It's no secret that the Illawarra's population growth over the past 25 to 30 years has put increasing pressure on our community facilities, none more so than our sporting and swimming venues.

Earlier this month The Illawarra Flame reported that indoor sports across the city of Wollongong were "screaming out" for more venues. The manager of the Berkeley-based Illawarra Sports Stadium (ISS), Tim Fares, outlined ambitious plans for a $30 million expansion of his facility. The plans have council approval. Now all that's needed is the funding.

Tim said indoors sports had "taken off" in the past decade. "The lack of courts has resulted in the ISS not being adequately able to cater for the community's needs since 2015," the ISS submission for government funding said.

Wollongong City Council is well aware of the urgent and growing need for more sporting facilities with sports like basketball, pickleball and badminton all struggling to find enough court time at venues like Beaton Park.

Council to engage a second sporting consultancy

Council has now confirmed it will give high priority to developing a city-wide sports and leisure strategy which should map out our future needs to the middle of this century. In a statement, Council described the project as "a refreshed 20-year aquatic and sporting strategy for the city".

The new strategy will replace "our outdated Pools Our Future Strategy". Council has gone to market seeking the support of "specialist consultants" and is currently reviewing a number of submissions.

This is the second consultancy engaged by Council this year to look at our existing and future sporting needs. A Sydney-based organisation is in the process of reviewing how well the ageing Beaton Park facility is coping with the many demands from community-based and elite sporting groups. That report is expected to be finalised in the next three months.

Council says the latest strategy "takes a more holistic view of the city's future needs, as well as the current status of indoor sporting venues and aquatic facilities".  

Tim Fares at the Illawarra Sports Stadium has commended Council for looking to 'future proof" our city's sporting needs. No doubt he'll be hoping the review puts the expansion plans for Berkeley high on Council's priority list for funding.

A Council spokesperson said work was expected to start on the city-wide strategy in the months ahead and "we look forward to conversations with our community about the city's future sporting spaces and aquatic facilities.

"Complementing this work, we are also working on an updated play space strategy and a renewed beaches and surf sports strategy."

Study will identify the gaps in our sporting needs

Council expects the final product will provide a 20-year horizon for the city's future sporting and recreational needs.

"They'll consider any gaps in service provision we're currently experiencing, as well as community expectations and ambitions. The documents will ultimately enable Council to have a tactical response moving forward to ensure we've got plans in place to meet the future needs of our diverse community in reference to indoor sports, aquatic facilities, play spaces, beaches and surf sports."

Council said it would "keep our community updated on opportunities to be involved in this exciting process through Council's website and social media channels".

Critic says 'get on with the job'

The long-time president of Illawarra Badminton, Eric Bradley, is sceptical about Council producing "yet more plans and strategies" when he believes it should be getting on with the job of delivering for the community. He said every expensive Council consultancy will likely mean another year lost.

"We don't need yet more surveys to show how backward Wollongong is in terms of sporting and recreational facilities," Eric said. "Just visit any tin-pot country town or regional centre to see what facilities they enjoy. Or would that exercise be too embarrassing?

"Wollongong City Council has had a multitude of sports plans in place for decades, few of which have morphed into actions," Eric said. "We have lived through a succession of Beaton Park Master Plans – the most recent incarnation being the 2018-2028 masterplan which is yet to see a sod turned on stage one, some seven years on.

"'Tactical response' implies a swift, decisive and coordinated action to address a dire situation. Not the sort of thing Wollongong Council is noted for."

Eric says he hopes the city-wide sporting strategy is more inclusive of all sports than the current Beaton Park consultancy, "where only basketball seems to have been invited to the discussion table", he added.

"It appears that community and sports groups will have to take the initiative to be involved in these discussions, through Council's website, etc, rather than being invited to contribute."

The head of Illawarra Badminton believes Council should already know the city's future sporting needs; he believes more consultancies will only mean another year of inaction.