The need for a new indoor sports centre will be discussed by Redland City Council at its general meeting on Wednesday.
Also on the agenda for this meeting are:
- A property strategy
- A proposed Redlands Coast Events Strategy 2024-2029
- New leases for Lions Club, Girl Guides and Connect 2 Group
- Cr Julie Talty’s proposal to double Council funding for her Mount Cotton Christmas Party, to $24,000
- Cr Rowanne McKenzie’s proposal to integrate $50,000 of public art spending with Council’s priority precincts and projects.
Six councillors block Indoor Sports Centre at July meeting
Two months ago, Mayor Jos Mitchell proposed that the Council’s Chief Executive Officer prepare a briefing for Council on the potential for developing a multi-sports complex facility, including options for securing state and federal funding support.
The Mayor’s proposed resolution was lost 5/6 with councillors Peter Mitchell, Shane Rendalls, Julie Talty, Rowanne McKenzie, Tracey Huges and Jason Colley voting against the motion. No good reasons were offered for this oppositional behaviour.
Community reaction to this negative behaviour was scathing. Various comments to a Redlands2030’s Facebook post, included:
- “Vindictive is the first word that comes to mind!”
- “their voting record is a disgrace and definitely not in the best interest of the redlands residents”
- “We NEED the sports facility. We Don’t need the water facility. Simple!”
- “6 Councillors appear intent on their own agenda of a White Water Facility which has limited appeal within their community for a number of reasons. However, when these same 6 are asked to support an investigation into the possibility of a facility that would be useful to many ages and skill bases across community members and also flagged by a notably larger percentage within the community as being a priority for them as opposed to the White Water Facility they refuse to vote to look into it. They are supposed to be serving their community, that is, what the majority of constituents want, not themselves and a minority with vested interest”.
Council officers now propose planning for indoor sports centre
Council officers have now prepared a well-written report which seeks “endorsement for preliminary planning works to be undertaken by Council in relation to the feasibility of indoor sport facilities for Redlands Coast”.
This report explains that “Compared to other local government areas, Redlands has a notable shortfall in meeting desired standards of service for indoor sports facilities and lacks a contemporary indoor sports facility”.
Such a facility could meet “rising demand for court space for sports such as basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and futsal, as well as increased female participation and a desire for year-round training in climate-controlled environments”.
Councillors are advised by officers that there is “an immediate need to prioritise at least one indoor sports facility for the Redlands Coast, ideally with a minimum of six courts”, and a long term need for 19 courts by 2041.
Cleveland Showgrounds and Pinklands are identified as suitable Council owned sites for a new indoor sports facility, if Touch Football and Rugby League relocate to proposed new facilities at Heinemann Road in Mount Cotton.
The Heinemann Road project has experienced significant delays while the Council seeks Federal Government environmental approvals for clearing hundreds of koala trees, so at this stage the Council is expecting that Touch Football will remain at Cleveland Showgrounds for approximately four years and Rugby League will remain at Pinklands for five years.
Completion of a new indoor sport facility will typically take five to six years in total, as explained in this Council figure:
The report cites examples of indoor sports centre projects undertaken by other local councils in southeast Queensland:
- Moreton Bay spent $14.5 million expanding an existing facility from two to five courts, completed 2021
- Moreton Bay will be getting a new 12 court Olympic Venue facility in 2028 – estimated cost is $205 million
- Gold Coast got an eight court facility for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, at a cost of about $35 million
Officers are now seeking Council endorsement of two substantive actions to address Redlands’ lack of indoor sports facilities:
- investigate opportunities for a new indoor sports facility to be established in Redlands Coast as a legacy outcome in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and
- development of an Indoor Sports Facility Action Plan for the Redlands Coast identifying priority locations, funding requirements and opportunities for refurbishing existing facilities to obtain a minimum of six indoor courts.
It will be interesting to see what level of support this officers’ report gets from elected councillors, on Wednesday.
Events Strategy
The proposed Events Strategy claims that “attracting tourism through events is important to the local economy”.
We are told that a day visitor to Redlands “brings $121 per person per day” and an overnight visitor spends $203 per person per night, according to March 2024 figures sourced from Tourism Research Australia.
Apparently the 13,000+ people attending the Cleveland Caravan, Camping, Boating and 4 x 4 Expo next weekend will provide $1.5 million of benefit to Redlands. It would be interesting to find out the assumptions and methods used to estimate these claimed benefits.
The Event Strategy is largely focused on economic benefits, but notes that there are also community events which aim to deliver social benefits also. Examples cited by in the proposed strategy include: RedFest, Heritage and Harmony Fiesta, Coochie Beach Markets, Bayview Blast, Mt Cotton Christmas, and Christmas by the Bay.
Priority sectors identified in the proposed Events Strategy include Sport, Creative Arts and Nature and Wildlife.
There’s no mention of the Welcome Back Shorebirds event which will be held again on Sunday 13 October 2024.
The Event Strategy flags the concept of a “Signature Destination Event” the Redlands Coast Adventure Festival:
Held over two weekends, with one major event delivered by Council and a compilation of other events, including active and outdoors participation sporting events showcasing the bay, islands, mountains and conservation reserves, such as mountain biking, hikes, kayaking, surfing, stand up paddle boarding, canoeing, sailing, rogaining and triathlons.
It seems that the Council is still confused about the purpose of its conservation reserves which should be quiet places with minimal visitation to conserve nature and wildlife.
Property Strategy 2024-2044
Also on Wednesday, officers are asking the Council to approve a Property Strategy 2024-2044 which is intended to “improve the way Council holds and manages its property assets”.
The proposed strategy (item 15.4) includes a diagram (shown below) which emphasises the importance of proper planning and analysis in the acquisition and management of Council property.
If such discipline had been in place some years ago, Council might not have spent million of ratepayers’ dollars on properties which serves no obvious purpose. For example the $3 million spend on land at Cleveland Point, the purchase of retail premises in Bloomfield Street across the road from Redland City Council’s offices, and Heinemann Road which cost $7 million.
Meeting details
The Council meeting is on Wednesday 18 September, commencing at 9:30am.
You can attend in person but limited seating is available in the Council Chamber – only 12 seats are available to the public.
You can watch the meeting livestreamed on YouTube.
Here is a link to the meeting agenda which includes officers reports (except for items which are listed as closed session items).