April 30, 2018
The South Burnett Regional Council is seeking public feedback on a 10-year Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Plan that will define the future of parks in Kingaroy, Nanango, Wondai and many smaller towns in the region.
The draft plan also makes recommendations for “rationalising” sport and recreation facilities, ie. selling or downgrading, due to the region’s limited population growth and Council’s financial constraints.
Parks and recreational facilities that have been earmarked for “rationalising” include:
- Adermann and Carew parks in Kingaroy
- Green Park, Mt Stanley Road Park and part of Autumn Park in Nanango
- Parkside Park and Grant Crescent Park in Wondai
- Wooroolin and Proston tennis courts
- Hivesville cricket oval; and
- The tennis courts adjacent to Proston Showgrounds
Tingoora’s cricket oval may also face the axe, depending on the outcome of a Master Plan, to be developed in conjunction with Gympie Regional Council, for the “Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail”.
Other recommendations include:
- Moving Kingaroy’s Youth Park to Rotary Park
- Moving the dirt BMX pump track from Butter Factory Park in Nanango to Pioneer Park and upgrading the existing skate park
- Carrying out a structural investigation of the region’s public swimming pools to determine future options, and
- Removing playgrounds from Apex Park in Kumbia and First Settlers Park at Benarkin
“Priority” actions include:
- Developing a Master Plan (Development Plan) for the Kilkivan to Kingaroy Rail Trail (KKRT)
- Developing Master Plans for Bjelke-Petersen Dam (Lake Barambah) and Lake Boondooma
- Reviewing the location and type of tourist attraction and drive signs across the region and developing a detailed plan for replacement and upgrade
- Collaborating with WBBROC to develop a walking trails network across the region and related promotion including print, online, and potentially a digital application
- Supporting the South Burnett Mountain Bike Club’s efforts to develop mountain bike trails at McEuen Forest and formalising a mountain bike trail connection with the KKRT, and
- Establishing improved access to the Ficks Crossing waterway (eg. floating pontoon) to allow for fishing and non-motorised boat access
“Where parks are undeveloped, are poorly located, are attracting regular anti-social behaviour and/or are not providing recreation opportunities desired by the nearby catchment, opportunities may exist to rationalise the land,” the report says.
“Depending on the land tenure, this may include re-purposing as an alternate use, ‘planting out’ with trees to reduce maintenance, sale of land or returning the land to the State.”
Mayor Keith Campbell said the goal of the draft plan was to create a strategic network of sport and recreation parks across the South Burnett to meet the needs of the community as it developed and changed over the next 10 years.
“We want a network that can be sustainably managed to a standard encouraging active use by residents and visitors,” the Mayor said.
The Draft Sport and Recreation Infrastructure and Strategic Plan is available for community feedback from April 30 until May 25 (see below).
One-on-one consultations – not public meetings – to discuss the draft plan will be held between May 20-22 in Kingaroy, Nanango, Murgon, Wondai, Blackbutt and Proston.
Meeting times and venues will be advised by Council closer to the dates.
External link:
The plan to move the Youth Park into the present Rotary Park comes as a disappointment to Rotary.
We had held discussions with the council several months ago for the installation of disability play equipment in the park as well as a possible future sensory garden for the sight-impaired and children with ADHD problems.
At that meeting they were happy for our project to proceed given that it was to be funded by Rotary.
We believe the two activities are not compatible when a peaceful and quiet atmosphere is aimed for.
A skate park will take up a big area of the existing park and leave very little for expansion for the purposes of including the less-fortunate sector of our community in community activities in the South Burnett.
– Ray Pitt, Kingaroy Rotary Club
Are they aware the Autumn Park in Nanango was an old dip yard and was made into a park because of contamination?
Also before amalgamation, Nanango was one of the fastest growing towns in Qld. The reason we are so slow growing is because the rates are so high. It stops a lot of people moving here. Also the council do not encourage people.
Before amalgamation, if we had someone looking to buy land and build you would send them down to talk to the building inspector or even take them down and introduce them to him or staff from his section and they would come back aware of the process and happy to go ahead. If they were talking development, you would take them introduce them to the CEO, ring the Mayor who would come in and try and see how they could help.
Now you may as well just show them the highway. They are all too important to help anyone.
Which park is the proposed new location for the skate park? Seems the consultants are talking about the Lions and Rotary parks as though they are the same location or interchangeable? Neither are fit for purpose for several reasons and both would involve a large cost.
Very disappointing that the consultants didn’t contact CTC who currently keep an eye on the Youth Park (voluntarily and free of charge). They might have learned some details worth considering before making their suggestions.
re: Carew park. If the Council is looking to the future, then to remove an existing public facility is not a good use of public funds. This park is in an area of fairly new houses and units and a long way from the next park. It is disappointing to see that there has been very little done there to provide facilities for families e.g. play equipment, water etc. but with a little effort that could be changed. Carew Park is also a reminder of the pioneering history of Kingaroy. Bev Yates