Potential White Peak Oval Project
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The Shire of Chapman Valley is investigating the potential delivery of an oval at Bill Hemsley Park in the White Peak locality.
The Shire’s adopted Bill Hemsley Park Masterplan included an oval component as part of its overall design for the park and the Shire is investigating what potential grant funding opportunities are available that may assist in its delivery.
As a part of this investigation process a concept design has been prepared and the Shire would welcome your comment upon this draft to inform further planning.
A copy of the Bill Hemsley Park Oval Concept Design, including the potential oval layout and cross-sections of how it might look when set into the sloping site and in context to the existing facilities at the park can be viewed at the below link:
Due to the space limitations at Bill Hemsley Park an oval large enough to be used for competitive senior games of cricket or Australian Rules football is unable to be delivered. Instead the oval design would have a 40 metre radius/80 metre diameter which is comparable to the size oval typically found in a primary school setting.
The oval area’s primary purpose is to provide a recreation area for the community by creating a larger grassed area where informal ball games and other recreational activities can occur that are not adequately catered for on the smaller existing grassed area between the community centre and the children’s playground. The oval area will be of appeal to older children and people wishing to play ball games and more intensive recreational activity and provide separation from the smaller grassed area that is more suited for smaller children.
To achieve a level site for the oval it would be set into cut and fill earthworks that would also ensure that the oval does not impact surrounding residents views of the Buller Rivermouth and Moresby Range and assist in containing noise and also errant balls from going onto Redcliffe Concourse. The cut and fill slopes would be graded at 1:6 to provide a gently sloping bank on the southern and eastern sides of the oval intended to provide a viewing area for parents watching their children play on the oval.
The design also proposes that a compacted limestone path be provided around the grassed area to serve as a walking track and also delineate it and act as a buffer for weeds.
The proposed design also includes the construction of cricket nets opening northwards so well hit shots do not head towards the playground and allow for the bowlers run-up to be on the grassed area. The cricket nets would also assist by providing a fencing backdrop to the basketball ring for missed shots to bounce against rather than running down the slope as they do currently.
The design also proposes a red asphalt path that would link the 2 existing gazebos and run past the mural to improve viewing of the artwork.
Australian Rules Football
To provide a guide on the scale of the proposed Bill Hemsley Park oval for people who may be involved in Australian Rules Football, it would be of sufficient size for Auskick Under 8 games to be played where the maximum size of the playing field is 80m long and 60m wide (oval size can be smaller dependant upon number of players per side with range of 6-12 a side). However, Under 9’s and 10’s would generally not be able to be played on an oval of the size proposed where the maximum size of the playing field is 100m long and 80m wide (although oval size can be smaller dependant upon number of players per side with range of 12-15 a side). Under 12 up to senior games generally have an oval size of 135m to 185m long and 110m to 155m wide (recommended 165m x 135m) and the Bill Hemsley Park site has insufficient area for this.
Cricket
To assist in visualising what this oval might look like for those more familiar with cricket, the proposed oval would be of sufficient size for Under 8 cricket matches where the minimum radius is 25m, Under 10’s where the minimum radius is 30m and Under 12’s where the minimum radius is 40m. Under 14’s and 16’s cricket matches would not be able to be played as the minimum radius is 45m (recommended radius of 50m) and senior games would not be able to be played as they have a minimum radius of 50m (community club), 65m (premier/regional) and 82m (domestic).
As a further guide to assist in visualising the scale of the potential Bill Hemsley Park oval, 2 comparable dimensioned examples from the region are provided below:
Below – Wandina Primary School Oval (80m diameter overlay)
Below – St Lawrence’s Primary School Oval (80m diameter overlay)
It should be noted that the Shire is at the investigative stage only at this time and there is not a timeframe for delivery of this project.
To assist the Shire in its consideration of this potential project your feedback is invited and we would welcome your input on a series of questions to guide us.
Comments must be received by Friday 28 April 2023.