The Prince of Wales Park (POWP) Master Plan will guide the future direction for the planning, facility provision, site development and future programming opportunities, for the next 15 years, within this key sports and recreation precinct.
The recommendations aim to achieve the following vision for this important precinct:
The Master Plan will:
- Ensure suitable and equitable facilities for the existing tenants of the POWP sports precinct and the wider community, underpinned by evidence-based decision-making.
- Consider protecting the character of POWP and enhancing the site's sporting, social, environmental, and heritage values.
- Accommodate the long-term development aspirations of the tenant clubs, community groups and residents.
- Profile the participation demand, trends, and current usage of the site and facilities.
- Consider the views of key stakeholders and user groups.
- Confirm the facility requirements, including key facility components and relationships required to meet the objectives of the precinct.
- Assess the site and facilities' condition and suitability for the current and projected needs of the community.
- Include a high-level concept master plan.
- Provide an implementation plan.
What we've heard so far
The 3 development stages
To achieve the vision and respond to key issues and opportunities, design principles and development considerations, the following recommendations are proposed in three stages (subject to funding availability).
1. Establish new second synthetic hockey field with competition standard lighting in the reserve
2. First stage of new hockey pavilion - one set of player changerooms, umpires changerooms, external access toilets (for spectators), basic storage, team shelters and drinking fountain.
3. Upgrade existing hockey pavilion with new female friendly changerooms
4. Add drinking fountain near tennis courts and existing baseball pavilion
5. Relocate the archery range to Ring Road Reserve
6. New changing places and access upgrades for Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre (BALC)
7. Consider providing temporary modular female friendly change room and toilet facility for baseball
8. Expand car parking area with a gravel surface
9. New Parkrun shelter and maintain current start and finish track
10. Explore opportunities to facilitate access to existing central baseball pavilion toilets for Parkrun
11. Improve landscaping with shade trees along the northern pathway
12. Council to partner with Croquet Club and consider future asset renewal requirements and responsibilities.
13. One new baseball field with synthetic diamond and training standard lighting on current archery range location (following their relocation to Ring Road Reserve)
14. New water play and leisure water at BALC
15. Convert tennis facility to LED lighting
16. Improve landscaping with shade trees along the western pathway
17. Explore alternative locations to establish a home for Coronet City Cricket Club with access to two fields, one with a turf wicket and one with a hard wicket.
18. Establish new third synthetic hockey field with competition standard lighting in the reserve
19. Second stage of new hockey pavilion
20. New shared baseball pavilion and training facility with external access public toilets
21. Extension of gymnastics and health and fitness club at BALC
22. Formalise expanded car park area with lighting and access road through to new hockey and baseball fields.
23. Realign the start and finish track for Parkrun along the access road. Establish a pedestrian-only zone between baseball fields on weekend use
24. Realign gravel path (alongside second hockey pitch) for Parkrun and general community use
25. Remove any temporary modular change room and toilet facility post construction of baseball pavilion and training facility
26. Facilitate relocation of Coronet City Cricket Club to alternate location
27. Remove the western pavilion, training facility and cricket nets near the third baseball field post-construction of the new baseball pavilion and training facility
28. Removal of the existing batting tunnel shed located adjacent to Baseball Diamond 1
29. Consider expanding the Parkrun pathway at turning points (based on demand).
