usually a key determinant of hierarchy, other factors such as the ‘drawcard effect’ (how far people are prepared to travel to visit the reserve or a particular facility that it offers, eg. a regional playground or an historic landscape) is also used to determine the park or reserve’s hierarchy (see Appendix 3 for typical example).

Classification As required under the NSW Local Government Act 1993, the term ‘classification’ refers to land that is zoned for public open space as either Operational Land or Community Land. Most parks are classified as Community Land as this bestows more secure status on the land for recreation and leisure uses. ‘Operational Land’ usually applies to uses such as Council depots and the like that are not intended for public access and use. The other common classification is Crown Land where the ownership rests with the State Government.

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Settings (Categorisation) The Local Government Act requires that all Community Land be categorised; this categorisation describes the setting type under a series of predetermined descriptors, eg. Natural Area. Since the Act was gazetted the description of settings has evolved to respond to best practice in open space planning.

Accordingly this OSRCF adopts the following setting types, based on the recently published ‘Recreation and Open Space Planning Guidelines for Local Government’, adapted to the specifics of the Wollondilly landscape: • Passive Parklands: reserves managed for informal and unstructured leisure and recreation • Outdoor Sports: reserves designed, managed and used for organised sports • Civic and Urban Spaces: public domain in urban areas used for leisure and recreation (eg. plazas, civic squares) • Natural Areas/Bushland: reserves comprising physical features or flora and fauna of natural value • Cultural Heritage: reserves with structures, landscapes or associations of heritage value • River Foreshore: open space adjoining rivers (eg. Nepean or Bargo Rivers) • Creeks and Waterways: reserves principally comprising a narrow creek corridor • Ancillary: spaces that may be zoned open space but the primary function of which is visual amenity rather than active use • Informal: areas that may not be zoned open space but which are accessible to and used by the public with owners permission (eg. school grounds). Many parks or reserves are comprised of more than one setting (ie. the same park or reserve might contain bushland and a sportsground) and thus the inventory identifies the primary setting type, whilst also listing the secondary and contributory settings.

To conform to the Local Government Act, the equivalent categorisation under the Act is cross referenced in the inventory. A full description of the objectives and intended uses for each setting is provided (See also Appendix 3 for typical example).

Status The Status describes the extent to which the reserve has been enhanced through landscape design and the integration of facilities or actively managed for public access and enjoyment. The three categories are: • Embellished: the park is well developed • Unembellished: no significant enhancements have been undertaken or the reserve is not in active management • Proposed: an area of land that may be proposed for future open space but is not presently zoned as such. Any natural areas that are actively managed for public access, even where enhancements are very minor (such as through provision of paths), are deemed embellished for the purposes of the inventory.

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Networks and Associations This attribute relates to the broader connections that the reserve may have to other reserves, be it part of a corridor of reserves, a natural corridor such as a creek or a unique association with another reserve in the Wollondilly Shire (eg. an historical connection or a shared unique flora).

Assets, Functions and Comments The assets within the parks are described under their relevant headings (eg. buildings, lighting, fences, play facilities, etc).

Comments The last column in the inventory provides space for specific comments about the reserve that are central to its management.

QUANTUM, SIZE OF RESERVES The number and size of reserves across an LGA have a direct bearing on the community’s access to open space and the capacity of that open space to meet a range of recreation and leisure activities and needs.

Numbers, Sizes of Reserves Council manages some 255 Ha of public open space throughout Wollondilly across 101 separate reserves (see Figures 3.1 - 3.3). The reserves vary in size ranging from the smallest at 0.1 Ha (some local parks) to the largest which is Wilton Recreational Reserve 15.5 Ha.

Table 3.1 summarises the total numbers of reserves in the suburbs, based on the three tier hierarchy of Local, District and Regional. These hierarchy designations were made by Council over a number of years and may need review in line with the DP+I guidelines of 2011 (See Appendix 2).

Table 3.2 summarises the reserves by size across each of the planning districts with changes to these proportions based on projected population growth to 2036.

Table 3.3 identifies the amounts of open space per 1000 persons in each of the planning districts.

In evaluating the quantum of public open space in the Shire it should be noted that a high percentage of the Shire is made up of National Park, bushland, water catchment or rural land used for agricultural purposes. These open spaces are not within Council’s ownership or care control and management and consequently they have not been factored into these figures.

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DISTRICT Local District Regional Total Number

Appin │ Darkes Forest │ Cataract 7 0 2 9 Bargo │ Yanderra │ Pheasants Nest 5 1 1 7 Buxton │Couridjah 2 0 0 2 Camden Park │ Mount Hunter │ Cawdor 5 1 0 6 Douglas Park │Wilton (Bingara Gorge Development) 5 0 4 9 Menangle │Razorback 0 1 0 1 Oakdale │ Nattai and the Burragorang Valley 3 0 0 3 Orangeville │ Werombi and district 1 0 0 1 Picton │ Mowbray Park │ Maldon 7 2 8 17 The Oaks │ Belimbla Park │ Glenmore 7 0 1 8 Tahmoor 11 2 1 14 Thirlmere-Lakesland 3 2 1 6 Warragamba │Silverdale 15 1 2 18 TOTAL 71 10 20 101 Table 3.1: Total numbers of reserves across the LGA

Ave Total 0.0 - 0.2 0.2 - 0.5 0.5 - 1.0 1.0 - 2.0 2.1 - 5.0 5.1 - 10 10 + No size Size of DISTRICT Number Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha recorded Parks of Parks Ha

Appin │ Darkes Forest │ Cataract 1 2 1 2 3 0 0 0 9 1.96

Bargo │ Yanderra │ Pheasants 1 1 2 0 1 0 2 0 7 4.14 Nest Buxton │Couridjah 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.40 Camden Park │ Mount Hunter 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 0.65 │ Cawdor Douglas Park │Wilton (Bingara 1 1 0 3 1 1 2 0 9 5.60 Gorge Development) Menangle │Razorback 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2.00 Oakdale │ Nattai and the 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 2.26 Burragorang Valley Orangeville │ Werombi and district 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.40 Picton │ Mowbray Park │ Maldon 2 2 5 1 3 2 2 0 17 1.65 The Oaks │ Belimbla Park │ 0 3 2 2 0 1 0 0 8 1.67 Glenmore Tahmoor 3 4 1 3 1 1 1 0 14 2.40

Thirlmere-Lakesland 1 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 6 4.43

Warragamba │Silverdale 5 3 5 1 1 2 1 0 18 2.32

TOTAL 18 21 18 14 12 10 8 0 101 2.29

Table 3.2: Sizes of open space reserves in major towns

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Catchment/ Suburb Existing Total Ha/1000 Total Ha/1000 Total Ha/1000 pop. OS (Ha) pop. pop. by pop. pop. by pop. 2011 2021 2036 Wallacia/ Warragamba/ Silverdale 5,057 41.9 8.3 6,095 6.9 6,812 6.2 The Oaks/ Belimba Park/ Glenmore/ Oakdale/ Nattai/ Orangeville/ Weombi/ Theresa Park/ Brownlow Hill/ 8,567 20.6 2.4 9,225 2.2 9,727 2.1 Mount Hunter Camden Park/ Cawdor/ Douglas Park/ Menangle/ 5,395 9.9 1.8 6,294 1.6 7,135 1.4 Razorback Picton/ Mowbrary Park/ Maldon 4,595 28.2 6.1 7,220 3.9 8,324 3.4

Tahmoor/ Thirlmere/ Lakesland/ Buxton/ Couridjah 10,772 61 5.7 11,938 5.1 16,647 3.7 Bargo/ Yanderra/ Pheasants Nest 5,405 29.0 5.4 5,521 5.3 5,695 5.0 Wilton 1,890 46.7 24.7 7,023 6.6 36,168 1.5 Appin/ Cataract/ Darkes Forest 1,803 18.8 9.8 3,717 4.8 8,067 2.2 General Infill 400 - - 1,160 - 2,900 - TOTALs 43,484 - - 58,193 - 101,475 -

Table 3.3: Amounts of open space (hectares) per 1000 persons in each planning district 2011-2036.

Key findings and conclusions that can be drawn from these tables include the following: • Open space sizes and numbers are highly variable across the Shire and do not necessarily relate to populations in their locality (eg Warragamba) • There is a large number of regional size parks in the Shire, but very few district size parks. This may however relate to the criteria Council has chosen for those designations in their inventory • The greatest number of reserves are located in or adjoining the major towns of Picton with associated neighbourhoods Mowbray Park and Maldon and Tahmoor • There is a small number of reserves that are less than 0.2Ha in size (best practice suggests that reserves of less than 0.3Ha tend to provide limited opportunity for activities such as kickabout) which is unusual amongst metropolitan Councils and is reflective of a relatively low rate of development in the region over the last 50 years when typically these smaller reserve sizes have arisen from residential subdivision developments • While much of the Shire enjoys high amounts of open space, significant projected growth across the Shire will result in the amount of open space per head of population dropping, in some cases significantly, requiring major new developments to address this future inbalance.

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OPEN SPACE DISTRIBUTION AND CONNECTIVITY An analysis of the open space across the Shire as illustrated in the maps that follow (Figure 3A.01 -3A.06) indicates a highly variable distribution. Conclusions and findings from an evaluation of open space distribution across the Shire reveals that: • Distribution across the LGA is inconsistent, although most towns have at least one established park of a reasonable size; many are however not located close to areas of denser residential populations • Towns such as Picton are well served by a large park network but these parks do not always have a strong street presence or be well connected to the town centres • A number of the smaller local parks in the rural towns are located away from the village centres and the places where the local community is likely to meet (ie shops, schools, post offices) • Walking opportunities are not consistent in towns with large distances between destination points (eg. schools, shops, stations, etc) in some rural towns and very few (if any) dedicated on-street footpaths or dedicated cycleways linking to parks • Public access links to access the rivers and creeks are limited. • Some reserves, especially those away from town centres appear little used and seem to serve mostly as a visual break in the residential areas that surround them

SETTING TYPES AND RECREATIONAL USE Sport and recreation are considered important aspects of a rural lifestyle and thus the diversity of offer, quality of facilities and amenity of the location are all important factors of liveability to the local community.

The following summary is an overview of the recreational setting types typical of Wollondilly Shire: • Passive Parklands: These are widely distributed within towns including historic reserves as well as open space corridors often • Outdoor sports: there is a high level of organised sport across the Shire reflected in the many sports reserves • Civic and urban spaces: there are presently no reserves designated as such but there are many places where people gather in towns such as the Warragamba Civic Park used by community groups • River and Creek Foreshore: there are presently no locations that utilize the opportunities that the Nepean River and associated creeks present, other than the national park walks. • Ancillary: the principal settings here are large planted medians and gateways • Informal: there are several open space areas that exist on sloping ground that appear to have very little use. A brief overview is provided below of the current status of each of these settings across the Shire. The full details of each may be found in the inventory in Appendix 2.

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Figure 3A.01 - Numbers and types of parks in the Shire

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KEY

NOTE ALL LOCATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE

Figure 3A.02 - Parks in Silverdale, Warragamba and Mount Hunter

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KEY

NOTE ALL LOCATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE

Figure 3A.03 - Parks in The Oaks and Appin

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KEY

NOTE ALL LOCATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE

Figure 3A.04 - Parks in Douglas Park and Menangle

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KEY

NOTE ALL LOCATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE Figure 3A.05 - Parks in Picton, Tahmoor, Thirlmere and Couridjah

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Figure 3A.06 - Parks in Oakdale, Buxton and Wilton

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Passive Parklands Wollondilly offers a wide spectrum of passive parklands of varying sizes, ranging from the Botanic Gardens in Picton to small and long established reserves in many of the rural towns and neighbourhoods.

For the most part these parks are in good condition and well maintained and many have been the subject of recent upgrades, particularly with respect to play equipment (see below for further detail). Aspects of many of these parks that would benefit from further attention would include: • More shade and shelter, connected paths and greater age range for play • More contextual design to the local character through planting style, public art and historic references in design • More replacement tree planting, particularly of locally endemic species for additional shade, enhanced local character and improved environmental benefits • Clearer and more coherent design of the whole park to improve sense of scale, assist in maintenance edge definitions and providing walking circuits • Better path and dedicated cycleway connections to the reserves in the local streetscape to encourage access without use of cars and independent access by children As can be seen many of these suggestions are not those requiring high capital expenditure.

Outdoor Sports Wollondilly has 14 sporting grounds located throughout the Shire. These sports facilities are identified in the Draft Inventory (see Appendix 1).

The most popular field and court-based sports mostly lie with the traditional codes in Wollondilly Shire. The principal summer season sports include Cricket, Athletics, BMX and Tennis. The principal winter season sports include Rugby League, soccer and netball (generally the most popular), Rugby Union, Australian Rules, softball and baseball are all played, but are less popular in the Shire.

Most field based facilities provide for summer and winter codes although the take-up of summer use is less consistent across the Shire than for winter sports. For the most part there is presently sufficient capacity in field and court based sports to meet demand although the impacts of extended winter and summer seasons in many codes requires negotiations between clubs to ensure equity of access.

Tennis is played throughout the year but a number of the clubs (especially those with only two courts) have low or falling participation and the condition of these smaller facilities is often poor.

BMX and Mountain Biking are popular sports in the Shire and the BMX circuit at Tahmoor is extremely popular amongst young people.

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Traditional rural sports such as trotting and greyhound racing have a long history in the Shire with facilities for the former at Bargo and the latter at Thirlmere and Appin. As elsewhere in Sydney these sports are however declining in participation. Horse riding remains popular.

The Shire’s major Leisure Centre at Picton is very popular and heavily used for swimming indoor sports and fitness. Demand is such that Council are planning upgrades to the facility to extend its capacity.

From evaluation of sports facilities across the Shire a number of conclusions can be drawn that have implications for the OSRCF: • Most sports fields are in reasonable condition and generally well maintained • Sports lighting has been extensively upgraded over recent years • Sports court facilities range from high quality to poor, with many small facility tennis courts in particular being in poor condition in many towns • There is a high level of duplication in facilities, especially of amenities buildings at many sports facilities • The condition of many sports amenities buildings is poor and as many are old their design is not readily adaptable to a range of users or shared use • There is a limited number of amenities buildings that also offer adaptable community use facilities. The recently completed joint-use building at Douglas Park is a notable exception and provides a strong benchmark for future planning • There is a conspicuous absence of shade and shelter for spectators at many sports facilities and few facilities offer passive recreation opportunities such as play, circuit paths for fitness, walking and children’s bikes • While many sports parks provide BBQ, picnic shelters and seating these are often old, in poor condition and not well located • The design and layout of many sports facilities and particularly recent upgrades or facility additions do not appear well integrated • Many areas of bushland adjoining sports facilities appear neglected or not well integrated or protected • Few sports facilities are accessible by local dedicated cycle paths For the most part sports facility provision in the Shire compares favourably with other rural LGAs in Metropolitan Sydney but attention to factors such as those listed above will significantly benefit the local community.

Civic and Urban Spaces Wollondilly has no specifically designated civic spaces. Given its strong cultural heritage and the presence of historic buildings it would be worthwhile to consider including a landscape curtilage attached to historic buildings for informal meeting points and minor community events and celebrations.

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River and Creek Foreshores The rivers of the Shire offer some of its most scenic and dramatic landscapes. There are however relatively few formal public access points, paths or parks adjoining the rivers.

Consultation with the community highlights a desire for greater access to the rivers and this may be achievable even in small ways within urban centres with river or creekside walks such as are currently being planned in towns like Picton. Such facilities have appeal for local residents and tourists alike.

Ancillary and Informal Open Space In its current inventory Wollondilly does not specifically designate ancillary and informal open space. The former normally applies to spaces zoned as open space but with a purpose that is not recreational (eg gateway plantings, major median and roadside plantings).

The latter applies to spaces that are not zoned as open space but which may have regular or periodic recreational use by permission of the landowner (eg parking used for court sports when not in use). Upgrades of the open space inventory through the OSRCF will include a review of all such spaces.

Play Facilities Over recent years the Shire has implemented a significant upgrade to many of its play facilities. As a consequence most parks contain relatively modern play equipment in sound condition.

However playground provision does not appear to relate directly to any over-arching strategy that establishes parameters for factors such as: • Playground hierarchy (regional, district and local) • Diversity of play opportunity (adventure, imaginative, natural, physical development, etc) • Integration with other recreation and leisure activities (sport, social and urban) and into the overall park design The development of an LGA-wide Play Strategy is a common approach to achieving this level of integration and diversity.

Youth Facilities A broad survey of youth needs across the Shire may well elicit the need not only for facilities such as skateparks and BMX tracks but also for hangout spaces that are designed for youth needs and that are not simply seen as problematic spaces by the broader community.

Council currently provides a large number of skate facilities in many of their parks. However most of these facilities are of a similar age and offer a relatively limited range of skill challenges. Given the forecasts for a growing younger demographic across the Shire there would appear to be a need for a more strategic approach to youth facilities and the need to set out parameters for their location to overcome sometimes ill-founded community concerns.

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Facilities for an Ageing Population A significant trend in the population forecasts, in line with the national trend, is an ageing population in the Shire that is also living longer with the result that easy access to open space for active and passive recreation, with a more individual approach to fitness will be in increasing demand. In particular demand for better walking and cycling environments both within and between towns and within parks is likely to increase.

MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF OPEN SPACE Aside from the National Parks within the LGA (which are managed by the NPWS), responsibility for the management of public open space across the Shire is largely shared between the Wollondilly Shire Council and its delegated managers such as oval committees.

A major challenge for Council and one that is being faced nationally is the falling participation in management committees and organisations for sports facilities particularly.

Currently six sports facilities are managed by committees and over recent years Council has been progressively taking over management from committees and clubs that have become no longer organisationally and financially sustainable. With projected growth in population there is clearly a need to revisit such management models.

Maintenance of the widespread reserves over such a large area as the Wollondilly places great pressure on Council’s 15 field staff, although Council is currently re-organising its maintenance structures to achieve greater flexibility and effectiveness. From site visits and discussion with Council staff a number of issues and opportunities are evident: • Progressive consolidation of duplicated facilities will reduce the maintenance burden over time • Improved planning and design of open space can greatly reduce maintenance tasks (eg. large area as the Wollondilly Shire places water harvesting, access improvements , defined mowing edges, bin locations, etc) • Rationalisation of small largely unused reserves will improve value for money and community benefit where this results in better located, more accessible parks • Upgrade and build larger regional playgrounds within major town centres to act as a visitor drawcard whilst ensuring value of time by field maintenance staff • Reducing the extensive mowing of large areas of grass within and around parks that are not used for any recreational purpose by a more strategic native planting program will greatly reduce maintenance resource requirements and enhance environmental outcomes • Partnerships and shared activities with other organisations such as schools and communities can reduce maintenance tasks and costs Discussion with Council’s field staff will further extend the range of issues and opportunities that the OSRCF can address in this regard.

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Bargo Community Hall

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HISTORY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE SHIRE The provision of Wollondilly Shire’s current community facilities dates back to the early part of the twentieth century, when the Wollondilly Shire Hall and Picton School of Arts were built. From the 1940’s onwards, the pattern has been to provide small community halls in each of the major towns and villages throughout the Shire, or to adapt and re-use for community purposes other buildings that were no longer suitable for their original use, such as the Old Post Office in Picton. As a consequence, the Shire lacks contemporary community facilities that have been built for purpose, with one or two exceptions.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE REGION The provision of community facilities within Wollondilly reflects the relatively small and dispersed pattern of population in the Shire. Facilities to meet predominantly local needs, and some district needs, are distributed among the townships and villages of the Shire, but the Shire lacks any major regional facilities. For these, the Wollondilly population relies predominantly on Campbelltown, with key facilities including the Campbelltown Arts Centre as well as non-Council facilities such as Campbelltown Hospital, specialist medical services, TAFE College, campus of University of Western Sydney, major government and non-government human services and retail and entertainment facilities. Regional facilities and services in Wollongong, Liverpool and Penrith are also relied upon. Some facilities within the Southern Highlands are also used, although these tend to be other local and district level facilities used by communities close to the LGA boundary.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE SHIRE Wollondilly Shire Council has 19 buildings which provide space for community activities or services which have been categorised as shown in the following table. Refer also to Appendix 4: Community facility inventory, for detailed description and images of each facility.

In addition to the Council community facilities, the Wollondilly population enjoys access to a number of non-Council facilities in some towns and villages, the chief ones being: • Church halls • Public school halls • Scout / guide halls • Clubs with function rooms for hire including: –– Picton Bowling Club –– Oakdale Workers Club –– Bargo Sports Club –– Antill Park Country Golf Club –– Warragamba Workers Club • Train Works (includes theatre for hire). While the use of these facilities to service some of the smaller communities is noted, no further assessment of these facilities is included in this report.

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The following table provides a list of the 19 different types of community facilities within the study area.

Facility type Location Library facilities Picton Library 42 Menangle Street Picton Community halls Unstaffed facilities that provide space available for hire by community organisations and private groups for a range of community activities Appin Community Hall Sportsground Parade, Appin Bargo Community Hall Radnor Road, Bargo Douglas Park Community Centre Camden Road, Douglas Park Mt Hunter Community Hall Burragorang Road, Mt Hunter Oakdale Community Hall Burragorang Road, Oakdale The Oaks Community Hall Russell Street, The Oaks The Oaks Seniors Hall Russell Street, The Oaks Tahmoor Country Womens Association York Street, Tahmoor (CWA) Hall Thirlmere Community Hall Westbourne Avenue, Thirlmere Warragamba Town Hall Civic Centre, Warragamba Wilton Community Centre Broughton Street, Wilton Community service centres Provide accommodation to non-government and community based organisations for the delivery of community services Bonnie Cottage 122 Hawthorne Road, Bargo Picton School of Arts 65 Menangle Street, Picton Tahmoor Community Centre 6 Harper Close, Tahmoor Warragamba Eldercare Cottage Cnr Weir Road and Fourteenth Streets, Warragamba Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood 15 Weir Road, Warragamba Centre Mixed use facilities Contain a mix of spaces for community activities and spaces and other uses on an on-going basis. Old Post Office Cnr Argyle and Menangle Streets, Picton Wollondilly Shire Hall Menangle Street, Picton Table 3B01: Wollondilly Shire Council community facilities

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MANAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES It is understood that: • 3 facilities are managed by Section 355 community management committees (Bargo Community Hall, Wilton Community Centre and Douglas Park Community Centre) • 3 facilities (Tahmoor Community Centre, Picton School of Arts and Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre) are managed by the community organisations which lease the space • The Picton Library and The Old Post Office (Visitor Information Centre) are direct council services. • The community halls are managed directly by Council and available to permanent and casual hirers through a booking system.

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES The distribution of community facilities across the Shire is outlined below and in illustrated on the map following. Northern areas • There are 3 facilities in the northern section of the LGA, all located in the Warragamba town centre –Warragamba Town Hall, Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and Warragamba Eldercare Cottage. Warragamba, therefore, has a high rate of provision (in terms of floor area); however, these are all older facilities (built in the 1950s). • There are no facilities located between Warragamba and The Oaks. Therefore, the district of Orangeville/Werombi (population 2,854 people) does not have a local community facility. Central areas • There are 2 facilities located at The Oaks – The Oaks Community Hall and Seniors Hall. These are both older facilities (built 1940s) and serve a district population of 3,082 people. The Oakdale Community Hall provides limited service to the Oakdale/Nattai area (population 1,916), as it is a older facility in poor condition. • Mount Hunter Community Hall at Mount Hunter (built 1940s), a very small, older facility, is the only facility in the Camden Park/Mount Hunter/Cawdor areas (population 2,805). There are no facilities located in the adjacent Menangle/ Razorback area (population 1,966) Southern areas • There are 4 community facilities located in the LGA’s centre of Picton. These include the LGA’s only library, Picton Library, as well as The Old Post Office (housing the Wollondilly Visitor Information Centre), Wollondilly Shire Hall and Picton School of Arts. The Picton/Mowbray Park/Maldon area therefore has a high rate of provision (in terms of floor area). However, these facilities serve a district / Shire-wide, rather than local, function

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• There is a notable lack of facilities in Thirlmere. Since the closure of the Thirlmere Community Hall, the Thirlmere/Lakesland area’s population of 4,044 people no longer has access to a local community facility • The LGA’s newer facilities (post 1980) are all located in the south of the LGA and include four facilities co-located with sportsgrounds– Wilton and Douglas Park Community Centres and Bargo and Appin Community Halls • There are 2 community facilities in Tahmoor (Tahmoor Community Centre and Tahmoor CWA) to serve the larger Tahmoor population of 4,589 people and wider district. They are also the closest facilities to the adjacent Buxton/Couridjah area (population 2,075), which does not have its own local community facility.

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A model for Wollondilly’s newer facilities involves the co-location of community halls with sportsgrounds. Such facilities are Appin Community Hall (top left), Bargo Community Hall (top right), Wilton Community Centre (bottom left) and Douglas Park Community Centre (bottom right). Issues exist with this model as, with the exception of Douglas Park Community Centre, the facilities are isolated and have poor street frontage.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 63 Cultural facilities A01 Picton Library

Wallacia Community halls/centres D01 B01 Warragamba Town Hall Warragamba B01 D02 B02 Oakdale Community Hall B03 The Oaks Community Hall B04 The Oaks Seniors Hall B05 Mount Hunter Community Hall Silverdale B06 Douglas Park Community Centre B07 Appin Community Hall B08 Thirlmere Community Hall B09 Tahmoor CWA Hall B10 Wilton Community Centre Werombi B11 Bargo Community Hall Theresa Park Mixed facilities C01 Old Post Office C02 Wollondilly Shire Hall Orangeville

Brownlow Hill Community service centres Nattai D01 Warragamba Eldercare Cottage Oakdale Glenmore B05 D02 Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre B04 B02 Belimba B03 D03 Picton School of Arts Park Camden D04 Tahmoor Community Centre The Oaks Park Mt Hunter Cawdor D05 Bonnie Cottage

Menangle

Mowbray Picton Razorback Park C02 C01 D03 A01 Douglas Lakesland Park B08 B06 Darkes B07 Thirlmere Forest Appin

B09 Tahmoor D04 Couridjah B10

Buxton

Wilton Bargo Pheasants Cataract Nest D05 B11 Existing community facilities

Yanderra

Figure 3B01: Wollondilly Shire Council community facilities location

64 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Cultural facilities A01 Picton Library

Menangle

Mowbray Picton Razorback Park C02 C01 D03 A01 Douglas Lakesland Park B08 B06 Darkes B07 Thirlmere Forest Appin

B09 Tahmoor D04 Couridjah B10

Buxton

Wilton Bargo Pheasants Cataract Nest D05 B11 Existing community facilities

Yanderra

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QUANTUM OF COMMUNITY FACILITY FLOOR SPACE The amount of floor space provided in community facilities is one consideration in assessing the distribution across the Shire relative to population catchments and the overall rate of provision within the Shire. The size of facilities reflects the historical pattern of provision and sometimes adaptation of older facilities originally built for other purposes, as well as the development in more recent times of purpose-built facilities to meet the needs of specific populations.

Community facility floor areas and catchment populations drawn from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing are outlined in the table below.

Area Population Community facilities total floor area (sqm) Wallacia/Warragamba/Silverdale 5,057 1,021 Orangeville/Werombi and District 2,854 0 The Oaks/Belimba Park/Glenmore 3,082 484 Camden Park/Mount Hunter/Cawdor 2,805 202 Menangle/Razorback 1,966 0 Picton/Mowbray Park/Maldon 4,586 1,378 (Library building: Library GF area only. Old Post Office: GF area only) Thirlmere/Lakesland 4,044 0 (Thirlmere Community Hall = 170) Buxton/Couridjah 2,075 0 Tahmoor 4,589 1,361 Bargo/Yanderra/Pheasants Nest 5,392 636 Douglas Park/Wilton 3,041 534 Appin/Cataract/Darkes Forest 1,803 410 Oakdale/Nattai/National Park 1,916 177 TOTAL 43,210 6,203

Table 3B02: Community facility floor area distribution

It can be seen from this table that there are some wide differences between settlements and catchments in the quantum of community facility floorspace provided. In particular, the Thirlmere area appears to be under provided for, while the Warragamba area enjoys a relatively generous provision of floorspace per head of population. However, floorspace is only one factor in considering access to facilities. The quality of facilities and nature of the amenities they provide are equally important considerations. Also the notion of population catchments for these facilities is a little artificial, as in practice people’s use of facilities will reflect a variety of factors (such as the nature of the activities and services offered, road networks and where they work), not just distance from their home. Moreover, some of the facilities, particularly those in Picton and Tahmoor, serve district as well as local roles.

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As shown in the Table 3B02, the community facilities currently provide a total of 6,203sqm gross internal floorspace, for a resident population of 43,210 people. Of this amount, 350 sqm is library floorspace and a further 150 sqm is provided in the Old Post Office, used by the Visitor Information Centre and other uses that are not considered to be community uses. When these areas are deducted from the total, the remaining 5,703 sqm community centre floorspace equates to a rate of 132 sqm per 1,000 residents.

As will be discussed later in this report, this rate of provision for community centres is substantially higher than that being provided in other local government areas in Western Sydney, and reflects the fact that Wollondilly has a large number of facilities serving small population catchments, consistent with the dispersed pattern of settlement.

At the same time, the rate of provision of library floorspace equates to only around 8 sqm per 1000 people. This is significantly below that being achieved in adjoining local government areas and the levels of provision recommended by the NSW State Library. Council has recognised the inadequacy of the Picton Library as the Shire’s central library and has estimated that the forecast population in 10-15 years will require a library of up to 1500 square metres. Council has commissioned the preparation of preliminary concept plans (to illustrate the potential for redevelopment) and has commenced investigations into potential sources to fund the redevelopment (including a NSW State Library grant and developer contributions).

ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES An assessment of the quality and utilisation of community facilities has been made through: • Analysis of information provided by Council (including information on building condition and use) • A site visit to existing facilities • Analysis of community feedback – An online survey was conducted as part of this study to gain feedback on existing community facilities, identify community needs and give the community an opportunity to provide input into the planning of future facilities in Wollondilly. The survey, hosted on the Council website, was available between 29 May 2013 and 14 June 2013. The survey was advertised on Council’s website and Facebook page. Notifications were also emailed to contacts on Council’s Community Directory. 99 surveys were completed.

QUALITY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES The quality of the Council community facilities is variable, mostly reflecting their age. Only two of the facilities are less than 20 years old, and more than 50% are more than 50 years old, with the oldest being the Old Post Office, built in 1892. Many have not been built for the purpose for which they are now being used, and while most have been refurbished and/or extended over the years, in general they do not meet contemporary standards and current community expectations for community facilities. Most of the community halls comprise a traditional hall with stage and basic kitchen facilities, and so are unable to accommodate more than one activity at once.

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Information relating to the detailed features of each building is contained within Council’s Asset Register (eg internal fitout, kitchen fixtures, toilets, disability access, Building Code of Australia (BCA) compliance) and has not been included as part of this assessment.

An audit of community facilities was undertaken as part of this study in order to determine how well facilities reflect leading practice and contemporary expectations for community facilities. Facilities were assessed against the following criteria, which are generally considered to reflect successful facilities: • Visual prominence of the facility – is it prominently located and easily identifiable as a community facility? • Integration – is the facility integrated with other services and facilities such as schools, shops and childcare? • Public transport access – is the facility accessible by public transport (bus or train)? • Pedestrian and bicycle access – is the facility accessible by foot or bicycle? • Parking – is there adequate car parking within close proximity to the facility? • Accessibility – can the facility be accessed by people with disabilities, mobility issues and/or parents with prams? • Multipurpose design – can the centre accommodate and facilitate a range of activities and services at the same time? • Quality outdoor space – is there a contained outdoor area that can be accessed from inside the centre? • Building quality – is the facility in a good condition that supports it use, and to what extent does the facility constitute a maintenance burden for Council? • Safety and security – is safety encouraged through building design and by the surrounds of the building? • Environmentally Sensitive Design (ESD) initiatives – does the building incorporate ecologically sustainable development initiatives such as solar orientation, rainwater tanks, use of recycled water, energy efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems, and use of renewable energy?

Each facility was scored against each criteria on a scale of 1 to 5 by a single auditor. The scale is a simple liker scale where 1 means it did not address the criteria at all and 5 means that it addressed the criteria very well. Criteria scores were tallied for each facility resulting in a total score. The higher the score the better the facility performed against all the criteria collectively. Refer to Appendix 5: Community facilities detailed audit scores, for scoring of individual facilities against each criteria. Refer to the table on the following page for total score of each facility.

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Facility Score Band Tahmoor Community Centre 48 Douglas Park Community Centre 44 1 Wollondilly Shire Hall 42 Picton Library 38 Old Post Office 38 Warragamba Town Hall 37 Picton School of Arts 35 2 Bargo Community Hall 33 Wilton Community Centre 32 Tahmoor CWA Hall 31 Appin Community Centre 30 Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Cottage 30 The Oaks Community Hall 25 3 Warragamba Eldercare Cottage 23 Mt Hunter Community Hall 23 Bonnie Cottage 22 The Oaks Seniors Hall 20 Oakdale Community Hall 20 4 Thirlmere Community Hall 20

Table 3B.03: Facility Audit, Total Scores

These scores should be considered with some caution. They are intended to act as a guide and indicative comparison only. A relatively standardised set of criteria however, has been applied to the existing facilities so the scores do provide some indication of relative quality. With those cautionary notes in mind, one way to consider these audit results is to look at the bands of scores indicated by the colours in the table above. These bands are based on: • Band 1 – Scores of 41 and over are viewed as facilities that are relatively well designed and well located. These facilities have generally rated either 4 or 5 out of 5 for most of the criteria. Three of the nineteen facilities received a score of 41 and over • Band 2 – Scores of 31-40 indicate reasonable performance and location. The higher scores in this band have rated 3 or 4 out of 5 for the majority of criteria. Some of the facilities in this band may require enhancement or improvement. Seven facilities received a score of 31 – 40. • Band 3 – Scores of 21-30 indicate that some consideration of the future of these assets may be required. This may include consideration of enhancement or improvement or possibly rationalisation. Six facilities received a score of 21 and over

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• Band 4 – Scores of 20 or less indicate facilities that have scored mostly 1 or 2 out of 5 for most criteria. These facilities are considered to be potential liabilities. These facilities cannot be considered as suitable for general community use. Three facilities received a score of 20. In summary on average, facilities received higher scores against the following criteria: • Public transport access – the majority of facilities are on or close to a bus stop and a number are within walking distance of a train station. Average score = 4.1/5 • Car parking – the majority of facilities have on-site parking and when not, they have adequate parking in surrounding streets. Average score = 3.4/5 • Integrated – many facilities are located in village or town centres or in close proximity to these centres. Those facilities located at sportsgrounds (Douglas Park and Wilton Community Centres, Appin and Bargo Community Halls) however, received lower scores for integration as these facilities are located some distance from town centre amenity. Average score = 3.0/5. On average, facilities received lower scores against the following criteria: • Building quality – the majority of facilities received scores of 3 or less against this criteria. While there are a number of older, well maintained and renovated buildings, there are also a number of older buildings with aging amenity and materials (including Oakdale Community Hall, The Oaks Community Hall and Seniors Hall, Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and Warragamba Eldercare Cottage). Thirlmere Community Hall is a facility in extremely poor condition and is currently not being utilised at all. • ESD – the majority of facilities were constructed more than 20 years ago and do not incorporate contemporary environmentally sustainable design inclusions. The LGA’s newest facility, Douglas Park Community Centre, does however include solar panels and a rainwater tank. Rainwater tanks have also been installed to Mount Hunter Community Hall. Average score = 1.2/5 • Universal access – while newer facilities typically have universal design features incorporated into the design of the building and older facilities have ramps retrofitted, the majority of facilities were difficult to access from the street and/or parking areas. Average score = 2.5/5 • Outdoor space – while a number of facilities included a fenced outdoor area, only a few of these could be considered to be high quality, usable spaces. Average score = 2.5/5. A prominent model for the LGA’s new facilities involves the co-location of community halls and facilities with sportsgrounds. This model has allowed for the shared use of facilities with sportsground users and groups. Such facilities exist in Wilton, Bargo, Appin and in Douglas Park (where the LGA’s newest facility, the Douglas Park Community Hall, is located). While these facilities received higher facility audit scores in terms of being newer, purpose built facilities, they typically received lower scores against the ‘integration’ and ‘visual prominence’ criteria. With the exception of Douglas Park Community Centre, these facilities are relatively isolated from the main activity centre and have poor street frontage.

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Council has reported that the Bargo Community Centre has experienced repeated vandalism and theft – which is likely to be due to its isolation and lack of passive surveillance.

Based on the audit scores, only 10 out of 19 facilities (those in bands 1 and 2) can be considered to be more or less satisfactory, while 9 out of 19 have been rated as having some significant inadequacies that mean they do not meet contemporary standards for community facilities.

UTILISATION OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES The utilisation of community facilities was also assessed by examining usage data. The assessment determined that, as a group, Council community facilities are being poorly to moderately utilised, with the majority having additional capacity for more intensive use. Reasons for the relatively low levels of utilisation have not been explored in detail in this study, but anecdotal information suggests that key factors include the age and poor quality of some of the facilities (which reduces their appeal and functionality) and the lack of staff present to organise programs and activities.

The following provides a summary of utilisation of Council facilities. Refer to Appendix 6: Community facilities utilisation assessment, for additional detail on the utilisation assessment.

Highly utilised facilities The most intensively used facilities are the community service centres, which are occupied on a leasehold basis by community organisations with staff to provide services and activities: • The facility with the highest utilisation rate is the Tahmoor Community Centre. This relatively large and modern facility is fully used throughout the day by permanent users, which include: • Uniting Care Burnside who manage the facility and provide a range of family support services • Wollondilly Community Links (community organisation) • Rainbow Playhouse (childcare centre) • Miss Lizzies (out of school hours childcare services) • MS Australia (community organisation) • Hume Employment (disability services). The above users have designated space in the centre and also access shared spaces throughout the day through a booking system. Shared facility spaces are also used every night of the week (except Mondays) by community groups and are available for casual bookings on weekends.

• Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre is also a well utilised facility. The Centre is managed by a community organisation, Warragamba Silverdale

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Neighbourhood Centre Incorporated, who provides community development services, family support services, a childcare service (Teddy Bear Cottage Preschool and Occasional Care Centre) and OOSH services (Waradale Wigwam OOSH). An outreach baby health service and women’s health clinic also utilise the facility. As the Centre is a small facility, many services are offered outside the facility including the OOSH services (housed in a nearby church owned facility). The organisation also uses the Town Hall and local parks to deliver programs. The Centre received a utilisation score of 4 as, although it is well utilised, the limited size of the main meeting room means it is not always used for programs that are, therefore, held elsewhere. • Picton School of Arts, another service centre, is also a well utilised facility. The Centre is managed by Wollondilly Support and Community Care who operate the Centre from Monday to Friday. The organisation provides a Meal on Wheels service from the facility’s commercial kitchen and also provides a neighbour aid service and senior’s group. • Another facility that is well utilised is the Old Post Office, which contains a number of uses including the Visitor Information Centre, Council offices and a private consulting service. This facility however, cannot be considered to provide spaces for general community use. • The Picton Library building is a reasonably well utilised facility. The ground floor of the Library building is permanently utilised as the only library in the LGA; however, the first floor is less regularly utilised as the emergency response centre and rooms for Council training.

The Tahmoor Community Centre is a multipurpose facility with a range of spaces including office space for service providers, a childcare centre, OOSH space, flexible meeting rooms (top) and youth space (bottom), interview rooms and sound recording studio. The facility is well utilised during the day by the service providers accommodated in the facility as well as by community groups at nights.

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Moderately utilised facilities The following facilities are reasonably well utilised: • The Wollondilly Shire Hall is particularly well used during weekday afternoons and evenings and for larger events and performances; however, the hall is not used regularly during daytime hours.

• The main Hall at the Warragamba Town Hall is reasonably well utilised; however, the meeting spaces (including the senior’s room) that are attached to the main hall are quite under utilised.

• Douglas Park Community Centre is well utilised by local organisations for annual meetings and has a number of regular users but also has additional capacity.

• Bargo Community Hall, The Oaks Community Hall, Tahmoor CWA Hall and Wilton Community Centre have a number of regular uses and casual bookings but also have additional unused capacity.

Poorly utilised facilities The following facilities have low utilisation rates: • Bonnie Cottage has a low utilisation rate and presents not much opportunity due to the size of the facility, this also limits its type of use, capacity and ability for sharing by different groups. • Facilities with very low levels of utilisation include Mt Hunter Community Hall, Oakdale Community Hall, The Oaks Seniors Hall and Warragamba Eldercare Cottage. These facilities have few regular users and low numbers of casual bookings. • The Soccer Club at the Appin Community Hall is a well utilised facility; however, the main hall is poorly utilised. Due to its poor condition, Thirlmere Community Hall is closed and, therefore, not used for any purposes.

Community feedback received through the online survey was aligned with the utilisation data, with the exception of Wollondilly Shire Hall and Bargo Community Hall, where survey responses suggest a greater level of utilisation. A number of respondents discussed difficulties in gaining access to the Shire Hall due to its limited availability. Utilisation data (hall bookings) suggests this limited availability refers to peak/high demand times (mostly the evenings), therefore, although the facility has additional capacity, it is unable to meet demand a key times.

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Douglas Park Tennis Court

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From the analysis of the open space, recreation and community facilities provision in Part 3 the following conditions can be drawn:

CONCLUSIONS COMMON TO OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES A number of findings and conclusions from the foregoing analysis of current provision relate to both open space/recreation and to community facilities, these include: • The need to pursue an integrated approach to all such facilities, as the synergies between them are extensive and central to community benefit, enhanced social interaction, value for money and adaptability to changing community needs • Duplication, particularly of buildings and amenities - is prevalent across the Shire. Many of these facilities are old and with single users, frequently with falling usage patterns. Working with the community to consolidate, integrate and modernise such facilities will have manifest benefits, functionally,economically and socially • The indoor/outdoor relationship is crucial as much to community facilities as it is recreation facilities. The two should be planned on similar principles • The visible profile of all facilities and open space on the street front is key to community awareness, a sense of safety, greater use and a perception of ownership • Optimised accessibility is central to all facilities. While the rural nature of the Shire and the limited public transport available necessarily places greater dependency on car travel, much can be done within towns and villages to improve walkability and bicycle access for journeys of less than 2kms, particularly with paths in residential estates and dedicated cycle spaces on roads • Facilities and amenities need to be adaptable to shared use and high level of multi- functionality if they are to meet future community needs and preclude duplication, with associated additional costs • Play provision is a generator of high social interaction across generations. Its provision within community facilities, in passive parklands and at sports facilities creates higher usage levels, greater social interactivity and longer visit times • The quality and accessibility of toilet facilities have a direct bearing on park and community facility users and visitor experience. For the elderly and for those with children, the presence and quality of toilets may directly affect decisions as to which facilities and parts they use and visit. Safe locations, high visibility, easy access and modern facilities are key considerations • The quality and adequacy of night lighting affects perceptions of safety. Active spaces and places tend to reduce anti-social behaviour and in this respect well designed and located lighting is a key to enhancing evening activity. Many of these common issues are addressed in the suite of planning and design principles for social infrastructure provided in Part 7: Strategic Objectives and Principles.

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CONCLUSIONS ON OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PROVISION The following is a summary of the key findings and conclusions on the Open Space and Recreation aspects of current provision.

Open Space Provision • There is a high level of open space provision in many towns but distribution and quantum has little bearing to current or forecast populations • Some reserves are poorly located and little used. An acquisition consolidation and rationalisation program developed with community input will ensure better targeting of community needs over the longer term • Many reserves have not been planned to maximise usage of space adequately. This is a particularly critical issue in larger town centres • In the smaller towns there are few opportunities for incidental social inter-activity at the places that most residents frequent day to day (ie shops, school, post office). Shaded seating, fenced play for very small children etc would assist in this regard.

Warragamba having a large number of parks relative to the population is an example of the distribution and quantum having little bearing on current and forecast populations. The picnic area opposite the Warragamba sportsground has multiple picnic tables, BBQ facilities and shelters scattered throughout an extensive area of open space with minimal shade. The provision of more shade in the Shire’s parks, especially through the succession planting of the area’s highly scenic tree species should be a high priority.

76 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Warragamba Sportsfield

Some parks appear to be under utilised due to their location or the limited nature of the facilities they offer, for example Kipara Crescent Warragamba which is further from the centre of town and amongst houses which have access to private open space.

Bridge Street Reserve is another example of open space which would benefit from community consultation on wider local access to open space. The space presently has little functional use other than as a scenic backdrop, whilst across the road the leisure centre lacks adequate associated open space. A strategic approach to local needs requires a holistic view.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 77 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Recreation Opportunity • While the Shire has many fine parks, the recreation offer and diversity can be very limited, especially in smaller towns • Play facilities are mostly modern, in good condition and extensive. However the age range catered for and the diversity of play type is limited • There is a need for a more strategic approach to youth needs that goes beyond the need of providing for skate and BMX. • Growth in ageing population is not strategically addressed in open space and is a priority for the community judging from recent surveys • Whilst the Shire’s numerous sports grounds assist in meeting the large youth population’s needs there is not a diversity of passive recreation on offer • A greater integration of passive recreation facilities at sportsgrounds will markedly extend usage patterns across the day and week • The high numbers of residents who leave the Shire for work and school places an emphasis on ensuring facilities provide for early morning and evening recreation • Formal sports are predominantly limited to traditional codes at present, however changing demographics suggest the need for a broader strategic plan for sport and increasing popularity of individual fitness recreation • There are as yet unexplored opportunities to grow sports that draw on the qualities of the Shire’s landscape and geography, such as mountain biking and horse riding. • A focus on more consistent application of the basics, shade, planting, walking, play and seating will have the greatest benefit to the community • Consolidating disused/poor condition courts into multi-use courts seems essential • The landscape of the Shire lends itself to greater promotion for sports tourism (eg cycling, triathlon, kayaking, orienteering, geocaching etc). Accessibility and Connectivity • Improved access to, within and between parks by more extensive path systems and networks will encourage greater use and visitation • Many larger parks would benefit from circuit paths and connections to adjoining bushland and watercourses • Many streets connecting to parks have no dedicated footpaths or safe cycle routes suitable for children • Walking opportunities and links between destination points (parks, shops, school etc) are not consistent in towns (evaluating footpath quantity and quality will be important here) • The Shire’s extensive network of creeks and rivers provides an ideal opportunity for developing local, district and regional path connections • There does not appear to be a high level of connectivity between the eastern half of the Shire and the National Parks to the west • Achieving universal access to and within parks is challenging in a Shire with such rolling topography. It will however be an increasingly important issue for the ageing members of the community and the disabled. It also matters to parents with prams. 78 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

BMX Park at Tahmoor Sportsground provides an excellent community generated sporting option, however community feedback has identified that many of the jumps require an advanced skill level and the straights lack variety. Thirlmere Sportsground provides recreational diversity but limited integration and connection with the surrounding facilities within the sportsground.

The Botanic Gardens benefit from the adjoining creek but riparian weeds create a maintenance challenge.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 79 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

An all abilities wheelchair accessible swing at Tahmoor Sportsground is an important initiative.

Douglas Park Sportsgound provides a typical example of access issues in the Shire’s villages. The site could be better promoted through provision of pathways at minimum on one side of the road and a dedicated cycle path painted on the very wide road would increase safe non-vehicular access. This would also link the neighbourhood centre and rail station to the community Hall and sports field.

80 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

If the shops near Oakdale Park were appropriately connected with pathways to and from the park, the full neighbourhood centre might become more of a hub for social interaction and provide the greater benefit of increased safety. In some cases small seating/play spaces at shops would encourage social interaction.

The Shire benefits from rail transport, but access and connections from the stations to the parks, shops and schools is often not well provided for in terms of cycling and walking.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 81 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Cultural and Natural Heritage • The high natural values of the Shire are not well integrated into open space provision, especially with respect to creeks, rivers and bushland • There are opportunities to make more of the locality’s rich cultural heritage through upgraded civic spaces and building forecourts as gathering and meeting spaces • The history of the Shire, including the railways, coal and agriculture could be better expressed and interpreted within the parks • Greater access to rivers and bushland would enhance local and tourism visitation to parks and open spaces • Focusing on a more comprehensive approach to native plantings in parks will have a number of significant benefits to community, environment and maintenance.

Many of the playgrounds feature this ‘Rural style’ fencing, which gives and excellent cue as to the rural Character of the locality.

82 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Courijah Railway station, provides a classic scene of a historic station that is now frequently used as a setting for period drama in film and television.The role of rail, mining and water supply in the Shire can and should permeate the park landscapes and beyond the individual tourism opportunities associated with museums, dams and steam trains.

The Nepean River is a largely untapped recreational resource in the Shire. Planning local connections for the Great River Walk especially in the towns through which the River passes would provide greater connection between the community and its River.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 83 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Landscape Character • The fine mature native trees in many parks are key factors in their character. There is little evidence of any extensive replanting programs in parks to conserve and promote this unique character • Local identity in parks (design, planting, heritage, public art) is not well realised in many parks • Rivers and creeks are landmarks in the Shire and would benefit from better integration in open space • Many medium and smaller parks have poor provision of amenity and do not encourage the visitor to stay due to lack of shade, planting, seating, etc • The qualities and scale of spaces such as the Picton Botanic Gardens provide design cues that can be replicated in simple form across the Shire. Planning and Design • Establishing clearer design and planning principles for open space will assist with budget setting and negotiations with developers, politicians and the community • Several of the larger parks, especially where facilities require consolidation would benefit from the preparation of park masterplans to assist forward planning, budgeting and community consultation • Upgrades to parks and addition of facilities appear to lack an integrated approach at present • Development of a Play Strategy and a Youth Strategy for the Shire will better target needs for the future. Management and Maintenance • Council recognises the need to revisit management models for sports facilities given the reducing numbers of committees that remain viable • Partnerships are a key to future open space provision. Schools, business, industry, State agencies and adjoining Councils would all be candidates for a comprehensive partnership program • Partnerships with other agencies (especially NPWS) and private landowners will be critical to improving recreational and environmental connectivity • Maintenance commitments could be greatly reduced through improvements to park designs. In particular mowing could be significantly reduced whilst achieving better recreational, landscape character and environmental outcomes.

84 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Mature native trees are key factors in the character of the Shire and are a major contributor to its valued ‘Rural’ lifestyle. However there does not appear to be an extensive tree planting program in the Shire’s parks. While vandalism is an issue, community engagement in a planting program could be a possible solution to gaining greater ownership of the outcomes and benefits.

Enhancing the amenity of all sports facilities is central to encouraging usage beyond sports interests. Shade, seating, play and paths link these facilities to other passive recreation opportunities

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 85 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Shade is a major issue in many of the parks and sportsgrounds, Here at Douglas Park the exemplary new community facilities would be further enhanced by more tree planting for amenity and shade.

Informal car parks can create ongoing problems of erosion from stormwater, damage to trees, ongoing maintenance and aesthetic outcomes. Most parking areas in the Shire’s parks demonstrates this problem.

86 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Belimbla Park (OBG01) achieved a positive outcome after extensive community engagement. Integration of facilities is very important, single isolated courts in parks are This is an example of enhancing community ownership, particularly given that this reserve is well usually a challenge to sustain. outside the town centre.

This tennis storage room demonstrates the problems of small facilities gaining limited use, Emmet Park Tahmoor, is an example of problems with planning and design becoming largely neglected and abused. A more integrated approach that provides multi-usage in relation to accessibility and circulation. The opportunity provided by the of such facilities will return better value to Council and the community. proposed shops in the vicinity should be used to advantage for the park.

Council used large rocks to reduce informal driving within parks. This has greatly The shapes of some reserves render them less than ideal in encouraging reduced inappropriate activity and now leads to the opportunity for a design as part of recreation. park upgrades that makes mowing and weed management easier as well as creating a crisper edge definition. 87 PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

CONCLUSIONS ON COMMUNITY FACILITY PROVISION • The Wollondilly Shire has a significant number of Council community facilities relative to its population size; however, these are spread over a large geographical area and service a large number of small settlements. The 19 facilities considered in this study include 1 library facility, 5 community service centres managed and staffed by community organisations, and 2 facilities used for a mix of purposes. The majority of facilities (11) are unstaffed and primarily contain space available for hire by the community (with some permanent bookings by community organisations). 1 of which is currently closed. • The facilities in the north of the Shire are all older facilities concentrated in Warragamba. While the Warragamba Town Hall is a multipurpose facility in good condition, the other two facilities (Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and Warragamba Eldercare Cottage) received lower scores in the facilities audit, suggesting renovation, replacement or rationalisation of these facilities be considered. • The facilities in the central part of the Shire are small, older facilities concentrated in Oakdale, The Oaks and Mount Hunter. All these facilities received low scores in the facilities audit, suggesting renovation, replacement or rationalisation of these facilities be considered. • Picton has 4 community facilities including the Shire’s only library and the Shire Hall, the only facility in the Shire suitable for performing arts. All these facilities provide a district level function, serving the Shire as a whole as well as the local Picton community. These facilities are all old and out-dated, and too small to meet current needs, let alone the needs of a growing community. Average scores against ‘building quality’ suggest the need for renovation and enhancement. There are current plans within Council to modernise, renovate and connect the Library and Shire Hall. • All of the LGA’s newer facilities (post 1980) are located in the south of the LGA. • The only facility in Thirlmere does not currently provide any service to the community. The building is in extremely poor condition and currently closed. Renovation of this facility may not be worthwhile as the facility has a limited site area and is located on a residential street. The facility should be considered for replacement or rationalisation. • Consistent with its large number of small, scattered facilities, the overall quantum of floorspace provided in community facilities is relatively high, equivalent to 132 sqm/1000 persons (excluding the library and Visitor Information Centre). Maintaining this level of provision into the future as the Shire’s population grows is not sustainable from both funding and demand perspectives. • There is significant under-utilisation of existing facilities as a group, although some individual facilities are well utilised. Those that are most fully utilised, in addition to the library, include the community service centres that accommodate community organisations with staff to provide services, activities and programs. The smaller unstaffed community halls offering spaces for hire are the least utilised facilities.

88 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 3C : CONCLUSIONS ON PROVISION

Thirlmere Community Hall is the only facility in the Thirlmere area. The facility is closed due to its extremely poor and unsafe condition. This facility should be considered for replacement or rationalisation.

The north and central areas of the LGA have many small, older facilities that are in poor condition and should be considered for renovation, replacement and rationalisation. Images: Warragamba Eldercare Cottage (top left), Mount Hunter Community Hall (top right), Oakdale Community Hall (bottom left) and The Oaks Seniors Hall (bottom right). 89 Part 4: Growth and Change

Shops near Oakdale Park

90 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 4 : GROWTH AND CHANGE

PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH Wollondilly Shire is projected to experience significant population growth over the next two decades as a result of some of its towns and villages experiencing substantial urban development. Council is currently reviewing its Growth Strategy to reflect anticipated development scenarios. In the meantime, Council has prepared interim growth projections based on existing rezoning/ development applications and areas identified to the State Government as having potential for accelerated urban development. These growth projections are extremely fluid as development scenarios unfold.

The strategy outlined in this report is based upon population forecasts provided by Council current in May 2013. As the forecasts are likely to change considerably in the short to medium term, the strategy focuses on a process and broad direction for meeting the future community facility needs of the Shire, rather than a detailed strategy which might quickly become out-dated as development scenarios and population forecasts change.

The current population projections upon which the strategy is based and projected growth distribution across the Shire are illustrated in the following table and map. Figures for existing population may differ from Council’s ID profile data as Census of Population and Housing data (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011) was used to determine current population by suburb.

In summary, Wollondilly Shire’s population is projected to increase from 43,484 people in 2011 to approximately 58,193 people by 2021, and to approximately 101,475 people by 2036: • Between 2011 and 2021, the majority of growth is projected to occur in: –– Wilton – an additional 5,133 people –– Picton – an additional 2,625 people –– Appin – an additional 1,914 people • Between 2021 and 2036, the majority of growth is projected to occur in: –– Wilton – an additional 29,145 people –– Tahmoor/Thirlmere – an additional 4,710 people –– Appin – an additional 4,350 people. The following table and plan indicate the population growth distribution.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 91 PART 4: GROWTH AND CHANGE

Catchment Suburb Existing Growth Growth Total Growth Growth Total Clarifications pop. 2011- 2011- pop. by 2021- 2021- pop. by 2011 2021 2021 2021 2036 2036 2036 Lots People Lots People Wallacia 382 0 0 382 0 0 382 Wollondilly LGA remainder from Wallacia/ Profile id Warragamba/ Warragamba 1,236 50 145 1,381 150 435 1,816 Census breakdown Silverdale Silverdale 3,439 268 777 4,216 37 107 4,324 Census breakdown General infill 40 116 116 60 174 290 - Total 5,057 358 1,038 6,095 247 716 6,812 Profile id total The Oaks 2,439 127 368 2,807 123 357 3,164 Census breakdown The Oaks/ Belimba Park 547 0 0 547 0 0 547 Census breakdown Belimba Glenmore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gazetted Locality Park/ - Included in Mt Glenmore/ Hunter Oakdale/ Oakdale 1,916 100 290 2,206 50 145 2,351 Census breakdown Nattai/ Orangeville/ Nattai 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gazetted Locality - Weombi/ Included in Oakdale Theresa Orangeville 1,102 0 0 1,102 0 0 1,102 Census breakdown Park/ Werombi 841 0 0 841 0 0 841 Census breakdown Brownlow Hill/ Mount Theresa Park 551 0 0 551 0 0 551 Census breakdown Hunter Brownlow Hill 364 0 0 364 0 0 364 Census breakdown Mount Hunter 807 0 0 807 0 0 807 Census breakdown Total 8,567 227 658 9,225 173 502 9,727 Total of Census breakdown Camden Camden Park 1,827 150 435 2,262 0 0 2,262 Census breakdown Park/ Cawdor 454 0 0 454 0 0 454 Census breakdown Cawdor/ Douglas Park 1,273 50 145 1,418 75 218 1,636 Census breakdown Douglas Park/ Menangle 877 110 319 1,196 215 624 1,820 Census breakdown Menangle/ Razorback 964 0 0 964 0 0 964 Census breakdown Razorback Total 5,395 310 899 6,294 290 841 7,135 Total of Census breakdown Picton/ Picton 4,595 905 2,625 7,220 381 1,105 8,324 Census breakdown Mowbrary Mowbray Park 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gazetted Locality - Park/ Maldon Included in Picton Maldon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gazetted Locality - Included in Wilton Total 4,595 905 2,625 7,220 381 1,105 8,324 Total of Census breakdown

Table 4.01: Population growth distribution

92 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 4: GROWTH AND CHANGE

Catchment Suburb Existing Growth Growth Total Growth Growth Total Clarifications pop. 2011- 2011- pop. by 2021- 2021- pop. by 2011 2021 2021 2021 2036 2036 2036 Lots People Lots People Tahmoor/ Tahmoor 4,505 201 583 5,088 812 2,355 7,443 Split 50/50 between Thirlmere/ Thirlmere and Lakesland/ Tahmoor Buxton/ Thirlmere 3,530 201 583 4,113 812 2,355 6,468 Census breakdown Couridjah Lakesland 407 0 0 407 0 0 407 Census breakdown Buxton 2,054 0 0 2,054 0 0 2,054 Census breakdown Couridjah 276 0 0 276 0 0 276 Census breakdown Total 10,772 402 1,166 11,938 0 4,710 16,647 Total of Census breakdown Bargo/ Bargo 4,130 40 116 4,246 60 174 4,420 Census breakdown Yanderra/ Yanderra 683 0 0 683 0 0 683 Census breakdown Pheasants Pheasants 592 0 0 592 0 0 592 Census breakdown Nest Nest Total 5,405 40 116 5,521 60 174 5,695 Total of Census breakdown Wilton Wilton 1,890 1,770 5,133 7,023 10,050 29,145 36,168 Census breakdown Total 1,890 1,770 5,133 7,023 10,050 29,145 36,168 - Appin/ Appin 1,803 660 1,914 3,717 1,500 4,350 8,067 Profile id total for Cataract/ area Darkes Cataract 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gazetted Locality - Forest Included in Maddens Plains Darkes Forest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Included in Appin Total 1,803 660 1,914 3,717 1,500 4,350 8,067 Profile id total General Infill General infill 400 1,160 1,160 600 1,740 2,900 - Total 400 1,160 1,160 600 1,740 2,900 - TOTALS 43,484 5,072 14,709 58,193 13,301 43,283 101,475 -

Table 4.01: Population growth distribution continued

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 93 General infill 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036

Wallacia 0 1,160 1,160 1,740 2,900

Warragamba Wollondilly LGA total population 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 43,484 14,709 58,193 43,283 101,475

Silverdale Wallacia/ Warragamba/ Silverdale Douglas Park/ Menangle/ Razorback/ Cawdor/ Camden Park 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 5,057 1,038 6,095 716 6,812 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Werombi 5,395 899 6,294 841 7,135 Theresa Park

The Oaks/ Belimba Park/ Glenmore/ Oakdale/ Wilton Orangeville Nattai/ Orangeville/ Werombi/ Theresa Park/

Brownlow Hill/ Mt Hunter Brownlow 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Hill 1,890 5,133 7,023 29,145 36,168 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Nattai 8,567 658 9,225 502 9,727 Glenmore The Oaks Oakdale Belimba Park Camden Park Mt Hunter Cawdor Picton/ Mowbray Park/ Maldon Appin/Cataract/Darkes Forest

2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Menangle 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 4,595 2,625 7,220 1,105 8,324 1,803 1,914 3,717 4,350 8,067

Mowbray Razorback Park Picton Douglas Lakesland Park Tahmoor/ Thirlmere/ Lakesland/ Buxton/ Couridjah Darkes Thirlmere Forest Appin 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 10,772 1,166 11,938 4,710 16,647 Tahmoor Couridjah

Buxton

Bargo Pheasants Wilton Cataract Bargo/ Yanderra/ Pheasants Nest Nest

2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Population growth 5,405 116 5,521 174 5,695 Yanderra

Figure 5.01: Population growth distribution

94 OCTOBER 2013 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE F General infill 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036

Wallacia 0 1,160 1,160 1,740 2,900

Warragamba Wollondilly LGA total population 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 43,484 14,709 58,193 43,283 101,475

The Oaks/ Belimba Park/ Glenmore/ Oakdale/ Wilton Orangeville Nattai/ Orangeville/ Werombi/ Theresa Park/

2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Menangle 2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 4,595 2,625 7,220 1,105 8,324 1,803 1,914 3,717 4,350 8,067

Buxton

Bargo Pheasants Wilton Cataract Bargo/ Yanderra/ Pheasants Nest Nest

2011 Growth 2021 Growth 2036 Population growth 5,405 116 5,521 174 5,695 Yanderra

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE D OCTOBER 2013 95 Part 5: Needs and Demands

Picton - creek side shelter near the Church, beside Stonequarry Creek

96 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 5: NEEDS AND DEMANDS

In this section a review and summary of available community consultation surveys previously carried out by Council are analysed to identify perceptions and expectations of the residents with respect to open space and recreation issues. This information was documented in the form of Asset and Opportunity Maps for each Village area.

This section also summarises the principal findings of consultations carried out through workshops and are one on one interviews with users and stakeholders related to open space and community facilities.

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS AND DATA Background data from previous community consultation or research on the needs and aspirations of the Wollondilly community is minimal in relation to open space and community facility topics but documents that have informed the project include the Asset and Opportunity Maps for each Village area plus the online ID profile information.

In Summary the Shire’s community identified the following as key priorities for action by Council across its full services:

Health facilities and access • Medical transport (Ambulance) • Local doctors • Health and rehabilitation services • Children health professionals Community groups/ facilities • Clubs and groups (Over 50s group, youth, sporting, fitness and health • Education facilities • Local Markets • Bike and roller blade, skate track Tourism • Promotion of National Parks • Better utilisation of natural assets • Promotion of picnic areas • Increase in visitors will increase traffic, parking and maintenance issues (vandalism, rubbish) • Road signage lacks in towns and tourist venues Safety • Visibility on road is a problem due to scrub density and proximity next to road • Traffic speed is an issue - especially with regards to trucks • Require more police presence • Need more police / stations in the area • Anti social behaviour due to increase in population • Motor bike riders in the surrounding bushland WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 97 PART 5: NEEDS AND DEMANDS

Maintenance • Road repairs and maintenance are necessary in the Shire • Need for stormwater pipes • Sewer debate • Vandalism and graffiti needs to be removed Transport • Freeway access would be beneficial to some of the areas • Regular bus services would improve the accessibility of the area • In general better public transport is necessary • Bike track provision Open space / facilities • Need for footpaths • Integration of natural open space ie Bingara Gorge • Need for upgrading local parks and school parks • Stormwater drainage needed • Need for better street lighting Environmental / ‘rural living’ • Majority of the residents are against development • Weed infestations require management • Bushfire related issues, need to update fire sheds, back burning, evacuation plan • Subdivisions would be detrimental to the area

The Community identified the following key Assets of the Shire: • A wealth of native flora and fauna • Healthy waterways • Rural character and environmental heritage • Sustainable farms • Well designed towns and villages • Invigorated main streets • Green space and recreational networks • Integrated transport • An integrated community

98 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 5: NEEDS AND DEMANDS

CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PROJECT The project team undertook a range of consultation processes during this project. The consultation for community facilities is described later in this section.

For open space and recreation, two workshops were held with a range of stakeholders from organised and unstructured recreation interest groups. The summary of these workshops is provided in Appendix 9.

The principal findings from those workshops included: • The recognition that forecast growth means the need for additional facilities • An understanding of the need to share facilities and amenities where ever practical. • A critical need to cater for youth recreation needs • The need for more passive facilities at sports reserves • Importance of conserving and integrating the Shire’s natural environment in parks • The need for more and better footpaths and cycle paths in and between parks • Importance of joint use of school recreation facilities • The need to address new recreation opportunities like mountain bike riding • A perception from village residents that recreational focus is more on towns • The importance of retaining the Shire’s rural character in the parks.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 99 PART 5: NEEDS AND DEMANDS

SPECIFIC COMMUNITY FACILITY NEEDS AND DEMANDS Community needs and demands, in relation to Council community facilities and the programs and services provided from them, have been identified through: • A review of past studies and strategies, including Assets to Opportunities: Asset Mapping 2010 study (Wollondilly Shire Council) and the Wollondilly Local Issues Paper (2012) Wollondilly Community Cultural Plan and Wollondilly Youth Needs Analysis • The online survey conducted as part of this study • Discussions with representatives from the managed community service centres (Tahmoor Community Centre and Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre). In considering needs and demands, it is important to distinguish between those that relate to facilities and spaces, and those that relate to the types of programs, activities and services that might occur within the facilities. In line with the focus of this Strategy on community facilities, the analysis below has primarily considered needs for built facilities. Needs and demands for activities, programs and services have been considered only insofar as they help to inform the types of facilities required to accommodate them.

The following provides a summary of the needs and issues raised with regard to the current provision of community facilities. For detailed information on community facility needs and demands identified refer to Appendix 8: Community facility needs and demands (detailed information).

Summary of key community facility needs and demands: • More modern, purpose built facilities capable of catering to contemporary community needs and interests • Facilities capable of meeting a broad range of needs and interests such as multipurpose community centres. These facilities should be able to collectively accommodate a wide range of activities, programs and services (as identified by respondents of the online survey) • New facilities in key areas currently lacking facilities (eg Thirlmere) • Improved facility amenities (eg Storage, change rooms, air conditioning) • An improved/ larger / modern performing arts facility • More youth facilities or spaces for youth activities • More facilities/ spaces for community service provision (including outreach space) • A larger, modern central library facility • Improved access to facilities (including ensuring facilities can be access by public transport, facilities are affordable and programming of facilities to provide equitable access to spaces for various groups).

100 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Douglas Park Community Centre

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 101 Part 6: Emerging Directions and Standards

Appin AIS Sportsground

102 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 6: EMERGING DIRECTIONS AND STANDARDS

In this section the emerging directions that inform the strategy are briefly summarised and the related standards for both open space and community facility provision are outlined.

EMERGING DIRECTIONS From all of the foregoing analysis, a number of common directions emerge for the future provision of both open space and community facilities:

Supply and Demand While there are many high quality facilities in the Shire, existing provision does not consistently meet existing demand in either quality or quantity. With a forecast for significant population growth across the Shire there is a need for a wholesale review of provision.

Distribution, Accessibility and Connectivity With a population spread across a large geographic area and a variable public transport system, future provision must necessarily be based on distribution that optimises access. To that end, high end facilities must necessarily be based closest to major population centres.

There is an opportunity to greatly improve accessibility to all facilities and to reduce car dependency, especially for local trips, by developing a strategic network of paths, trails and bicycle routes, particularly around towns and villages, based on rivers and creeks.

Rural Lifestyle For many who live in the Shire the rural lifestyle is the key attraction. However with a significant population forecast, based principally around towns rather than villages, there is a need to ensure that the rural lifestyle of the villages remains intact and viable with respect to access to open space and community facilities. This means the need to tailor services to the specific needs of village life, whilst recognising that car travel for access to higher order is a reality. Critically, for the health of the entire Shire’s economy villages must not miss out.

Cultural and Natural Heritage The high natural and cultural values of the Shire are largely an unrealised asset from a recreation and tourism perspective. The extraordinary scenic qualities of the river gorges, the bushland and the history and heritage of the area suggest that a more coherent and strategic approach to connection and promotion can greatly extend both local and regional recreation and tourism, in areas of adventure and sports tourism in particular.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 103 PART 6: EMERGING DIRECTIONS AND STANDARDS

OPEN SPACE PROVISION HIERARCHY AND STANDARDS As outlined in Appendix 3 and in line with the current DP+I guidelines for open space planning, open space is based on three levels of hierarchy, being regional, district and local, while the nature and use of open space is categorised under eight settings. With respect to standards for open space provision, related to population and access, the following summary of Appendix 3 describes the default requirements:

Hierarchy level Catchment and Size Accessibility Regional Likley to draw users from across May entail a journey of and outside the Shire, potentially more than 30 minutes from across the Metropolitan duration area. Typically more than 10 Ha in size but is not size dependent District Draws users from across the Should typically be within Shire and from adjoining LGAs. 2k-5km journey of user Typically 2-5 Ha catchment Local Serves immediate locality, and Within towns should meets day to day recreation typically be within 400-500 needs of those metres of all residents. In residents villages this might be up to 1km distance. Table 6.01: Open Space Hierarchy Summary

Development Provisions DP+I guidelines suggest a default provision standard of 10% of the development area for local open space requirements. It is suggested that this standard only be used as a basis of comparative basis, against which a full site based analysis and provision assessment can be compared. A well developed performance based plan for provision may result in the requirement for more or less than this percentage based default, as outlined below.

DEVELOPER OPEN SPACE GUIDELINES With respect to open space contributions by developers the following guidelines should apply to the typical range of development scales and types across the Shire. Future updates to Council’s Section 94 Open Space Contributions Plan should reflect these recommendations.

All Residential Developments • Developers should plan open space in line with current best practice as outlined in the NSW Recreation and Open Space Planning Guidelines for Local Government (2011) • For the design of open space, publications such as the Landcom Open Space Design Guidelines reflect best practice that should inform and guide development proposals • Developers should demonstrate that they have analysed the needs of the future residents and the existing local open space context in preparing their open space proposals

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• Relying principally on default open space areas per head of population (ie percentage of development area or amounts of open space per 1000 persons) without contextual analysis of the site, locality, accessibility and future resident needs would generally be deemed an inadequate basis for approving a proposal • Subdivision or Development Applications should demonstrate that proposed open space is accessible, ie generally no greater than 400m distance from any residence (rural villages may be an exception, see below) • Proposed open space should largely be free of major constraints (eg easements, steep gradients, major infrastructure) and at minimum provide for basic day to day recreation needs (seating, shade, kickabout, play etc), the scope of which would be subject to scale and density of the development • Natural landscapes (ie creeks, river and bushland) should be integrated into the development and, where legislation and conservation requirements permit, should include appropriate recreation facilities such as paths and trails • Liaison with Council in the early subdivision stage to discuss options for open space provision would be encouraged to assist a more streamlined approval process Residential Subdivisions • For large scale subdivisions developer should be able to demonstrate that proposed open space includes provision for local and district scale recreation and for structured (eg sport) and unstructured (eg passive parklands) recreation facilities. A Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) that defines the agreed open space structure and distribution may be one appropriate mechanism for such scales of development • Streets and paths within the estate should optimised walking and cycling linking and employing parks, creek corridors and streets to connect to other parks, shops, schools, work and the adjoining neighbourhood • Local open space should not generally be of a size less than 0.3 Ha and preferably of a compound shape and including level ground suitable for play, walking and kickabout. Infill Developments in Towns • Where the number of residences proposed would not warrant a new dedicated open space developers should liaise with Council as to how their S94 contributions can be applied to existing open space to the benefit of the new community and to ensure the existing capacity for the current community is not compromised Infill Developments in Villages • For small developments within villages, open space contributions may preferably focus on embellishments to existing reserves or - through Council’s agency - in schools or at shops by negotiation with the parties concerned.

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Detailed Open Space Planning and Design Guidelines • The development of more detailed open space planning and design guidelines for new open space and for ‘retrofitting’ existing open space to meet benchmark practice would be an early priority for delivery of this Strategy. These guidelines should match the specifics of the Shire and its community • Such guidelines would provide greater certainty for Council, the community and developers of the capacity and quality of open space and recreation opportunity required to meet the Shire’s future needs.

PROPOSED COMMUNITY FACILITIES HIERARCHY It is proposed that this strategy adopt a hierarchical approach for the planning and delivery of community facilities, based upon four levels that represent population catchments of different sizes. This recognises that facilities with different types of spaces and amenities are required to meet the range of needs and uses a community will experience. The proposed hierarchy is outlined in the following table.

Hierarchy level Population served Regional 100,000 and over District 20,000-50,000 Neighbourhood 5,000-20,000 Local 2,000-5,000 Table 6.02: Community Facilities Hierarchy Summary

It should be noted that the population thresholds suggested by this hierarchy should be applied flexibly, bearing in mind that the size of population catchments necessary to sustain different types of facilities will also be influenced by settlement patterns, travel distances and population characteristics .

Regional level facilities Regional facilities usually serve populations of around 100,000 people and over. Some regional facilities may serve 2 or more local government areas. As noted earlier in this report, Wollondilly currently contains no regional community facilities, commensurate with its relatively small population, and relies on those provided in adjoining local government areas. However, development forecasts suggest that over the next 20-30 years, the population of Wollondilly is likely to reach the thresholds sufficient to warrant the provision within the Shire of some regional level facilities. Regional facilities can include: • Major cultural or civic facilities such as civic centres , performing arts centres, major libraries, exhibition space • Higher order entertainment or leisure facilities • Tertiary education such as TAFE or university • Health services, such as hospitals and specialist facilities • Major recreational and sporting facilities including regional parks or major sporting complexes or specialist sports facilities.

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District level facilities District level facilities operate on a smaller district catchment, usually from about 20,000 to 30,000 people, and possibly up to 50,000. Population catchments for district level community facilities will vary according to the particular characteristics and needs of the local population.

The scale of these facilities is large enough to accommodate the needs of district level populations and they usually contain some specialist spaces or services to meet the needs of particular age or interest groups. District level facilities are most often located in activity centres, ideally linked to public transport and in locations where people have a reason to gather and visit. District level facilities include: • Community resource centres, offering a range of flexible activity and program spaces as well as accommodation for community organisations and service providers. District level facilities would usually have a relatively permanent staff presence to ensure that the facility is activated, whether that be local government or service provider staff. • Civic and cultural facilities, including a district or branch library and spaces for community arts and local performances. These may be co-located with a community resource centre to create a community hub • High schools and other learning facilities • Entertainment, leisure facilities and services • Sporting and recreation facilities • A range of medical and community health services • Facilities and services for particular sections of the population, such as young people, older people, people with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Neighbourhood level facilities Neighbourhood level services and facilities are more locally focussed and are usually planned to serve a catchment of about 5,000 – 10,000 people, although up to 20,000 people may be served by neighbourhood level facilities. Neighbourhood level facilities provide a basis for community involvement and the development of social capital through opportunities for the development of social networks and community connections. Neighbourhood level facilities typically include: • A multi-purpose community centre providing flexible spaces for local activities and programs • A primary school • Child care centres and kindergartens • Medical centres and allied health services • Some form of access point for family support, health, and other forms of support services.

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Local level facilities Local level facilities are planned to serve very local populations ranging from between around 2,000 and 5,000 people. Local level community facilities include: • Spaces for meeting and gathering • Spaces for local programs and activities such as playgroup, dance classes, etc. They are simple small scale buildings, are not usually staffed and are used mostly on a casual hire basis. Community halls are a typical local level facility.

PROPOSED COMMUNITY FACILITY STANDARDS With regard to community facilities, standards are usually expressed as the number of facilities, places or floorspace required for a population of a given size. Contemporary practice in community facilities planning suggests that a purely mathematical application of standards is undesirable. However, it is also recognised that there is an increasing need for a robust evidence base to support recommendations for facilities.

Future recommendations may involve either substantial funding implications or potentially difficult political decisions including the possible rationalisation of some facilities. Any recommendations need to be grounded in a strong base of evidence (preferably from multiple sources) to support the future directions.

This section of the report presents a review of standards which have been adopted in other jurisdictions to assist in the planning of community facilities, to highlight some of the analysis behind the upcoming recommendations and help ensure that the process for developing the recommendations is transparent and open to review.

For this project a range of standards for social infrastructure from across Australia have been reviewed, with sources including: • Parks and Leisure Australia (2012), Benchmarks for Community Infrastructure: A PLA Western Australia Working Document • Victorian Government Growth Areas Authority (2008), Planning for Community Infrastructure in Growth Areas • Victorian Government Growth Areas Authority (2009), Guide to Social Infrastructure Planning • Queensland Government, Office of Urban Management (2007), SEQ Regional Plan 2005-2026, Implementation Guideline no. 5 – Social Infrastructure Planning • Growth Centres Commission (2006), Growth Centres Development Code, New South Wales • NSW State Library, People Places, A Guide for Public Library Buildings in NSW, third edition • Comparative study undertaken by Elton Consulting of a number of social infrastructure projects in growth areas in NSW and South Australia.

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Although there are no nationally agreed set of community facility and service standards, the standards proposed here are based on a range of national social infrastructure plans and studies which have been analysed, tested and adapted to the Wollondilly Shire context and the hierarchy of facilities proposed above. Considerations for their application have included existing rates of provision, preferred models of service delivery, existing and projected community needs, and Wollondilly Shire Council approaches and policy directions for community facility and service provision.

The table on the following page presents the standards adapted from the national literature and organises them according to the hierarchy levels outlined above.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 109 30 30 Approximately2,000-4,000 square GFA metres 1:100,000-150,000 28 square28 metres everyfor 1,000 peoplefor populations 100,000of or (i.e.more a 2,800sqm library a for population100,000of people does– includenot additionalspace required for admincentral libraryfunctions) 39 sqm per 1,000 people for populationsof 20,000-35,000 people Approximately1,200-3,000 square GFA metres 1:20,000-30,000people Recommendedstandard people (per otherwiseunless specified). GFA refersgrossto area floor a district ‘community hub’. hub’. ‘community district a Providesrangea flexible,of multipurposespaces that include varietya of activityand program areas as wellspaceas for diversea range servicesof to be providedboth on permanenta and sessional outreachor basis. Ideally providea balance betweenaccess to support services, information and referral wellas rangea as activitiesof and programs that are focused on lifelong learning,healthy living, andarts culture, Asetc. well theas structured spacesfor formal activitiesand programs,district multipurpose community centresshould also providespace for informal gathering and interaction and knownbe communityas meeting places.‘anchor’With facilities such as libraries and/orrecreation centres, and perhaps space youthfor activities, couldform the foundation of Providespremier civic space serveto local government or wider area.May include Counciladministrative centreand Councilchambers, as well as meetingspace andspace largefor civic functions and cultural events. Could be combined with regional arts centre, providing high quality and specialist spacesfor visual and performing arts. Servesas maincentralor library. Usually includeskey regional collections suchlocalas studies otheror specialselections, library officesstaff and functions. administrative associated levelDistrict library located in districta centre serving catchmenta upof to 50,000people. Includes significanta resource collection bothin books and Definition District communityDistrict resourcecentre Major civicMajor or culturalcentre Community facilities required Centrallibrary libraryDistrict 20,000-50,000 20,000-50,000 Population served 100,000 andover

HierarchyLevel District Regional

Table 6.03: Hierarchy Level and Standard

110 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G 31 31 1,000-1,500square metres everyfor 1 40,000-50,000people (could be multipurposeof part community centre) Approximately 800-1,000square metres GFA co-located1 (such withas secondarya communitydistrict or school resource centre)for every40,000-50,000 people 400-500 approximately of space 1 squaremetres everyfor 30,000-60,000 people(could be of part a larger,district multipurpose communitycentre or arts centre) planned1 activityspace of approximately 250-400square metres everyfor 40,000-60,000 people Recommendedstandard people (per otherwiseunless specified). GFA refersgrossto area floor sqm35 per 1,000 peoplefor populationsof 35,001-65,000 people Smallermore locally focused spacecommunity for ratherarts than and workshop studio, on more is Emphasis level performance. professional exhibitionspace and community programs than professionalperformance. moreHas community focussed, dedicated management withfocusa on communityand cultural development. levelDistrict space for performance or exhibition,for events smallera of scalethan whatprovidedis at regionalthe performing centre.arts Could be providedas halla with stage andfoyer space within a districtmultipurpose communitysimilar. or school centre, Spacefor leisure, recreation, learning, training and support programs and activitiesyoungfor people. Space for youtha worker, drop in areas, anda basefor bothgovernment andnon-government youth services and outreach services.Provides singlea pointserviceof access for young people. Spacefor seniors’ groupsand activities including a widerange healthyof ageing andsupport programs, spaceand for deliverythe of homecare and respiteservices. Could be accommodated through rangea activity,of exerciseand learningspaces within varietya community,of cultural and Definition othermedia as well facilities,IT as children’s collection and varietya openof areassocialfor interaction andrelaxed reading. Could be developed partas broadera of community learning centre or ascommunitya of part hub witha multipurposecommunity centre. Community facilities required Community arts centre Performing arts and/or exhibition space Youthresource centre Dedicated seniors’ space/HACC plannedactivity Population served

HierarchyLevel

Table 6.03: Hierarchy Level and Standard (continued)

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 111 32 32 Approximately500-1,000 square metres people 5,000-10,000 every for 1 GFA. Approximately250-300 square metres GFA. 1 for every 20,000 people youth1 activityspace for every10,000 people(as part neighbourhooda of multipurpose communitycentre). 1 seniors’ activity space for every 10,000 people (as part of a neighbourhoodmultipurpose community Recommendedstandard people (per otherwiseunless specified). GFA refersgrossto area floor unitycentres. When seniors-specific Providesflexible, multipurpose space canthat accommodate varietya of activity and program areas as well as space for services to be provided both on permanenta sessionaland outreachor basis.Centres ideally providea balancebetween accesssupportto services, information andreferral and a range activitiesof and programsarethat focused on developing community networksand lifelong learning, healthy living,andarts culture, Couldetc. includecommunity hall/meeting space and flexible space usedyouth,for seniors,community arts. recreationfacilities. Could be informthe communityof hall space and incorporatedas part of multipurposea community centre. facilitiescannot justified,be incorporation spaceof in morea multipurpose Communitiesshould have access to differentmeetingsize spaces from small grouprooms to larger hallsfor bigger events andgatherings. Hall/meeting spaceis best considered aas a of part largermultipurpose facility such as a districtmultipurpose community resource centre library.or Provision of with arrangements use shared through possible also is space hall/auditorium schools. Allowance spaceof youthfor focussedactivities within larger more multipurpose facilitiessuch ascommunity centres. When youth-specific facilitiescannot justified,be incorporation spaceof in morea multipurpose settingis desirable dependingon community needs. Allowance spaceof seniorsfor focussed activitieswithin larger more multipurposesuchfacilities comm as Definition Neighbourhood multipurpose community centre space Community facilities required Community hall/meeting 200+ - space venueeveryfor 20,000people Youthactivity space activity Seniors’ space 5,000-20,000 Population served

HierarchyLevel Neighbourhood

Table 6.03: Hierarchy Level and Standard (continued)

112 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G 33 33 1 local1 community centre up400of to squaremetres everyfor GFA 5,000 people 1 community1 artsspace for every 10,000people parta (as of neighbourhoodmultipurpose community centre) Approximately50-250 square metres everyfor 1 GFA. 10,000people (as part neighbourhooda of multipurpose communitycentre) Recommendedstandard people (per otherwiseunless specified). GFA refersgrossto area floor centre) mmunitycentres. When arts-specific Providesfor rangea smallof scale, local level community events andsocial, educational, cultural and recreational activities at low cost and targeted at the needstheof local community.includeOften meeting/activityspaces, kitchen, administrative areas.Ideally includes integratedan outdoor areafor children’s play and other outdoor activities. Allowance spaceof communityfor activitiesarts within larger more multipurposesuchfacilities co as facilitiescannot justified,be incorporation spaceof in morea multipurpose settingis desirable dependingon community needs. Communitiesshould have access to differentmeetingsize spaces from small grouprooms to larger hallsfor bigger events andgatherings. Hall/meeting space is best considered as a part of a larger multipurpose facility.Provision hall/auditoriumof space is also possible through shared usearrangements schools. with Definition settingis desirable dependingon community needs. Localcommunity centre/hall/ meetingspace/ Community facilities required Community arts space Community hall/meeting ranging - space people 20 from meetingspaces to up 200 people venues 2,000-5,000 Population served

HierarchyLevel Local

Table 6.03: Hierarchy Level and Standard (continued)

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It is noted that some of the standards providing guidance on the size of community centres contain a broad floorspace quantum range. For this reason, further research has been undertaken to identify the specific floorspace standards for community centres that have been adopted by other councils facing similar growth scenarios to Wollondilly.

Comparative rates of provision being applied in selected local government areas are outlined in the table below.

Local Government Area Community centre standard (square metres per 1,000 people) Playford (SA) 87 Liverpool (NSW) 60-80 Blacktown (NSW) 80 Hills Shire (NSW) 80 Maitland (NSW – existing provision) 78 Penrith (NSW) 126 Camden (NSW) 55 Wollondilly (NSW) 132

Table 6.04: Community centre comparative floorspace standards

The figures in the table above generally include provision for local, neighbourhood and district level community centre floorspace combined, with the balance between different level facilities to be determined flexibly according to need, within the overall quantum of floorspace guided by this standard. However, Camden Council sets specific requirements of 42 sqm/1000 for local community centres and a further 13 sqm/1000 towards district facilities (reduced from 22 sqm for district facilities in its most recent Contributions Plan in 2011 in order to better fit within current Section 94 cap requirements).

Liverpool Council requires about 60 sqm/1000 for local and neighbourhood level facilities and around 80sqm/1000 for larger development areas where district level facilities will also be required (eg the Austral and Leppington North Precincts of the South West Growth Centre). The Penrith standard (applied to Jordan Springs in the St Marys release area) includes an allowance for library facilities and so is not directly comparable; if the standard library allowance of 39 sqm/1000 were to be deducted, the resultant standard would be around 87 sqm/1000 people.

It can be seen from this table that the average rate of provision for community centre space desired in similar growth LGA’s across local, neighbourhood and district level facilities is around 80 sqm per 1000 people. This compares with Wollondilly Shire’s current rate of provision of around 132 sqm/1000 people.

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Desired future rate of provision Based on an analysis of comparative rates of provision and through the testing of provision rates through a number of projects, a desired future rate of provision for new community centres in Wollondilly Shire (including local, neighbourhood and district level facilities) is proposed as being around 80 square metres for every 1,000 people. A desired future rate of provision for library floorspace is around 35-39 square metres for every 1,000 people (depending on the population catchment to be served), consistent with the standards set out in the NSW State Library guidelines.

While the proposed standard for providing future community centre floorspace is considerably less than that currently achieved across the Shire, an equitable provision between new and existing areas of development can still be achieved as: • New facilities will be of a higher quality and better able to meet community needs and expectations than many of the older facilities • Some of the older facilities may be rationalised, thereby reducing the level of provision of existing facilities • There is excess unused capacity in a number of the existing facilities, and it is not sustainable for Council to continue to provide this level of provision. Caution in applying standards Standards are useful in providing a starting point for identifying community facility and service requirements. However, as mentioned previously, a purely mathematical approach to facility planning is not recommended and the proposed standards should be applied as an initial guide only, and with some caution.

Importantly, the application of the standards should be adjusted to reflect local circumstances, and to take account of the following factors: • Standards focus on numbers and do not account for more complex indicators of need such as health, socio-economic status, household structure, and the preferences people have for service usage • They do not account for density and layout of development and related accessibility factors such as physical barriers, distance, transport routes and available infrastructure in adjoining areas • Standards often do not account for quality of facilities and the range of services offered by them • Standards rely on population projections, so their accuracy is a reflection of the quality of the projections which include a wide range of underlying assumptions • Standards do not consider practical funding realities, particularly recurrent funding opportunities and constraints. Service capacity and quality is often more determined by staffing or program funding, than the building it operates from.

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• They do not accommodate changing community expectations and preferences, shifts in government policy or funding, and changes in technology. Similarly they do not account for changing models of services delivery, innovations and solutions established outside program boundaries • Standards do not account for the role of non-government and private sector agencies in the provision of infrastructure. Nor do they account for the opportunities for partnerships and shared use of resources that emerge from integrated planning processes. For these reasons, the use of standards should provide a starting point only, and should be balanced with local social, political and economic conditions, needs and priorities and considered in reference to existing infrastructure in the area. They must be applied with some flexibility and the understanding that services/facilities, design, size, location, staffing and management may alter in response to demographic change in the local community, changing community expectations and improved models of service delivery.

Importantly, the standards should be interpreted in conjunction with the objectives and guiding principles for community facilities and services identified in previous sections of this report. While standards portray separate specifications for each individual facility, their application should be undertaken in a way that supports leading practice in social infrastructure provision including co-located, multipurpose, flexible and shared use community facilities.

116 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Wilton Reserve provides a variety of recreational facilities for public use

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Victoria Park in Picton

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This section draws on the findings of Parts 1-5 of the OSRCFS to set the framework for the Strategy Plan and Implementation Plan that follows. It establishes the objectives and principles for the Shire’s future provision and management of open space and recreation and community facilities.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY The following objectives should guide the planning and delivery of open space, recreation and community facilities across the Wollondilly Shire:

Be undertaken strategically to ensure efficient and timely delivery of facilities Provision should involve a comprehensive and holistic planned approach rather than a series of isolated, one-off decisions. A strategic approach involves consideration of all facilities collectively to ensure more efficient delivery, by enabling priorities to be determined and addressed early, time frames to be set, opportunities to be identified and captured and resources to be appropriately allocated.

A strategic approach involving ongoing monitoring and adaption to changing growth scenarios is important to ensure that resources are available, facilities are delivered when required and the future community’s needs are adequately met.

Ensure a range of facilities are provided to meet a broad range of community needs Facilities and open spaces of different types, scales and offerings can together form a network that collectively addresses diverse community needs and interests. Implementing a well-planned hierarchy of facilities will ensure that various levels of community need can be addressed economically and cater for varying abilities and ages. It will also ensure that the Wollondilly population has access to adequate regional and district level facilities, while also ensuring that local needs are met.

Contribute to the health, wellbeing and quality of life of residents Provide services, activities and programs that support the lifestyle needs of residents, foster social networks and social interaction between different groups and contribute to social cohesion and social inclusion. They should also be places that help to strengthen community identity and community connections.

Target specific local needs and reflect community priorities Ensure facilities are relevant to the communities they service. Understanding and responding to the unique and individual circumstances of a community increases the utilisation of facilities and services and ensures that they address the needs and interests of the local population and provide opportunities to change. They should respond to an evidence base of identified need, be linked to broader planning and consultation processes such as Council’s Community Strategic Plan, and be monitored and evaluated to ensure that they are able to respond and adapt to changing community needs

Provide consistently high quality facilities across the LGA All new facilities should be planned and designed to ensure they are of high quality. High quality in this context is less concerned with construction design and standards (although these are important) but relates more to ensuring that community facilities meet a set of leading practice principles for effective facilities, outlined in a following section of this Strategy. Existing facilities identified for retention should also be assessed against the principles and modified/ improved as required WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 119 PART 7: STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES

Promote equitable access for all sections of the community Equitable access is influenced through the location and distribution of facilities, the design of buildings and reserves, the services, programs and activities that are available and management policies that determine levels of access and usage.

Given the large geographical area of the Wollondilly Shire and the dispersed pattern of development, an equitable distribution of community facilities and open space is particularly important and is not without challenges in the need to balance facilities for both towns and villages. All residents should have a reasonable level of access to community facility and open space.

This can be achieved through the provision of at least one community facility and at minimum one district reserve in the key centre of each local population catchment. Equitable access is also achieved by enabling an equitable share of a facility by all user groups through a fair and transparent contract and booking system.

Facility management also needs to consider the provision of programs and services to meet the needs of different community groups, as well as the affordability of use of a facility or service for key target populations. Equitable access is also about the physical design of facilities, to ensure that they are accessible by older people and people with a disability .

Maximise efficiency and utilisation Community and open space facilities represent a significant investment of Council and community resources. The efficient use of resources is a key responsibility of Council. This means efficient use is closely related to maximising utilisation and provides opportunity for change. It is, therefore, important to ensure that facilities are used as effectively as possible, including use during day and evening hours, during the week and at weekends.

Multipurpose and flexible design accommodates diverse groups and users and ensures that a community facility has the potential to be well utilised. It is also important that the services, activities and programs offered are sufficiently diverse to attract a range of user groups and to avoid a perception that the facility is catering only for a particular group rather than for the whole community.

Efficiency of resources also relates to exploring opportunities for building, programming and management modification to improve the facility offerings and benefits as an option in addition to new facility provision.

Reflect a ‘Whole of Council’ approach The planning and development of facilities and services requires involvement by a range of Council departments to ensure the facilities and services are appropriately located, designed, developed, programmed and managed. It is important that planning for facilities links into current and future Council policy and planning processes to develop a consistent approach across the whole of Council.

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Of particular importance is the need for facilities and services to reflect and respond to the community issues identified as a priority and that there is a process of monitoring to ensure that the desired community benefits are being achieved.

Facilities must be incorporated within Council’s asset management planning to ensure that there is a clear link with the overall strategic direction of Council’s asset development and to ensure that facilities are not only provided, but also appropriately maintained and supported operationally.

Identify opportunities for collaboration and partnerships The provision of community facilities, open space and associated services is not the sole responsibility of local government. There are many other stakeholders involved in providing facilities and services, including churches, schools, state government agencies, clubs, sporting and cultural groups, private sector and non-government organisations.

Council facilities are part of a network of facilities that help to meet community needs. It is important to work collaboratively with other organisations to ensure that the social and recreational needs of the area are met and that Council facilities complement, rather than duplicate, facilities and services provided by other sectors or levels of government.

Given the high cost of facilities, it is important to explore opportunities for partnerships with other organisations which can enhance the available resources and sustainability of facilities and services, while at the same time ensuring that outcomes are aligned to Council’s strategic plans.

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The majority of the Strategic Principles apply to Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities with some specific principles that are applied separately, as set out below.

COMMON GUIDING PRINCIPLES The future development of open space, recreation and community facilities within Wollondilly Shire should be guided by the following principles, which reflect contemporary leading practice in this field. However when applied to a particular strategy or project the principles need to take into account the specific site location, suburb characteristics and projected population growth. Not all sites or facilities will be able to satisfy all of the strategic principles and a site specific solution should be sought for each strategy or project. For the purposes of the table below open spaces, recreation and community facilities are referred to as ‘facilities’.

Principle Description Central to Facilities should be: catchment and • Central and accessible to the population they are intending to serve. The location and management equitable access of facilities should ensure equitable access for all potential users. • Access to space and services can be largely determined by the location and distribution of facilities and services. • An integrated and strategic approach to planning provides an opportunity to integrate facilities with key population areas (including major new development areas), urban structure (including designated activity centres), natural corridors and transport routes (including bus and rail connections) Clustered or • Clustering open space, community facilities with other activity generating uses such as shops and Collocation schools helps to promote convenient access and a focal point for community activity. The notion of a community hub expands beyond facilities to include the range of activities and services that encourage human activity and gathering such as shops, transport nodes, schools, child care, parks and playgrounds. • Clustering can also contribute to overall sustainability by reducing the need for multiple trips and allowing residents to carry out a number of tasks in a single location through a single trip. Case study research demonstrates the preference of users of community facilities to combine trips with shopping and other activities. • Integrating a number of facilities can maximise their effective utilisation and activation. Co-location involves shared or joint use of facilities and often the integrated delivery of some services Flexibility and • Facilities should be designed and built to maximise flexibility in use, so they can respond and multiple use adapt as needs change. Where possible, buildings and open space should be capable of delivering a range of services, rather than designated for single uses or specific target groups that may quickly become outdated. • Flexibility is enhanced by providing multi-purpose spaces capable of accommodating a diversity of uses, thereby enabling a range of activities and target groups to use the facility. Multi-use facilities are also more dynamic and capable of responding and adapting to the changing needs and preferences of the community. Facilities that are responsive and flexible are likely to be used more intensively over their lifetime

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Contribute to • Facilities can contribute to urban vitality, local identity and sense of place, and become important public domain and focal points and gathering places for the community. A strong connection between the facility a sense of place and the broader community can be fostered through development of facilities on landmark sites and with distinctive architecture and landscape design. • Facilities should be distinctive and welcoming places, and should present as a reflection of local culture. This helps ensure they develop a strong local profile and are well known in the community, thereby promoting high levels of usage. • Incorporating public art and interpretation into the building/park design is also important in creating distinctive and welcoming community centres. Public art and interpretation are important avenues for telling local stories and creating places that are recognised and valued in the community Sustainability • Facilities should be financially sustainable and provide value for money for their users, owners and operators. While capital funding is a major issue, ongoing operational costs are often an even greater concern and expense. • Key considerations include building/park design that reduces ongoing operating and maintenance costs. The incorporation of environmentally sustainable design features is critical in this regard. Features including water conservation and re-use, passive solar design, natural ventilation, insulation, natural light, etc. These features reduce ongoing operational costs for owners as well as for hirers and users. Facility design that incorporates cost recovery is also important. This can include the incorporation of space for casual hire or longer term lease for either community or compatible commercial uses Location • To be well used and serve identified social needs, facilities should be highly accessible and visible. to promote They should provide equitable access to all potential users, be accessible by public transport accessibility and and have good pedestrian and cycling connections. visibility • Open spaces should where practical be visible from local streets while community facilities should preferably be on the street front and ideally at ground floor for optimum visibility and accessibility. Enabling an awareness of what happens inside also promotes usage. Adequate parking nearby also promotes good access to facilities Connected to • Planning for facilities and services requires a focus on enhancing efficiency and utilisation. Public public transport, transport enhances accessibility for all population groups. As a principle, facilities should ideally pedestrian and be located within 400 metres walking distance of a regular public transport stop. While this may cycling networks not be readily achieved in rural villages, minimising car dependence should be a goal • Linking to pedestrian and cycling networks provides another avenue to promote the accessibility of facilities to all groups in the population and is a further means to encourage sustainable behaviour and a healthy and active lifestyle Of sufficient size • It is difficult to precisely predict the requirements for community facilities for a future population. and design to Assumptions about demand are based on current projections regarding future populations. These enable expansion projections may change and therefore affect requirements for facilities land. and adaptation • Past experience has shown that it is important to provide some flexibility in the provision of community facility space. Design should cater for the possibility of both expansion and potential changes in use as the catchment population both grows and changes in the future

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Safety and security • Facilities should be designed in accordance with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. They should provide a high degree of personal safety for people entering and leaving the building, especially at night. Safety and security can be enhanced by: –– Involvement of the community in design and development of community spaces, leading to feelings of ownership of the space so it is more likely to be used. –– Providing spaces that can be monitored by a range of people including passers by and shop keepers –– Strategically positioning lines of sight, lighting, trees, and meeting places –– Using barriers to guide pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Avoidance of • Strategic land use planning processes can provide an opportunity to locate community facilities conflict with in areas where they are most accessible but also where impacts on residential and other uses neighbouring uses can be minimised. • Siting facilities to incorporate some form of separation and/or buffering from residential areas is often an important consideration in reducing any potential future conflict. Design and building orientation are also important considerations

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SPECIFIC OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PRINCIPLES Principle Description Celebrating Cultural The planning and design of any open space should be responsive to its natural and cultural context, and Heritage drawing on the site’s particular physical geography, ecology, cultural heritage and aesthetic values to create a distinct sense of place. Opportunities to develop a specific design narrative for each site include: • Working in concert with existing topography, natural hydrology and locally endemic vegetation. • Integrating local history and cultural heritage into architecture, landscape design, public art and interpretive media. • Meeting the recreational and leisure needs of all cultures • Using locally sourced materials wherever possible involving the local community in planning, design, events and ongoing site care • Providing out door spaces and places suitable or adaptable for celebration, commemoration and entertainment Conserving Natural Facility provision can and should play a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy natural environment. Systems Whether through the protection and extension of natural habitat, the conservation of natural resources or design for low embodied energy, there are many ways in which environmental sustainability can be enhanced through planning and design of open spaces, including through: • Retaining core natural features such as escarpments, wetlands, bushland and • Selecting sites and designing open spaces for maximum access by public transport, walking and cycling • Minimising and balancing cut and fill by careful site selection and design • Employing WSUD best practice to harvest, treat and re-use stormwater.

SPECIFIC COMMUNITY FACILITIES PRINCIPLES Principle Description Main street location • Community facilities are an important part of the civic fabric of our centres and suburbs. for optimum visibility Accessibility and visibility through main street locations with a ground floor presence can and accessibility be important to maximising utilisation and enhancing accessibility.

• Recent examples like Vinegar Hill Library and Community Centre at Rouse Hill Town Centre in Western Sydney demonstrate how community facility space can be well integrated with town square type development without compromising the availability of valuable retail space. Near open space for • Locations adjacent to open space including town squares, village centres and parks activities and events increase the range of activities that can occur on community facilities land. As an example, community facilities adjacent to parks and playgrounds are ideal locations for play groups.

• Facilities located next to civic squares provide opportunities for markets, festivals and similar events. Locating community facilities near open space areas is another approach to enhancing utilisation, flexibility of use and providing opportunities for a wider range of community building activities. It is also another way to ensure that community facilities are integrated into their surrounding physical environment and seen as ‘part of the community’

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View opposite the new Fairleys Road sports fields in North Picton

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The projected forecast growth in population for Wollondilly over the next fifteen to twenty years presents Council with some significant challenges and opportunities in meeting the community’s future needs and aspirations for both quality and quantity. The focus of this strategy is therefore to take the long view first and from there to establish the short and medium term steps required to meet that goal.

To that end there is no formal timeframe for this strategy; many of the proposals may take decades to realise, whilst others can and should be acted on swiftly. Whether short, medium or long term, the key is in retaining the long view in every action.

THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK As outlined in Part 6: Emerging Directions and Standards, there are opportunities through the agency of the significant forecast growth to put in place initiatives that conserve the Shire’s recognised values and offer best practice facilities to the community; these opportunities include: • Planning urban growth to retain the key characteristics of rural town and village lifestyles and character • Conserving, promoting and integrating the Shire’s remarkable natural, cultural heritage and scenic values into planning and design of facilities, recreation and tourism • Improving connections between towns and villages and addressing their common and differing needs by developing a strategic network of paths, trails and bicycle routes • Drawing on the rivers and creek networks to better connect communities with nature and each other • Planning, designing and operating all facilities with the specific goal of maximising social connection and integration. The Open Space Strategy Plan overleaf illustrates the major initiatives proposed to address these significant opportunities.

COMMON STRATEGIC THEMES Common strategic directions for Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities which underpin the Implementation Plan focus on four basic themes: • Making More of What We’ve Got: drawing on the inherent values of the place and optimising the capacity and accessibility of existing facilities, first and foremost • Ensuring That All Sectors of the Community Benefit: providing facilities that are of high quality, flexible, adaptable and multi-purpose wherever possible • Maximising Value for Money; acquiring, consolidating and rationalising facilities to ensure that expenditure is targeted to achieve maximum community benefit • Matching Provision to People: delivering facilities in timeframes that match growth and change in the Shire’s population Set out below are the specific strategies that address each of these themes for Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities.

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OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION STRATEGY The strategies proposed in relation to the future development of open space and recreation across the Shire are outlined below under the four common strategic themes.

Making More of What We’ve Got • Improving park layout and design to accommodate more users and greater diversity of basic recreation opportunity (shade, walk, play, seating, toilets) • Extending access to and along the Shire’s rivers, in particular developing a plan for the Great River Walk along the Shire’s reach of the Nepean River • Integrating walking (optimising universal access) and cycling along creeks, rivers and roads both as a means to access parks and as recreation itself • Exploring landscape based recreational and adventure tourism opportunities that draws on the Shire’s varied landscape (eg mountain biking, cycle sportives, water sports, triathlons etc) and offers specific destination circuits and facilities for these activities. • Extensively replanting locally native trees in parks and streets to maintain the Shire’s high scenic values associated with its trees • Expanding/diversifying indoor leisure centres (eg Picton and Warragamba) to meet growing demand. Ensuring that All Sectors of the Community Benefit • Providing parks that have appeal to more than one sector of the community, eg multi-generational recreation opportunities at sport reserves such as children’s play, walking circuits, ample shade • Meeting recreation needs in smaller villages based on options such as play close to shops and village centres and shared use of school recreation facilities • Ensuring that any new major sports facilities are located as close as possible to public transport • Planning and designing parks and their access networks to best form part of the community’s day to day activities (to work, to school, to the shops) and to define town and village boundaries • Co-locating recreational and community facilities wherever possible (as with Douglas Park) to maximise social integration. Maximising Value for Money • Acquiring, consolidating and rationalising open spaces to optimise access opportunity and equity, especially in rural villages • Fostering partnerships to maximise community value (eg schools in villages, adjoining Councils for shared major facilities, private landowners for river access, consulting clubs and association to improve multi-use etc) • Reducing maintenance and improving sustainability through design and management (eg enhancing native plantings, targeting grass mowing to places of highest use/need only, water harvesting etc)

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Matching Provision to People • Planning delivery to match population growth thresholds • Meeting needs of commuting schoolchildren and working residents by optimising early morning and evening recreation opportunities (night lighting, walking/jogging circuits, dedicated cycle routes and circuits) • Ensuring rural sports retain their viability during urban growth (eg horse riding, trotting) by focusing rural sports in rural villages • Integrating youth leisure and hang-out space into reserve design, especially in rural towns and villages.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY The strategies proposed in relation to the future development of community facilities within Wollondilly Shire are necessarily broad at this stage. This recognises that development proposals and growth projections are currently very fluid and subject to on-going revision, thereby creating challenges in deriving specific recommendations for change. The following strategies are outlined under the four strategic themes.

Making More of What We’ve Got • Explore reasons for under-utilisation, including barriers to use such as Council fees and hiring policy • Promote awareness of facilities and the programs and activities they offer, using Council publications, website, local media and social media • Improve street frontage and access, visual prominence and signage for facilities that are not centrally located • Optimise co-location with public open space such as at Warragamba and in Picton town centre • Identify opportunities to activate facilities by locating staff in them, for instance by leasing space to community organisations to provide on-going services from them.

Ensuring that All Sectors of the Community Benefit • Many facilities in Wollondilly Shire do not adequately meet community needs for a number of reasons. Many of these could be improved or redeveloped and transformed into facilities that meet contemporary needs. • Undertake improvement to facilities of adequate size and quality (including general building improvements and improvements to street frontages and access, visual prominence) to bring them in line with the principles outlined in this report • Undertake investigations into the feasibility of the redevelopment of those facilities where higher order facilities are required, that is, facilities that are neighbourhood or district level

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• Further develop and implement existing Council plans to upgrade and augment the Wollondilly Library and Wollondilly Shire Hall as district level facilities in Picton to meet short-medium term population forecasts • Explore the feasibility of enhancing the quality of facilities in areas experiencing modest population growth, in order to extend the range of activities and programs they can accommodate.

Maximising Value for Money There are a number of areas that appear to have multiple small facilities with overlapping roles, such as Warragamba / Silverdale and The Oaks / Oakdale/ Mt Hunter. In such cases: • Test community attitudes towards the consolidation and rationalisation of these facilities and associated proposals to improve community facility provision in the area • Dispose of surplus assets and use resources to develop new facilities that meet contemporary needs and standards.

Matching Provision to People Growth projections for Wollondilly Shire were outlined in Part 5 of this report and included projections for both the short term, to 2021 and the longer term, to 2036. Based upon these projections and the principles and standards proposed, the following actions are recommended: • Plan new facilities on the basis of viable population catchments to support larger neighbourhood and district level facilities, rather than numerous small local facilities • Develop district level facilities (community resource centres and libraries) in Picton and Wilton Junction for catchments of up to around 50,000 people, rather than regional level facilities for a combined catchment of 100,000 • Develop a network of facilities across the Shire that contain complementary facilities which together meet the range of needs of the Wollondilly community, rather than building similar facilities that duplicate functions • Incorporate facilities for young people, for older people and for other sections of the population within larger multi-purpose facilities, rather than developing facilities that can only be used by particular target groups.

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Camden Park

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OVERVIEW The Implementation Plan is described in two parts, relating firstly to the open space and recreation proposals and secondly to the community facility proposals. In both cases the proposals draw on the thematic structure of the Strategy: • Making more of what we’ve got; upgrading and/or extending existing facilities to meet growing population demand and to offer contemporary facilities • Maximising value for money; acquiring, consolidating or rationalising facilities to better target accessibility, preclude duplication and place facilities where demand is or will be greatest. While there are many instances where open space and community facilities may not be co-located, as may be seen from this Implementation Plan there are important areas of overlap where proposals for open space, recreation and community facilities are all integrated in one location or on adjoining sites. The sites where such co-location is proposed include: • Picton Town Centre: District Hub and new Civic Park • Wilton Junction: District Hub with passive parklands adjoining • Appin Community Hall long term relocation with town park, possibly adjoining Appin Park in the town centre • Thirlmere Neighbourhood Facility, a new neighbourhood facility possibly within the War Memorial Park or Thirlmere Sportsground. In all of these cases either new community facilities or significantly upgraded existing facilities are proposed. The Douglas Park Community Centre provides a strong working model for such co-location.

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OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN: HIGH LEVEL FACILITIES The following tables summarise the major high level facilities proposed for open space in Wollondilly Shire, as also illustrated in Figure 9.01 Open Space Structure Plan. As that plan identifies these high level facilities are focused in a series of Recreation Hubs, linked by rivers, creeks and trails. The proposals are described under the principal open setting identified in Appendix 3.

1 - PASSIVE PARKLANDS (PR = REGIONAL, PD = DISTRICT) Map Ref Location Action Timeline

PR1 Warragamba Integration of a regional passive parklands (complementing Warragamba Long Term Dam Park, regional sports precinct and neighbourhood community facilities which are not Council but Sate Conservation Areas) including a regional all abilities playground Catchment is southwest metropolitan, developed in concert with adjoining Councils. PD1 Picton Town Development of a new civic park in concert with redevelopment of District Medium Centre Community facilities hub (library, community centre and cultural centre) Term

PD2 Wilton District Level Town Park to be developed by development consortium to Medium match population thresholds; location in future town centre Term

PD3 Appin District Level Town Park to be developed to match population thresholds; Medium location close to town centre (eg redevelopment of Appin Park and relocation Term of sports to expanded Appin AIS Sports Ground, see Outdoor Sports below) The detailed Play Strategy proposed may also highlight the need for additional open space and play facilities for locations where there may be shortfalls, such as potentially on the east side of the rail line in Bargo.

2 - OUTDOOR SPORTS (SR = REGIONAL, SD = DISTRICT) Map Ref Location Action Timeline SR1 Warragamba Integration of a regional/subregional sports precinct integrating Long Term Warragamba Sportsground, Warragamba Pool and Warragamba Recreation Reserve (formerly SCA Picnic Grounds) SD1 Appin Expansion and redevelopment of Appin AIS Sports Ground to accommodate Medium more field training and courts (possible long term re-location of community Term centre to town centre to permit greater sports focus) SD2 Wilton Junction District Level sports facilities close to town centre adjoining town park Medium Term SD3 Picton Consolidation and rationalisation of the suite of sports facilities (courts and Planning fields) that include Picton Sports Ground, Hume Oval and Victoria Park to Short form an integrated district level sports precinct Term SD4 Thirlmere Redevelopment and upgrade of Thirlmere Sportsground to increase Short capacity, including reconfiguration of greyhound track Term

SD5 Douglas Park Reconfiguration of existing sports facilities to permit basketball, skate, re- Short organised tennis, little athletics and winter field sports (in train) Term

SD6 The Oaks Reconfiguration of the existing Dudley Chesham Sportsground including Medium consolidating buildings and better integration of equestrian facility Term 134 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 9: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

3 - CIVIC AND URBAN SPACE Map Ref Location Action Timeline

PR1 Warragamba Integration of a regional passive parklands (complementing Warragamba Long Term Dam Park, regional sports precinct and neighbourhood community facilities)

PD1 Picton Town Development of a new civic park in concert with redevelopment of District Medium Centre Community facilities hub (library, community centre and cultural centre) Term

4 - NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION Map Ref Location Action Timeline

N/A National Park Form partnerships with State Recreation Areas (SRA) and NPWS on river Short to Interfaces and lake recreation offer (eg Thirlmere Lakes and Bents Basin) and potential Long Term locations for Mountain Bike and adventure sports tourism opportunities in west and east

5/6 - RIVER FORESHORE, CREEKS AND WETLANDS Map Ref Location Action Timeline

W1 Menangle Road/ Liaison with adjoining Council with respect to facilities on both sides of river Medium River Reserve bank (picnic, tracks, swim etc) Term

W2 Douglas Park Picnic shelter and cars spaces to south of fish ladder; kayak launch facility Medium Drive south of causeway Term

W3 Thirlmere Lakes Key destination in trails circuit around Picton, Tahmoor and Thirlmere Medium (NPWS) Term

W4 Maldon Weir and Walking tracks and picnic facilities adjoining weir and old suspension bridge Medium Bridge Term

W5 Mermaid Pool Upgrade pedestrian access and acquire foreshore edge. Continue liaison Medium with interested parties (eg. National Parks Association) to ensure protection Term and conservation of this site and the context of the Bargo Rive Gorge. W6 Bents Basin Liaise with NPWS re upgrade of camping offer and trails links into Long Term (NPWS) Great River Walk

7 - INDOOR LEISURE Map Ref Location Action Timeline

L1 Picton Extend/expand existing Leisure Centre and integrate with outdoor open Medium space Term L2 Warragamba Consider opportunity for indoor leisure/sports hall as part of upgrade Medium of Warragamba Sportsground and integrate with pool. Term

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STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS Over and above the specific actions outlined above, it is recommended that Council develop an implementation program for the progressive delivery of the following broad scale strategic actions:

Planning Delivery of next phase action plans that would include: • Landscape Character Study of the Shire (delivered in concert with the Biodiversity Strategy) • Tree Replacement Strategy for parks, streets and roads to ensure that the high scenic qualities of the Shires’ native trees is retained in the public domain • Corridors and Trails Strategy to establish local, district and regional walking and cycling network linking parks, school, work, shops, transport etc through river corridors, creeks, parks and streets • Open Space Planning and Design Guidelines • Acquisition, Consolidation and Rationalisation Plan to best target provision to needs • Section 94 Open Space Contributions Plan update • Funding program for open space (grants, partnerships etc) • Shire Wide Sports Strategy for indoor and outdoor sports (also in concert with adjoining Councils) • Play and Youth Strategy for the Shire • Integration of Open Space and recreation into a Tourism Strategy (eg sports tourism, adventure, river recreation, farm gate etc). Partnerships In undertaking future planning, design and management the following would comprise important partnership initiatives • Regional open space planning with adjoining Councils and NPWS • Great River Walk Strategy partnership with the GRW organisation, adjoining Councils, landowners and government agencies • Shared use of schools facilities, particularly in rural areas through a template style agreement for school principals • Integration of recreation into or adjoining local shopping centres, particularly in villages and small towns through liaison with local Chambers of Commerce. The definition of what constitutes best practice design in the Shire context should be outlined in the proposed Open Space Planning and Design Guidelines.

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COMMUNITY FACILITY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN An implementation plan for community facilities has been developed by applying the objectives, principles, standards and strategy for provision outlined in Part 6 to the Wollondilly Shire context. In applying the standards, broad catchments for planning community facilities have been identified, based on population distribution, main access routes and urban centres.

It is recognised that such catchments are only conceptual, as in practice people will regularly access facilities outside their local areas. Nevertheless, the proposed catchments provide viable units for considering community facility needs and requirements to adequately serve projected populations across the LGA.

A hierarchy of community facilities is proposed for the Wollondilly LGA with consideration of projected short term population growth (to 2021) and long term population growth (to 2036).

It is important to note that the predicted population growth is based on projected development at the time of writing is subject to future change. If plans for development (and therefore population growth projections) do change in the future, which is possible scenario, standards will need to be reapplied and the implementation plan revised.

The proposed hierarchy of facilities, developed through the application of the four recommended key strategies, includes: • District level community facilities/hubs in Picton and Wilton • Neighbourhood level community facilities in Warragamba, The Oaks, Thirlmere, Tahmoor and Wilton (2 facilities). • Local level community facilities in Tahmoor, Bargo, Wilton, Appin, Douglas Park and Camden Park/Menangle. The following table outlines the implementation plan for this hierarchy of facilities by area.

138 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Time- frame H S Priority Investigate Actions Action: feasibilitythe of creatinga district levelcultural and communityfacility throughthe redevelopmentthe of Wollondilly ShireHall andthe library concurrently.This actionshould include plans with proceeding redevelopmentthe for Pictonthe of Library suitable centralinto a facility.library district leveldistrict facilities. he most suitable location for Library standards. Further investigations will need will need investigations Further standards. Library addition of multipurpose activity and meeting meeting and activity multipurpose of addition A centralA library Civicand cultural community facility (including performance andexhibition space and multipurpose activity/meetingspace) Spacefor community service provision.    Picton district hub hub district Picton Wollondilly’s2011 population 43,484of people suggests currenta and immediate need for district LGA.the serve to facilities level the As existing centrekey thein PictonLGA, is t Implementation Pictonalso presents numbera opportunities,key of with a numberco-locatedof existing communityfacilities in Townthe Centre including the Library, Wollondilly ShireHall and Picton SchoolArts. of strategyThis proposes an upgrade ofthese facilitiesand possiblyother Council ownedassets, createto a districtlevel hub servingthe entireWollondilly LGA thein short to mediumterm. PictonThe District Hub would include: This strategyThis supports Council’sinvestigation theinto redevelopment theof Picton Libraryinto a with State line in facility library central suitable to addressto whether a librarywith adequate floor space aroundfor 58,000people (projection for 2021),can be achieved throughthe redevelopment the of existinglibrary. upgradeAn to Wollondillythe ShireHall should also be explored createto districta level cultural andcommunity facility.The existingoffering and use the of Hallsuggest this facility could have a civic andcultural focus with performance andfocus.arts This would involve an upgrade the of the as as well amenities hall and entry, facility spacessuitable rangea for of groups (including seniors and young people). districtThe hubshould alsoinclude spacefor the provisionservicesof (including office spacefor communityorganisations). The co-located Picton School of upgradedArts andretained as space servicefor provision.studyA feasibilitythe of of redevelopmentthe the of Wollondilly ShireHall shouldalso investigate the potentialthefor inclusion additionalof space for community organisations(who could also access multipurpose spaces provisionfor of services). thisIf notis possible,other Council assetsthein Picton Town Centre should reviewedbe parttheas of investigations. notedAs previously,the Old Office Post currentlyis used primarily Visitora as Information Centre, for not generalcommunity uses. beenhas It beyondthe scope studythis of reviewto in detailthe suitability thisforof longterm inthe space its continueduse Visitora as Information Centre. The buildingis not suitable furtherfor adaptation as a communityfacility, virtueby smallits of internal spaces,which limits its adaptivereuse. proposedis It that the PostOld Office continue to accommodate Visitorthe Information Centre,an appropriate function giventhethat building provides importantan heritage landmark in Picton.

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WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 139 Time- frame L M H S H S M S Priority Undertake Detailed Detailed Undertake Actions Action: investigationsfor a suitablenew a for site communityfacility in Thirlmere Action: planningfor proposed commence to facility rezoning) to (subject Action: planningfor proposed to facilities commence(subject to rezoning) Action: improvements the to demand Hall CWA as increases(subject to populationgrowth) mmunity needs meet existing co existing meet cated in the village centre; however, as it is ed facilityed Bingaraat willGorge serve the wellas as communitya resourcecentre that is proposedis for Thirlmere to andabsorb demandgenerated futureby populationgrowth in the area.Ideally facilitythis would locatedbe in the Thirlmere Village Centre in line thewith principlesfor facility provision ‘Central– catchmentto and equitable access’.significantWith development occurring between Thirlmere Tahmoor,and it will import be and strengthen delineateto centrestwo the consolidatingby key amenity(such retail,as commercial andcommunity uses) in twothe centres. ThirlmereThe Community Hall (currently closed) lois locatedonsmall a isit site, unlikely presentto an opportunityredevelopmentfor (rebuild) unless adjoiningsites can required.be newa If site required, is the Thirlmere Community Hall should be soldand funds redirectedto a newsite. Wilton Junction district hub district Junction Wilton projectedThe populationgrowth in Wilton Junction (36,168 people by 2036)suggests Wollondilly willrequire seconda district hub, most suitably located in the town centre this of growth area.The WiltonJunction district hubwould include librarya facilities local and neighbourhood Wilton Additionalfacilities would alsorequiredbe to serve the projectedWilton population, including two neighbourhoodfacilities providing activityand meeting space as wellas officespace for communityorganisations. WiltonThe HallCommunity and an additionalplann needstheirof local populations; however, no additionallocal level facilities are proposedas the shouldfocus the on be provision(neighbourhood level and largerabove)of facilities moreto efficientlyand effectivelymeet needsthe theof future community. facilities local neighbourhoodTahmoor and majorityThe populationof growth in the south west theof LGA projectedis occurto adjoiningthe two villages of Tahmoor and Thirlmere. Tahmoor already has two community facilities (one neighbourhoodand one local) which together adequately meet the needs Tahmoorthe of area. TahmoorThe CommunityCentre represents existingan neighbourhood levelfacility. This facilityis wellutilised with minimum additionalcapacity. The facility does lacklargera space such a as hall; however,the Tahmoor CWA Hall,also in the village centre, themeets need thisfor type spaceof thein area. The Hall is reasonably well usedbut does havesome additional capacity. Together, thesetwo facilities are able to currentmeet needs theof area, and no major changes are proposed,although utilisationCWA the of Hallcould be increased marginally through enhancementsto the Hall (including enhancement ofthe outdoorarea) to increase its appealand suitabilityfor different uses. neighbourhoodThirlmere facility facility level neighbourhood new A wouldhave differenta focus Pictonthe to Hub (e.g. leisure and recreation lifelongor learning) to add to the facility offering across the LGA. Both district hubs would individually cater to a range of groups). interest and cultural age, (including groups different Implementation

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140 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G S Time- frame M S M Priority Commence Commence Actions Action: investigationsinto feasibility of rationalising existing and facilities developmentof a level neighbourhood The at facility Oaks (includingcommunity consultation, feasibility the of redevelopmentThe of or Halls Oaks identificationof alternative sites). Action: planningfor improvements to Appin Community Hall y a to due of number level facilitylevel will requiredbe ts the mostthe ts suitablelocation for cility (with additional activity/meeting space and enhancement,represents suitablea locallevel Sportsground,requires improvements to generalits of 8,067 by 2036. A neighbourhood8,067 by 2036. of e main Hall. e issues relating to safety, security, access and visual prominence. prominence. visual and access security, safety, to relating issues this facilitythis itas an is existing, centralvillage andis projectedreceiveto the most growth. possibleA option thefor provisiontheof neighbourhood facility theis redevelopmentand expansion OaksThe of Community Hall (including removal Seniorsthe of Hall). While notlocated theon main street, the site is closetheto village centre (approximately 350 metres). preliminaryA proposalto develop newa community facility and amenities facility theat Dudley CheshamSportsground is notsupported thisby strategy. isThis an isolated site with no street presence.wouldIt notprovide suitablea locationfor communitya facilit Appin local/neighbourhood facility local/neighbourhood Appin majorityThe populationof growth in Appin is projectedto occur in mediumthe longto term. The projected population will 2021 by facility. 3,717 level of requirelocal not a than greater facility a some with Hall, Community Appin existing The facility.facility,The co-located Appinthe with appearance,enhancement of internal and externalspaces andimprovement theof entry the from street and visual prominence. These enhancements will also likely increase the appeal and utilisationth of Greaterdevelopment and populationgrowth is predicted to occur Appinin thein medium longto withterm a projected population communitya for size.this of Consideration should be givento the expansiontheof Appin CommunityHall createto neighbourhooda levelfa officesservicefor providers). Depending on populationgrowth distribution, bemay moreit appropriatelocateto a newneighbourhood level facility central to growth areas andtransfer the use Appinthe of Community Hall over sportingto groups. neighbourhoodOaks The facility Minimal population growth projectedis the for northern section of the LGA. There is some limited developmentplanned Thefor andOaks Oakdale. With noadditional growth surroundingin areas, totalthe population of the mid northern areais forecast to be 9,225 2021by and9,727 by 2036. proposedis it population this serve To four the that existing smalland facilities in community aged catchmentthis Oakdale(The CommunityHall, Mount HunterCommunity Hall, The Oaks CommunityHall and Seniors Hall)be rationalised, consolidated and replaced withcentral,a larger purposeand built levelneighbou rhood facility. OaksThe presen Implementation

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WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 141 Time- frame M S M Priority Commence Determine Determine Actions Action: investigationsinto the feasibility of redevelopingthe WarragambaTown Hallinto a level neighbourhood (including facility incorporationservices andactivities undertakenin other Warragamba facilities) Action: locationsuitable most facility local a for (basedon population sitegrowth, access availability, andcommunity Further feedback). planning facilityof population to subject growth safety, security, co-location and this facilitythis would be the Warragamba Village Centre, the main villagecentre in the area.The village centre overall requires enhancement rejuvenationand and a communitynew centre could assistthis process.threeThe existingfacilities areathe in also present some opportunities. WarragambaThe Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre andadjacent EldercareCottage are small, agedfacilities in poor condition and should be considered rationalisation.for WarragambaThe TownHallis largera facility in condition,good well located in the centre village.the of is It proposedthat investigationan theof possible redevelopment Townthe of Hallinto a neighbourhoodfacility be undertaken. This facility would bestaffeda facility incorporating services currently providedtheat Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre(including office space, meetingrooms and childcare). facilityThe would alsoneed includeto multipurpose activityspace (includingthe hall) andmeeting space. recognisedis It that as Townthe Halla is heritage building and,therefore, proposedthe redevelopment (requiring some modification including addition and extension)may require a greaterlevel consideration.of Modifications heritageto buildings however,are commonplace and, therefore, shouldthis not consideredbe barriera thisto option. redevelopmentThe an of existingfacility, Warragamba Town Hall, is presentedas preferreda optioncreateto neighbourhooda community centre thisfor catchment,as minimaldevelopment andpopulation growth in the area (an additional 1,755 people)are unlikely justifyto and assistto facility.new a fund Warragamba neighbourhood facility Warragambaneighbourhood Therealsois only smalla amountdevelopmentof and populationgrowth projected forthe upper northern section of the LGA, with the majoritythat growth of projectedto occur around Silverdale. projectedThe future population thisof area (6,095 2021by and6,812 by 2036)would support a facility. level neighbourhood for location suitable most The facility local Park Menangle/Camden Therealsois little development and populationgrowth projected thefor DouglasPark, Menangle, CamdenParkCawdor and area.Projections indicatea population of 6,294by 2021 and 7,135 by 2036,suggesting the need for neighbourhooda level facility. newa With locallevel facility recently builtin Douglas (DouglasPark CommunityPark Centre) isit recommendednot that a neighbourhoodlevel facility be provided, ratherbut an additional local level facility meet the needs. additional theWith majority populationof growth in this area occurring Menanglein and CamdenPark, an investigationof opportunities the for provisiona of newlocal level facility in either of these areas principles the consider should site and location suitable a of Selection undertaken. be should (particularlythis strategy in proposed those relating to access, visual prominence). Implementation

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142 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Time- frame M S MM Priority Undertake Improve Actions Action: improvements to the BargoCommunity Hall Action: utilisationfacility of better through advertisement (including advertising outside facility the immediate localarea) the approach entry, and this relocation this If DECS. not is to over handed Tahmoor and Thirlmere,locala level facility will be ding DECSand land).the Opportunities to relocate exiting edsof community.this e proposals for each area outlined above. area each for proposals e groupsshould be exploredand facilitythe sold or possiblesuitableor in the short retainterm, the existingfacility provisionfor existingof services. street presencestreet this of facility recommendedis to improve visual prominence andnatural surveillance.These enhancements are alsolikely increaseto utilisation offacility.the BonnieCottage, the othercommunity facility Bargoin presents issues in terms landof ownership (Wollondilly Councilthe buil owns Douglas Park local facility facility Park local Douglas DouglasThe Park Community Centre is new,a high quality facilityclose to smallthe village centre.The Community Centre notis fully utilised,and therefore, has capacity to accommodate additional needs from some of the population growth in the local and surrounding area. facilities local Bargo smallvery A amount populationof growth is projectedfor Bargo. Projections indicate a population 5,521of 2021by and5,695 by 2036 thein Bargo, Yanderra and Pheasants Nest area.theWith inclosearea proximitylargercentresto the of the meet to sufficient ne BargoThe Community Centre suitablea is local facility.Improvement of Implementation

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WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 143 Warragamba Douglas Park/Menangle/Camden Park Neighbourhood facility Douglas Park local facility Possible redevelopment of the Warragamba Town Hall into a Existing Douglas Park Community Centre retained as a local level neighbourhood level facility including space for service provision, Wallacia community facility with increased utilisation. childcare and meeting/activity space (including hall). Warragamba R R Menangle/Camden Park local facility Rationalisation of the Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and NF Warragamba Eldercare Cottage. New local level facility in either Menangle or Camden Park to service additional facility needs in the area.

144 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Warragamba Douglas Park/Menangle/Camden Park Neighbourhood facility Douglas Park local facility Possible redevelopment of the Warragamba Town Hall into a Existing Douglas Park Community Centre retained as a local level neighbourhood level facility including space for service provision, Wallacia community facility with increased utilisation. childcare and meeting/activity space (including hall). Warragamba R R Menangle/Camden Park local facility Rationalisation of the Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre and NF Warragamba Eldercare Cottage. New local level facility in either Menangle or Camden Park to service additional facility needs in the area.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 145 PART 9 : IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

DELIVERING THE PLAN The final section of the OSRCFS addresses the means by which the Implementation Plan can be delivered now and in the future. It identifies an approach to aspects of delivery under the following headings: • Early Priorities in Delivery • Acquisition, Consolidation and Rationalisation : provides a guide as to the process on how these elements can be identified and achieved • Funding the plan: identifies the opportunities for future funding of the Shire’s Open Space

Early Priorities in Delivery The delivery of the OSRCF in its fullest form will inevitably take a number of years. Accordingly, the sequence of delivery should initially focus on those areas where preparing for growth is prioritised. To this end, it is suggested that early delivery stages should include: • Preparation of a Landscape Character Study to identify core scenic and natural values to be conserved and integrated into future development to retain rural character • Development of a detail Open Space Planning and Design Guidelines for Council’s and developers’ use • Updating of the Open Space Contributions Section 94 Plan to reflect this strategy • Reviewing and updating the Open Space Inventory to reflect the hierarchy and settings benchmarks in Appendix 2 • Development of a walking and cycling network across the Shire integrated with river and creek corridors and the Shire’s parklands.

Acquisition, Consolidation and Rationalisation The OSRCF identifies the need for a more detailed review of open space deficits and duplications across the Shire. To address these discrepancies in provision the following is a brief guide to the core elements of acquisition, consolidation and rationalisation.

Further Investigation Potential means of identifying and acquiring further Open Space available to Council include: • Opportunities to augment the existing Council-owned open space resource by purchase of land parcels coming up for sale or reuse (eg. old industrial areas) in areas of identified shortfall at the neighbourhood hierarchy and in order to increase the size of existing open space areas (to improve useability/ viability) • Review of land zoned but not yet acquired for open space (if applicable) • Acquisition through redevelopment projects ie. land acquired through VPAs • Negotiation to acquire critical land links along existing or potential linked systems as part of major new developments • Funding for acquisition to include possible use of Section 94 contributions monies and external funding sources 146 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 9: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Checklist for Acquisition and Consolidation As means of optimising the usefulness of land parcels acquired for open space its recommended that each parcel be carefully assessed prior to purchase. The following checklist provides a starting point for assessment. Land should be purchased for dedication and use as open space if it satisfies the following criteria

• Ability to function independently as open space in the short term (for reasons of small size for example) does it have reasonable potential to function as open space in the future (eg. through acquisition of adjoining land parcels) • If the parcel has a limited capability to function as open space in the short term (for reasons of small size for example) does it have realisable potential to function as open space in the future (eg. through acquisition of adjoining land parcels)? • What is the condition of built features on site? Do they have potential for reuse as recreation facilities? • The land adjoins an existing area of open space and can readily and desirably be consolidated into that existing area immediately or at a later date • The land has an area of at least 0.5 Ha (a minimum of 0.3 Ha in dense urban areas) and is considered as being suitable for open space purposes by Council • Dedication and long term management and maintenance will not place an unreasonable burden on the existing or future community • The land does not contain access barriers or other major impediments to open space use such as easements and drainage lines • The land contains items or features of natural or cultural significance such as bushland or historical associations where these would enhance the park user experience. The following points summarise recommendations regarding possible disposal of open space land parcels in the Wollondilly Shire Council. The following checklist is a suggested starting point. Land parcels suitable for possible divestment should: • Be Council owned, preferably classified as ‘operational’ • Be of minimal importance strategically in terms of quantity, quality and distribution eg. located in area of high provision or duplication of numerous small reserves • Have minimal potential for improvement by acquisition of adjoining parcels or consolidation eg. small in size/at a distance from other parcels, isolated from easy access • Be based on economic feasibility on cost benefits for parcels to be potentially divested • Involve identification of alternative land use and zoning for areas to be divested • Be subject to legislative processes and community consultation. For areas of Council-owned land to be divested which are classified as ‘Community Land’, Council will need to have the land reclassified to the appropriate classification to allow divestment. This entails a Public Inquiry process as set out in the Local Government Act.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 147 PART 9 : IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Transparent Consolidation The need for comprehensive local community consultation from the outset of any of the above initiatives is not only important but actively required through the Local Government Act.

All of these initiatives are commonly very sensitive issues in urban communities and whilst broad support may be achieved accross a locality it is common for there to be significant resistance amongst property owners directly adjoining existing open space to be mooted divestment. The community concerned must therefore be in no doubt that the primary motive is improvement of public open space in their locality, if the initiative is to have any chance of success.

Transparency and accountability are key success factors as is an active engagement program with the community that goes beyond meeting legal requirements.

Funding The Plan There is a range of funding mechanisms available to Council in providing for open space and community facilities including: • Section 94 contributions • Council rates/loans/revenue • State and Federal Government programs and funding • Levies and special charges • Joint venture arrangements with private organisations and other authorities • Sponsorship. Each mechanism is appropriate to different strategies. For example, maintenance of open space is traditionally funded through Council rates, whilst the acquisition or embellishment of open space to meet the demand of future residents/land uses is often funded through Section 94 Contributions.

The balance between funding for acquisition/embellishment and that for maintenance is best established as part of a total financial management plan for the City’s open space and community facilities.

Grants There are a range of State and Federal Government grants available to assist in the funding of open space, recreation and community facility works. These funds are usually only for capital works and may include professional planning and documentation fees. Grants usually have to be matched by Council, with a commitment to carry out ongoing maintenance of constructed works.

Where external funding sources are concerned, Council should establish a more concerted and co-ordinated programme of State and Federal funding applications.

Liaison with adjoining Councils for joint funding for regional open space, recreation and community facilities across boundaries (eg. Metropolitan Greenspace Program or Sharing Sydney harbour Access Plan) is likely to be successful if well planned and co-ordinated.

148 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 9: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Such funding support is obviously limited and there is considerable competition for grants. Nevertheless, applications that clearly demonstrate a strong long-term commitment from both Council and the community and which are closely aligned to the purpose of the grant have the most chance of success.

Community facilities funding will need to engage the full spectrum of options for achieving the capital required, ie. refurbishment, joint venture partners for new developments, specific capital assistance applications to government, property realisation and in-kind assistance through existing property options.

In this respect, this Plan should be seen as an important support document in any application, providing the rationale behind and justifying any project.

Cost Minimisation The implications of future trends in open space, recreation and community facilities planning include: • A greater quantity and quality of facilities to manage and maintain within existing open space areas • Greater user pressure on open space requiring higher levels of maintenance at key sites • The need for co-location of community facilities and open space to reduce capital and recurrent costs • Level of budgets and staff allocated to the management of Council’s open space and community facility resources should be reviewed annually and tested against performance indicators. Options for future cost minimisation therefore include: • Revised maintenance practices (eg. reduced mowing) • Risk assessment and liability insurance reduction through regular design and maintenance checks (particularly with regard to playgrounds) • Development and management strategies and principles to reduce life cycle costs (materials, maintenance implications, etc) • Disposal of land not suited to an open space, recreation or community facility function (see Rationalisation). Other means by which best value can be achieved include: • Encouraging the development of public/private partnerships in public recreation and community facility provision, particularly in areas of specialist services where high capital or recurrent costs are involved and where “user pays” is commonly an accepted practice (eg. gymnasiums, child care, swimming pool management, etc) • Community use of school facilities for recreation and community facilities such as room hire • Recreational use of public facilities not specifically zoned for open space uses including ‘out of hours’ use of car parks and multi-storey car parks for courts/ skateboards

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 149 PART 9 : IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

• Improved walking routes in the vicinity of community facilities and public open space to encourage higher and more frequent use. Revenue Generation Opportunities Much debate surrounds the degree to which it is acceptable to use public open space as a means of generating revenue. Purists will argue that public open space should remain free from commercial interests of any sort.

In practice, the application of this approach, precludes opportunities to enhance the appreciation of open space and the option to use funds where appropriately generated to improve or maintain the resource itself.

The core principal for any commercial activity in public open space is the activities direct relationship to aid enhancement of the recreational experience.

Two traditional strategies for revenue generation are: • Commercial activities in open space areas • Sponsorship. Both require discreet planning, awareness of appropriateness to context and an established policy which sets controls to ensure the clearly stated objectives are achieved.

In relation to the former, Council should give serious consideration to a range of commercial opportunities over which it can maintain control through leases and licenses, rather than directly operating. These might include cafes/kiosks, bicycle hire, weddings, filming and major party bookings in large parks.

The nature of sponsorship of recreation has changed markedly in recent years with a shift away from sports orientation to a more global recreation and leisure market, particularly facilities or events with an environmentally friendly or family orientated bias.

Council should give serious consideration to sponsorship in the following areas in particular: • Sponsorship of major events/festivals and corporate events • Approaching major local industries for sponsorship or contribution of materials towards some of the more environmentally directed programs such as cycleways, walking trails, wetlands, bushland rehabilitation. In any such sponsorship, clear rules of the process should ensure discreet signage.

Revenue generated from these sources must be clearly understood, and evidently shown, to be returned to open space, recreation community facilities improvement and/ or maintenance, or the running of the associated events preferably in the locality from which it is generated.

In the case of newly developed community facility buildings, the management plan at the feasibility stage will need to establish the level of revenue or cost recovery required or available.

150 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G PART 9: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Cost Recovery This is effectively related to a ‘user pays’ philosophy. In applying user pays it is crucial that Council sees this facet of financial planning in its widest possible planning and management context. A strategic approach must be applied and the Council’s Pricing Policy refined to ensure that it reflects a number of factors including: • Purpose of levy and financial justification • Frequency of levy (per annum, per season, per session, per hour, etc) • Means and economy of collection (ie. special Council rate, site fee, license, etc) • Equity and ability to pay • Establishing net benefit and to whom (does the policy value add?) • Possible fall-out effects (additional pressure on other unlevied settings/activities) or lack of take-up.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 151 BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007. Australian Social Trends 2007: Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation. Report prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Brumby, Kirsten, June 2011. Summary Report: Strategic Forum on Health Services in Wollondilly. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

CD Recreation Services, 2003. Recreation Areas for Bargo and Picton. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Eco Logical Australia, 2004. Biodiversity Strategy: Rural Living Volumes 1 & 2. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

GHD, 2011. Wollondilly Bike Plan, Final Report. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

NSW Department of Planning, 2011. Recreation and Open Space Planning Guidelines for Local Government

NSW Department of Planning, 2011. Wollondilly Local Environmental Plan.

NSW Department of Planning, 2010. The Metropolitan Strategy: Southwest Subregion 2036.

NSW Police Force, 2001. Safer by Design Guidelines, (part of Crime Prevention Legislative Guidelines to Section 79C of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979)

Profile.id 2014, Wollondilly Community Profile, viewed January 30 2014, .

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2011. Ageing Strategy 2011. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2010/2011. Assets to Opportunities: Asset Mapping, Needs Summary. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Nesbitt, Heather & Deaner, Christine, 2010. Community Facilities & Recreational Needs Study: Draft Development Options Paper. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2010. Wollondilly Cultural Plan: Connecting Communities and Culture. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2005. Community Social Plan 2004-2009. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2010. Community Strategic Plan 2030. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

152 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G Wollondilly Shire Council, 2007. Draft Property Strategy. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2007. Wollondilly Environmental Management Strategy Draft. Report currently being prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2011. Growth Management Strategy 2011. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2004. On-site Sewage Management Strategy. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2010. 2009-2010 Sustainable Wollondilly Report. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2007. Sustainable Wollondilly Plan: A Community Plan for Our Future. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2007. Wollondilly Aging & Health Forum. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2011. Wollondilly Development Control Plan 2011: Volume 1- General. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2012. Wollondilly Disability Action Plan 2012. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2008. Wollondilly Seniors Advisory Group: Health Needs Survey. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2009. The Appin Massacre and Our Memorial. Brochure prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2009. The Journey Ahead: Wollondilly Transport Forum. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2010. Wollondilly Youth Needs Analysis: Supporting Dilly Youth Culture. Report prepared for Wollondilly Shire Council.

Wollondilly Shire Council, 2013. Shared Cycleways in Wollondilly: Maps. http://wollondilly. local-e.nsw.gov.au/

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 153 Appendix 1: Open Space Inventory DRAFT DRAFT

154 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G WOLLINDILLY OPEN SPACE INVENTORY

KEY LGA ACT CATEGORY Area in Ha* : A = 0.1 - 0.2Ha; B = 0.21 - 0.5Ha; C = 0.51 - 1.0Ha; D = 1.1 - 2.0Ha; E = 2.1 - 5.0; F = 5.1 -10 Ha; G = 10+ Ha BL - Bushland WL - Wetland EP - Escarpment WC - Watercourse FS - Foreshore SP - Sportsground PK - Park CS - Cultural Significance GC - General Community Use Category of Park Use: G = General; N = Natural; S = Sport Zoning LEP Category of Hierachy2010 Classification Settings Status Attribute Assets Functions/Uses LGA Act Catergory Park Use

Original Park Park Number Reserve Name Street Address Suburb Owner DP / Lot Number Area in m² Ha Property type (Proclaim) Numbers Network and Linkage E2 Comments Dog Play RE1 Local Cycle Other Sports Crown Courts District Other Tertiary Passive Primary Lighting Fencing Walking Informal Ancillary Regional Buildings Proposed Education Structures Sportfields Secondary Community Operational Paths/Walls Embellished Unembellished Outdoor Sports River foreshore River Play Equipment Play Street Furniture Street Heritage/Tourism Passive Parklands Passive Creeks and wetlands Creeks Civic and Urban Spaces and Urban Civic Conservation and Heritage Conservation Natural Areas and Bushland Areas Natural

Appin - Darkes Forest - Cataract

DP 255654 Lot 46 - 47 ●

AC01 Appin Road roadside reserve Appin Road and Rixon Road Appin Council 9000 0.9 Public Recreation ● 1 G

AC02 Elizabeth Park Elizabeth Close Appin Council DP 258218 Lot 3 2000 0.2 Public Recreation ● 1 ● G

AC03 Appin Sportdgraoun (Gordon Lewis Oval) Sportsground Parade Appin Council DP 245866 Lot 1 108000 10.8 Public Recreation ● 12 ● SGN ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

AC04 William Woods Park (Kennedy Creek Catchement) Toggerai Street Appin Council DP 776873 Lot 40 15000 1.5 Public Recreation ● 12● G ● ● ● Part of Kennedy Creek Catchement

AC05 (Kennedy Creek Catchement) 5 Church Street Appin Council DP 747042 Lot 1 4000 0.4 Drainage Reserve ● 1 ● N Part of Kennedy Creek Catchement

AC06 (Kennedy Creek Catchement) Kennedy Grove Appin Council DP 826431 Lot 13 1000 0.1 Drainage Reserve ● 1 ● N ● ● Part of Kennedy Creek Catchement ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● AC07 Appin Park Market Street Appin Council DP 23717 Lot 20 45000 4.5 Public Recreation ● 21 3 ● SGN

AC08 Bushland Reserve Kennedy Street Appin Council DP 23717 Lot 21 4000 0.4 ● 1N Total 8 188000 18.8

Bargo - Yanderra - Phesants Nest

BYP01 Berrico Place Reserve Berico Place Bargo Council DP 249947 Lot 11 7000 0.7 Public Recreation ● 12 ● GN ● ●

BYP02 Bargo Community Park Radnor Road Bargo Council DP 13116 Lot 97-98 6000 0.6 Public Recreation ● 1 ● G ● ● ● ●

BYP03 Bargo Sportsground Remeberance Driveway Bargo Council DP 332466 Lot 1 145000 14.5 Public Recreation ● 21 ● SG ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

BYP04 Roadside rest a while Reserve East side of Railside Avenue Bargo Rail Estate 1000 0.1 Public Recreation ● 1 ● G ● ● ●

BYP05 Bargo Road Reserve Bargo Road Bargo Council DP 751250 23000 2.3 Public Recreation ● 1 ● N

BYP06 Mockingbird Road Quarry 145 Mockingbird Road Phesants Nest Council DP 255689 Lot 27 105000 10.5 Public Recreation ● 1 ● N Old quarry

BYP07 Birrahlee Park 27 Harley Street Yanderra Council DP 13114 Lot 86 3000 0.3 Public Recreation ● 1 ● G ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Total 7 290000 29.0

Buxton - Couridjah

BC01 Belair Road 20 Belair Road Buxton Council DP 2444 Lot 30 1000 0.1 Operational Land ● 1 ● N

BC02 Telopea Park East Parade Buxton Council DP 2444 Lot 30 - 49 10000 1.0 Public Recreation ● 21 ● SG ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

BC03 Road Reserve Norwood Road Buxton Council DP 2444 Lot 1 - 6 3000 0.3 Public Recreation ● 1 ● N Total 3 14000 1.4

Camden Park - Mount Hunter - Cawdor

CMC01 Park Way Camden Park Community Title? 2.0 ● 12 G

CMC02 Casson Common Camden Park Community Title? 0.5 ● 1 G

CMC03 Lamond Common Camden Park Community Title? 0.5 ● 1 G

CMC04 Maclean Lane Camden Park Community Title? 0.2 ● 1 G

CMC05 Tullet Street Camden Park Community Title? 0.2 ● 1 G

CMC06 Peppercorn Avenue Mount Hunter Council 0.5 ● 1 Total 6 3.9

Douglas Park - Wilton (Bingarra Groge Development)

DW01 Douglas Park Sportsground Camden Road Douglas Park Council 50000 5.0 Public Recreation ● 12 SGN● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

DW02 Camden Road Douglas Park Council 2000 0.2 ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ● ●

DW03 Nepean River Crossing Douglas Park Drive Douglas Park Council 20000 2.0 ● 1N

DW04 Wrightson Way Douglas Park Council 20000 2.0 ● 1N

DW05 Nepean Street Douglas Park Council 70000 7.0 ● 1N

DW06 Almond Street Crown Reserve 241 Almond Street Wilton Council DP 1058621 Lot 7005 12000 1.2 ● 1N Rural fire shed - split corwn land with council land

DW07 Allens Creek Reserve Wilton Road Wilton Council DP 1058715 Lot 7012 155000 15.5 Public Recreation ● ● 21 N High biodiversity value/ Threatened species/Koala habitat

DW08 Wilton Recreational Reserve Broughton Street Wilton Council DP 751297 Lot 118 175000 17.5 Public Recreation ● 12 SNG● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Gordon street crown reserve also attached

DW09 Wilton Park Road Reserve Wilton Park Road Wilton Council DP 400704 Lot Y 3000 0.3 Operational Land ● 1 G Road Reserve Total 9 507000 50.7

Menangle - Razorback

MR01 St James Avenue Menangle Council 20000 2.0 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● St James Anglican Church Total 1 20000 2.0

Oakdale - Nattai - National Park

ONN01 Willis Park Burragorang Road Oakdale Council 41000 4.1 Public Recreation ● 21 3 SG ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

ONN02 Egans Road Oakdale Council 4000 0.4 Public Recreation ● 12 SG ● ● ● ● ● Tennis

ONN03 Blatman Avenue Oakdale Council 23000 2.3 Public Recreation ● 1N Total 3 68000 6.8

Orangeville - Werombi and District

OW01 Werombi Road Reserve 157 Werombi Road Werombi Council DP 751295 Lot 157 4000 0.4 Public Recreation ● 1N Total 1 4000 0.4

Picton - Mowbray Park - Maldon

PMM01 Glenrock Reserve Hill Street Picton Council DP 732031 Lot 31 50000 5.0 Public Recreation ● 312 NG Public reserve and part drainage easement

PMM02 Redbank and Stonequarry Creek Reserve Picton Council DP 662246 Lot 1 145000 14.5 Public Recreation ● 112 NGS ● Bushland that runs along stonequarry creek/ Leisure center/Nursery

PMM03 Stonequarry Creek Reserve Cowper Street to Stonequarry Pl Picton Council DP 874563 Lot 52 8000 0.8 Public Recreation ● 21 NG Bushland that runs along stonequarry

PMM04 Stonequarry Creek Reserve Campbell Street Picton Council DP 263481 Lot 207 5000 0.5 Public Recreation ● 21 N

PMM05 Bridge Street Reserve Bridge Street Picton Department Lands DP 1024527 Lot 701 8000 0.8 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ●

PMM06 Thirlmere Way Crown Reserve Thirlmere Way Picton Department Lands DP 92835 Lot 7003 6000 0.6 Drainage Reserve ● 21 N Maintaned by Wollondilly

PMM07 Thirlmere Way Drainage Reserve Thirlmere Way Picton Council DP 865287 Lot 150 3000 0.3 Drainage Reserve ● 1N

PMM08 Prince Street Public Walkway and Reserve Heathcote Street Picton Council DP 20122 Lot 4 2000 0.2 Public Recreation ● 12 G● ●

PMM09 Victoria Park Menangle Street Picton Council DP 92838 Lot 7005 30000 3.0 Public Recreation ● 123 SGN● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

PMM10 Picton Avenue Crown Reserve Picton Avenue Picton Council DP 92951 Lot 7001 6000 0.6 Public Recreation ● 1243 GN ● ●

PMM11 Rotoract Park 240 Argle Street Picton Council DP 378679 Lot C 1000 0.1 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ●

PMM12 Apex Park/John Shepard Memorial Reserve Barkers Lodge Road Picton Council 5000 0.5 Public Recreation ● 12 G● ● ● ●

PMM13 Hume Oval And Tennis Courts Rememberance Driveway Picton Council DP 879284 Lot 2 52000 5.2 Public Recreation ● 21 3 SGN ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

PMM14 Argle Street Drainage Reserve Argyle Street Picton Council DP 38974 Lot 8 300 0.03 Drainage Reserve ● 1N

PMM15 Picton Shared Pathway Adjoing racecourse Creek Picton Council DP 739642 Lot 137 20000 2.0 Public Recreation ● 132 GN● ● ● ● ● ● ● 3km Shared Pathway

PMM16 Botanical Gardens Regreme Road Picton Council DP 245872 Lot 61 40000 4.0 Public Recreation ● 132 GN● ● ● ● ●

PMM17 Mushroom Tunnel and adjoining land 219 Argyle Street Picton Council DP 223667 Lots 1 120000 12.0 Operational ● ● 12 N ● ●

PMM18 Davis Place Reserve Davis Place Picton Council DP 1010479 Lot 17 51000 5.1 Public Recreation ● 21 N

PMM19 Fairley Road Reserve Fairleys Road Picton Council DP 1086066 Lot 2 119000 11.9 Grazing Land ● 132 N Current grazing land Potential regional open space to Botanical Gardens KEY LGA ACT CATEGORY Area in Ha* : A = 0.1 - 0.2Ha; B = 0.21 - 0.5Ha; C = 0.51 - 1.0Ha; D = 1.1 - 2.0Ha; E = 2.1 - 5.0; F = 5.1 -10 Ha; G = 10+ Ha BL - Bushland WL - Wetland EP - Escarpment WC - Watercourse FS - Foreshore SP - Sportsground PK - Park CS - Cultural Significance GC - General Community Use Category of Park Use: G = General; N = Natural; S = Sport Zoning LEP Category of Hierachy2010 Classification Settings Status Attribute Assets Functions/Uses LGA Act Catergory Park Use

The Oaks - Belimbla Park - Glenmore

OBG01 Belimba Park Binalong Road Belimba Park Council 6000 0.6 Public Recreation ● 12 GN ● ● ● ● ●

OBG02 Dudley Chesham Sportsground Burragorang Road The Oaks Council 90000 9.0 Public Recreation ● 12 SGN● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

OBG03 Barralier Park John Street The Oaks Council 6000 0.6 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● Shopping precient - Carpark

OBG04 Harold Noakes Reserve Edward Street The Oaks Council 5000 0.5 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ●

OBG05 Montpelier Drive The Oaks Council 3000 0.3 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● Pathway connection ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● OBG06 W.S Williams Memorial Park Mary Street The Oaks Council 4000 0.4 Public Recreation ● 1 G

OBG07 Bronws Road Reserve Silverdale Road The Oaks Council 10000 1.0 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ●

OBG08 Timothy lacey lane The Oaks Council 10000 1.0 Drainage Reserve ● 12 N ● Bush Creekline Total 8 134000 13.4

Tahmoor ● ● ● ● ● ● ● T01 Myrtle Creek Reserve River Road Tahmoor Council DP 785632 Lot 4 31000 3.1 Public Recreation ● 21 NG

T02 Tahmoor Park Rememberance Driveway Tahmoor Council DP 10669 Lot 300 51000 5.1 Public Recreation ● 12 G ● ●

T03 DP 595343 Lot 101 5000 0.5 Public Recreation ● 12 GN ● ● ● York Street Tahmoor Council

T04 DP 800619 Lot 219 10000 1.0 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● Remeberance Driveway Roadside Reserve Rememberance Driveway Tahmoor Council

DP 246831 Lot 65 ● ● ● ● T05 Progress Street Reserve Progress street Tahmoor Council 3000 0.3 Public Recreation 1 G

DP 251711 Lot 30 ● ● T06 Milne Street Reserve 20 Milne Street Tahmoor Council 11000 1.1 Public Recreation 132 GN

T07 Ibbbotson Street Reserve Ibbotson Street Tahmoor Council DP 244846 Lot 21 2000 0.2 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ●

DP 8982 Lot 67 - 72 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● T08 York Street Reserve 63 - 73 York Street Tahmoor Council 8000 0.8 Public Recreation 12 G

T09 Pitt Street Drainage Reserve 2-4 Pitt Street Tahmoor Council DP 9278 Lot 426 - 427 3000 0.3 Drainage Reserve ● 321 NG ●

DP 8982 Lot 157 ● ● ● T10 Castlereagh Street Drianage Reserve 72 Castlereagh Street Tahmoor Council 2000 0.2 Drainage Reserve 1NG

T11 Harper Close Public Reserve 6 Harper Close Tahmoor Council DP 730919 Lot 46 4000 0.4 Public Recreation ● 1 G ●

T12 Ralfe Street Reserve 4 Ralfe Street Tahmoor Council DP 730919 Lot 26 1000 0.1 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ●

T13 Tahmoor Sportsground 120 Thirlmere Way Tahmoor Council DP 172159 Lot 2 150000 15.0 Public Recreation ● 21 3 4 SGN ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

T14 Wollondilly pony Club 145 Thirlmere Way Tahmoor Council DP 751270 Lot #80 90000 9.0 Public Recreation ● 1 SN ● ● ● ● ● Total 14 371000 37.1

Thirlmere - Lakesland

TL01 Thirlmere Cementrary Station Street Thirlmere Council DP 92833 Lot 7026 72000 7.2 Public Recreation ● 12 G ● ● ● ● ● ●

TL02 Thirlmere Memorial Park Barbour Road Thirlmere Council DP 758972 Lot 1 - 2 8000 0.8 Public Recreation ● 12 GS ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

TL03 DP 1024516 Lot 7018 85000 8.5 Public Recreation ● 1 SGN ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Thirlmere Sportsground Oaks Street Thirlmere Council

TL04 Lin Gordon Reserve Oaks Street Thirlmere Council DP 92819 Lot 7003 90000 9.0 Public Recreation ● 321 NG● ● ● ● ● Matthews Creek

TL05 DP 263318 Lot 6 1000 0.1 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● Bell Street Public Reserve Bell Street Thirlmere Council

TL06 Turner Street Drainage Reserve Turner Street Thirlmere Council DP 868017 Lot 1 10000 1.0 Drainage Reserve ● 1N Total 6 266000 26.6

Wallacia - Warragamba - Silverdale

WS1 Dunbar Street Reserve Dunbar Street Silverdale Council DP 261451 Lot 5 10000 1.0 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ●

WS2 DP 261770 Lot 105 8000 0.8 Drainage Reserve ● 12 G ● Mackay Drive Park + Taylors Road Reserve Taylors Road / Mckay Drive Silverdale Council

WS3 DP 251788 Lot 113 12000 1.2 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ● ● Eugenie Byrne Park Eldred Street Silverdale Council

WS4 DP 264321 Lot 14 9000 0.9 Public Recreation ● 21 NG ● Ridgehaven Road Reserve Ridgehaven Road Silverdale Council

WS6 DP 251788 Lot 114 2000 0.2 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● Concrete crickt pitch Warradale Road Reserve and Pathway 24 Warradale Road Silverdale Council

WS7 DP 773071 Lot 22 90000 9.0 Drainage Reserve ● 21 N Scotcheys Creek Reserve Ridgehaven Road Silverdale Council

WS8 Public Walkway Silven Park Way Silverdale Council DP 1010862 1000 0.1 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● Public Walkway between Silvern Park Way and Narelle Place

WS9 DP 227976 Lot 1 6000 0.6 ● 1 G ● Pony Club Epona Pony Club 78 Marsh Road Silverdale Council

WS10 DP 210652 Lot 443 3000 0.3 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● Ninth Street Public Reserve Ninth Street Warragamba Council

WS11 DP 210650 Lot 169 2000 0.2 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● Sixth Street Public Reserve Sixth Street Warragamba Council

WS12 DP 210651 Lot 288 1000 0.1 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● Third Street Public Reserve 82 - 84 Third Street Warragamba Council

WS13 DP 210649 Lot 74 6000 0.6 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Town Center Park 10 Weir Road Warragamba Council

WS14 DP 224338 Lot 10 4000 0.4 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● ● ● Crescent Reserve Kipara Crescent Warragamba Council

WS15 DP 840318 Lot 1 78000 7.8 Public Recreation ● 21 SG ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Former Waterboard Oval 22 Productive Avenue Warragamba Council

WS16 DP 210649 Lot 85 2000 0.2 Public Recreation ● 1 G ● ● Fifth Street Park Second Street Warragamba Council

WS17 DP 568914 Lot 1 38000 3.8 Public Recreation ● 21 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Warragamba Sports Ground 69 Warradale Road Warragamba Council

WS18 Warragamba resource management centre 9 Production Avenue Warragamba Council DP 703167 Lot 9 143000 14.3 Operational ● 1N Total 18 415000 41.5 Totals 101 298.6

YELLOW MEANS MORE INFORMATION NEEDED BY COUNCIL DRAFT DRAFT

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 155 Settings and Attributes Appendix 2: Typical Park And Hierarchy Park Appendix 2: Typical DRAFT DRAFT

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WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 161 Appendix 3: Open Space KPI’s DRAFT DRAFT

162 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI) To determine when a specific implementation action has been carried out and can be demonstrated to have met the stated objectives, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) needs to be identified. Of the numerous forms of KPIs that are typically applied to strategic planning, the most common KPIs used in open space planning are listed below and can be applied to the OSRCF in development of detailed action plans. The following are typical examples:

Questionnaire Survey This may be an omnibus telephone survey of the community carried out regularly to elicit community satisfaction on all Council services or a targeted open space survey (eg the IOSS surveys of open space usage, satisfaction and importance). Such surveys may also include organisations such as sports clubs.

Exit and Intercept Surveys This survey is carried out as a one-on-one questionnaire of open space users as they are passing through/using (Intercept) or leaving (Exit) the park, to determine their experience and the satisfaction levels of their visit, including perceptions of safety. The Parks Forum provide templates for such surveys.

Usage Survey This comprises a count of users of open space or recreation facilities, carried out at specific and consistent times of the year to establish changes in usage levels over time. This is often carried out in combination with Exit or Intercept surveys. The Parks Forum provide templates for such surveys.

Photographic Survey This is most commonly used to identify changes in the landscape, associated with targets for enhancement of landscape character or natural and cultural conservation.

Field Survey Field investigations are most commonly used to determine environmental changes such as bushland management, species diversity and water quality; in the case of the OSRCF this applies particularly to monitoring natural and recreational corridors and safety audits

Aerial Photography This is frequently used to establish changes in the landscape and when compared over a period of years can identify critical changes. The ‘Near Maps’ historical sequence tool bar is particularly helpful in this regard.

Community Correspondence Communications received from the community, collated under specific topics can identify trends in satisfaction.

Consultation Workshops Where Council may need focused qualitative feedback on the success or otherwise of implementation it may choose to convene a workshop of relevant stakeholders, internal staff and/or external experts to establish the nature of performance on key actions.

Financial Audit Some actions can be most readily measured by economic and financial indicators. Typically this might include actions where cost reductions are being sought or where cost benefit ratios are needed.

In many cases several KPI measures can be applied at the same time; for instance for an action that requires both quantitative data gathering (eg. usage) and qualitative feedback (eg. park experience and satisfaction) a combined exit survey, usage survey and DRAFT photographic survey canDRAFT be carried out in the same place over a period of a few hours.

WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G MAY 2014 163 Appendix 4: Community Facility Inventory DRAFT DRAFT

164 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G APPENDIX 4: COMMUNITY FACILITY INVENTORY

Table: Community facilities in the Wollondilly LGA

Library facilities Description Floor area Comments (sqm) Picton Library Brick building (built 1970’s) Building Located in town centre (co- 42 Menangle Street Picton Library services on ground floor – total – 700 located with other facilities and resources to borrow and one computer Library – services). room. 350 Located adjacent to Shire Hall Office and meeting space on first floor and Council Administration (used as the local area emergency building. response base and Council training Only library building in the LGA. rooms) No lift access between floors. Town centre shared parking area to rear Plans to expand and modernise of building library building and connect to Shire Hall. Community halls Description Floor area Comments (sqm) Appin Community Hall Brick building (built 1981) 410 Located at sportsground in Sportsground Parade, Appin Includes two separate facility buildings: residential area. Set back from  Soccer club with large meeting room street (no street frontage) and kitchen (pictured far right)  Large hall with kitchen and toilets. Other inclusions:  Undercover outdoor area between

facilities  Fenced play area with play equipment  Large parking area shared with sportsground.

Bargo Community Hall Brick building (built 1989). 532 Located at sportsground - Radnor Road, Bargo Facility inclusions: setback from street (no street  Large hall with stage frontage). Accessed via  Meeting room backstreet (gate to ground locked  Kitchen/canteen when not in use).  Internal toilets Facility managed by community  Large undercover area (verandah) management committee.

 Fenced outdoor area Concept for new amenities  Onsite paved parking (shared with building for sportsground to be sportsground). built next to Community Hall building (with shared use of Community Hall facilities). Douglas Park Community New brick facility (built 2012). 307 Facility managed by community Centre Facility inclusions: management committee. Camden Road, Douglas Park  2 meeting rooms with movable Facility used as amenities partition between building for sportsground uses  Large flexible meeting room (with separate storage building  Internal disabled toilet and shower adjacent).  Kitchen/canteen Includes solar panels and

 External toilets rainwater tank.  Large undercover area (verandah)  Outdoor area with play equipment  On-site paved parking. Mt Hunter Community Hall Small weatherboard older-style 202 Co-located with Volunteer Rural Burragorang Road, Mt community hall (built 1941). Fire Brigade shed on main road Hunter  Facility inclusions: opposite school (outside village  Small hall centre) next to small open space  Outside toilets with picnic shelter.  Water tanks (recent instalment) Recent basic refurbishment No on-site parking. works completed

Oakdale Community Hall Small brick community hall - brick 177 Located on main road adjacent to Burragorang Road, Oakdale replacement of external weatherboards post office, opposite (built 1941). sportsground. Tennis courts at Facility inclusions: rear of facility.  Small hall with stage Reported to be in very poor  Kitchen condition by Council.  Outside toilets

 Grass parking area. The Oaks Community Hall Weatherboard older-style community 382 Co-located with Seniors Hall in Russell Street, The Oaks hall (built 1941) with brick entry addition. residential area (approximately Facility inclusions: 350m from main town centre).  Large hall with stage  Kitchen  Internal toilets  Grass parking area.

The Oaks Seniors Hall Small weatherboard older-style 102 Co-located with Community Hall Russell Street, The Oaks community building (built 1941). in residential area (approximately Facility inclusions: 350m from main town centre).  Large meeting room No street frontage (located  Kitchen behind Community Hall).  Internal toilets  Grass parking area.

Tahmoor CWA Hall Brick building (built 1984). 323 Located near village centre on York Street, Tahmoor Facility inclusions: residential street, opposite park  Hall with playground and courts.  Meeting room Reported cracking under building  Kitchen structure.  Internal toilets  Fenced outside area

 Parking can be accommodated in fenced outside area (otherwise street parking only).

Thirlmere Community Hall Tin old style community hall. 170 Facility located close to village Westbourne Avenue, Facility inclusions: centre on residential street, next Thirlmere  Hall to church.  Kitchen In extremely poor condition.  Outside toilets Hall is currently closed.  Outside storage shed  Limited parking on grass at rear of

building. Warragamba Town Hall Heritage weatherboard building (built 451 Located in village centre. Civic Centre, Warragamba 1950s). Recent refurbishment works Facility inclusions: completed.  Large hall with stage Investigation into redevelopment  Foyer with ticket sales booth of hall to include indoor court  Two large meeting rooms with found hall to be too small. separate entries (one used as Was previously used by school

seniors hall – pictured right) (prior to BER funded hall at  Kitchen facilities school).  Outdoor toilets. No on-site parking but adequate parking in surrounding village centre. Wilton Community Centre Modern brick building (built 1996). 227 Located at sportsground outside Broughton Street, Wilton Facility inclusions: village centre in residential area.  Office space for community Facility managed by community organisations management committee.  Kitchen Committee interested in  Multipurpose large main room extending facility’s main room.  Internal toilets

 Fenced outside play space  Large undercover area (verandah)  Paved onsite parking (shared with sportsground).

Mixed use facilities Description Floor area Comments (sqm) Old Post Office Brick heritage building (built 1892). GF = 150 Located in town centre on main Cnr Argyle and Menangle Facility inclusions: street (co-located with other Streets, Picton  Wollondilly Visitors Information facilities and services). Centre housed in ground floor No lift access between floors.  Small separate ground floor office (space currently hired out as private medical consultation space)  Office space on first floor (currently used as Council offices)  Small fenced outdoor area. No on-site parking.

Wollondilly Shire Hall Brick heritage building (built 1915). 598 Located in town centre (co- Menangle Street, Picton Facility inclusions: located with other facilities and  Large hall with stage services).  Art exhibition rooms at front of Located adjacent to Library and building (pictured right) Council Administration building.  Meeting room Plans to expand and renovate the  Office space with separate entry Shire Hall and connect to the

(currently used as office for Library. Council’s Family Day Care services) Plans to relocate Council’s Family  External toilets at rear of building Day Care services from Shire Hall  Kitchen to SES building.  Town centre shared parking area to rear of building.

Community Service Centres Description Floor area Comments (sqm) Bonnie Cottage Small weatherboard cottage (built 104 Co-located with Bargo Primary 122 Hawthorne Road, Bargo 1950s). School outside village centre. Facility inclusions: Cottage owned by Council. Land  Small office space owned by DECS.  Small meeting room  Kitchen  Toilets (including children’s toilet

facilities)  Outside fenced grass area with garage/storage. No on-site parking (street parking only). Picton School of Arts Brick building with weatherboard section 280 Located in town centre opposite 65 Menangle Street, Picton to rear (built 1925). Council Administration building, Facility inclusions: Shire Hall and Library.  Office space to front of building (currently used by community organisation  Large meeting room (currently used

as seniors hall)  Commercial kitchen at rear of building  Internal toilets Limited parking to rear of building.

Tahmoor Community Centre Modern rendered concrete block 1,038 Facility managed and staffed by 6 Harper Close, Tahmoor building (built 1997). community organisation. Facility inclusions: Located on main road in village  Office space for community centre near other services and organisations facilities.  3 flexible meeting rooms (with Building extended in 2011 (youth removable partitions) hub, sound recording studio and

 Large meeting room (used additional office space added). predominantly as a youth hub)  Sound recording studio  Childcare centre  Large multipurpose space (OOSH services)  Outdoor fenced play spaces for childcare centre and OOSH  On-site paved car park. Warragamba Eldercare Small weatherboard cottage (built 120 Located on edge of village centre, Cottage 1950s). adjacent to Warragamba Cnr Weir Road and Facility inclusions: Silverdale Neighbourhood Fourteenth Streets,  Small meeting room Centre. Building improvement Warragamba  Kitchen works required.  Internal toilet. No on-site parking (street parking only).

Warragamba Silverdale Weatherboard old-style neighbourhood 450 Facility managed and staffed by Neighbourhood Centre house facility built (built 1955). community organisation. 15 Weir Road, Warragamba Facility inclusions: Located in village centre,  Office space for community although not in prominent organisations location.  Small meeting room Building improvement works  Childcare/occasional care centre required.

with kitchen facilities.  Fenced outdoor play space for childcare (recently refurbished)  Limited off-street parking.

Appendix 5: Community Facilities Detailed Audit Scores Appendix 5: Community Facilities Detailed DRAFT DRAFT

166 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G APPENDIX 5: COMMUNITY FACILITIES DETAILED AUDIT SCORES

Each facility was scored against each criteria on scale of 1 to 5 by a single auditor. The scale is a simple likert scale where 1 means it did not address the criteria at all and 5 means that it addressed the criteria very well. Criteria scores were tallied for each facility resulting in a total score. The higher the score the better the facility performed against all the criteria collectively.

Table: Community facility audit scores

Cultural Community Halls Mixed facilities Community service centres Average score facilities Warragamba Appin Bargo Douglas Park Mt Hunter Oakdale The Oaks Thirlmere Wilton Picton Tahmoor Warragamba Picton The Oaks Tahmoor Warragamba Old Post Wollondilly Bonnie Silverdale Criteria Community Community Community Community Community Community Community Community School of Community Eldercare Library Seniors Hall CWA Hall Town Hall Office Shire Hall Cottage Neighbourhood Hall Hall Centre Hall Hall Hall Hall Centre Arts Centre Cottage Centre Visual 511322213142551552 3 2.8 Prominence

Integrated 512221223341552553 4 3.0

Public transport 534444445541454454 4 4.1

Pedestrian or 522222222442552542 2 2.9 bicycle access

Adequate parking 455522333245242352 3 3.4

Universal access 234511212124242252 2 2.5

Multipurpose 344512323043351341 2 2.8

Outdoor space 154522113235312142 4 2.7

Building quality 334511223035432351 2 2.7

Safety and 422412313143443353 3 2.9 security

Utilisation 31 1131303 432351 4 2.0

ESD 111421111111111111 1 1.2

Total41313344212128213420403242452438532434 32.9

Appendix 6: Community Facilities Utilisation Assessment Appendix 6: Community Facilities Utilisation DRAFT DRAFT

168 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G APPENDIX 6: COMMUNITY FACILITIES UTILISATION ASSESSMENT

An assessment of the utilisation of community facilities involved examination of use data and scoring facility use on a scale of 0-5 with:

 Highly utilised facilities receiving scores of 3.5-5

 Moderately utilised facilities receiving scores of 2.5-3

 Poorly utilised facilities receiving scores of 0-2

Utilisation data and scores are shown in the following table.

Table: Facility utilisation

Facility Contract agreement/ Regular bookings Casual bookings Utilisation score Permanent users FY2012-2013 to date (out of 5) (March 2013) Tahmoor Community Centre    5  Uniting Care Burnside – facility managers (Mon-Fri) Evenings – 4/week (Occasional weekend  Wollondilly Community Links (Mon-Fri) (meeting rooms) bookings)  Rainbow Playhouse childcare centre (Mon-Fri)  Miss Lizzies OOSH services (Mon-Fri)  MS Australia (Mon-Fri)  Hume Employment (2 days/week). Warragamba Silverdale 4 Neighbourhood Centre     Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre Incorporated (facility managers) includes service delivery and Teddy Bear Cottage childcare centre (Mon-Fri)  NSW Health – Baby Health Clinic (Fri)  Women’s Health Clinic (1 day/month)

Facility Contract agreement/ Regular bookings Casual bookings Utilisation score Permanent users FY2012-2013 to date (out of 5) (March 2013) Old Post Office 4    Ground floor:  Visitor information Centre (Mon-Fri) Office space:  Private counselling services (Mon-Fri) First Floor:  Council communications team offices (Mon-Fri) Picton School of Arts    4 Wollondilly Support and Community Care includes Neighbour Aid, Meals on Wheels and Seniors Groups(Mon-Fri) Picton Library 3.5    Library services (Mon-Fri) Council training rooms: First Floor: Full day bookings approx. Emergency response centre (as required) 7/month Council training rooms (as required) Part day bookings approx. 5/month Bargo Community Hall Management committee 3   Mornings – 3/week (Information not available Afternoon/evenings – on numbers) 4/week Douglas Park Community Management committee 3 Centre   Mornings – 2-3/week Approx. 28 per year Afternoons – 1/week (annual events) Evenings – 1-4/week Occasional (infrequent) party hire The Oaks Community Hall 3    Mornings – 4/week 19 bookings Afternoon/evenings – 4/week

Facility Contract agreement/ Regular bookings Casual bookings Utilisation score Permanent users FY2012-2013 to date (out of 5) (March 2013) Tahmoor CWA Hall 3    Mornings – 3/week 19 bookings Afternoon/evenings – 3/week Warragamba Town Hall 3    Mornings – 2/week 17 bookings Afternoon/evenings – 4/week Wilton Community Centre Management committee 3 Preschool, Big Fat Smile (Licence) (Mon-Thurs)   9 bookings Wollondilly Shire Hall    3 Office Space: Afternoon/evenings – 30 bookings Wollondilly Children’s Services (Mon-Fri) 3/week Appin Community Centre 2    Soccer Club - use of Soccer Club space KU Mobile Preschool - use of Soccer Club space and playground (Tues- Wed) Bonnie Cottage 2    Midigan Aboriginal group (Tues & Thurs) Macarthur Disability Services (1 day/week) Mt Hunter Community Hall 1    5 bookings Oakdale Community Hall 1    The Oaks Seniors Hall 1    0 bookings

Facility Contract agreement/ Regular bookings Casual bookings Utilisation score Permanent users FY2012-2013 to date (out of 5) (March 2013) Warragamba Eldercare 1 Cottage    Nepean Food Services (outreach space) Mornings and afternoons 0 bookings – 1/week (+1 additional (Other occasional use by every second week) Nepean Food Services) Thirlmere Community Hall 0   

 = available for type of use arrangement

 = not available for type of use arrangement

Community Facilities Appendix 7: Community Feedback on DRAFT DRAFT

170 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G APPENDIX 7: COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Community feedback on existing facilities (quality and suitability)

The following is a summary of key findings of an analysis of community feedback received.

Picton Library

37 of 86 respondents (or 43%) believe the Picton Library meets their needs very well or well. 12 or 14% believe it does not meet their needs. 37 or 43% nominated ‘not applicable’ (likely to be non-users and/or did not believe this to be a facility of relevance to them). Results are illustrated on the following graph.

How well does the Picton Library meet your needs?

No. of responses 37

13 12

Very well Well Not very well Not applicable

A number of respondents provided positive feedback on the library and its resources. Issues raised by other respondents included:

 The need for extended library hours

 A need for a larger, more modern and better resourced library.

The results suggest that while those who use the library may be reasonably satisfied with the facility and/or service, many respondents did not believe the library to be of relevance to them. This may not be the case if a more contemporary library (catering to a broader range of community interests and needs) were provided in Wollondilly.

Community halls and centres

The majority of respondents (48 of 88 or 54.6%) believe Council community centres and halls meet their needs very well or well. 19 or 21.6% believe they do not meet their needs and 21 or 23.9% nominated ‘not applicable’. While there were a high number of respondents satisfied with the community halls and centres, the results suggest that low utilisation overall (as identified in the review of the utilisation of facilities) may be due to combined dissatisfaction as well as these facilities not offering programs and activities of relevance to many members of the Wollondilly community.

Survey results are illustrated on the following graph.

How well do the community centres and halls meet your needs?

No. of responses 33

21 19 15

Very well Well Not very well Not applicable

Community service centres

A smaller percentage of respondents (26 of 83 or 31.3%) believe the community service centres meet their needs very well or well. 15 or 18% believe they do not meet their needs. The majority of respondents (42 or 50.6%) however, nominated ‘not applicable’ suggesting they are not users and do not believe these facilities to be of relevance to them, perhaps due to the physical facility limitations (as identified in the facility audit) and/or a lack of breadth in services offered in some of these facilities.

Survey results are illustrated on the following graph.

How well do the community service centres meet your needs?

No. of responses

18 15 8

Very well Well Not very well Not applicable

General feedback on facilities

General comments relating to all facilities included:

 The population needs of the area have outgrown available facilities

 Some sections of the community cannot benefit from facilities if they are not open on the weekend

 Many halls provide important outreach facilities

 Many facilities are too small for some activities and are only suited to small groups

 Camden facilities are more accessible to residents living closer to the Camden LGA boundary.

Feedback on individual facilities

Comments and issues raised about specific facilities are summarised in the table below.

Table: feedback on individual facilities

Facility Feedback Tahmoor Community Centre  Reasonably well located on main street, near bus stop but may be too far from the station for people with less mobility  The recording studio is difficult to use and requires staff assistance which is not available  There is good use of the youth hub’s sports activity space. Bargo Community Hall  Excellent facility for playgroup Wollondilly Shire Hall  A number of respondents reported that availability of the Hall is limited. This feedback suggests there is high demand for the Hall during key, peak times and needs being unmet during these periods  The recent upgrade has made the stage too small and the floor uneven (leading one group to move their performances to the Mittagong Playhouse)  The separate rooms work well  The hire costs are prohibitive for some community groups  The facility is beautiful but amenities (including bathrooms, change rooms and green room) are inadequate to support large performances. The hall can also get very hot and seating is inadequate for large audiences  The art spaces are a valued addition  The Hall would be a good venue for markets in winter Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood  A affordable venue for community meetings Centre Warragamba Town Hall  A versatile venue suitable for a range of community and private uses  There should be better use of the facility (use of the annex by HACC services) Thirlmere Community Hall  There is no longer a facility available in Thirlmere  There are a number of activities that can no longer take place in Thirlmere now that it is closed (church group and playgroup)

Community feedback on facility use

The online survey conducted as part of this study also provides insight into the utilisation of facilities.

The facilities most utilised by survey respondents were:

 Wollondilly Shire Hall – 44 of 87 or 50.6% of respondents use this facility, 41 or 47.1% have never used this facility and 2 or 2.3% were not aware of it. It is was also regularly used by respondents, with 15 or 17.3% of respondents using this facility on a weekly or monthly basis

 The Picton Library – 42 of 89 or 47.2% of respondents use this facility and 47 or 52.8% have never used this facility. It is was also regularly used by respondents, with 15 or 16.8% of respondents using this facility on a weekly or monthly basis

 Wollondilly Visitor Information Centre – 31 of 87 or 35.6% of respondents use this facility and 54 or 62.1% have never used this facility. It is however, not regularly used by respondents, with only 6 or 6.9% of respondents using this facility on a weekly or monthly basis.

The facilities next most utilised by respondents were:

 Tahmoor Community Centre – 21 of 87 or 24.1% of respondents use this facility, 62 or 71.3% have never used this facility and 4 or 4.6% were not aware of it. Only 4 or 4.7% of respondents use this facility on a weekly or monthly basis

 Bargo Community Hall – 18 of 86 or 20.9% of respondents use this facility, 62 or 72.1% have never used this facility and 6 or 7.0% were not aware of it. Only 4 or 4.6% of respondents use this facility on a weekly or monthly basis

 Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre – 14 of 87 or 16.1% of respondents use this facility, 66 or 75.9% have never used this facility and 7 or 8.0% were not aware of it. Only 6 or 6.9% of respondents use this facility on a weekly or monthly basis.

Facilities that had very low rates of utilisation by respondents include Mt Hunter Community Hall, Oakdale Community Hall, The Oaks Seniors Hall, Warragamba Eldercare Cottage and Tahmoor CWA Hall. A number of respondents were also unaware of these facilities.

The graph on the following page summaries the use of existing facilities by survey respondents.

Community feedback - facility use (No. of responses)

Not aware of Never Less often Weekly/ Monthly

2 41 Wollondilly Shire Hall 29 15 0 47 Picton Library 27 15 2 54 Wollondilly Visitor Information Centre 25 6 4 62 Tahmoor Community Centre 17 4 6 62 Bargo Community Hall 14 4 7 66 Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre 8 6 3 71 Picton School of Arts 11 2 7 68 Warragamba Town Hall 8 4 5 70 Douglas Park Community Centre 5 5 6 69 Wilton Community Centre 8 2 7 70 The Oaks Community Hall 7 2 5 74 Appin Community Hall 5 1 7 72 Tahmoor CWA Hall 6 0 11 68 Warragamba Eldercare Cottage 2 3 10 71 The Oaks Seniors Hall 3 0 7 75 Oakdale Community Hall 1 1 7 76 Mt Hunter Community Hall 1 1 14 69 Bonnie Cottage 2 0

Demands Detailed Information Appendix 8: Community Facility Needs and DRAFT DRAFT

172 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G APPENDIX 8: COMMUNITY FACILITY NEEDS AND DEMANDS (DETAILED INFORMATION)

Facility needs identified in past studies and plans

Past studies and strategies have identified the following community facility needs:

 Branch libraries

 Youth facilities and spaces including youth cafes, leisure centres, youth gyms and library spaces. Also consider underutilised facilities for hosting of youth activities (identified need for all centres outside the Tahmoor and surrounding areas, currently served by the Youth Hub at the Tahmoor Community Centre)

 Leisure centre/gym (Appin)

 Community notice boards

 Cultural/recreation centre (Warragamba, The Oaks/Belimba Park)

 Space for outreach services

 Cultural facilities* - includes a civic/cultural/arts facility that may, among other uses, host large youth events such as bands nights, concerts and discos

 Community garden (Thirlmere/Lakesland/Mowbray Park)

 Community hall/centre (Werombi/Orangeville/Theresa Park/Brownlow Hill, Silverdale/Wallacia).

Note: place names indicate where these specific facility needs were raised.

* The Wollondilly Community Cultural Plan identifies the need for a centralised cultural facility in Wollondilly and recommends the inclusion of cultural spaces within existing community facilities and the expansion of cultural programs at the Wollondilly Shire Hall. The Plan also identifies a need for a network of local organisations supporting a collaborative approach to cultural development in the area and Council’s support of these organisations, through funding assistance.

Facility needs identified through the online survey

Community feedback on existing facilities received through the online survey provides addition insight into community facility needs.

The online survey asked respondents how existing community facility provision could be improved. The following general facility needs were identified:

 More modern and attractive facilities to replace old, tired and dated facilities and better maintained facilities

 Affordable facilities and spaces (including activity and meeting space as well as performance space for rehearsals and practice). Includes lowering hiring costs for existing facilities

 Better access to facilities (including improvement of footpaths, roads and transport)

 Improved availability of certain facilities (including the Wollondilly Shire Hall)

 Increased and improved storage at facilities

 Provide new facilities in areas that currently lack provision (e.g. Thirlmere)

 Improve facilities in specific areas where the quality of facilities is poor (e.g. Warragamba)

 Offer support services from existing facilities (including from the Bargo Community Hall)

 Better advertisement of community facilities to promote use (including improved signage).

The survey asked respondents whether there were additional community facilities and spaces they would like to see provided in Wollondilly. The most common facilities nominated were:

 Performing arts centre/ space

 Multipurpose community centre (including flexible spaces for group activities, meeting spaces and rooms for service provision)

 Youth centre/ space.

Results are illustrated in the following graph.

Additional community facilities desired by respondents

No. of responses

Performing arts centre/ space 22

Multipurpose community centre 21

Youth centre/ space 20

Community service centre 13

Library 12

Art gallery/ exhibition space 12

Meeting rooms 11

Seniors centre/ space 9

After school hours care facility 8

Community hall 7

Preschool/ childcare facility 3

The online survey also asked respondents why they thought these facilities were needed and where they should be located. Results are summarised in the table below.

Facility type Reasons why facility is required/ comment Location Performing arts  There are no suitable performance venues in Wollondilly and  Picton (a central centre/ space surrounding areas. An adequate venue (e.g. performance location and focal theatre) is required for performance groups (dance, drama, point of the community) singing) who currently use more suitable venues outside the  Wilton LGA  Northern area  A performing arts facility with tiered seating and adequate supporting amenities is required (this could be achieved through renovation of the Wollondilly Shire Hall or a new purpose-built facility)  Cultural facilities are crucial for any area  A built for purpose facility would be a good addition. Includes a facility with adequate storage for groups  A suitable facility that will encourage theatre companies from out of the area to come and showcase their arts is needed  To provide a venue for young bands and youth events  To provide space for the community orchestra (Picton Strings)  Additional, affordable space is required for performance rehearsals and music lessons  A facility similar to Wollongong LGA’s IPAC facility is desired.

Multipurpose  The LGA is growing and needs larger, modern facilities  Picton – would community facilities  To enhance the shire with modern facilities encourage more  A multipurpose centre was flagged 20 years ago in the tourism and events in Picton cultural mapping and is even more needed now the  Wilton population has increased  Bargo  To benefit young children who don’t have extra activities at  Tahmoor school to engage in  The Oaks - a  A facility that offers multiple rooms for group activities to multipurpose centre occur simultaneously is required to meet demand (e.g. for would return The dance groups). Oaks to the historical centre of the Shire

Facility type Reasons why facility is required/ comment Location Youth centre/ spaces  There are few existing facilities/ spaces for youth in  Picton Wollondilly  Wilton  Youth Spaces are needed with population growth and  The Oaks development though services/organisations are needed to  Mt Hunter run them  Warragamba  Youth facilities are needed that not only target high needs  Bargo youth but provide a range of activities. Future planning of  Appin youth spaces should focus on flexibility of spaces to enable  Yanderra the provision of a broad range of programs for different  Thirlmere youth interests and groups. Youth facilities should also be co-  Douglas Park located with outdoor space.  All townships  There is no youth facility in the northern end of the Shire. Warragamba has a number of organisations that work with youth indirectly but there is no dedicated youth hub  Spaces for local young people to meet and socialise are needed. There are also a lack of activities/ things to do for young people  Youth in villages and towns outside Tahmoor are not able to access the Tahmoor Youth Hub  More transport options to existing youth centre spaces may be more practical then creation of new spaces. Community service  Suitable spaces (including affordable office space) for  Smaller centres that centres community services needed in the area don’t have these  Facilities to cater to all ages are required facilities  The Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre is  Silverdale – does not becoming too small for the growing numbers accessing have a community activities and groups. Larger more appropriate facilities space would encourage more service providers into the area.  Warragamba

Library  Learning facilities are crucial for any area  Northern area  The existing library is under-resourced  One library is not sufficient for the entire LGA  A larger, more modern library with extended hours is needed.

Art gallery/ exhibition  There are a lot of creative people in the Wollondilly area. An  Northern area space exhibition space would be a good tourism destination to  Picton drive up local business  Tahmoor  There is an increased interest in art, craft and cottage skills. These interest groups would benefit from a space to exhibit their productions  The present art gallery in the Shire hall is adequate until council can attract a Community Arts Officer to encourage and initiate cultural activities.

Facility type Reasons why facility is required/ comment Location Meeting rooms  Non-profit organisations need somewhere to hold meetings  Accessible locations on a regular basis without cost for people with  It is difficult to organise meeting in the Wollondilly area as disabilities and there are no meeting rooms available people with limited  To make meeting more accessible. transport options  Picton  Tahmoor

Seniors centre/ space  There are many elderly people in the area, but limited  Picton seniors spaces  Tahmoor  For seniors to have a place of their own.  The Oaks  Mt Hunter

Out of school hours  Larger facilities for OOSH are required to meet the increase  Warragamba care facility in numbers  Douglas Park  Some areas do not have OOSH facilities (Bridgewater)  Camden South  To support working families. (Bridgewater)  All townships

Community halls  Existing facilities have limited availability (e.g. the Shire Hall).  Picton  Thirlmere – to replace the hall that is closed

Preschool/ childcare  Most residents commute out of Wollondilly for work and  Thirlmere facility need these facilities/ services.  Picton  Wilton  Bargo  Razorback

Other facilities that were identified by survey respondents as needed in the Wollondilly LGA include:

 A civic facility similar to the Camden Civic Centre

 A community garden

 Men’s sheds.

There were also a number of comments not supportive of the provision of a community facility at Bridgewater, Camden South. Provision of such a facility had been proposed in the past and this issue remains unresolved.

Respondents were also asked whether they have used any community facilities outside the Wollondilly Shire in the last 12 months. Feedback on the use of other facilities provided the following additional insight into unmet needs in LGA. A significant proportion (46.7%) of respondents had used other facilities. These facilities and reasons for use are summarised below:

 A number of respondents used facilities in the Camden and Campbelltown LGA’s including Camden Civic Centre, Camden Library, Narellan Library, Camden Community Centre, Mt Annan Community Hall, Oran Park Community Hall, Glen Alpine Community Hall and The Cube (Campbelltown Convention and Entertainment Centre). Reasons for use included that the facility is closer to where they live, they are better facilities or that they were attending a specific program or event

 One respondent recorded using Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC) for performances and another used the Mittagong Playhouse Theatre because this facility has more dressing room space, a larger performance area and is air-conditioned

 One respondent recorded using the Joe Cianter Hall in Chatswood for a music rehearsal and noted that no fee was incurred for the use of this facility

 Other facilities used included the Glenwood Community Centre (Blacktown LGA) for a christening and Murulan Hall in the Goulburn Mulwaree LGA for a function.

Needs – Programs and services

Program and service needs identified in past studies and plans

Past studies and strategies identify the following community program and service needs:

 Activities and groups for young people – youth groups, recreational activities and youth events (e.g. concerts, band nights and movie nights)

 Youth services (including the need for improvement and expansion of youth service provision through better funding, partnerships and support of service providers)

 Activities, groups and services for children and families (playgroups, recreation groups, clubs, OOSH services, activities for school aged children, family support services, affordable and equitable childcare)

 Community health services (community health nurse, early childhood health services, specialist services e.g. mental health and speech pathology)

 General outreach services(services for people with high level needs as well as general services – for non “at risk” groups)

 Activities and support services for people with a disability (includes day programs, services, and careers respite)

 Services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups

 Services for men

 Activities and groups for adults (book club, mother groups, adult education, men’s groups, hobbies and craft, exercise classes, social and family clubs, gardening clubs, environmental clubs)

 Activities, groups and services for older people (volunteer placements, seniors’ clubs, aged home care support services)

 Cultural events

 Centralised information service.

In addition to the above services, transport services for all groups, in particular young people and older people, has been raised as a key need. The Wollondilly LGA is a large geographically area with scattered townships. This issue, mixed with a lack of transport options, needs to be considered when determining the location and distribution of future facilities.

Program and service needs identified through the online survey

The online survey asked respondents how they or their families would like to use the new facilities for which they identified a need (what programs, activities and services should they offer?). The responses indicate service and program needs of the community. The most common responses were:

 Dance/ fitness classes (26 responses)

 Performances/ presentations (25 responses)

 Youth programs/ activities (24 responses)

 Meetings/ workshops (24 responses)

 Community interest clubs/ groups (23 responses).

Survey results are illustrated on the following graph.

Additional activities and services desired by respondents

No. of responses

Dance/ fitness classes 26 Performances/ presentations 25 Youth programs/ activities 24 Meetings/ workshops 24 Community interest clubs/ groups 23 Private functions 19 Support services 19 Social groups 18 Adult education classes 18 Art and cultural exhibitions 17 Craft/ hobby groups 15 Healthy eating/ cooking classes 13 Playgroup 11 Computer and internet access 11 Allied health services 11 Socialise/ meet friends 9 Library services 8 Respite/ day care 8 Men's groups 5 Preschool/ childcare 5

Needs – Additional considerations

The online survey asked respondents to identify any additional considerations for Council in the planning of community facilities. Key points for consideration are summarised below:

 Community engagement and participation in the planning process is important (including engagement of young people)

 Improve existing facilities and increase utilisation before building new facilities

 Provide key staff in Council to support key programs and services (including an Arts and Cultural Officer and Youth Officer)

 Ensure facilities are economically sustainable and can be adequately maintained

 Ensure facility and service provision provides opportunities for a broad range of ages and interests

 Priority should be given to communities with no existing facilities in the planning of new facilities

Transport is a key issue in the LGA and needs to be addressed. Facilities should also be distributed and located to ensure they are accessible (including for older people).

Appendix 9: Community Consulatation Summmary DRAFT DRAFT

174 MAY 2014 WOLLONDILLY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES STRATEGY • ISSUE G