Public feedback sought on critical recreation strategies

An issues discussion document has been released by the Far North District Council to further plans to develop an "Open Spaces and Coastal Access Strategy" for the next 10 years.

At the same time the council has released its Draft Recreation Plans for each of the Northern, Western and Eastern wards for public submission.

The recreation plans provide an oversight of the council's proposed directions for the next 10 years, subject to reviews every three years to reflect the changing needs of the districts sport and recreation organisations. These three plans will also be used to determine priorities and establish what projects may be included in the 2009/2019 Far North Future Plan.

The plans look at the council’s role not only as a funding agency but also as a facilitator to develop partnerships with community groups, trusts, and external sponsors in a collaborative approach to the provision of sports and recreation facilities.

The open spaces discussion document seeks to engage the community on critical issues leading to a draft strategy which will ensure the quantity and quality of open spaces available for public use meet community needs and aspirations.

In particular the document looks at issues surrounding coastal access and how the public may be better served in the years ahead.

Currently the council administers over 15,000 hectares of open public spaces at an annual cost of over $1.2 million and the discussion documents seeks to establish whether more land needs to be set aside, for what purposes and where this should occur.

The document gathers together information and suggestions to emerge from a series of community workshops held across the district in March and April this year.

Critical elements to emerge from the workshops was the need for better coastal access, particularly on the Far North's east coast, the need for more places for people to walk, for greater encouragement for youth involvement in sport and recreation and for more facilities of this nature, for better all-weather facilities and for better identification of existing facilities.

Feedback received from the community over the next three weeks will form the basis of a Draft Open Spaces & Coastal Access Strategy which will again be put before the community for comment and submission before a final policy as adopted later this year or early next year.

The open spaces discussion document and the three draft recreation plans are all open to public comment and feedback from today (04 August) until Friday 29th August 2008.

Copies of the discussion document are available from Service Centres or from the council's website at www.fndc.govt.nz