News

14-03-2024

THE LONG ROAD SPORTS CENTRE AND REGIONAL SPORT - WHERE DO YOU STAND

The Tamborine Mountain Sports Association (TMSA) Board first presented the Scenic Rim Regional Council (SRRC) with a masterplan of the Long Road Sports Centre back in December 2017, as a road map for a seven-stage infrastructure development of the site in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic Games.

The SRRC Sports strategy 2010-2020 is to be shortly superseded by the 2024 – 2034 SRRC Sports Strategy. As it currently stands, objectives of the 2010 - 2020 strategy on Tamborine Mountain are yet to be realised - there is still no single sports clubroom or facility for any of the field playing sports clubs on the Mountain and the current sporting fields and infrastructure don’t adequately support the amount of clubs and users we have.
Despite its own best efforts, the TMSA has been waiting for over 5 years for council to complete the updated sports and infrastructure strategy for the Scenic Rim region. This is an important document because it clearly defines the strategic intention of council leading up to the 2032 Olympic Games. To access the large State and Federal grants on offer in this period, it is important that the aims of our community and the council strategy are aligned, so that the TMSA can be successful in any grant submission.
A final draft of this 2024 sports strategy document was presented and endorsed by council last November 2023, but will not be released until next month in April 2024 (5 months after it was approved) and after the election, for “community consultation”.
Over the years a variety of outside consultants have presented multiple drafts of sporting and infrastructure strategies to the council, but to date the TMSA and the Tamborine Mountain sporting community remain unclear of the intentions of council or the details of this current strategy, despite contributing a multitude of documents and submissions to assist.
The Long Road Sports Centre is run entirely by volunteers and receive no ongoing financial or other form of support from the council whatsoever. This is a highly unusual situation for a local government area. While it varies from area to area, typically, councils own the land on which sporting clubs are located. The Council normally leases the land to the club or association, while also contributing ongoing funds for maintenance and infrastructure development as part of a budget process. The TMSA has been successful in acquiring money through competitive grants for improvements of the site, but the ongoing maintenance, upgrades and repairs to the facility are not possible to fund through grants in most cases. These costs are made up from volunteer contributions, member fees, hire fees and event proceeds. As use of the site increases and the facility continues to age, this is not sustainable.
Ahead of the upcoming election this weekend, to avoid further delays and to ensure transparency and accountability, the TMSA has invited incoming councillor and mayoral candidates to support the Tamborine Mountain and regional sporting and recreational community.
We want to know where they stand on this important issue, and for their position to be on the public record.
To that end, the TMSA Board presented all the Mayoral and Division 1 candidates with the following questions, and we thank those who have found the time to respond. Below is a summary of those responses.
For the full transcript of details, including the initial TMSA letter and candidate responses, budget submission and TMSA Master plan, see https://tmsa.tidyhq.com/public/pages/2024-SRRC-election
1. Will you continue to support the proposed masterplan that is currently endorsed by council, in its full form?
2. Do you support an ongoing financial commitment for the TMSA to maintain and manage the Long Road Sports Centre precinct on behalf of the Council for the Tamborine Mountain and broader community? (The TMSA have requested a minimum contribution of $250,000 per year to go towards maintenance, management, and capital reserves.)
3. Do you support the TMSA and the Long Road Sports Centre to be included in any ongoing strategic planning meetings that the Council or its officers may have regarding the lead up to and including the 2023 Brisbane Olympics?
4. Do you support a closer working relationship with the Council to assist with “in kind” donation of Council human resources for the identification and preparation of State and Federal grant applications in partnership with TMSA?
5. What is your wider commitment to the Long Road Sports Centre, the TMSA and sport in general on Tamborine Mountain?
Mayoral Candidates’ Responses:
Jeff McConnell:
1. Yes, council has already moved this.
2. I will be waiting for Council strategy on Sports to give where we will go with funding and how this will look.
3. Of course, this has always been the case as we have discussed often. TMSA committee may not always get a seat at the table but definitely included.
4. Marshall and I have discussed this, and it may be an initiative to fund a grants writer specifically for Community and sporting groups.
5. This needs to be part of our wider SR Sporting Strategy that looks at different Tiers as we have discussed.
Tom Sharp:
1. Yes. Community assets being managed by community need support, not control. It needs good management practice and restoring authority to the elected councillor.
2. The model of expecting community groups to maintain council assets with limited resources is broken. Funding sources need to be dynamic and include multiple revenue streams. Community should have control and direction, with government support. It is disgraceful that council voted on a draft strategy in November 2023 but won’t release it prior to the election. This is zero transparency and accountability. Funds to support this initiative will come from a reduction of top-heavy administration in council.
3. I fully support strategic planning. Council needs to listen to community and the specific needs of community across the region and develop sustainable strategies alongside these organisations.
4. Yes. Council needs to review its own capabilities when it comes to delivery outcomes. If community organisations can provide more cost-effective outcomes, then funding should be delivered directly to them to avoid duplication of expenses and competing for grant money.
5. The Long Road Centre is a multi-functional facility providing sports and recreation, leisure, disaster recovery, tourism, and sustainable projects for the community. Council needs to start listening, learning, supporting, and working with the community.
Greg Christensen –
No response was received.
Division One Candidates
Alick Kilsby:
1. In principle, yes. It’s been well planned and diligently prepared. Overall, the masterplan provides net positive outcomes for the Tamborine Mountain community.
2. Yes. If elected, I’m keen to understand how Tamborine Mountain fits into the draft strategy. I’m concerned that costs to run the facility are passed onto members, preventing people from participating in sport.
3. Yes. I support the use of Long Road in the leadup to the Olympics and it makes sense for the TMSA to be involved in planning.
4. Yes. It’s remarkable that the Long Road Sports Centre can function as well as it does for events, users, and community groups with such a small group of volunteers.
5. With background in local sport and having grown up here, I’m committed to helping the TMSA improve and develop the Long Road site to provide increased sporting opportunities for our youth and to benefit our whole community.
Steven Emerson – No response was received. (The Greens support the Long Road Sports plan)
Amanda Hay – No response was received.