Tamborine Mountain Sports Association
powered by TidyHQ2024 Scenic Rim Regional Council election
2024 Scenic Rim Regional Council election
MEDIA RELEASE | 14.03.2024
The Long Road Sports Centre and Regional Sport – Where do you stand?
**PLEASE NOTE: THE REFERENCED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FROM THE SCENIC NEWS ARTICLE DATED 14.03.2024 CAN BE FOUND THE BOTTOM OF THIS MEDIA RELEASE**
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 to the 2032 Olympic Games.
The SRRC Sports Strategy 2010-2020 is to be shortly updated by the 2024 – 2034 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 club on the Mountain and the amount of fields do not adequately support the amount of users we have.
Despite it’s own best efforts, the TMSA has been waiting for over 5 years for council to complete a 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 we can be successful in any grant submission.
A final draft strategy document that was presented and endorsed by council last November 2023, but will not be released to the community until next month in April 2024 (5 months after it was approved) and after the election, for “community consultation”.
A number of outside consultants have presented numerous drafts of sporting and infrastructure strategies to the council over the years, but to date the TMSA and the Tamborine Mountain sporting community remain unaware of the intentions of council or the details of this 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, 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, and to avoid further delays and 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.
The TMSA Board presented all the Mayoral and Division 1 candidates with the following questions. Below is a summary of their responses.
Please note:
- MC = Mayoral candiate
- D1 = Division One Councillor candidate
Further:
- Greg Christensen (MC) – No response was received.
- Steven Emerson (D1) – No response was received. (The Greens support the Long Road Sports plan)
- Amanda Hay (D1) – No response was received.
Candidate responses:
- Will you continue to support the proposed masterplan that is currently endorsed by council, in its full form?
- Tom Sharp (MC) - Yes. Community assets being managed by community need support, not control. It needs good management practice and restoring authority to the elected councillor.
- Jeff McConnell (MC) - Yes, council has already moved this
- Alick Kilsby (D1) - In principle, yes. It’s been well planned and diligently prepared.
- 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.)
- Tom Sharp (MC) - 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 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 will come from a reduction of top-heavy administration in council.
- Jeff McConnell (MC) - I will be waiting for Council strategy on Sports to give where we will go with funding and how this will look.
- Alick Kilsby (D1) - Yes. If elected, I’m keen to understand how Tamborine Mountain fits into the draft strategy. Concerned that costs to run the facility are passed onto members, preventing people from participating in sport.
- 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?
- Tom Sharp (MC) - 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.
- Jeff McConnell (MC) - 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.
- Alick Kilsby (D1) - 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.
- 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?
- Tom Sharp (MC) - 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 and avoid duplication.
- Jeff McConnell (MC) - Marshall and myself have discussed this and it may be an initiative to fund a grants writer specifically for Community and sporting groups
- Alick Kilsby (D1) - 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.
- What is your wider commitment to the Long Road Sports Centre , the TMSA and sport in general on Tamborine Mountain?
- Tom Sharp (MC) - 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.
- Jeff McConnell (D1) - This needs to be part of our wider SR Sporting Strategy that looks at different Tiers as we have discussed.
- Alick Kilsby (D1) - 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 with our youth and to benefit our whole community.
Full extracts of candidate responses and referenced documents can be found below
