Page 5 - AFL Queensland Facilities Plan 2014-2020

Welcome from the CEO
AFL Queensland has put in place for the first time a detailed Game Plan that sets out a number of core pillars for growing Australian football in the Sunshine State and NSW Northern Rivers. Among our core pillars, providing Great Infrastructure is recognised as being critically important to meeting the modern expectations of our players, umpires, coaches and volunteers. Building on this, AFL Queensland has decided to set out in more detail the specific role that we will play in improving facilities at our network of grassroots community clubs across the state. Our vision and actions to achieve it are explained in this document – The AFL Queensland Facilities Plan.
Australian football has enjoyed a remarkable period of growth since the formation of AFL Queensland in 2001. During this period, over $500 million has been invested into Queensland AFL facilities to the benefit of hundreds of clubs and teams.
However, it is clear that there is still a large investment required to ensure that our facilities meet modern community expectations. This is challenging at a time of rising economic pressures – AFL Queensland fully recognises these pressures and the very real impact they will have on improving our facilities network.
In compiling this document, AFL Queensland staff have undertaken detailed research into social trends and consulted widely with our network of stakeholders at community clubs, leagues and local governments. They have considered the impact that new technologies will have upon how our game is played and administered, and completed audits of each and every local club oval in Queensland and the NSW Northern Rivers.
The resulting Facilities Plan is deliberately set out as a simple document that clearly identifies the strengths and weaknesses of our existing facilities network, and our key priorities in providing Great Infrastructure to support continued growth of our code at all levels.
As the popularity of Australian football continues to grow and participation increases, the use of existing ovals, and the demand for new ones, will also grow. Working with a range of partners, AFL Queensland will work hard to ensure that investment is targeted towards these key priorities based on ongoing dialogue with our grassroots stakeholder network.
Many AFL superstars started their footy careers playing on local ovals across Queensland. Whether used by an Auskick participant taking their first steps in our game or by a Masters player or a coach, facilities shape our individual and collective football experiences.
It is for this reason that providing Great Infrastructure will continue to be a core pillar of AFL Queensland’s service delivery to our community.
Michael Conlan 5 CEO, AFL Queensland