Lake Macquarie Parks & Play Strategy

Lake Macquarie Parks & Play Strategy

Lake Macquarie Parks & Play Strategy

Client

Lake Macquarie City Council

Project Purpose

To develop a strategic framework for the provision, management, maintenance and promotion of parks, playground and public amenity buildings throughout the Lake Macquarie Local Government Area.

Otium’s Role

  • Research and analysis of the current situation.
  • Community and stakeholder consultation.
  • Development of vision and guiding principles for parks, play-spaces and public amenities.
  • Development of hierarchy and provision framework for parks, play-spaces and public amenities.
  • Development of action plans.
  • Development of prioritisation and implementation tools.

Project Outcomes

Development of a long-term vision and framework for the provision, enhancement and use of the parks and playspaces network. An action plan was created for the city as a whole and across the catchment areas of:

  • Belmont
  • Charlestown
  • Glendale
  • Morisset
  • Toronto.

Testimonial

“Our experience working with the Otium Planning team on our Parks & Play Strategy was great. The team were knowledgeable, motivated, professional, adaptive and really easy to work with. They delivered a great outcome and helped to make the project an enjoyable experience.”

Stephen Prince

Recreation and Land Planning Coordinator | Lake Macquarie City Council

Greater Flagstone Priority Development Area Outdoor Sports Space Study

Greater Flagstone Priority Development Area Outdoor Sports Space Study

Greater Flagstone Priority Development Area Outdoor Sports Space Study

Client

Economic Development Queensland

Project Purpose

To investigate discrepancies between Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) and Greater Flagstone developers’ overall rate of provision for sports parks and provide guidance on the future minimum standards to be met by developers.

Otium’s Role

  • Assess the current provisions/ arrangements for outdoor sports space across the Greater Flagstone PDA.
  • Prepare a comprehensive methodology and desired standards of service for the provisioning of outdoor sports space in the Greater Flagstone PDA.
  • Prepare a spatial framework to guide the staged delivery of outdoor sports space across the Greater Flagstone PDA, over the next 30 to 40 years.

Project Outcomes

  • Informed enhancements to the Infrastructure Master Plans to improve community outcomes.

Project Challenges/Key Learnings

  • ​Recommended future provision rates varied from traditional EDQ methodology – Otium’s research, benchmarking and analysis provided the evidence and rationale required to gain understanding and support.

Community Benefits

  • ​The community of Greater Flagstone will benefit from strong accessibility to and quality facility standards of sports parks.
Victoria Park Community Infrastructure Plan Review

Victoria Park Community Infrastructure Plan Review

Community Infrastructure Plan Review

Client

Town of Victoria Park

Project Purpose

To provide a conceptual framework for the delivery of social infrastructure to address current and future community needs within the Town of Victoria Park.

Otium’s Role

  • Review of current social infrastructure commitments and priorities.
  • Audit and assessment of current facilities and assets, and identification of gaps in facility and service provision.
  • Demographic review and analysis.
  • Community consultation.
  • Identify minimum standards of provision.

Project Outcomes

  • Identification of key facility requirements for the Town for the next 10 years.
  • Development of detailed recommendations for planning and implementation.

Project Challenges/Key Learnings

  • ​Alignment of recommendations within previous strategies which were still valid but had not been acted upon.
  • Identification of a prioritisation process to be incorporated within future business planning processes.
  • Provision of appropriate justification for replacement, upgrade, renewal, repurposing or disposal of community facilities in accordance with Town objectives.
Rockingham Community Infrastructure Functionality Audit Report

Rockingham Community Infrastructure Functionality Audit Report

Community Infrastructure Functionality Audit Report

Client

City of Rockingham

Project Purpose

 To undertake a community infrastructure functionality audit report on 15 of the City of Rockingham’s community buildings, including community centres, sports pavilions, tennis clubs and bowls clubs.

Otium’s Role

  • Undertake a site inspection and assessment, and review of background documentation, of each building to identify the current provision standards, level of service (against City requirements) and functionality (capability and capacity).
  • Identification of how each building or broader site could meet relative ‘fit for purpose’ criteria to inform future infrastructure needs and where relevant, highlight areas for improvement

Project Outcomes

  • ​There was a lack of data for some leased buildings, which meant that Otium was unable to assess the current usage of these facilities.
  • The project did not include consultation with key users of each building, which meant that specific recommendations relating to what changes, additions or modifications may be required could not be made.

Project Challenges/Key Learnings

  • ​Development of a functional profile for each building, including layout, dimensions, a visual record and condition, that will lead to the development of recommendations for consideration within the City’s Long-Term Financial Planning process.
  • Development of a new functional profile template for buildings and Prioritisation Assessment Matrix (PAX) for prioritisation.
Bunbury Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan

Bunbury Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan

Bunbury Parks and Playgrounds Action Plan

Client

City of Bunbury

Project Purpose

To develop a long-term strategic framework to guide the provision, management, design, hierarchy, accessibility and renewal of parks and playgrounds across the City. The project sought to ensure that future investment was informed by community needs, demographic change, accessibility requirements, contemporary play trends and long-term asset management considerations.

Otium’s Role

Our work on this project included:

  • Review of the strategic planning context and relevant Council policies.
  • Demographic and future population growth analysis.
  • Community and stakeholder engagement, including surveys and online mapping.
  • Assessment of existing parks and playgrounds.
  • Development of a parks and playground hierarchy framework. « Catchment and accessibility analysis.
  • Review of contemporary trends in play, inclusion and park planning.
  • Development of service standards and amenity guidelines.
  • Identification of future playground upgrades, relocations and new playspace opportunities.
  • Preparation of a prioritised 10-year implementation plan and capital works program.

Project Outcomes

The project delivered a comprehensive action plan that established a clear hierarchy for parks and playgrounds, assessed accessibility across the municipality and identified future investment priorities. Key outcomes included:

  • Development of a local, neighbourhood, district and regional hierarchy framework.
  • Catchment analysis of parks and playgrounds across the municipality.
  • Identification of gaps in provision and future priorities.
  • Accessibility and inclusion considerations incorporated into future planning.
  • A long-term playground renewal and replacement program.
  • Prioritised actions to improve amenity, accessibility, shade and user experience.
  • A strategic framework to guide future decision-making and investment in parks and playgrounds. implementation plan and capital works program.