Output 8.4 Sport and Recreation

Overview

The directorate was responsible for the management and planning of Government sporting facilities and the delivery of targeted programs and professional development training for the ACT sporting community. It also supported local athletes to reach their potential through the ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS). The directorate worked with the sport and recreation industry and local organisations to provide quality participation opportunities for the community; and deliver against the Active 2020 Strategic Plan.

Highlights

Against this output in 2015-16 the directorate:

  • delivered Connecting and Building Recreation; A Vision for the Territory which encourages greater engagement of Canberra residents and visitors in active recreation and play and is supported by a suite of guiding principles and a range of activators including reinvigoration of a Recreation User Group in partnership with Territory and Municipal Services, participation in a national project to develop Australian Adventure Activity Standards and groundwork for Natureplay CBR as a new recreation initiative for the ACT Government;
  • provided training to 440 representatives from the sport and recreation sector in the areas of governance, fundraising, volunteer management, member protection, managing assets, and resilience for officials through a series of free online webinars covering topics of governance, fundraising, social media and communication;
  • provided education sessions on Working with Vulnerable People, the Future of Australian Sports Governance as well as guidelines for local clubs on best practice for inclusion of transgender and intersex participants;
  • provided ACTAS scholarship holders with performance support in areas including sports science, coaching, strength and conditioning, psychology and sports medicine;
  • identified 106 athletes under Australia’s Winning Edge categories between emerging international through  to podium potential;
  • provided Training Grants to a total value of $80,000 to support local prospective Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the lead up to the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games;
  • provided a range of quality facilities across the ACT to support physical activity participation with significant resources allocated in 2015-16 to continue the upgrade of playing surfaces, irrigation systems and amenities, including floodlight maintenance;
  • surveyed visitors to District Playing Fields, Enclosed Ovals and Neighbourhood Ovals in 2015-16, with 87 per cent of respondents satisfied with the overall management of these sportsgrounds;
  • completed and opened a new community recreation park in Franklin;
  • recorded over 800,000 visits to the five ACT Government public swimming pools, Lakeside Leisure Centre, Canberra Olympic Pool, Dickson Aquatic Centre, Manuka Swimming Pool and Gungahlin Leisure Centre;
  • surveyed visitors to the pools, finding that 85 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the overall experience, management and quality of the facilities;
  • completed renovation works at the Lakeside Leisure Centre (LLC) including concourse re-tiling and change room upgrades as well as completing the Tuggeranong Water Play Park within the LLC;
  • commenced early design works on a new $33 million 50 metre pool at Stromlo Forest Park, with construction of the pool expected to commence in 2017 for completion in 2019;
  • completed, in partnership with Netball ACT, upgrades at the Calwell and Lyneham District netball facilities with court re-surfacing, installation of new floodlighting and fencing undertaken;
  • completed an Indoor Sports Facility Study to guide the Territory on any future considerations of indoor sport facility provision, which provides eight recommendations including better usage of existing facilities located within ACT Government schools, with a working group formed by SRS and the Education Directorate identifying a number of schools where minor facility improvements will create additional access opportunities for sport and recreation organisations;
  • supported Volleyball ACT to deliver the new Lyneham Beach Facility as a new sporting asset for the Territory;
  • delivered for the first time the ACT Sport Hall of Fame, following the wind up of ACTSPORT as the industry body previously responsible for the event;
  • assumed responsibility for the dedicated community sport tenancy space within the University of Canberra Sporting Commons;
  • implemented the new Public Pools Act 2015 to establish a modern administrative framework to support management practices for Territory owned public pools;
  • completed a new pavilion and car parking at the restored Weetangera Neighbourhood Oval;
  • distributed more than $2.7 million in community grants for projects including $1.6 million in operational support to the sector and specific funding for projects such as:
    • the implementation of Jack Attack program by Bowls ACT to attract a new audience to the sport;
    • a new high jump mat for Calwell Little Athletics; and
    • a replacement equipment trailer for Hall Pony Club;
  • continued supporting facility repairs and maintenance through the Asset Repair and Maintenance Scheme, with six individual organisations receiving funding in 2016, including:
    • $250,000 to Hockey ACT for synthetic field carpet replacement;
    • $60,000 to the Companion Dog Club for a replacement irrigation system for their training area; and
    • $14,000 to the Canberra Rifle Club for a new equipment shed;
  • launched the PE Pulse website in collaboration with industry and government partners to provide a one-stop shop for teachers and schools in seeking resource support to enhance the delivery of physical education in ACT schools to encourage healthy, active lifestyles;
  • developed, in partnership with the Australian Sports Commission and School Sport ACT, the Just Play program which has provided participation and school representation opportunity for children of all levels of ability;
  • worked in close partnership with the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body and an appointed Interim Advisory Group in response to the wind down of operations of the Aboriginal Corporation for Sport and Recreation Activities, focusing on establishing a vision and securing the long term future of Boomanulla Oval under indigenous management, as a valued facility to benefit the local indigenous community; and
  • delivered the sport and recreation component of the Federal Indigenous Advancement Strategy Grants in the ACT, providing direct support and strategic assistance to the ongoing delivery of physical activity opportunities for the local indigenous community.

The directorate met one out of four targets against this output, with one exceeded and two not met. (a) Number of nationally identified priority athletes supported by the ACT Academy of Sport was exceeded target with an extra six ACTAS scholarship athletes supported across seven Squad programs and Individual Athlete Program in 2015-16. The two targets not met were:

  • b Percentage of customers satisfied with the management of sportsgrounds, where the target was set on the basis of the 2014-15 outcome which included the category ‘not dissatisfied’ as part of the survey. The survey methodology was amended in 2015-16 and this administrative change resulted in a minus eight per cent variance to the outcome as result of this amendment.
  • c Percentage of customers satisfied with management of aquatic centres, where the June Quarter satisfaction was down to 70 per cent, bringing the annual result down to 85 per cent against a target of 93 per cent.

Future Direction

In 2016-17, the directorate will:

  • deliver Nature Play CBR as a promotional tool and key activity to encourage Canberrans and visitors to be more engaged in active recreation with better connection and use of sporting amenities, play spaces and our natural areas;
  • complete planning and detailed design and commencement of construction of the Stage 2 Upgrade of Narrabundah Ballpark;
  • continue work on upgrade to Phillip Oval to accommodate administration and development of cricket and AFL;
  • progress design works on a 50 metre pool at Stromlo Forest Park;
  • continue, in partnership with the Education Directorate, work towards completion of a new synthetic football pitch at Melrose High School;
  • continue, with industry partners, the activation of the PE Pulse Network and website to build teacher capacity and support the delivery of physical education in ACT Schools;
  • continue working with the Education Directorate to increase opportunities for community access to ACT Government school indoor sport facilities;
  • continue delivery of the sport and recreation component of the Federal Indigenous Advancement Strategy Grants in the ACT;
  • transition ACTAS operations to the Australia Institute of Sport campus to consolidate an ongoing partnership with the national high performance sport network and Australia’s Winning Edge philosophy as a new Olympic and Paralympic four year cycle commences.

For further information contact:

Jeff House
Deputy Director-General
Enterprise Canberra
+61 2 6207 7279
Jeff.House@act.gov.au

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