Parks & Sporting Grounds Asset Management Plan 2022-2032

1.4 Monitoring and Improvement Program

The improvement action items identified can be found in the Plan Improvement and Monitoring Section.

2 Asset Class Information

2.1 Background

Council has 2782 parks, ranging from regional parks which attract visitors from outside the Inner West Council local government area to small pocket parks that cater to the local residents

The Parks and Sporting Ground assets (open space asset portfolio) of Inner West Council (Council) provides a vital service to the community. Council plays an active role in encouraging participation in recreation activities by providing, planning, facilitating and advocating for recreation spaces and activities. Supporting this service is a network of public and private community assets (including but not limited to sporting grounds and playing surfaces, outdoor fitness/play equipment and networks of shared pathways) that support the local community and attract people from the wider Sydney region.

These open space assets represent a significant investment by Council and are of vital importance to providing its residents and neighbouring communities with quality services In recent times, our public open spaces have been identified as being more valued by communities, with increasing proportions of people using their local parks and streets for walking, cycling, social interaction and fitness. The way people use public open spaces and recreation facilities will continue to change over time for individual and small group activities, social cohesion and connection, health and wellbeing, and for informal recreation and access to nature.

New and upgrade of open space asset needs, and project candidates are summarised in the ‘Recreation Needs Study – A Healthier Inner West 2021’ This study provides a summary of LGA-wide asset needs and opportunities based on a range of indicators (such as population growth and characteristics, best practice trends and