Community engagement

Early feedback

Over many years, Council has received feedback from the community on a range of projects related to aquatic, arts and cultural facilities.

Soon after purchasing the site in 2016 we asked the community for ideas about its future uses, sought preliminary expressions of interest from experience developers, and have since met with many individuals and groups about the proposed concept.

From those discussions and community input, Council developed the following preferred development outcomes for the precinct:

  • new aquatic and recreation centre
  • arts and cultural facility
  • conference and event space
  • tourist accommodation
  • residential accommodation
  • restaurant and cafes
  • gateway visitor centre, and
  • the integration of existing sporting fields into the future development of the precinct.

Sunset committee, 2016 to 2018

Later in 2016, Council established the project Batemans Bay Mackay Park Precinct Sunset Committee. The purpose of the committee was to ensure community involvement in helping us plan the project and oversee the community engagement.

The Sunset Committee held its first meeting on 2 November 2016 and met quarterly between November 2016 and September 2018. Sunset Committee members and organisations represented were:

  • Sue Mackenzie - PerFex
  • Ross Thomas - Batemans Bay U3A
  • Lyn Woolridge - South Coast Pastel Society
  • Carolyn Harding - Batemans Bay Indoor Aquatic Centre
  • Jason Funnell - business/community representative
  • Brad Rossiter - community representative
  • Alan Russell - community representative
  • Mathew Hatcher - community representative
  • Vacant - Batemans Bay Chamber of Commerce representative
  • Clr Liz Innes - Eurobodalla Shire Councillor
  • Clr Rob Pollock - Eurobodalla Shire Councillor
  • Clr Anthony Mayne - Eurobodalla Shire Councillor
  • Dr Catherine Dale - Eurobodalla Shire Council, General Manager
  • Lindsay Usher - Eurobodalla Shire Council, Director of Planning and Sustainability Services.

Sunset committee meeting minutes

Community feedback, 2017 to 2021

Information sessions

  • We held two community information sessions in August 2017 and information kiosks in Batemans Bay in February 2018 to let people know about the proposal.
  • In October 2018, following the appointment of NBRS Architecture, user groups of the Mackay Park facility were invited to participate in focus groups with the architects. More than 90 groups were involved, including swimming clubs, arts groups, schools, health, business and disability sectors. We have also talked to travelling arts and theatre providers to determine their needs.

Feedback on concepts

In mid-December 2018, the project architects prepared three concepts for feedback. We shared these with the community over January and February 2019 asking for feedback on these initial concepts.

The three concepts included the same elements, arranged in different layouts. We asked people to give their feedback via questionnaires online, in writing or in person at information kiosks we hosted in Batemans Bay in January and February 2019.

The architects used this feedback to prepare a final design. This final design was presented to councillors for consideration at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 27 August 2019, where councillors voted to proceed to the next stage.

In collaboration with the Mackay Park Sunset Committee, Council also developed a set of design principles to guide the detailed design process.

Branding

In February 2021, Council and brand design specialist CITIZEN hosted stakeholder workshops  to share initial ideas and gain community feedback on the brand and name of the facility.

In April 2021, Council invited community members to tell us their ideas for the names of three centre facilities via an online survey and at a pop-up shop at Batemans Bay's Village Centre. The pop-up shop also offered an opportunity to view the brand and marketing concepts.

At it's meeting on 25 May 2021, Council adopted the brand name 'Bay Pavilions' and the names of the Yuin Theatre, Clyde Gallery and Garungadj water slides.

Proposed fees and charges exhibited

In September 2021 we placed the proposed fees and charges on public exhibition for community members to review and give their feedback. The fees and charges have been applied to the latest business model for the Bay Pavilions which forecasts revenue, costs and patronage over the next 10 years.

For more information

Please contact Lindsay Usher, Director Planning and Sustainability Services: