Local community facilities are an important asset to the community. They provide flexible spaces for a wide range of community uses, including meetings, cultural development, community events, performances, learning, recreation activities and social gatherings. Importantly, local community facilities can be key focal points for community life, and places for people to meet and connect.

In April and May 2022, Sunshine Coast Council delivered a community engagement program to understand the need and demand for a potential local community facility in Pelican Waters. The engagement program explored how residents and community groups use community facilities in Pelican Waters and surrounding areas, and also the current usage, capacity, and opportunities within existing facilities.

The community engagement program included:

• An online survey
• Share your Story online activity
• Online community workshop
• Community Engagement Pop-up at Pelican Waters Shopping Centre

Council owns 6,000m2 of land at Spitfire Banks Drive, Pelican Waters. This site is intended for a local-level community facility that provides a multipurpose space for the general community.

The Sunshine Coast Community Strategy 2019-2041 requires that community infrastructure provision be based on evidenced need, and that Council will:

“develop and invest in a network of community infrastructure that is evidenced by population growth and community need and seeks to utilise or enhance existing infrastructure (e.g. through partnerships with schools or powers/managers of identified under-utilised facilities) before creating new or temporary community infrastructure.”

A preliminary assessment of the region’s local community facilities has highlighted an opportunity to undertake a community engagement program to understand the current needs and use of community facilities by residents and community groups in Pelican Waters, Golden Beach and Caloundra.

Residents and community groups who have an interest in community facilities in Pelican Waters but live or work in other areas of the Sunshine Coast are also welcome to participate.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the community engagement program. Findings from the community engagement program have been collated and analysed. The Pelican Waters Local Community Facility Community Engagement Program Results Summary provides an overview of the community engagement results and the recommended next steps. Further updates will be provided on this page as the project progresses further.

For more information, contact council’s Community Engagement Practitioner via email: engage@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.