Alexandrina Council is currently developing a Recreation, Open space, and Sport Strategy (ROSS). This strategy aims to review the current supply and assess future demand for recreation, open space, and sports facilities within the Alexandrina Council area.

The goal of the ROSS is to:

  • Provide a consistent and sustainable approach to planning and delivering recreation, open space and sport infrastructure.
  • Set clear service levels and guide the sustainable delivery and management of Council Recreation, Open Space and Sporting assets.
  • Develop a 10-year implementation plan.

We now have a draft ROSS that requires feedback from the community to help with future endorsement.

Through this engagement process, we will be seeking community support for the proposed service levels, with an opportunity to provide feedback.

What we need to know

We are going to ask you if you support the strategy in general, and then we need to know how you feel about each of the three levels of service.

Explore the 3 'Levels of Service'

Levels of Service (LoS) describe the standards of quality, functionality, and accessibility that we commit to delivering to our community. They define what services we will provide, to what standard, and for whom.
  • Deliver more unstructured recreation for youth with the inclusion of an additional skate park and bike park facilities.
  • Support equitable unstructured recreation access across townships.
  • Maintain Council-owned recreation facilities by undertaking regular inspections and risk assessments to ensure they meet compliance and future developed service standards, whilst utilising this information to help guide future operational, renewal or upgrade needs.
  • Plan to have 1km distance between open spaces that are either a Reserve or Environmental function within largely populated areas with over 500 people population within a defined township boundary, or where possible.
  • Maintain two regional open spaces within the Council area, which are Goolwa (Bristow Smith) and Strathalbyn (Soldiers Memorial Gardens, including Colman playground).
  • Plan to develop a framework to help guide future dog park provision within Alexandrina.
  • Design reserves to be welcoming, inclusive, intergenerational and reflective of local character and apply universal design principles to promote accessibility and comfort for all users.
  • Maintain accurate open space asset data by conducting inspections, audits, and valuations, and utilise this information to help guide future operational, renewal or upgrades priorities.
  • Maintain reserves as per service standards for Parks and Reserves.
  • Plan to maintain Sporting Hubs within Goolwa and Strathalbyn.
  • Maintain Council-owned sports facilities to ensure they meet grassroots needs, including future developed service standards, while also promoting inclusivity and multi-use.
  • Review facility provision in alignment with population growth, participation rates and catchment demand.
  • Plan for shared use between schools, clubs, and community groups through multi-use facility design to maximise utilisation.
  • Maintain sports facility data by undertaking regular inspections, audits and valuations and utilise this information to help guide future operational, renewal or upgrade requirements.

Share your thoughts

Fill out the online survey.

Key documents

How to provide feedback

  • Stop by a drop-in session

    Strathalbyn

    📍 Strathalbyn Woolworths, 6-8 Dawson Street

    📅 Friday, 9 May

    ⌚10 am - 1 pm


    Goolwa

    📍 Goolwa Shopping Centre, 33 Hutchinson Street

    📅 Monday 18 May 2026

    ⌚1:30 - 4:30 pm

  • Online
    • Provide feedback via the online survey

  • Written feedback

    • Email your submission to alex@alexandrina.sa.gov.au
    • Post your feedback to Att: CEO, Alexandrina Council, PO Box 21, Goolwa SA 5214
    • Drop your feedback off at the Strathalbyn or Goolwa office during opening hours

    You can prepare your own written submissions, or download a hardcopy survey from the Document Library.

Discover existing Sports and Open Space in Alexandrina