Wollongong City Council’s vision of transforming Beaton Park into a regional sporting hub is one step closer, with councillors due to consider rezoning plans to make way for a major expansion.
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A new draft plan of management for the leisure centre and surrounding facilities and parks will be debated on Monday, along with a proposal to allow medical centres, community health facilities and registered clubs on the land.
The council flagged a decade-long, multi-million d ollar makeover for the recreation precinct a year ago, releasing a “needs assessment” to detail how the aged recreation precinct could be improved.
This document revealed that the future park could have four new pools, kids’ water play areas and water slides, a wellness centre and a gym big enough for 1000 new members.
Now, the draft plan of management (POM) has been released to provide the legislative framework for this to happen.
The existing Beaton Park POM has not been updated since 2007 and, according to council documents “is well out of date” and permits only limited expansion.
Additionally, historical changes to land zonings of the site means the Illawarra Sports Medicine Clinic and Wollongong Tennis Club would not be permitted, which means they would not be able to expand facilities until they’re rezoned.
Some of the measures flagged for action through the POM within the next two years include building on the existing leisure centre facilities to accommodate more people.
Additionally, private providers within the centre to expand sports, fitness, wellbeing and medical services.
In the short to medium term, Beaton Park’s over-capacity swim centre would become “the premier year-round indoor facility” in Wollongong, through a series of upgrades and redevelopment plans.
Over time – within five to 10 years – the council also hopes to encourage Illawarra basketball to “surrender” its lease over the “obsolete” Snake Pit , and move into a new indoor sports stadium within Beaton Park.
Councillors will consider the draft POM on Monday and, if supported, it will be placed on public exhibition.
History of Beaton Park
Beaton Park was first formed as a park in 1951, when the council joined two private blocks of land.
Tennis courts were built in 1957, and the four court Snake Pit was built in 1964.
Due to demand for more sports and recreation facilities, the park was further expanded by 2.89 hectares in 1973, with the council acquiring more land.
It was expanded again in 1978.
The leisure centre was built in 1981, after the land it is built on was bought from the Department of Defence.
The heated pool was added in 1983 – and covered over in 1986 – and the athletics track came ten years later in 1993.
The grandstand was built in 2001, and in 2005 the children’s playgrounds at Beaton Park and Wiseman’s Park were built.
They are due for renewal in 2020.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
