This is a presentation that I give to community sporting club committees. I take the audience through the development of a master plan for the development of their facilities.

2. Neal Ames
Senior Recreation Planner
Queensland Government

3. • Abstract:
Master Plans, Feasibility Studies, Facility Plans, Needs
Strategies. Which one is applicable for your organisation or
facility, and do you really need one!!
How important is planning???
All clubs are responsible for the effective management of their
“activity space”, that space where their chosen activity is
conducted.
Included in that management is the responsibility for planning
their facility for their current and future needs.
This presentation will help to assist clubs in producing a master
plan for their facility.

4. What is a Master Plan?
A Master Plan provides a vision for a specific site, identifying
what it should look like and how it should function in the future.
It establishes a strong and consistent direction, providing a
framework for ongoing improvement. It considers the
interrelationship between:
• Current character and functionality of the landscape
• Public expectations and needs
• Emerging issues and trends
• The realities of the economical, social, environmental and
legislative context of the time
The result is a plan that balances needs across of range of
often conflict interests

5. • South East Queensland Regional Plan - 2007
• South East Queensland Outdoor Recreation Strategy - 2008
• South East Queensland Trails Strategy - 2006
• Toowoomba Regional Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2010
• Toowoomba Regional Council Open Space Plan – 2010
• Jondaryan Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2007
• Crows Nest Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2005
• Rosalie Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2006
• Clifton Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2003
• Cambooya Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2003
• Pittsworth Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2004
• Toowoomba City CBD Master Plan – 2008
• Wyreema Sport and Recreation Master Plan – 2005
• Toowoomba Cycle and Pedestrian Study – 2003
• Cambooya Shire Council Parks Master Plan - 2004
• Pittsworth Leagues Master Plan – 2004
• Jondaryan Shire Aquatic Facility Needs Analysis and Master Plan – 2006
• Toowoomba Regional Council Benchmarking Survey - 2007
• Towards Q2 – Tomorrow’s Queensland – 2008
• Crows Nest Shire Council Master Trails Plan – 2007
• Crows Nest Shire Council Trails Development Plan - 2008
• Rosalie Shire Master Trails Plan – 2008
• Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Master Plan – 2009
• Gatton Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2008
• Laidley Shire Council Sport and Recreation Plan – 2006
• ACT Public Baths and Bathing Act – Desktop Review
• Railtrails Australia Trail Feedback - Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail, East Gippsland Rail Trail
• Toowoomba Regional Council Cycling Suitability Survey – 2008
• Golden West Tourism TTP Plan – 2005
• Cahill Park Master Plan – 2007
• Queens Park Master Plan Departmental Feedback – 2013
• Toowoomba Regional Council Sustainable Transport Strategy - 2012
• State Interest Checks (SIC) - Numerous
Planning Documents
I have authored, co-authored, provided input into or sat on the steering committee for

6. Traditionally it has
fallen to Local
Governments to
conduct planning, and
rightly so. No one is
better placed than LG
to conduct planning.
And they are almost
always the body tasked
with delivering the plan.

8. Master Plan Structure and Considerations
Master Plan's vary with the community or organization which produces it but
most have a common core of information.
Goals and Objectives
Sponsoring Agency and key stakeholder goals
Supply Analysis
Agencies offering recreation services (other clubs)
Population Analysis
Population growth and distribution
Age, ethnicity, income, education, gender and occupation
Needs Assessment
Random citizen demand for recreation services
Nonrandom citizen demand for recreational services
Program participation data
Standards Analysis
Standards for sport or recreation i.e. SSO/NSO
Agency Action Plan
Specific agency action plan
Time frame for agency action plan
Cost Analysis & Financial Strategies
Budget
Budget comparisons with other similar reports or facilities
Estimated costs for Master Plan recommendations
Implementation Plan
Actions of highest priority
Other recommendations

9. Goals and Objectives
• Sponsoring Agency and key stakeholder
goals

10. Tools
Stakeholder Analysis

11. Tools
SWOT Analysis

12. Tools
PESTEL Analysis

13. Supply Analysis
• Agencies offering recreation services
(other clubs)
Service Delivery Gap

14. Trends in Sport

16. Population Analysis
• Population growth and distribution
• Age, ethnicity, income, education, gender
and occupation

17. Need Assessment
• Random citizen demand for recreation
services
• Non-random citizen (participant) demand
for recreational services
• Program participation data

18. Need continued
The Two Myths of Sport Provision
Hang on, lets digress again,
we will come back!!!!!

19. Need continued
The Two Myths of Sport Provision
• Increased Club membership
• At Capacity

20. • Standards Analysis
• Standards for sport or recreation i.e.
SSO/NSO

21. Agency Action Plan
• Specific agency action plan
• Time frame for agency action plan

22. Cost Analysis & Financial Strategies
• Budget
• Budget comparisons with other similar reports or
facilities
• Estimated costs for Master Plan
recommendations

23. Implementation Plan
• Actions of highest priority
• Other recommendations

25. Can you plan too much?
Why We Overplan
‘A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is
not intent on arriving.’ ~Lao Tzu
Leave planning to a minimum
Learn to act fluidly
Example:
Crows Nest Council – Trails Master
Plan

26. Thoret said:
The 21st century will not be measured by those that can read and write, but
rather by those that can learn, unlearn and relearn.