COMMON GROUND A Unified Plan for Victorian Cricket Facilities Development COMMON GROUND Cricket Victoria is committed to the A Unified Plan for Victorian Cricket Facilities Development planning and delivery of excellence in cricket and community facilities Prepared by Cricket Victoria & SMC Strategies - November 2014 COMMON GROUND A Unified Plan for Victorian Cricket Facilities Development Contents Foreword 5 The Plan 6 Cricket in Victoria 12 Capacity & Growth 18 Finding the Gap 26 Strategic Priorities 30 Reaching the Target 45 By implementing a unified plan for cricket facilities development, we can work together on common ground to ensure that cricket continues to strongly contribute to an active, healthy and inclusive life for all Victorians. COMMON GROUND A Unified Plan for Victorian Cricket Facilities Development Cricket Victoria is committed to The week to week efforts of over 20,000 volunteers, many of ensuring that the whole of the whom coach our children, mow outfields, roll pitches and repair community has the opportunity to practice nets, are our most valuable resource. It is our aim to share in and enjoy the many diverse ensure that the greatest possible benefit for all participants and the benefits of our sport. wider community is derived from these efforts. I am not fond of the word infrastructure. Our focus is upon The provision of appropriate facilities is a creating inviting, well planned, inclusive places where people come fundamental part of enabling Victorians together to enjoy the pleasures of cricket and community. to participate in and benefit from cricket, regardless of location, ability, age, gender On common ground. or background. By implementing a unified plan for sustainable facilities This does not only include facilities that provide for all levels of development, we can work together to ensure that cricket cricket participation from entry to elite, but also shared facilities continues to grow and strongly contribute to an active, healthy life that are actively used by all of the community. for all Victorians. The two guiding principles that have driven the design of this new While the number, location and quality of facilities is important, we plan for cricket facilities development in Victoria are community are also focused upon sustainable investment and development value and collaboration. that is informed by participation growth, demographic change and delivers community outcomes at a range of different levels. The provision and maintenance of the thousands of grounds, practice facilities, clubrooms and associated facilities that serve Our commitment to collaboratively providing facilities of over 327,000 cricket participants and 1107 clubs in Victoria is a maximum use to participants and community will also generate joint endeavour. increased economic benefit, including job creation. It requires the partnership and commitment of all tiers of Common Ground sets out our key objectives in relation to government, cricket associations, clubs, schools, other sporting facilities provision and provides a platform for partnered action codes, business partners and community. designed to address current and future needs for the benefit of all. Local government invests a very high level of funds and resources in facilities planning, provision and maintenance to enable cricket Tony Dodemaide to be a community sport that flourishes throughout Victoria. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CRICKET VICTORIA 5 COMMON GROUND 1 THE PLAN FOUNDATIONS Common Ground has been developed by Cricket Victoria in consultation with its key stakeholders, including local governments, cricket Associations and clubs across the state. The purpose of the plan is to provide direction to facilities development in Victoria and articulate strategies for working together with our partners to deliver facilities that meet current and future needs. BASIS Current information regarding cricket participation, facilities provision, condition and usage has been collected from a wide variety of sources including: • Sport & Recreation Spatial produced by the Australian Sports Commission, Sport and Recreation Victoria and Federation STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT University (in association with sporting organisations including Common Ground builds upon goals outlined in Cricket Victoria’s Cricket Victoria). strategic plan, which has a strong focus on catering to participation • Facilities provision information supplied by local governments. growth at all levels. These goals are closely aligned with Cricket • Cricket Victoria’s annual participation census. Australia’s strategic pillars and include the following key targets: • Qualitative surveying specific to facilities provision and challenges • Ensuring all cricketers have access to appropriate facilities across the state undertaken with all local goverment authorities throughout the season, including appropriate cricket facilities and cricket Associations in Victoria for the purpose of informing in each key growth area. Common Ground planning. • Protecting & improving cricket’s facilities by increasing Analysis of this data, along with direct input from Cricket Victoria’s utilisation & partnering with government and other sports. cricket and community development staff, has produced a detailed • Growing investment in Victorian cricket. picture of the state of cricket facilities and participation in Victoria and enabled the identification of key areas of current need and future demand. 7 COMMON GROUND CRICKET VICTORIA - FACILITIES ROLE Cricket Victoria’s role in facility development includes: • Identifying areas of current and future need • Advocating and supporting an increased level of fan friendly • Ensuring provision of appropriate facilities, participation & facilities and event venues in Victoria development opportunities at all levels • Working with Cricket Australia to plan and invest in priority • Providing leadership and assistance to Victorian cricket clubs, facility projects Associations & all tiers of government in facility development • Working with all tiers of government to achieve successful • Providing guidelines for cricket facility development, in facilities development outcomes association with Cricket Australia • Identifying and developing opportunities for public/private • Promoting collaboration between clubs, Associations & all partnership tiers of government in facilities planning and investment • Promoting collaboration in planning, design and usage with government, other sports & communities • Assisting local government, clubs and Associations to access external funding opportunities As Victoria’s peak cricket body, Cricket Victoria has primary responsibility for leading, supporting and promoting facilities development 8 COMMON GROUND KEY PRINCIPLES COMMUNITY VALUE COLLABORATION The measure of successful cricket facilities is their Cricket Victoria recognises that successful facility capacity to: development can only be achieved through effective partnerships between a range of stakeholders, • meet current and future needs including all tiers of government, their agencies, other • serve and promote cricket participation sports and community groups. • provide the capacity for the development of cricket Collaborative planning of facilities is essential to: participants at all levels • ensuring that levels of investment and development • provide for and encourage social inclusion are commensurate with need, location, population • provide places for people to lead active and healthy and participation growth lives • maximising use by and benefit to community • provide the capacity for delivery of cricket’s community • undertaking sustainable development that provides programs community benefit into the long term future • continue to benefit cricket and community over the long term through environmentally sustainable design Common Ground is built on two key principles 9 COMMON GROUND 10 COMMON GROUND PURPOSE & SCOPE Common Ground is designed to underpin facility development that: • Provides an appropriate standard and level of facilities • Caters to regions and localities of high population to participants of all backgrounds, gender, age and growth and future participation growth location • Helps to protect and improve existing facilities and • Promotes participation growth and inclusion for all their usage for cricket Victorians including: • Provides appropriate playing, changing and training • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples facilities for both genders • People of all abilities • Provides for the appropriate administration of cricket • People from diverse multicultural backgrounds in all Victoria’s regions • Increases cricket’s capacity to provide for the needs of • Are financially and environmentally sustainable by participants at all levels from grassroots to elite design • Maximises the capacity for male and female cricketers to reach their potential through provision of the quality and type of facilities used at higher levels 11 COMMON GROUND 2 CRICKET IN VICTORIA PARTICIPATION LEVELS With a total of over 327,000 active participants in 2013-14, Victoria leads Australia in cricket participation and the game continues to GROWTH - 2013/2014 grow throughout the state. Since 2006-07, participation has grown by 56%. The profile of participation in Victoria is also rapidly changing, partially as a OVERALL result of new and diverse audiences being brought to cricket by the KFC T20 PARTICIPATION +15% Big Bash League. Junior participation is at a record high, with MILO T20 Blast