Expressions of interest open for management of four community facilities
31 August 2023
A rare opportunity for community organisations to put their hand up to manage one of four council-owned community facilities is now open for applications.
Community, Culture, Arts and Sport Committee Chairperson Councillor Andrew Fechner said council was now seeking expressions of interest to operate four community facilities – three dedicated community centres and one indoor sports and recreation complex.
“Council provides hundreds of community facilities across Ipswich for residents, including sporting fields and recreation hubs, community centres, parks and more,” Cr Fechner said.
“These facilities help meet our city’s diverse needs through creating safe, inclusive environments for residents to enjoy and access all year round.
“Demand for community facilities such as sporting fields is high across Ipswich, and I’m excited to see how our community can creatively activate these facilities in Camira, Redbank, Riverview and Springfield.
“Applicants keen to take on the management and operation of one of these facilities will be expected to work with council to facilitate programs and services for the surrounding communities.”
Council is seeking proposals for the management and operation of four facilities from suitable community organisations or commercial operators offering community services. The facilities are:
* Langley Park Hall – 7 Bruce Lane, Camira
* Camira Springfield Community Centre – 389 Logan Road, Springfield
* Riverview and District Community Centre – 138 Old Ipswich Road, Riverview
* Redbank Collingwood Park Sports Complex – 235 Smiths Road, Redbank.
“Organisations developing a proposal for one of these facilities should consider how their proposal will benefit the community, develop innovative solutions for community needs, and should demonstrate how their organisation will best benefit the facility,” Cr Fechner said.
“Applications close on 6 October, and it’s anticipated the successful operators will be confirmed in January 2024.
“This is an exciting opportunity and I urge any community organisation seeking a home base to contact council for more information.”
Applications will be assessed on a range of criteria including the appropriateness of the proposal for the location, viability of the proposal and benefit to the local community.
The EOI is advertised and documents are available to be downloaded from VendorPanel at no cost.
Enquiries or requests for clarification should be conducted through the VendorPanel forum.