Next step taken in park redevelopment

Blueprint for Blue Lake Sports Park makeover endorsed by City of Mount Gambier

City of Mount Gambier has endorsed the Blue Lake Sports Park Master Plan. The high level document provides a road map for future development at the site, informed by the Sport, Recreation and Open Spaces Strategy (SROSS), current and future participation trends, sporting compliance and feedback from the community and key stakeholders.

The Blue Lake Sports Park is a significant multipurpose site for sport and recreation in Mount Gambier. Council worked with Outerspace Landscape Architects and InsideEDGE Sport and Leisure Planning to develop a master plan for the area in consultation with site users and the community.

City of Mount Gambier general manager city infrastructure Barbara Cernovskis said Mount Gambier had a strong sport and recreation culture, and this plan aimed to future proof the facilities, deliver environmentally sustainable outcomes and develop the park as a destination with which the wider community can engage.

“We received 65 submissions as part of the community consultation process for the plan and the overwhelming majority indicated a preference for option 2, a ‘community precinct’ which considers the park’s holistic role in the provision of open space and sporting infrastructure in the city and its important role for our community,” Ms Cernovskis said.

The plan incorporates and balances the recommendations of SROSS with the needs and desires of existing tenants and key users, while addressing the current constraints and shortfalls identified at the site.

“We want to make sure our spaces are fit for purpose and flexible in their use. We need better connections between sporting activities and off field activities in the park and would like to encourage wider engagement in the area,” Ms Cernovskis said.

“The master plan places an emphasis on shared multipurpose use including a centralised hub for football, netball, cricket and other users of the main ovals, as well as a strong focus on improved spectator participation and facilities.”

The master plan includes repurposing several of the existing buildings, enhancing the park’s amenities with external plazas/ nodes for spectators and food trucks, car parks, a shared use trail and a play space. In addition, the plan also includes upgrading/new facilities that accommodate the extensive amount of sporting clubs and user groups across the park to meet both current and future needs of the community.

Shared facilities will be designed to create connections and equal access, such as playing surfaces, bigger zones, and off field amenities like fitness tracks/exercise nodes to encourage wider engagement across the site.

Council will commence an implementation planning process which will include the development of a shared funding plan so that grant funding Next step taken in park redevelopment opportunities for the development of the Blue Lake Sports Park can be pursued in the future.

“Having this master plan prepared for the area means that we are ready to progress when a funding opportunity presents itself,” Ms Cernovskis said.

“It is important to note that this master plan is not a development commitment by Council and it doesn’t indicate priority over other current or future strategic initiatives or developments. The development of a staged governance model and detailed designs will be key projects outlined in the master plan’s implementation plan.”

View the Blue Lake Sports Park Master Plan at Have Your Say Mount Gambier

MASTERPLAN ENDORSED: The strategic direction for the Blue Lake Sports Park has been set following the endorsement of the Blue Lake Sports Park Master Plan: West Gambier Hockey Club’s Brayden Burston; South Gambier Football Club’s Darren Sims; Mount Gambier Cycling Club’s Damien Buckley; Mount Gambier Softball League’s Di Humphries and hockey & softball star Dana Jones