The landscape plan aims to enhance what people already love about the parks and address some of the challenges currently facing each park.

The new landscape plan includes:

• Major drainage upgrade works – installing an underground culvert (a concrete tunnel structure) to improve drainage capacity in the park
• Increasing open green space – reshaping the land previously occupied by the open grassed drain so that it is more usable. This will increase the total useable area of the park by approximately 2000 square metres and link the western and eastern areas of the parks.
• New accessible pedestrian pathway - looping through and connecting all areas of the park.
• New public amenities building (including a PWD toilet and hand washing facilities)
• New picnic and barbecue shelters and seating
• New outdoor exercise stations, drinking fountain and bike racks
• An upgrade to 240 linear metres of the Coastal Pathway – continuation of the three metre wide shared pedestrian and cycle path
• New park entry signage, landscaping and shade trees
• An upgrade to the existing beach shower and bus shelter
• Investigations for a potential Pump Track* area for younger people (teenagers and young adults).

*A Pump Track is a hard track for wheeled sports equipment (bicycles, scooters, skateboards, rollerskates/blades etc) that does not require pedalling or pushing. Users “pump” up and down using their body weight to maintain momentum around the track. This activity would complement the recently installed basketball half court, further accommodating active, youth play.

From 13 March to 3 April 2023, the final stage of community engagement sought our community’s feedback on the draft landscape plan. Most survey respondents were local residents who walked or ran to the park. The parks’ popularity was confirmed with many people visiting daily or two to three times per week.

The responses identified that most people supported the proposed activities and elements within the parks. Some respondents referring to the ‘classic’ local character and undeveloped nature of the park space and their appreciation of the natural environment including existing trees, the adjacent beach and nearby Stumers Creek area.

With all stages of community engagement now complete, Council will assess which items can be delivered as part of Stage One works and continue planning and funding investigations for Stage Two works.

It is expected that the project will be staged as follows.

2024 - Stage One Construction

2026 - Stage Two Construction

Council will share further information about the Stage One construction program once a contractor has been appointed. A public tender will be issued by end 2023.

Council’s 2021-2031 Sunshine Coast Recreation Parks Plan (RPP) provides a framework for the delivery and management of functional and affordable recreation parks over a 10 year period.

For the purposes of the landscape plan, Lions Park and Norrie Job Park are considered one land parcel with the two parks separated by an open, grassed drain.

The parks, together with Tickle Park at Coolum Beach provide a council-wide recreation function, supported by other district level recreation parks such as Jack Morgan Park in Coolum and others in Marcoola, Mudjimba and Peregian Springs.

For further information, please contact the project team on: lionsnorriejobpark@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

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Council invites you to share your thoughts on the Landscape Plan for Lions Park and Norrie Job Park, Coolum via the survey below.