Consultation

Gosford and Wyong Council undertook an extensive consultation process which involved:

• Presentations to Gosford City Council and Wyong Shire Council.
• LGA Sporting Clubs & Associations meetings – 3 August 2006
• Follow up Sporting Associations meeting – 16 August 2006
• Public School Principals forum (Primary & Secondary) presentation – 21 August 2006
• Follow up meeting with Primary schools – scheduled 10 November 2006
• Mail out to independent schools
• Draft SMS forwarded to Sport Associations and Referees Associations for comment.
• Draft SMS presented at Gosford City Sports Council meeting 6 October 2006
• Consultation with NSW Statewide Mutual
• Strategy / Policy meeting WSC and GCC

Implementation Strategy

The implementation of the SMS involved a number of initiatives:-

• Sportsground Evaluation Sheet (Hardness, Turf Cover, Instability & Unevenness) used by Council maintenance staff to measure ground suitability for training and competition
• Clegg Hammer is a tool developed to give specific ground hardness measurements
• User Group Communication Strategy outlines how the SMS and reduction strategies will be communicated to sportsground users.
• Information sheet "Reducing Wear and Maintaining Playing Fields" to be provided to all sportsground users to help reduce wear on playing field surfaces
• List of suitable alternate training fields to reduce load on sportsgrounds
• Irrigation audit to maximise any alternate water sources made available to water grounds
• Reviewed mow lengths to reduce wear
• Continued alternate water and water saving investigations

Sporting Groups Strategy

The following are the reduction strategies for sporting groups listed in order of introduction according to trigger points relating to hardness, unevenness, stability, grass coverage and enforced water restriction level:-

1. Cancellation out of season competitions
2. No pre season training on sportsgrounds
3. Relocation of training to open / passive areas, alternate training venues (indoor centres, school grounds, beaches etc)
4. Reduction of training nights on grounds
5. Relocation of training from deteriorating fields to fields that can cope or with alternate water sources
6. Review duration of season to increase recovery time / renovation time
7. Cancellation of training on fields most affected
8. Closure of fields for Senior Competition once conditions have deteriorated (in consultation with Risk Manager)
9. Closure of fields for Junior Competition once conditions have deteriorated (in consultation with Risk Manager)

Consultation with occur with the relevant associations and / or clubs directly affected by reduction strategies.

Schools Strategy

The following is the reduction strategies for school use listed in order of introduction according to trigger points relating to hardness, unevenness, stability, grass coverage and enforced water restriction level:-

1. Continue to pursue "Community Use and Development" of school facilities on the Central Coast
2. Relocation of activities to open / passive areas, alternate training venues (indoor centres)
3. Reduction of Gala Days
4. Reduction of inter school competitions
5. Reduction of use for weekly school sport
6. Closure of sportsgrounds during school hours

Review Timeframe

• Continual monitoring of all grounds including grounds with restricted use or closed.
• Intervention works, if required, will be staged to minimise user group disruption
• Intervention works not possible field may move to next reduction strategy or trigger point

Further Information

If you require any further information please contact your sporting club / association or refer to the full version of the Sportsground Management Strategy (PDF File, 162.9kb) from the public studies and strategies section of our web site or telephone Council on (02) 4325 8486.