Opinion: New plan spearheading bright future for Broome sport

Published on 26 May 2022

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Sport is the lifeblood to any regional town and in Broome we have a massive number of residents playing, coaching and volunteering in local sport.

The last Club Development Survey we undertook made this painstakingly clear; the results show sporting club membership has increased by 45 per cent in two years, with female participation jumping by 57 per cent in the same timeframe.

As a forward-thinking Shire, we know that providing sporting infrastructure is critical to our community.

In the last two years, the Shire has upgraded both the indoor and outdoor courts at BRAC, facilitated the upgrade of the Broome Golf Club and completed the Pump Track project.

In the next six months, lighting at Nipper Roe will be upgraded, a new skatepark will be rolled out and the Broome Surf Lifesaving Club will have a new home, while work has commenced on expanding the Youth Bike Precinct.

Despite all this investment in local sporting infrastructure, we are not resting on our laurels and know there is a further demand for facilities and services.

I was delighted that Councillors unanimously endorsed our new Sport and Recreation Plan at last month’s Council meeting.

This Plan will now be the visionary document to guide Broome sport’s growth and improvement over the next decade.

I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who participated in the community engagement process during the Plan’s collation, with extensive participation from our sporting clubs.

Some of the future priorities in the Plan include an overhaul of BRAC to incorporate a gym and fitness facilities, additional squash courts, an indoor childrens’ playspace and a feasibility study to establish a 50m swimming pool.

Other high priorities in the Plan include tennis court upgrades, a central pavilion at the BRAC playing fields, additional club storage spaces and more lighting upgrades.

The commitment to fund some of these projects and look to improve our facilities is a massively positive move from the Shire, for the benefit of our sport-mad community.

To read the new Plan, click here.

Harold Tracey

Shire of Broome president

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