Sports and games
Site planning
Best practice guidance for site planning
Decision framework
There are a range of Australian Standards / best practice guidelines, relating to this category. Key documents are referenced throughout and in the LIM Sports and games - Standards.
Sport specific planning
Sports and games mentioned throughout this document, are designed for ‘informal’ recreation use in parks.
Always seek professional design advice for all field and hard courts. Further sports specific advice can be obtained from the following sources:
- Queensland Government Department of Tourism Innovation and Sport – provides links to various State sports associations, which in turn provide contact details for local sporting associations which may be able to assist with advice on site specific solutions.
- Assistance may be available from:
- State and National sport and recreation organisations
- Industry service organisations
- Industry peak bodies.
They may be able to assist with:
- orientation
- court/field layout
- dimensions.
These bodies can give guidance in regards to:
- clearances
- linemarking
- fencing requirements
- signage
- multi-purpose opportunities
- irrigation
- lighting.
Planning guide for sports design
For guidance on sports design, refer to the Western Australian Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries: Sports Dimension Guide for Playing Areas – Sport and Recreation Facilities (June 2016) – which outlines correct design, orientation, clearances and accurate line marking for sports playing fields in Australia.
Site decisions
All decisions, including the location of the embellishment and related infrastructure, must be made in conjunction with council (determined by site location), including officers from such areas as:
- Council (Parks and Gardens)
- Council (Communication) for all graphic design services and manufacturing support for sign templates.
Users
Consult with council stakeholders, neighbouring properties and identified park users in the planning stage of a project.
Site conditions
Consider the physical characteristics of a site and requirements of the activities to be conducted:
- prevailing winds (leaf litter, etc.)
- orientation to minimise sun impact
- location of utilities
- well drained site
- level surface
- flood immunity requirements.
Co-location of facilities
- Facilities, including parking and pathways, are often already established and need to be considered in the overall park design.
- Position activity area with provision for spectator seating and shade.
- Consider grouping of sports and games with other local park facilities, such as kick about and throw areas, table and bench combinations and play spaces.
- Locate near toilets, drinking fountains, taps, bins and bike rails, car parking and public transport.
- Equipment storage – games requiring equipment storage and management such as outdoor chess should be located adjacent to facilities which can manage equipment, such as libraries.
Safety
- Safety clearances must be met.
- Adopt principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Guidelines for Queensland. Locate sports and games areas to allow users to feel safe, and to provide an opportunity for supervision and casual surveillance.
Potential site conflicts
Locate sports and games away from:
- conflicting activities, such as skate parks, exercise equipment
- residential areas (where possible), to avoid noise issues and property damage from hard ball use (e.g. cricket).
- Refer EPA Environmental Protection (Noise) Policy 1997 for further guidance.
- high use bikeways and busy roads to avoid accidents
- hazards such as waterways, fire and flood prone areas, sewers and stormwater drains, underground services, power poles and overhead power lines.
Planning for sustainability
Refer Design principles – Sustainability for guidance.
Planning for future works
- Co-locate embellishments requiring similar services e.g. water, to reduce infrastructure, where possible.
- Where underground utilities are installed, set brass markers to concrete slab edges to indicate the location.
- Consider installation of additional conduits under concrete slabs for future provision, where utilities (e.g. electrical, water) and irrigation systems are planned. Ensure additional conduit is capped to prevent ingress of water and debris.
- Consider climate change impacts on the embellishment location and construction 1.
- In coastal areas, or near waterways, design should consider rise in sea level predictions, storm tide, salt inundation and severe storm events.
- Positioning should also consider flooding, seasonal/ephemeral water bodies and water table changes.
- Near bushland areas, design should consider the occurrence of bushfires.
Source 1: Sunshine Coast Environment and Liveability Strategy 2017.
This component is currently in development