THE successful staging of last Friday’s NRL clash between the Penrith Panthers and North Queensland Cowboys at Carrington Park and Saturday’s opening of the new St Pat’s rugby league facility on Hereford Street made another bold statement about the variable nuances to the city’s delivery of the Destination Management Plan in relation to sports impact and the future.
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This was a week after the BMX state championships at the Bathurst Bike Park added the many thousands of visitors who have benefited the region’s economy over the last 12 months.
It matters little now if the visitor to the region is here transporting hockey or football (soccer, rugby league or AFL) players, supporters, coaches or administrators, or here for tennis, tenpin bowling, bushwalking, rowing, archery, netball, CSU, schools, cricket, equestrian, fencing, motor racing, harness racing, shooting, horse racing, squash, gliding - or any other of the many leisure pursuits now available in the region.
In the coming months further sports facilities upgrades will continue and be available for use with improvements to the netball courts, Proctor Park for football, hockey synthetic surface upgrade and the commencement of upgrades at the tennis complex marking another step.
In coming years Carrington Park will be further upgraded and further investment in the city’s sporting infrastructure is likely to occur but a frank awareness of the visionary potential for sport, recreation and tourism must be clearly articulated.
Bathurst, so close to Sydney, has an opportunity to leverage sports innovation – and not only on and around Mount Panorama. But it needs smart thinkers in all things.
Sport and recreation opportunities should be very much sought out for the region to harness the chances for the stakeholders and the region to benefit.
In the coming month Australia will be represented in Russia taking part in football’s highly competitive World Cup sporting behemoth. An opportunity with football should be canvassed and embraced with schools, CSU and the stakeholders that have any interest in this game.
If council thought in the future about unifying strategies to help events and groups with such things as community-accessible infrastructure to support any and all such events - from signage, promotion and catering to marquees, PA equipment, sports trailers and developing the school and CSU student based team of event volunteers - this could be a step forward.
In short, Bathurst Regional Council should look at the full suite of masterplans of the various sports and examine the potential touchpoints to enhance its Destination Management Plan and our regional growth.
Bathurst will grow and benefit from the efforts of all so never marginalise the efforts of the small band of volunteers wherever they position their efforts.
