Sporting fields the main bone of contention as Shellharbour Council adopt strategy plans

Shellharbour Council has taken on-board feedback from the community before adopting a quartet of strategic documents that will set the city up for the next decade.

Shellharbour councillors unanimously adopted a raft of strategic documents at Tuesday night’s meeting which will lay the platform for the next 10 years.

The four documents were the Community Strategic Plan 2022-2032, the Local Strategic Planning Statement 2022-2042, the Rescuing Strategy 2022-2032 and Delivery Program 2022-2026 (which includes the Operation Plan for the next financial year).

A majority of councillors spoke in glowing terms about the adoption of the papers with deputy mayor Kellie Marsh stating “There are many things I am proud of and we have many things to look forward to”.

The council received 25 submissions, a pittance compared to the 350 received by Wollongong Council for its ‘Our Wollongong Our Future 2032’ plan.

However, there was a similar trend with their northern neighbours with the no.1 issue regarding sporting fields, with Shellharbour Council responding to 10 submissions.

The Con O’Keefe Oval precinct in Albion Park could be in line for upgrades. Picture: Google Maps

One submission flagged the “poor condition” of the Con O’Keefe Oval precinct in Albion Park which also includes the suburb’s library, with the council responding by highlighting a master plan for the area would be a part of Shellharbour’s Libraries and Museums Strategy 2024.

The feedback also led the council to go ahead and “improve the quality of amenity at sports fields” with lighting upgrades now staled for Albion Park’s Keith Grey Oval, Flinders Reserve and the Croom Regional Sporting Complex.

The council is also pursuing a feasibility study into the “suitability of synthetic fields” while signalling the construction of such a facility would require “detailed planning and consultation” regarding suitable materials, ongoing maintenance and where it would ultimately go.

One submission, titled ‘Focus on football’, urged the council to create a “dedicated football (soccer) field at Shell Cove” with the council responding by saying “The proposed Shell Cove facility will be adaptable for multi codes, specifically cricket and AFL”.

Multiple submissions called for Myimbarr Field near Shell Cove to receive more attention. Picture: Supplied

There were four submissions regarding footpaths in the local government area including one requesting for a footpath to be extended around Lake Illawarra which the council said the design of such a path was a part of its 2022/23 Operational Plan.

Two footpath-related submissions urged the council to “prioritise” footpaths in Oak Flats and Shellharbour Village which were flat-batted with “There are currently no footpaths identified within Oak Flats at this time” and “There are currently no plans to extend the footpath network within Shellharbour Village”.

There was a similar submission relating to Albion Park Rail which had a bit more luck with Shellharbour Council responding that they were seeking NSW government funds to “improve the network”.