Amidst a backdrop of increasing demands on government budgets, sport and recreation facilities are being asked to become increasingly financially self-sufficient. Business plans, feasibility studies, life-cycle cost plans, design aspects, construction processes and the operational asset management of facilities are being placed under more scrutiny than ever before. This applies to both local government owned facilities and community based facilities.
The management of a facility plays a crucial role in its continued successful operation. Management planning will impact significantly on design, administrative and financial considerations and occurs in the initial concept stages of planning for a facility. The two most crucial factors in successful management are financial control and effective service delivery to ensure a smooth operation.
In order to remain relevant and to be an ongoing success, managers of recreation facilities need to plan ahead, anticipating change and modifying services accordingly. Without a management plan in place, organisations run the risk of being ineffective, vulnerable to changing trends and wasting valuable resources. A management plan is designed to deliver a project – not only during the set-up phase, but also for the lifetime of the project.
These guidelines outline the steps and considerations in the development of an effective management plan.