COMMUNITY SPORT & LEISURE FACILITES
AN NSC26 STREAM
- 1-2 July 2026
- Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
Community Sport & Leisure Facilities
Community sport and recreation facilities have always been at the heart of active, healthy, and connected communities. In 2026, as social expectations shift and participation patterns evolve, these spaces must adapt to meet the needs of the next generation.
The Community Sport & Leisure Facilities stream at NSC 2026 will explore how local governments, state authorities, and operators can plan, develop, and manage multi-purpose, inclusive, and sustainable infrastructure that delivers lasting value. With a mix of visionary keynotes, practical case studies, and collaborative discussions, delegates will discover strategies to design and operate facilities that inspire participation, foster social connection, and stand the test of time.
Relive the 2025 Facilities stream sessions below:
Keynote 1: Embedding Environmental Sustainability in Leisure Infrastructure
As environmental resilience becomes a core component of community infrastructure, this session brings together global experts to explore climate-responsive and sustainable design strategies for sport and recreation assets.
- Nick Aslop, Green Star Program Lead - Green Building Council of Australia
- Nick Yannakis, Director – BECA (NZ)
- Mark Bates, Architect - HD (NZ)
- David Barker, Head of Sustainability - Introba
- Jeremy Smith, General Manager, Commercial - Fluidra ANZ
Together, they will share insights on green building certification, energy-efficient aquatic centres, and climate-adaptive planning for sport precincts.
Keynote 2: Designing Future-Ready, Inclusive and Adaptable Community Hubs
This session unpacks how to design and deliver multi-functional leisure centres that are financially viable, socially inclusive, and adaptable to changing community needs.
- Dr. Irina Akhmanova, Principal Architect – Populous (Singapore)
- Dr. Neil Gibson, Director – Blacktown City Council
- Mike McGrath, Principal – CO-OP Studio
- Lisa Whiffen, Representative – Champions of Change Coalition
Explore how design innovation, universal accessibility, and commercial strategy can converge to create high-impact, community-first facilities.
PitchFEST: Solutions to Achieve Cost-Neutral, High-Impact Facility Operations
How do you balance financial sustainability with community benefit? In this fast-paced session, five industry leaders share their approaches to creating cost-neutral aquatic and leisure facilities that also deliver measurable social and health outcomes.
- John Clark, CEO – South East Leisure
- Alexandra Ash, CEO – The Y Australia
- Yvette Audette, Marketing Manager – Fluidra ANZ
- Ben Tudhope, CEO – Aligned Leisure
Expect actionable insights into technology integration, community-driven programming, commercial partnerships, and impact measurement.
Workshop: Future-Proofing Leisure Facilities for the Next 100 Years
Join a forward-looking conversation about adaptive reuse, hybrid facility models, and the role of AI-driven design in shaping the next generation of sport and recreation infrastructure.
- Nick Cox, CEO – Belgravia Leisure: AI-Driven Design Opportunities
- Jay Clarke, CEO – City Venue Management: Repurposing through Hybrid Facility Models
- Kath Thom, CEO – Peninsula Leisure: Transforming Underutilised Spaces and Childcare Facilities
This session offers a framework for designing resilient community assets that evolve with population shifts, participation trends, and climate challenges.
Community Sports and Leisure Facility Site Tours (Victoria)
Experience leading examples of innovation in community recreation infrastructure with a guided site tour of three cutting-edge facilities:
- Kensington Community Aquatic and Recreation Centre – A brand-new benchmark in inclusive, accessible design
- Bundha Sports Centre (Fitzroy) – A vertical, space-efficient model for urban active spaces
- Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre – One year post-launch insights: operational success and user satisfaction exceed expectations
The Community Sport & Leisure Facilities Stream delivers essential knowledge and inspiration for professionals planning, designing, funding, and operating modern community sport and leisure facilities. From green infrastructure to inclusive service delivery models, this stream helps shape a vision for the next 30 to 100 years of active infrastructure development in Australia and beyond.
