AS PART of a plan to improve sport and recreational facilities, Councillor Paul Amos will ask City of Coffs Harbour Council to consider current and future golfing demand.
Council is currently developing a 15-year Sports and Active Recreation Strategy to guide how the city plans, manages and invests in local facilities.
The draft strategy will set out priorities and identify actions over the short, medium, and long term.
In a Notice of Motion to be presented to Council’s Ordinary Meeting on 23 April, Cr Amos will request that planning processes “identify and protect potential sites within appropriate zoning and strategic land use frameworks, where a future public golf course could be accommodated, should demand and feasibility support such a facility”.
Included in the Notice of Motion is a request that a report be prepared outlining potential options, strategic considerations, and planning implications.
Cr Amos noted that the Coffs Harbour Golf Club celebrated its centenary this year, highlighting the long-standing role that golf has played in the recreational life of the community.
“In recent years the sport has experienced renewed growth, particularly as people increasingly seek accessible outdoor recreation opportunities that support physical and mental wellbeing,” he said.
“Importantly, public golf courses play a critical role in ensuring the sport remains accessible.
“Unlike private facilities, public courses provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in golf at a reasonable cost.”
Cr Amos said his Notice of Motion was not about committing the Council to constructing a new course, but was about thinking and planning 50 years ahead.
“As the Local Government Area continues to grow, it is prudent that Council’s long-term recreation planning considers future demand for publicly accessible sporting infrastructure, including golf,” he said.
“During COVID the sport really boomed and now we’ve got a lot of younger people taking it on.
“Golf tourism is becoming a big thing for the area as well.
“We don’t want to get in the situation where we are 150,000 people and cannot have supportive facilities.
“This is with an eye to the future, not the short term.”
By Mike HELY
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