Council’s sporting grounds, parks, swimming facilities, halls and community spaces are some of the most important infrastructure it provides. They contribute directly to health and wellbeing, particularly for children and young people, while giving sporting clubs, schools, families and community groups places to come together.
Sport has been an important part of my own life. I am a life member of St Virgil’s Old Scholars Football Club and have been involved with football, athletics and school coaching as both a participant and supporter. That experience has shown me the enormous contribution sporting clubs make beyond what happens on the field. Clubs provide friendship, mentoring, volunteering opportunities and a sense of belonging. They connect generations and give young people positive environments in which to develop.
Council must regard well-maintained sporting and recreation facilities as core community infrastructure. That means appropriately maintaining our sporting grounds, parks and aquatic facilities and planning ahead for renewal rather than allowing assets to deteriorate until major intervention becomes unavoidable.
The same principle applies to community halls and other Council facilities. Growing up in Hobart, these places were important centres of physical and social activity. They remain just as relevant today.
Council also manages extraordinary recreational assets in Hobart’s bushland and along the river.
Walking trails, parks, reserves and foreshore areas provide opportunities for recreation without requiring formal organised sport and should be maintained accordingly.
Investment decisions will always require prioritisation because ratepayer funds are finite. For me, the test should be whether facilities provide genuine community benefit, are well used or have the potential to be well used, and represent responsible long-term investment.
These are practical services that directly affect people’s quality of life and deserve an appropriate place among Council’s priorities.