paul mallett supports additional investment in freely accessible sport and recreational infrastructure across the City of Launceston (as well as in neighboring local government areas). paul believes community members should be able to access green space and sporting infrastructure within a 15 minute walk of their home. See also paul’s post on making public school sporting infrastructure accessible.

The addition of sporting infrastructure such as half court basketball courts and netball rings is worthy of consideration in Rocherlea, Mount Stuart Park – Newham, Mowbray,   Torrens Street Park – Mayfield,  and Caledonian Square – Invermay. paul is promoting basketball infrastructure like what has been installed at Riverband Park, the UTAS redevelopment at Inversek, and Coronation Park – South Launceston in recent years.

Significant investment is occurring at York Park on a sporting stadium, with justification of the $130m price tag based on the likely economic return via tourism and visiting spectators. An argument can be made that the development of dispersed suburban sporting infrastructure supports the long term aim of engaging community members in exercise. This investment now is an upstream strategy supporting the prevention of lifestyle diseases. Investment in the infrastructure and promotion of participation in exercise can reduce suffering and reduce future (downstream) primary and tertiary health care costs.