Recreation Services Development Review

The Shire of Northam has engaged Shane Spinks Consulting (SSC) to deliver the review of our Recreation Facilities Development Plan. The current Recreation Facilities Development Plan was developed and implemented in August 2016 addressing community needs for the period to 2031.

To ensure the continuity of the Recreation Facilities Development Plan, the Shire’s intent is to undertake a review to ensure its plan continues to align with:

1. Industry trends, and
2. Community expectations

The Review will be assessing the existing infrastructure and its utilisation and provide a strategic asset management framework that will guide any maintenance, planning, design and renewal of community recreation infrastructure that is essential to deliver the Shire’s future community vision.

With a relatively small and dispersed population and rate base, it is a challenge for the Shire of Northam to provide facilities that meet the current and future needs of its community within available resources. The Shire of Northam believes recreation and community facilities are essential in:

• The physical, social and emotional development of our community.
• Building strong, safe, connected and inclusive communities.
• Creating civic pride in the district they live.
• Contributing to economic prosperity of the district; and
• Creating positive environmental experiences and promoting the need to care for our environment.

To develop the strategy and action plan, Six key stakeholder grouping need to be consulted in the following ways;

• Selected Shire Officers
• Shire of Northam Council – briefing at a Council Strategic Meeting
• Community Working Group
• Users of the Shire’s recreation facilities and leased facilities
• Young people (below 25) involved in non-structured recreational activities
• General public – online survey.

Throughout this project; consultation with the community and sporting groups will be important in reviewing the Recreation Facilities Development Plan. To assist us with the project, we ask that all community members complete one of the below community surveys (both surveys close 23rd March)

Sporting/ User Group and Leased Facility Survey

General Public Survey

In addition to the above surveys. community workshops were advertised and held to gather further input on content.