Recreational Needs Study

Limerick City Council in association with Limerick County Council and Clare County Council have recently appointed Cunnane Stratton Reynolds to undertake the above Study for Limerick City and the surrounding area.

The purpose of the Study is to strategically assess the provision of recreational facilities in and around the city; identify issues of supply and demand for facilities; assess the potential for improvements to the delivery of a recreation and parks service to the public and management of the City Councils recreation and leisure facilities; and finally, identify opportunities for funding.

The Study will consider the above for both active/organised sport such as rugby and soccer etc as well as more informal recreational and leisure activities such as walking, jogging etc.

All community groups, sporting organisations, clubs, those involved in sport in any capacity and members of the public are invited to get involved in what will be an extensive consultation process.  A series of consultative meetings will be organised in the new year in a variety of locations and all will be welcome.  Further details on this element of the study will be published shortly. 

In the meantime written submissions are requested.  These should be sent to Sports Recreational Needs Study, Community and Enterprise Department, Limerick City Council, The Granary, Limerick City.  The deadline for written submissions is 28th February 2002.

Introduction

Cunnane Stratton Reynolds have been retained by Limerick City Council to complete a Recreational Needs Study of the greater Limerick Area.  It is being undertaken in collaboration with Limerick County Council and Clare County Council.

This report outlines the key objectives of the study, the issues identified to date and how members of the public, community organisations, national sporting organisations and clubs have and can become involved during the course of the Project.

Objectives of the Study

The purpose of the Study is to:

1. Strategically assess the provision of sport / recreational facilities in and around the city;
2. Identify issues of supply and demand for facilities;
3. Assess the potential for improvements to the delivery of a recreation and parks service to the public;
4. The management of the City Council's recreational and leisure facilities; and
5. Identify opportunities for funding of facilities and improved delivery of a recreation service.

The Study will assess the demand and supply of facilities for active or organised sport and will also assess facilities for more informal recreational pursuits.  A particular emphasis will be placed on assessing the provision of open space, its optimum use and maintenance.

Active / Organised Sports

A facilities planning model developed by the Scottish Sports Council and the University of Edinburgh will assess quantatively the demand for active or organised sports facilities.  The model uses participation rates, demographics, distance to existing facilities, the physical capacity of each facility and the road network to estimate current demand.  The model can be used to estimate future demand using changing demographic profile, substantial new housing developments, the development of zoned residential lands and road building / improved public transport.

The sports that are to be modeled include:

1. Rugby
2. Soccer
3. GAA Sports
4. Athletics
5. Tennis
6. Hockey
7. Golf
8. Basketball
9. Swimming
10. Squash
11. Pitch and Putt 

A qualitative assessment of these facilities will also be undertaken as will an assessment of best practice of management and maintenance of City Council owned facilities.  Public Private Partnership and opportunities for funding will also be examined as will getting better use of existing pitches and facilities. 

Recreational Activities

A substantial part of the Study is the assessment of demand for and provision of facilities for walking, jogging, cycling etc.  A key element of any passive recreational assessment is the use of the City's waterfront and its potential as a recreational resource.

The provision of public open space will be assessed against recognised standards.  It is our intention to not only provde a strategic assessment of public open space on a city wide basis but to also provide an assessment using criteria for considering the use, maintenance of an improvements to existing areas of public open space.  The assessment of both existing and proposed open spaces will involve the following:

1. Classify what constitutes open space for the purposes of the Study (i.e.) hospital grounds, parks etc.
2. Assess existing provision against recognised standards such as the 5 acre standard.
3. Assess implication of adopted and emerging development plans and Action Area Plans.
4. Create a hierarchy of public open space.
5. Identify potential linkages between public open spaces by use of green links or walking, jogging routes etc.  We would also consider generally the issue of rights of way.
6. Establish criteria for assessing each substantial area of public open space in terms of size, location, function, relationship to existing and planned development and populations, value as a visual amenity, and utilisation of important environmental, historical and tourism features such as the River Shannon.  We may make recommendations for the alternative use of existing open spaces.
7. Identify insurance, social and public safety issues which inform the needs for particular local open spaces.
8. Prepare a strategic map of all existing and proposed public open spaces.
9. Co-ordinate recommendations and proposals with other adjoining local authorities and initiatives.

Open spaces that are identified for active or organised sports such as pitches will be assessed as under the previous section. 

Issues

The following issues have been identified at this stage: 

1. Implications for sports facility provision of concentrated development along development corridors.
2. Management of existing public facilities especially parks in the centre of the city.
3. Designation of walking and jogging routes.
4. Maintenance and management of City Council pitches.
5. Water based recreation and waterfront recreational activities.
6. Peoples Parks
7. Cycle ways
8. The use of sport, the enhancement of sports facilities and the promotion of sports activities to promote social inclusion.

Consultation 

We have announced the Study in the Press and invited written submissions by the end of February.  Details of the Project have also been provided for the Web Site. 

We have also written to the governing sports organisations and written specially to the local organisations for soccer, GAA and rugby.  We have also notified the Rapid coordinators, the community forum members and members of the City Development Board.

We are in process of writing to all the schools and clubs of the various sports.

We are also arranging 6 or 7 seminars with the sports organisations and clubs in a number of venues in and outside the City.

We invite members of Limerick City Council to forward their observations or formal submission to Community and Enterprise, The Granary. 

It is our intention to present a draft study for consideration by City Council in May/June 2002.  The timetable for completion of the study is July 2002.

Further details may also be obtained from:Jeanette Fitzsimons.Cunnane Stratton Reynolds,Plunkett Chambers,

23/24 Oliver Plunkett Street,Cork.

Email:  info@csrlandplan.ie Telephone: 353 -21- 4275032Facsimile: 353 -21- 4275034