Indoor Sports Facilities Feasibility Study

The Indoor Sports Facilities Feasibility Study 2020 (Feasibility Study) provides evidence and strategic directions for Council on the future planning and provision of indoor sports facilities. The Feasibility Study focuses predominantly on indoor sports courts that are currently being used or will be required by Brimbank residents and sporting clubs in the future. The needs of key users of indoor sporting facilities such as basketball, netball, badminton, volleyball, table tennis and futsal have been considered to support recommendations. The Community Facilities and Reserves Allocation Policy (Major Policy) 2014 and Operational Guidelines provide guidelines to make sure everyone has fair and equitable access to facilities for clubs and community groups within Brimbank. Brimbank City Council recognises the critical role that sport plays in the community and takes its responsibility for encouraging healthy and active participation seriously. Council is committed to supporting both formal and informal sport and recreation activities and understands the physical and social value these activities bring to their local communities. Council demonstrates this through their continued and sustained facility investment and commitment to supporting participation growth and sport development opportunities. Development of an Indoor Sports Facilities Feasibility Study was a key recommendation in Council’s 2018 Sports Facility Development Plan. Council identified a gap in the current provision of indoor sports facilities and a need to undertake detailed investigation into preferred options for future development. There are currently seven Council owned and managed indoor sports courts located within the City of Brimbank – six at the Keilor Basketball Netball Stadium and one at the West Sunshine Community Centre. There are also several school courts being used by Brimbank sporting clubs. With the city’s population expected to reach 220,000 by the end of 2029, the current provision of indoor courts falls short of what is required to service an active and growing community. Local clubs are relying on access to schools, university and private facilities to meet their demands for training and competition. As such it is important to consider these facilities within the existing supply of indoor courts, however the long-term community use and access to non-Council facilities is not guaranteed. This project will identify the number and location of indoor sports facilities Brimbank City Council will require in the future.