Berri Barmera Council Open Space Strategy

The aim is to provide a strategic framework for the Council to manage, maintain, enhance and develop its open space and associated recreational facilities, for the benefit of residents and visitors alike. The Strategy In general Berri is well serviced by open space and recommendations within the Strategy focus mainly on upgrading and improvement of facilities. The Berri Barmera Council has already identified several land use changes to facilitate the provision of improved recreation facilities through the sale and acquisition of land. The primary actions outside of this relate to upgrading of facilities in existing open space areas and investigating mechanisms for improved access and circulation. Diversity The community has a diverse range of needs for informal recreation, as well as structured sporting activities. The open space needs of the community will be best served by providing a range of different types of open space and developing parks and reserves to complement each other, rather than duplicating the experiences provided by each. Diversity and quality of open space is the key issue for Berri and most of the recommendations looked at improvements to existing areas. Equity of Distribution and Access The community has a right to equal access to open space. A range of open space facilities should be located within appropriate distances from residents and be readily available and easily accessed. People within the community who are “mobility disadvantaged”, namely children, older people, people with disabilities and those without private vehicles must appropriately be catered for. Adequate facilities and good street connections for walking and cycling with appropriate linkages to open spaces need to be provided. Flexibility The needs of the community will change over time, and Council should be flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the community they serve. Open space facilities also need to be flexible, balancing the needs of the community for informal and unstructured recreation areas against more traditional formal sporting activities.