Enhancing Redlands Coast’s recreational and sporting opportunities will be a key focus for Redland City Council through 2021-22.

Today’s budget provides for significant investment in major inter-generational projects, such as the much anticipated Birkdale Community Precinct and Redlands Coast Sport and Recreational Precinct, while also ensuring popular existing community spaces are well cared for.

Mayor Karen Williams said the budget supported Council’s long-term vision to make Redlands Coast an exceptional place to live and play, building on a multi-million-dollar program of park, playground and sports facility upgrades across the city in recent years.

“The budget includes more than $1 million for progressing the very exciting Birkdale Community Precinct, including the historic Willard’s Farm restoration, as well as $3.5 million for the Redlands Coast Regional Sport and Recreation Precinct on Heinemann Road – both projects which will have immense benefits for residents well into the future,” Cr Williams said.

“We have also put aside $2 million to allow us to move swiftly should more strategic land for the community become available, continuing our strategy of bringing important sites back into community ownership.

“In recent years we have invested about $29 million to bring more than 360ha into community ownership for conservation and community use.

“Our focus also remains very much on caring for what we already have, with more than $7 million earmarked for renewing and improving popular community parks and sports fields alone.

“This takes the total spend in the past two years past $20 million.

“There’s $1.1 million for the major renewal of one of Redlands Coast’s best loved bayside spaces, Thorneside’s Beth Boyd Park, later in the financial year, plus significant allocations for Cleveland’s William Ross Park, Redland Bay’s Penrose Avenue Park and Victoria Point’s Parklands Court Park.

“These are just some of the parks across the city to benefit.

“We will also spend more than $40 million running and maintaining the 300-plus parks and civic open spaces that we have, including caring for more than 30,000 assets areas ranging from play equipment and exercise equipment to park furniture, as well as managing about 10,000ha of conservation areas.

“Mowing alone is a massive undertaking, with multiple mows of our parks, sports fields, roads and public utility land totalling 19,000ha – an area the size of Moreton Island – keeping our crews very busy.

“That alone is projected to cost more than $3.4 million this financial year.”

Major investments in open space

• Redlands Coast Sport and Recreation Precinct, Heinemann Road, $3.5 million
• Land acquisition $2 million
• Beth Boyd Park, Thorneside, $1.1 million
• Birkdale Community Precinct $1 million
• William Ross Park, Cleveland, $606,000

Visit our website at redland.qld.gov.au/budget for more budget information.