Coffey's integrated approach nets $9 million in funding for Tasmanian facility

The Federal Government recently announced a $9 million funding commitment for the redevelopment of the King George V Sports and Community Precinct in the North Hobart suburb of Glenorchy.

The funding was the direct result of the business case and funding proposal developed by Coffey Sport and Leisure, a part of Coffey Projects, who were engaged by the Glenorchy City Council (GCC). The Project will go a long way in bringing much needed community services to the Glenorchy community and will help reinvigorate the precinct.

Coffey Sport and Leisure, through the business case, identified a fantastic and unique opportunity for the GCC to transform the existing facilities into a vibrant sports and community precinct that not only caters for existing user groups, but would also meet the growing needs of the community through the integration of the Migrant Resource Centre and allied health services.

The business case outlined a projected stimulus of $30 million for the local economy during building, and $13 million a year when complete based on the precinct expecting 170,000 visitations per annum.

The business case also confirmed the facility would support local, State and Federal Government objectives and would provide significant and ongoing community, health and social benefits supporting GCC's aim of becoming "the best place in Tasmania to live, work and play, both now and into the future."

Coffey Sport and Leisure consultant, James Lake explains "one of the key objectives set out at the start of the process was to increase activity at the site.

"Through work on similar projects we recognised the importance of bringing community service organisations onsite to generate activity and therefore highlighted a key community organisation, the Migrant Resource Centre, for inclusion in the project.

"By consolidating the Migrant Resource Centres current operations to one site they will be able to better service the needs of Hobarts migrant communities. Locating it in the King George V Sports and Community Precinct has an added benefit as it also allows for sport to be used as a form of engagement for people from diverse cultural backgrounds."

Another key component of the project was the integration of health and wellness services, with these facilities aiming to create better site activation and much needed health related services to the local, sporting and migrant communities.

Lake adds "the scoping and design of the facility is based on Coffey Sport and Leisure's previous project experience, benchmarking research, demographic analysis and extensive consultation to ensure the facilities meet the growing needs of the community and deliver a range of ongoing benefits for sport and community within the region."

A key focus of the business case was the integration of the various user groups and stakeholders to ensure that project funding was maximised to benefit both the precinct and the broader community. Other main elements the funding will be put towards include a multi-purpose sports and community hub which will house the Migrant Resource Centre, a health and wellness centre, Football Federation Tasmania, along with other community sports organisations, a café and a multi-purpose space; a new bus display shed for the Tasmanian Transport Museum; a multi-purpose synthetic sporting pitch; restoration of the existing cricket nets; and new pedestrian and landscaping works to improve the appearance of the precinct.

Due for completion in 2015, it is expected the redevelopment will:

• Increase social inclusion and cohesion;
• Provide better access to programs and facilities for socially diverse residents;
• Improve community health and well-being;
• Increase participation in recreational activities;
• Provide positive movement towards a greener future;
• Enhanceme quality recreation facilities;
• Create employment opportunities.

The successful acquisition of the funding for this project highlights the importance of initiating good planning, consultation and feasibility assessment.

For more information go to www.sport.coffey.com/