Ratcliffe Park, Worrigee Sports and Lyrebird Park, in that order, are the three preferred sites for an aquatic facility proposed to service the community in South Nowra, Worrigee and East Nowra.
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Council's Social Infrastructure Planning Team narrowed its shortlist from six potential sites including part of Flinders Industrial Estate, Nowra High School and Shoalhaven High School after consideration of zoning law requirements, environmental constraints, existing infrastructure, and whether future strategic plans over the site existed.
Prior to the shortlisting process, Shoalhaven council had discussions with schools which revolved around building a shared facility on school grounds. Potential school sites would be managed through a memorandum of understanding with Schools Infrastructure NSW (SINSW), while sites identified on privately owned sites focused on the potential for a partnership with private enterprises - known as a Public Private Partnership (PPP).
Both Ratcliffe Park and Lyrebird Park are council owned while Worrigee Sports is owned by Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen's Club. Council said there would be potential to enter into a PPP with the Ex-Servicemen's Club at either Ratcliffe Park or Worrigee Sports.
Ratcliffe Park was determined as the first preferred site due to the following:
- It is a large lot which is seemingly underutilised community land under the ownership and management of council;
- It's in a prominent location and has easy wayfinding along key transit corridor; and
- It is in proximity to Worrigee Sports which offers existing sporting opportunities and would allow for potential discussions on a private-public partnership.
The report stated the Ratcliffe Park site would be able to accommodate a competition size facility able to cater for school carnivals, the potential provision of on-site car parking and an adjoining community facility. However, the site is an existing drainage basin, is identified as flood prone and has issues with illegal parking from dwellings with direct interface with the park.
Worrigee Sports would have similar benefits but council said it was likely only a modest indoor pool would be possible due to existing infrastructure and constraints over the site.
Council staff also said while building a development at Lyrebird Park site would provide an opportunity to increase the overall value of the park, there would also be possible impacts with consolidating existing sports infrastructure alongside issues with wayfinding, as Lyrebird Park is in a largely residential location.
Council said the suggested aquatic facility was in its early stages, therefore the suitability of a site, delivery cost, maintenance cost, and the scope of the project were undetermined.
"These factors present a risk to the formation of a PPP as these details would be required to proceed further with any proposal," council staff said.
Staff will now submit recommendations to council asking for approval to further investigate opportunities for a PPP with Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen's in regards to the Worrigee Sports proposal at Tuesday's Strategy and Assets Committee meeting.
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Liam Cormican
I'm a journalist for the South Coast Register. Got a tip? Email liam.cormican@austcommunitymedia.com.au
I'm a journalist for the South Coast Register. Got a tip? Email liam.cormican@austcommunitymedia.com.au
