Management Plan for Mortlock Park Preamble · Fencing, netting and other structures Explore feasibility for removable / temporary fencing, netting and other structures where appropriate

Management Plan for Mortlock Park Preamble Note: This Preamble, including associated appendices, is of an introductory nature only and does not constitute a formal and enforceable part of this Community Land Management Plan. The City of Mitcham Open Space Strategy (2001) designates Mortlock Park as a regional open space. Regional open spaces are described as “large or unique areas that attract people from a wide population catchment”, with a high priority rating assigned to the assessment of development proposals for these spaces against the following targeted facilities:

• formal car parking areas that are paved and marked

• a range of sporting and/or recreational facilities (e.g. ovals, courts, clubrooms, bowling greens, skate facilities, BMX track, basketball / netball

• picnic tables

• a playground

• shelters (gazebo, pergola)

• seating

• drinking fountains

• rubbish bins

• public toilet (disabled, needle collection)

• barbeques

• lighting

• pathways

• large areas of shade

• good access to major roads and transport links

• the ability to cater to large amounts of people

Mortlock Park is also the largest park or reserve in the State Heritage Area of Colonel Light Gardens and was a key component of Charles Reade’s original design for this Garden Suburb. The Colonel Light Gardens Conservation Management Plan (2005) lists the following objectives for the conservation of the heritage value of Mortlock Park:

• Mortlock Park should be maintained as the main recreation area within the suburb of Colonel Light Gardens with a mix and range of formal and informal recreation uses.

• New major sporting clubrooms or other facilities requiring additional large areas of car parking for spectators and participants are not appropriate for Mortlock Park.

• Recreation use and development should provide for both formal and informal activities to meet a range of needs and should not generate undue disturbance to nearby residents.

• New buildings and structures should be designed in scale and appearance to complement the predominantly single storey, residential character of development in the locality.

A policy requirement of the Conservation Management Plan for Colonel Light Gardens is that Council “refine the approved 1992 Mortlock Park Master Concept Plan and develop more detailed direction for the future of the Park”. A review of community land in Colonel Light Gardens was commenced in August 2012, and a refined Master Concept Plan for Mortlock Park was adopted at a meeting of Council on 10 September 2013. A copy of the refined Master Concept Plan as well as a list of broader principles and detailed design elements / intentions from the September 2013 report to Council has been appended to this Community Land Management Plan for information purposes only.

1.0 Identification Details

1.1 Name of land/reserve Mortlock Park

1.2 Location Lot 943, West Parkway, Colonel Light Gardens

1.3 Certificates of Title 5740/140 & 4187/461

1.4 Area 4.30 hectares

1.5 Current Usage Passive and active (i.e. informal and formal) recreation; organised sports (i.e. currently involving baseball, football and soccer); practice nets (i.e. associated with organised sport); scouts; guides; school use; playground; BMX track; community buildings; car parking

2.0 Owner

• City of Mitcham

3.0 Purpose for Which the Land is Held

• Public recreation facility for the residents of Colonel Light Gardens and the wider community to accommodate a range of passive and active pursuits and events.

• Some organised sports and sports training facilities including sports practice nets.

• Play space during school hours for students of local school(s).

• Multi-purpose community buildings.

4.0 Reasons Why the Management Plan is Required

• Land specifically modified for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.

• The land is subject to a licence.

• The land is subject to a lease.

5.0 Objectives for the Management of the Land

• To acknowledge the significance of Mortlock Park as an element in the planning of the Garden Suburb of Colonel Light Gardens, which is a designated State Heritage Area.

• To maintain Mortlock Park as the main recreation area in Colonel Light Gardens with a mix, range and tangible balance of passive and active recreation including organised sport.

• To provide and maintain a high quality and accessible public recreation facility for the local and wider community that provides a variety of opportunities for relaxation, leisure, physical activity and play without generating undue disturbance to nearby residents.

• To safeguard the community by taking appropriate measures to control risk.

• To seek equitable access to a space designed with all user groups in mind.

• To minimise conflict between Park uses.

• To include the ability to offer short term leases/licences/permits for one-off events or other short-term uses.

• To allow for future leases/licences of a similar nature should current leases/licences not be renewed or renegotiated to Council’s satisfaction.

• To promote sustainable environmental management within the Park.

• To ensure the Management Plan is flexible and able to evolve with changing community attitudes and environmental challenges.

• New major sporting clubrooms or other facilities requiring additional large areas of car parking for spectators and participants are not appropriate for Mortlock Park.

6.0 Policies and Proposals for the Management of th e Land

• Council should seek to ensure that over the whole of any year, a balance of passive and active (i.e. informal and formal) recreation including organised sport is achieved in the Park.

• Consideration to be given to careful advanced scheduling of organised sport use by the clubs during general community use peak periods (i.e. evenings and/or weekends) to facilitate equitable access for both passive and active recreation use during these times in particular.

• Consideration to be given to regular advanced publication of a schedule of licenced hours by the clubs both on site and via electronic media.

• Consideration to be given to the introduction of tighter controls and management of leases / licences / permits for short term one-off events and any other short term use(s) throughout the year.

• Consideration to be given to the promotion and use of a bidding or tender system for new leases and licences should any existing tenants vacate Mortlock Park during the life of this Community Land Management Plan. The purpose of a bidding or tender system would be to enable Council to assess the ability and willingness of prospective tenants to help achieve an appropriate balance of passive and active recreation uses at Mortlock Park.

• Consideration to be given to the use of sustainable environmental management techniques to maintain the landscape at Mortlock Park now and into the future. One topical issue is the ongoing use of water resources to maintain large areas of grassed open space, which despite the clear social benefits is likely to become an ever-increasing economic burden on Council and leaseholders.

• Consideration to be given to the use of multi-purpose community buildings to ensure that the type and level of usage does not generate undue disturbance to nearby residents.

• Consideration to be given to the heritage / history of Mortlock Park as the largest park in the State Heritage Area of Colonel Light Gardens. In particular, reference is made to the Colonel Light Gardens Conservation Management Plan and Technical Data Sheets Manual.

• Consideration to be given to Council’s policies which relate to the management of open space and community facilities.

• Consideration to be given the City of Mitcham’s Development Plan and Open Space Strategy.

• Consideration to be given to By-Law No.3 - Local Government Land regarding the activities which can be undertaken on community land.

• Consideration to be given to By-Law No.5 - Dogs and any current resolution of Council whereby controls have been introduced in relation to the exercising of dogs on Mortlock Park.

• Proposals - see Schedule

7.0 Performance Targets

• See Schedule

8.0 Performance Measures

• See Schedule

9.0 Current Lease/Licence Details

9.1 Guides SA currently holds a lease to utilise one of the community buildings at Mortlock Park.

9.2 The Scout Association currently holds a lease to utilise one of the community buildings at Mortlock Park.

9.3 Colonel Light Gardens Football Club currently holds a lease to utilise one of the community buildings as a clubroom for part of the year.

9.4 Colonel Light Gardens Football Club currently holds a licence to utilise a portion of Mortlock Park for part of the year for the purpose of football.

9.5 Goodwood Indians Baseball Club currently holds a lease to utilise one of the community buildings as a clubroom for part of the year.

9.6 Goodwood Indians Baseball Club currently holds a licence to utilise a portion of Mortlock Park for a part of the year for the purpose of baseball.

Unless otherwise stated in the licences / agreements, this reserve is available for community use.

Date prepared: February 2014

SCHEDULE

Management Issues Proposals Performance Targets Performance Measures

Landscape Character and Heritage Value

Heritage

Reflect the values of the Colonel Light Gardens Conservation Management Plan.

Observance of relevant objectives and policy guidance in the Colonel Light Gardens Conservation Management Plan.

Litter Bins/grounds checked regularly.

Area to be free of litter.

Fences and park furniture (inc. gazebos).

State of furniture checked on a regular basis.

Located in suitable areas and kept in good repair.

Lighting (where installed)

Regular checks to replace faulty/broken lights.

Lights are operational.

Paths Check and repair as required.

Safe to use and clear of obstructions.

Graffiti Offensive graffiti to be removed in 24 hours. All highly visible graffiti to be removed from Council property.

Highly visible park structures and surrounds to be graffiti free.

Clubrooms and structures for organised sport

Adhere to the building maintenance program each year and to have completed each stage within the allocated time frame.

Inspections of all clubrooms conducted once a year.

Building complies with the annual audit by budgeting, programming, and completing the identified works.

All clubroom inspections are documented in an Audit Report.

All building work complies with DDA Plan.

Fencing, netting and other structures

Explore feasibility for removable / temporary fencing, netting and other structures where appropriate and where these structures are necessary to undertake licenced organised sporting

Feasibility explored.

activities.

Explore feasibility to develop structures that have multiple uses where appropriate and where these structures are necessary to undertake licenced organised sporting activities.

Feasibility explored.

Playground Equipment

Provide a public recreation facility to the community.

Create challenging and interesting opportunities that cater for development requirements of playground users.

Provide equipment specifically designed for toddlers, early childhood, junior and senior groups

Provide some active play structures suitable for use by the wider community.

Ensure all playgrounds are safe with regular inspections and maintenance of equipment.

Minor repairs that are undertaken during this routine inspection are to be recorded on an appropriate inspection sheet.

Major repairs or maintenance required is to be recorded on the inspection sheet and handed to the coordinator for appropriate action.

Playground inspected in accordance with safety inspection checklist.

Soft fall areas are to be included in playground safety inspection checks and appropriate action taken to keep them clear of weeds, litter, broken glass and other sharp objects.

Soft fall area to be maintained at the required depth and in an appropriate condition.

All soft areas will be clear of foreign objects (such as broken glass).

Install new equipment in accordance with Council’s replacement program.

Any parts replaced will be with genuine parts (which adhere to Australian Standards) from an appropriate manufacturer.

Up to date inventory of all playground facilities maintained.

All playgrounds shall be audited every ten years in respect to condition, safety, maintenance standards & longevity.

Oval Provide to a suitable level for general community use.

Aeration or verti drain treatment to be used in areas of high soil compaction and poor drainage.

Appropriate fertilizers to be applied to areas of high use and at recommended rates for that particular soil type.

Quality of turf suitable for local community use.

Irrigation Systems Provide a suitable automatic irrigation service that makes best possible use of resources while providing acceptable standards of turf.

Automatic systems should be programmed to match the needs of a particular area in relation to soil types, grass type, use of area, climatic conditions and Government restrictions.

Minor repairs to be undertaken as soon as practical.

Major repairs to be included in scheduled works.

Turf maintained to best level within relevant water restrictions.

Efficient use of water while delivering a quality grass surface.

All watering carried out according to relevant prescribed water restrictions.

Exercising of Dogs Allow for recreation areas to be set aside for both dog owners and/or other members of the public.

Compliance with all restrictions on the exercising of dogs.

Reduce the number of complaints from other park users.

Car Park

Provide off road car parking for community use.

Car park is safe, accessible and maintained in a good condition.

Car park is clearly defined for community use, is free of pot holes and is easily accessible.

Tree Maintenance Remove dead trees and limbs.

Trees to be in good health and safe for park users.

Dead trees are removed where dangerous and dead limbs of trees are removed where they pose a threat.

Plant new trees. Shade trees of appropriate species for the area to be planted.

Reserves are enhanced by healthy, safe and appropriate species.

Management Plan for Mortlock Park – Appendix 1

Note: This Appendix, as an extension of the Preamble to this Community Land Management Plan, is of an introductory nature only and does not constitute a formal and enforceable part of the Community Land Management Plan for Mortlock Park.

Management Plan for Mortlock Park – Appendix 1 (con tinued)

Broader principles of the refined Master Concept Plan can be described as follows: • A distinctive design that draws ideas and clear references from Charles Reade’s original intent

for Colonel Light Gardens; • A clearer delineation of spaces, with greater emphasis on achieving a tangible balance of

space available and/or dedicated to active or passive recreation; • A more accessible open space with an emphasis on key entry points and a network of internal

multi-purpose pathways; • A degree of flexibility / adaptability to make it easier to facilitate changes that may be needed to

keep the park relevant for future users; • A serious attempt not to preclude the potential for any of the existing sporting clubs /

organisations / schools to continue to use Mortlock Park at a similar intensity to that currently experienced;

• An increase in facilities available for community use in line with the targeted standard facilities for regional open space as outlined in the City of Mitcham’s Open Space Strategy;

• A safe and inclusive space for the use of the entire community; and • A high quality public realm including the provision of public art in key locations. Annotations on the refined Master Concept Plan provide an overview of the proposals, however the following is a list of select detailed design elements and intentions worthy of special note (some of which are unable to be displayed on the Plan): • Introduction of a formal arrangement / structure to the playground area at the northern end of

the Park, more akin to playground layouts penned by Charles Reade and other relevant local playground designs circa 1920;

• Network of pathways into and through the Park including a wide path between an avenue of mature Elm trees on the northern boundary of the Park, which were originally planted to line a (now closed) street in front of Colonel Light Gardens Primary School. A good example of pathways in a park setting can be found at the redeveloped Olympic sports field at Kensington Oval.

• Alterations (including partial road closures) to rationalise / formalise access and car parking on the northern side of the Park with view to dedicating more land to Park use;

• Planting of avenues / lines of trees along the edges of the east and west grassed recreation spaces to better define these spaces, enhance the natural environment, provide shade / shelter and increase safety for park users. Advice received indicates that a 6 metre separation should be achieved between the edge of any playing field and the trunk of any tree, which if not able to be achieved with the current layout, could potentially be achieved by shifting the existing football field westwards;

• Removal of the grasscrete parking area at the southern end of the Park, with replacement parking to be provided in the location that was previously occupied by the basketball stadium;

• Provision of a meandering path with seating and bbq area on the western and southern sides of the Park, which in part reflects the design of a passive recreation space in the original plans for the Park;

• Provision of an opportunity for new or reconfigured multi-purpose practice nets in the south east corner of the Park adjacent to the 2-storey community building;

• Potential introduction of a water feature in the south west corner of the Park, which would reflect the design of the passive recreation space in the original plans for the Park and make use of an existing stormwater drain running diagonally through the Park;

• Trimming or replanting of boundary hedges to a uniform height of 1.5 metres to allow views into the Park from surrounding streets and promote improved passive surveillance and safety for park users. This principle would include the hedge along Freeling Crescent and therefore might involve safety considerations whilst hard ball sports are active in this location;

Management Plan for Mortlock Park – Appendix 1 (con tinued) • Public toilets proposed to be incorporated into the existing Scout hall and/or public access to

existing toilets in the 2-storey community building during designated hours; • Suitable lighting to be provided to improve security and safety for Park users; • No outside storage of equipment to be entertained on the Park; • Retention and upgrade of the BMX track in the north west corner of the Park; • Working together with the existing Colonel Light Gardens Girl Guides Unit over its potential

relocation to a suitable alternate venue to enable demolition of the existing hall (as proposed in the 1992 Master Concept Plan) and the reinstatement of this part of the Park as landscaped space for passive recreation pursuits; and

• Investigations into the suitability / lifespan / maintenance and ongoing use of existing structures including flood lighting, fencing, batting cages, storage cages and dugouts.