CRICKET VICTORIA-CRICKET AUSTRALIA SUBMISSION TO INFRASTRUCTURE VICTORIA LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS DRAFT PLAN 1. INTRODUCTION 10 MARCH 2016 Thank you for the opportunity to provide a submission in response to Laying the Foundations, Infrastructure Victoria s 30 year infrastructure strategy plan. We welcome this initiative by the State Government and look forward to providing further feedback in the process through the course of 2016. Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia are committed to ensuring that the whole of the community has the opportunity to share in and enjoy the many diverse benefits of our sport. The provision of appropriate infrastructure is a fundamental part of enabling Victorians to participate in and benefit from cricket, regardless of ability, age, gender, background or where they live. This includes facilities that provide for all levels of cricket participation from entry to elite, and also shared facilities that are utilised by the entire community. 2. COMMON GROUND In November 2014, Cricket Victoria released a unified plan for facilities, entitled Common Ground. Common Ground sets out our key objectives in relation to facilities provision and provides a platform for partnered action designed to address current and future needs for everyone s benefit. We have attached a copy of the Common Ground plan as part of this submission. In partnership with Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria is completing a detailed audit of facilities across all of the metropolitan LGAs. The full state-wide audit will be completed by the end of 2016. Community value and collaboration are the two guiding principles that have driven the design of this new plan for cricket facilities development in Victoria. The provision and maintenance of the thousands of grounds, practice facilities, clubrooms and associated facilities is a joint endeavour, which serves the more than 324,000 cricket participants and 1107 clubs across Victoria. It requires the partnership and commitment of all tiers of government, cricket associations, clubs, educational institutions, other sporting codes, business partners and community. Local government invests a considerable amount of funds and resources into facilities planning, provision and maintenance to enable cricket to be a community sport that flourishes throughout Victoria. 1
While the quantity, quality and location of facilities is important, Cricket Victoria is also focused on sustainable investment and development of facilities that is informed by participation growth, demographic change and community outcomes. 3. THE ROLE OF CRICKET VICTORIA As the peak body for cricket in Victoria, Cricket Victoria s role involves: Identifying areas of current and future need; Ensuring provision of appropriate facilities, participation and development opportunities at all levels; Providing leadership and assistance to Victorian cricket clubs, Associations & all tiers of government in facility development; Providing guidelines for cricket facility development, in partnership with Cricket Australia; Promoting collaboration between clubs, Associations & all tiers of government in facilities planning and investment; Promoting collaboration in planning, design and usage with government, other sports and communities; Assisting local government, clubs and Associations to access external funding opportunities; Advocating for and supporting an increased level of fan friendly facilities and event venues in Victoria; Working with Cricket Australia to plan and invest in priority facilities projects; Working with all tiers of government to achieve successful facilities development outcomes; and Identifying and developing opportunities for public/private partnerships 4. KEY PARTICIPATION DATA With over 330,000 participants, Victoria continues to be one of Australia s leading states in cricket participation. In fact, since 2006-07, participation has grown by 56%. The profile of Victoria s participant base is rapidly changing, partially as a result of new and increasingly diverse audiences being introduced to cricket by the highly successful Twenty20 Men s and Women s Big Bash Leagues. Junior participation is at a record high, with MILO T20 Blast proving immensely popular with junior participants. These developments have significant consequences for facility provision. Female cricket is another major growth area, with 59,992 participants and 31% of all female teams across Australia located in Victoria. The provision of appropriate facilities for female cricket, particularly change rooms and amenities, is a key focus for planning, renovation and development. The game continues to attract new participants from a diversity of cultural backgrounds, which is reflected in a multitude of new clubs and teams being formed. Importantly, 96 new cricket teams have been formed since 2013 by participants from Asian/sub-continent migrant communities, as a direct result of Cricket Victoria s Asian Community Consultations. This growth is supported by Cricket Victoria s Harmony in Cricket program. 2
There is also increasing demand for year round access to grounds and facilities (including indoor). For example, the Mid-Year Cricket Association now has 56 clubs and in the past two years, player participation has grown by 125%. Victorian club cricket has more than 121,000 participants competing for 1107 clubs. This includes 135 female cricket teams playing at junior and senior level across the state. Victoria s top five population growth areas are also experiencing strong growth in cricket participation. These regions are For example, Wyndham City Council, where the population is growing by more than 4% each year is at the centre of a rapidly increasing number of cricket clubs and teams. A significant proportion of these have been initiated by recently settled residents, many deriving from Asian and subcontinental countries. Wyndham has the highest ratio of players to facilities of all LGAs in the state, with Whittlesea the second highest. 5. STRATEGIC PRIORTIES As a result of consultation and the analysis of existing facilities, participation and population growth, Cricket Victoria has established five key strategic priorities for infrastructure planning and development across the state. These priorities are: Game and practice facilities; The development of regional centres; Female cricket facilities; Multi-use facilities; and Planning and investment 6. IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES Inadequate provision of facilities inhibits the formation or expansion of new cricket teams and clubs is a growing challenge, and can stifle participation growth, particularly at junior level. Limited capacity to build new facilities in inner metropolitan areas due to a lack of public open space will increasingly require innovative approaches to facilities provision, co-tenancy with other sports and creative approaches to scheduling. In growth areas, it is important that planning for cricket facilities is undertaken at the precinct structure planning stage to ensure adequate facility provision is mandated. This requires close consultation between the State Government, LGAs, private developers and other sports to ensure that community needs are met. Continued analysis and monitoring of growth trends across Victoria is critical to facilities planning. To this end, Cricket Victoria has been working closely with Cricket Australia on detailed auditing of facilities across Victoria in every LGA. 3
7. SPECIFIC RESPONSES FROM CRICKET VICTORIA TO LAYING THE FOUNDATION - DRAFT OBJECTIVES AND NEEDS Cricket Victoria provides the following specific responses to Draft Objective and Needs 2, which is the most relevant section of the plan to our organisation s sphere of activity. Draft objective and needs 2: Support healthy, safe and vibrant communities Cricket Victoria is largely in agreement with the needs and objectives identified in this section, which correspond with cricket s prioritisation of planning and investment in facilities development that provides maximum access to all community, encourages healthy activity and social interaction and is capable of serving multiple community needs. There is value in specifically referring to the needs of people with a disability and the vital need to ensure that: o o planning and investment in developing existing and new community sports and recreation infrastructure ensures optimum access and useability for people of all abilities; and facilities are developed that foster increased participation. There is value in making specific reference to addressing the shortage of quality sports and recreational facilities across regional Victoria. There is value in highlighting the importance of adequate active open space provision for growth areas. The development of active open space is a fundamental component of establishing healthy, vibrant communities. Strong leadership is required from all levels of government to ensure that contributions of land and the development of facilities for sport and recreation, in our case cricket, are seen as mandatory infrastructure. There is value in including reference to opportunities to partner with property developers in new urban and regional growth areas to help ensure that well planned and highly accessible sports and recreation facilities are identified and delivered as part of the essential services required for the sustainable health and wellbeing of new communities. Development conditions relating to sport and recreation infrastructure must be owned and enforced by the relevant planning authorities & LGAs given the enduring impact that the substandard provision of facilities has on our communities. 4
8. CONCLUSION Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia would welcome the opportunity to continue to participate in the development of the Laying the Foundations Plan. As demonstrated by Common Ground and through our continued partnership with the Victorian Government, the planning and development of sport and recreation facilities that serve the entire community is key to our endeavours. We are pleased that Infrastructure Victoria is undertaking a comprehensive and open process in relation to progressing infrastructure planning in Victoria over the next thirty years and would be happy to provide any further information supporting this submission, or future submissions, as you may require. 5