Holroyd City Council - 2016-17 Pre-Budget

Holroyd City Council
PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION 2016-2017
2016-2017- PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION
GRANT FUNDS FOR REGIONAL AQUATIC WELLNESS CENTRES
Introduction
Holroyd City Council has recently adopted a masterplan for the Holroyd Regional Aquatic Wellness
Centre (HRAWC) in Merrylands, NSW and is seeking National and State Government grants to assist
with its construction.
The substantial economic, social, health and safety benefits of such facilities are well documented
and understood1. However, the supply of such facilities falls well short of demand in many of the
nation’s regions, including Sydney’s West Central Region (comprising Holroyd City as well as Auburn,
Bankstown, Blacktown, Parramatta and The Hills Councils).
This submission provides a case for maintaining or increasing expenditure on regional assistance
programs (such as the National Stronger Regions Fund) or other programs of relevance to assisting
the construction of indoor aquatic and wellness centres in general and the HRAWC in particular.
Problem/Issue
The key problem is the insufficiency of modern indoor aquatic and wellness centres in many parts of
Australia, including Sydney’s West Central Region.
The West Central Region comprised a population of 1.037 million in 2011 and is forecast to grow to
1.516 million by 2031. The Region has 15 swimming or aquatic leisure centres.
Twelve (12) of these facilities2 are essentially traditional outdoor facilities built between 1960 and
the mid 1980’s. These facilities are nearing the end of their economically useful lives, are expensive
to maintain and are not capable of fully meeting contemporary aquatic, wellness and fitness needs.
The other three facilities3 are modern and are more aligned to contemporary needs but are not well
distributed in the region, being all located within Blacktown City Council.
The provision of these facilities in the West Central Region is low on a planning benchmark basis.
According to benchmarks for swimming pools4, for example, the requirement is for around twenty
three 50m (or equivalent) pools for the current population, growing to thirty 50m equivalent pools
by 20315. As indicated, the existing provision falls well short of these requirements.
This is a particular problem in Sydney’s West due to relative levels of disadvantage (as evident in the
low SEIFA scores and a large number of other indicators6) and the consequent importance of access
to low cost, locally-based sport and recreation opportunities.
1
See, for example John Tower et al, 2014, Community Benefits of Victorian Aquatic and Recreation Centres, Victoria University
Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre (Auburn Council); Merrylands Swim Centre, Guildford Swim Centre, Wentworthville Swim Centre (Holroyd
City Council); Parramatta Swim Centre, Granville Swim Centre (Parramatta City Council); Waves Fitness and Aquatic Centre (The Hills Shire
Council); Birrong Leisure Centre, Max Parker Leisure and Aquatic Centre, Greenacre Leisure Centre (Bankstown City Council); Riverstone
Swim Centre, Mount Druitt Swim Centre (Blacktown City Council)
3
Blacktown Leisure Centre, Blacktown Aquatic Centre, Emerton Leisure Centre (Blacktown City Council)
4
See, for example, Benchmarks for Community Infrastructure, a PLA WA Working Document, Mar 2012; Australian Social & Recreation
Research, 2008, Planning for Community Infrastructure in Growth Areas
5
Based on 20m2 of water space per thousand population, or one 50m pool equivalent (1,000m2) per 50,000 population
6
Including family vulnerability, high unemployment, low incomes, high levels of obesity, high hospitalisation rates, high crime rates,
developmental vulnerability in young children etc
2
Councils’ Responses to the Issue
Several Councils in the West Central Region (Holroyd City, Parramatta City, Bankstown City and
Auburn Council) have recently investigated the feasibility of upgrading and/or replacing the older
facilities with contemporary facilities (such as those provided in Blacktown City).
Most recently, in May 2015, Holroyd City Council completed a feasibility study on the development
of the Holroyd Regional Aquatic Wellness Centre (HRAWC), comprising an indoor 50m pool,
combined leisure/learn to swim pool, warm water program pool/spa, water play/splash pad, indoor
gym, 3 group fitness rooms, wellness studios, waterslides and outdoor 50 pool.
Council adopted the masterplan proposal in principle (at its meeting of 26 May 2015) subject to
successful grant applications (for $20M of the total budget of $50M for Stage 1) and the availability
of all other funding sources.
Despite the evidence-based need identified in the HRAWC feasibility study and other studies
undertaken in the Region, Councils have lacked the financial capacity to undertake the projects on
their own. They require additional assistance but there have been insufficient Federal and NSW
Government grant programs to assist in building the needed infrastructure.
With respect to Australian Government grants, it is acknowledged that the National Stronger Regions
Fund (NSRF) provides a substantial opportunity to fund up to 20-30% of the costs of major
infrastructure such as aquatic wellness facilities.
It appears, however, that the NSRF has a prime focus on regional, non-urban priorities. In Round 2 of
the program, 111 of the 112 successful grant applications were from non-urban Councils and
community organisations.
Holroyd City unsuccessfully sought funding under Round 2 of the NSRF for the Holroyd Regional
Aquatic Wellness Centre and intends to seek funding under Round 3 (which closes in March 2016).
The Solution
The recommended solution to addressing this problem of insufficient provision of contemporary
aquatic, wellness centres in Sydney’s West is threefold, namely:
1)
2)
3)
Maintain/expand relevant funding programs – such as the NSRF
Ensure equity of funding distribution between urban and non-urban regions
Recognise the particular social diversity and health needs of Sydney’s West
Council’s require the support of Federal and State Governments (and other partners) to build large
sophisticated facilities such as Aquatic Wellness Centres.
However, the NSW Government’s sport and recreation policy is currently focussed on elite,
international level stadia projects and has no fund to support community-based aquatic projects.
It is therefore imperative that programs such as the NSRF be continued or replaced by other suitable
assistance programs.
It is also important that there is equity of distribution of available grant funds between urban and nonurban populations, particularly given that many urban populations (such as Sydney’s West, as
indicated above) have a range of well-documented economic and social disadvantages.
These disadvantages can be addressed, in part, through the provision of low cost, local and year-round
indoor aquatic and leisure facilities that cater to the needs of a broad cross-section of the population.
The Solution is in Alignment with National Sport, Recreation and Health Policies
The proposed solutions for addressing gaps and shortfalls in the provision of contemporary aquatic,
wellness and indoor recreation facilities in Sydney’s West are consistent with Australian Government
health and sports policy – as articulated in Play Sport Australia, the National Sport and Active
Recreation Framework, and the Department of Health (Office of Sport) Sports Participation Policy.
Play Sport Australia
Play Sport Australia is the Australian Government’s blueprint for increasing sports participation.
The Plan aims to increase the attractiveness of ‘playing sport’ in order to reverse the increasingly
sedentary lifestyles of both young and old Australians.
The Plan is underpinned by the recognition that “more relevant sporting products will help attract
more people to sport and keep them playing sport. Our research is telling us sports need to develop or
adapt their products to cater for the more socially oriented participant. These new products will be
less about competition and more focused on playing for fun, flexible timing, fitness and with friends”7.
The broad strategies for achieving higher participation include improved understanding of sports
trends and issues, promoting life-long participation through a focus on young people and the
strengthening of national sporting organisations.
Two of these broad strategies (i.e. those on life-long participation and stronger sporting organisations)
require, for success, a diverse and adequate facilities base.
With respect to this, indoor aquatic and wellness centres are of particular importance due to their
potential to provide for both informal and formal participation all-year and across a broad range of
sports (including swimming, life-saving, water polo, aerobics, netball, basketball, futsal, volleyball,
gymnastics and table tennis) on a relatively small space footprint.
National Sport and Active Recreation Framework (2011)
The framework guides the development of government public policy programs for the Australian sport
and active recreation sectors. It comprises 14 objectives (within seven priority areas) for
intergovernmental collaboration.
One of the objectives is to “support participation through well planned, designed and managed
facilities and open space”.
With respect to this objective, indoor aquatic wellness and recreation centres in Australia have an
excellent track record in planning, design and management excellence and in supporting very high
levels of visitation and participation in both structured and informal sport and active recreation8.
7
Australian Sports Commission, Mar 2015, Play Sport Australia, page 7
See, for example, Centre for Tourism and Leisure Management, University of SA, Operational Management Benchmarks for Australian
Public Sport, Leisure and Aquatic Centres, annual benchmark reports; John Tower et al, 2014, Community Benefits of Victorian Aquatic and
Recreation Centres, Victoria University
8
As such, the further development of such facilities is fully aligned with a key objective of the National
Sport and Active Recreation Framework.
Office of Sport – Participation Policy
As highlighted on the Office for Sport’s web page, the “Australian Government is committed to
enhancing and promoting community sport and, through it, to building healthy and active Australian
communities”.
Consistent with this goal, the Office works with the Australian Sports Commission, other Australian
Government agencies, the States and Territories, academia and other stakeholders to support
increased participation in sport.
Specifically, the Office for Sport supports the ASC to implement its new participation strategy, Play
Sport Australia, and assists national sporting organisations to encourage community-based sporting
activity and to increase participation.
Clearly, ‘community-based sporting activity’ can only be encouraged (by the Office for Sport and
national sporting organisations) if there are sufficient sport and recreation facilities, of the right
type, at the community level across Australia, including in Sydney’s West.
The Benefits
Funds expended to build indoor aquatic and wellness centres in areas where there are significant
service gaps and where populations are relatively disadvantaged (such as in Sydney’s West) will
generate substantial positive impacts – including more diverse recreation opportunities, improved
health, enhanced access and equity, improved water safety, social connectedness and economic
multiplier impacts.
The key benefits are summarised in the following sub-sections.
Increased Recreation Participation
Well designed and managed facilities will boost both active and passive recreation participation by
providing year-round facilities and a range of new programs (such as 50 metre year-round indoor
pools, leisure play pools, health clubs, warm water therapy, sauna and spas) not currently available
in most areas in Sydney’s West.
New and/or expanded facilities are likely to encourage many existing users to participate more
regularly as well as tapping into new demand from residents whose needs are not met by existing
facilities.
With its warm water facilities, the upgraded centre will also play a leading role in meeting the
future recreation demands of rapidly ageing populations.
Healthy Active Lifestyles
There has been strong growth in recent years in the active lifestyle/wellness industry, prompted by
concerns about the poor health outcomes of modern lifestyles (including inadequate exercise and
obesity). The Commonwealth Government’s Active Australia and Healthy Communities Initiatives
and the NSW Premier’s Council for Active Living support initiatives which facilitate active lifestyles
and improved community health.
New facilities in Sydney’s West (such as the HRAWC proposed by Holroyd City Council), in providing
greatly enhanced opportunities for exercise and enjoyable physical activity, can play an important
role in combating significant current health problems (including the obesity and diabetes
‘epidemics’).
The potential benefits of these enhanced opportunities are twofold - in that they can improve the
vitality and productivity of the regional population while also reducing the potential costs
associated with primary and acute care in the public health care system.
For example, if the proposed HRAWC was to encourage just one percent of the catchment’s adult
(+15 years) population (i.e. 6,000 persons) to increase their physical activity to recommended
levels9, the net economic benefits (in the form of opportunity cost savings in the treatment of
preventable disease) would be substantial and amount to around $1 million per annum ($1.70 per
capita of the catchment’s adult population)10.
Over the economically useful life of HRAWC (50 years), this becomes a significant $50 million in
opportunity cost savings, around $18.5 million (37%) of which would comprise savings to the
health sector.
Access and equity
New facilities in Sydney’s West (such as the HRAWC) will improve regional equity by providing
similar access to year-round aquatic facilities already enjoyed in many other parts of Sydney and
elsewhere in Australia.
This is particularly significant given Sydney West’s levels of disadvantage, and the associated
greater expense and difficulties for many residents in accessing aquatic and wellness centres in
other parts of Sydney.
Disadvantaged populations face barriers (cost, health problems, skills, disability, and/or language
difficulties) to active participation in community life, including the affordability of social and
recreational activities.
Such residents will benefit from targeted programs that address these barriers and optimise access
to needed facilities for all sectors of the community.
People with disabilities will benefit from new facilities based on universal design, public health
models and access principles and management regimes consistent with promoting access for all.
9
The Commonwealth Government recommended level of physical activity is 3 sessions of at least 20 minutes vigorous exercise or 5
sessions of at least 30 minutes moderate exercise per week
10
Comprising $360,000 in reduced health sector costs, $270,000 in home-based production savings, $300,000 in leisure-based production
savings and $70,000 in improved workforce productivity. Cadilhac et al, The Economic Benefits of Reducing Physical Inactivity: An
Australian Example, International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity 2011, 8:99
Water Safety
With around 300 drowning deaths in Australia per annum, water safety is a significant issue. This is
particularly so in communities, such as Sydney’s West, which have high CALD populations.
CALD communities have been identified by the Australian Water Safety Council (AWSC) as one of
three communities (the other two being Indigenous persons and tourists) at an increased risk of
drowning and aquatic injury compared to the rest of the Australian population11.
Specifically, because lifesaving systems are not as common in developing countries and even some
high income countries, recently arrived migrants are at a greater risk of drowning due to a lack of
knowledge about Australian aquatic conditions together with lower foundation aquatic skills.
Accordingly, any improvements in water safety education in the region will reap greater than
average benefits in terms of potential lives saved.
With respect to this, the AWSC highlight that participation rates in aquatic education programs are
much lower among ‘difficult to reach’ CALD communities and emphasise that reaching CALD
communities with strategies to address drowning prevention and water safety is a high priority and
requires a community development approach.
The potential benefits of greater involvement in water safety programs are twofold - in achieving a
reduction in drowning and in promoting greater social cohesion across the community.
New centres, such as HRAWC, can provide water safety and learn to swim programs which provide
foundation aquatic skills to a larger proportion of the population at accessible locations.
Additionally, modern centres provide leisure/play water areas for children and these, together
with appropriate supervision by qualified lifeguards, have the potential to enhance water
awareness and confidence.
Social Capital & Cohesion
Recreation facilities and activities provide significant opportunities for building valuable and
supportive community networks.
Many studies have documented these benefits and other potential contributions that participation
in sport and recreational activities make to improving social cohesion, community integration,
bonding, cooperation and community identity and pride12.
One study, for example, in referring to effective place-based models of community development,
emphasised that “involving the local community in decision-making in disadvantaged areas often
start with personal sporting, recreational and educational involvements to build confidence and
connect the members of these communities”.13
11
Australian Water Safety Council, 2012, Australian Water Safety Strategy 2012 – 2015, page 34
E.g. Kim M Atherley, Department of Sport and Recreation, WA, 2006, Sport and Community Cohesion in the 21st Century: Understanding
linkages between sport, social capital and the community; Sports England, 2005, Sport Playing Its Part – The Contribution of Sport to
Building Safe, Strong & Sustainable Communities; Sports England, The Value of Sport Monitor – various articles in the ‘Social Equity and
Inclusion’ section of the Monitor
13
Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development, 2008, Building Social Inclusion
12
Other studies have demonstrated how sporting and recreational activities and events contribute to
the development of stronger social networks and more cohesive communities – for participants,
volunteers and supporters.14
Facilities, such as the proposed HRAWC, in providing a high quality place for all sectors of the
community to exercise, participate in aquatic sports, relax, unwind, meet and socialize, have
significant potential to build social capital in the ways identified above.
Crime and Safety
Recreation facilities and activities provide alternate and meaningful opportunities for engagement
and connection for high risk youth who may otherwise engage in crime or other anti-social
activities.
With respect to this, Swedish and Canadian studies which found that young people with higher
rates of participation in structured recreation activities have significantly reduced rates of criminal
arrest (as much as 70%) and anti-social behaviour and increased success at school.15
Similarly, the above-referenced Western Australian study cited the success of midnight basketball
leagues in helping to reduce crime rates amongst youth in areas where programs were well
attended16.
Economic Development
Indoor aquatic wellness facilities can generate significant economic benefits, including:
•
•
•
Generation of jobs – both short term in the construction phase and on-going for the
facility operations
Increase the value of adjacent private properties to the benefit of owners, and the
broader community because the added value is capitalized in land values for the
purpose of rating
Attracting residents and businesses to the region, thereby boosting the tax base and
local economy
For example, an economic impact study undertaken for the proposed HRAWC17 identified the
following economic multiplier benefits flowing from the Stage 1 circa $50M capital build cost:
•
•
14
Construction of the facility over 18 months will support approximately 173 full time equivalent
(FTE) positions in the regional economy. The region will gain nearly $25 million in value-added
from this construction activity during this timeframe.
The annual operations of the facility from year 2 will provide support for nearly 49 FTE positions
in the region, supporting a total of $4.1 million in value-added each year (and up to $200 million
over the 40 to 50-year life of the project).
WA Department of Sport & Recreation, 2009, More Than Winning: The Real Value of Sport and Recreation, p8
Crime Prevention Ottawa, 2009, Improving Access to Recreation for Vulnerable Citizens in Ottawa
16
WA Department of Sport & Recreation, 2009, op.cit.
17
SGS Economics, 2015, Holroyd Regional Aquatic Wellness Centre Cost Benefit and Economic Impact
15
Summary & Conclusion
Holroyd City Council encourages the Australian Government to collaborate with local government in
supporting programs and services (such as indoor aquatic and wellness centres) that promote active
living and healthy lifestyles.
The cost of not supporting such programs, in terms of exponentially increasing health costs, is likely
to be high.
With childhood and adult obesity rates still increasing, more sedentary lifestyles and with the rapid
ageing of the population, health budget crises can only escalate unless governments, at all levels,
succeed in promoting and facilitating broad participation in active and healthy recreation pursuits.
The provision of indoor multi-purpose aquatic and recreation centres (such as the HRAWC proposed
by Holroyd City Council) in areas under-serviced by such facilities, including Sydney’s West Central
Region, are required to ensure this success.
Local Councils can contribute substantially to the provision of these facilities but they need financial
assistance from National and/or State Governments to provide cost-effective facilities of the
required scope, scale and quality.
It is recommended, accordingly, that substantive infrastructure assistance programs, such as the
National Stronger Regions Fund be continued and/or replaced by other appropriate programs and
that equity of distribution between regions be a key criterion for funds allocation.
With respect to this, it is noted that no Western Sydney metropolitan councils have received funding
under rounds 1 and 2 of the National Stronger Regions Fund.
In conclusion, Holroyd City Council recommends that grant funding for indoor aquatic leisure centres
with demonstrated feasibility and community support, such as the Holroyd Aquatic Wellness Centre,
be a priority for the 2016-17 Budget.
Holroyd City Council
16 Memorial Avenue
PO Box 42
Merrylands NSW 2160
T 9840 9840
F 9840 9734
E hcc@holroyd.nsw.gov.au
www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au