Waratah Avenue Placemaking Strategy

Community Engagement Results December 2013

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Community Consultation

It was very important that the City undertook a thorough community engagement process for the project. It was important the community was engaged in a systematic and genuine way. The goal of the community consultation was to legitimately contribute to what is eventually produced.

In developing the community engagement plan for the project, the City outlined objectives and principles that they would undertake at every stage of the engagement.

The community engagement objectives outlined were:

To involve local residents, traders and landowners in the preparation of the strategy in a

systematic and genuine way.

To implement an engagement process that legitimately contributes to the preparation

of the Strategy.

To communicate consistently with local residents, traders and business owners about

the project and the engagement process through different mediums.

To ensure that there are different opportunities for people to participate in the

engagement process as the project progresses.

The community engagement principles outlined were:

Appreciate that the people attending will be the intended users.

Value people’s time and engage them genuinely.

Make it convenient for people to participate.

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Community consultation plan and events;

The City organised an array of community events and methods to engage the community in

the project.

1. Developed a Steering Committee

The Committee comprised of three residents, four councillors (two Dalkeith Ward Councillors and two other ward Councillors), the Mayor and the CEO. The Steering Committee were engaged from the beginning and provided valuable advice, knowledge and personal experience towards the project. Committee meeting were held on a monthly basis to discuss the progress of the project and to ensure Committee members were kept up to date.

2. Developed branding for the project

The project team met with the communications team over a brainstorming session and came up with branding for the project that would be used consistently throughout the project. What was decided on is the image below as the branding for the project. The street in the picture is Waratah Avenue with a welcoming mat, which helped establish a friendly vibe for the project.

Once the branding for the project was developed, decisions were made in regards to the marketing and communication materials used to get information on the project out. For this, the project team developed:

Posters which were displayed in community buildings, along businesses in the street,

community notice boards etc.

DL Flyers which were sent to every household in the project area and displayed in

businesses along Waratah Avenue in Dalkeith. The flyers briefly explained the project

and encouraged members of the community to register on the website for an online

newsletter to receive regular updates on the project. The flyers were also displayed

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in the City’s libraries, the administration centre and were handed out at other

planned community events.

Concrete graphics to be installed on the footpaths in the project area. These

directed the community to the website and also displayed a QR code which linked to

the project. See example of concrete graphics below.

Advertisements in the local Community newspaper to notify the community of the

project. Advertisements were posted on a regular basis on the City’s community

information page in the local community newspaper.

A QR code for the project to link the City’s website.

3. Developed a webpage for the project within the City website

The webpage gave a monthly update on the project and listed all events and opportunities available for the community. The webpage can be found by visiting http://www.nedlands.wa.gov.au/waratah-avenue-placemaking-strategy-0.

4. Developed a monthly online newsletter

As part of the City’s subscription page to our newsletters, we added an option for the Waratah Avenue Placemaking project. Those who subscribed to the project received a monthly update on what was happening, events they could attend and the various ways they could get involved.

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5. Traders and Landowners database

To engage the business community in the project, two project team officers walked Waratah Avenue and spoke to each business on the street individually about the project. While talking to each business, contact details were exchanged so businesses could be kept up to date on the project.

6. Two one-on-one Interviews and one workshop with businesses

Three one-on-one sessions were organised to try and engage local businesses in the project. Two involved the option of a half hour one-on-one meeting with the City and another of a two hour workshop. These were all held at Cimbalino Cafe on Waratah Avenue in Dalkeith.

7. Two community workshops

Two community workshops were organised for stakeholders on Thursday 24 October from 12 – 2pm and Thursday 31 October from 6 – 9pm. All Dalkeith residents were sent a postcard invitation to attend the workshops.

8. Online Survey – Place assessments

Online surveys were prepared and made available on the City’s website for those stakeholders who could not attend any of the planned community engagement events. Place assessments were also administered in hard copy and made available at the City’s administration Centre, libraries and aged care centre.

9. PARK(ing) Day

PARK(ing) Day is an International event where people collaborate to temporarily transform parking spaces into temporary public spaces. This year the City organised PARK(ing) Day to run in conjunction with the Waratah Avenue Placemaking Strategy Project, using a car park space in front of Cimbalino’s on Waratah Avenue as the event site. On the day, city staff spoke to stakeholders about the project and encouraged them to sign up for the newsletter and fill out place assessments.

10. Engaging the Youth

To engage the youth in the project, the project team met with local primary school students and came up with two different activities to get them involved. The first was the “Welcome to Waratah” children’s art competition where children were asked to draw what their favourite park would look like which gave us ideas of what children wanted in parks. The City also undertook a consultation with the year 7’s at Dalkeith Primary School.

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11. Councillor Worksop

To engage the Local Councillors and Mayor in the project, workshops were run in the same format as the community workshops.

The results - Community Workshops

Community workshops were divided into two parts.

Part one

The first part was ‘Getting to know the area’. The purpose of this part was to find out from the community what they thought about Genesta Park and the Streetscape on Waratah Avenue. The community were presented with a slideshow of photos which were taken at Genesta Park and of the Waratah Avenue Streetscape. From these photos and their knowledge of the area, they were asked to identify:

1. What works?

2. What doesn’t work?

3. What could be improved?

The Streetscape

What works?

What Works? Number of mentions

Village Style (Feel and Look) 3

Footpaths (Both Sides and Width) 2

Pedestrian Friendly 2

Trees 2

Walkable 2

Sufficient Parking 1

Parking Availability 1

Roundabout at Adelma / Waratah 1

Location 1

Pedestrian Crossing Near Adelma 1

Cafe's 1

Life on the Street (Weekends) 1

Safe and Secure 1

Seating 1

Cleanliness 1

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What doesn’t work?

What Doesn't Work? Number of mentions

Speed Limit 6

No Cycle Facilities 5

Lack of Trees 3

Pedestrian Crossing at Adelma / Waratah (Too Close to Roundabout) 2

Not Enough Seating 2

No Vibrancy 2

Parking (Not Enough / Signage) 2

Aesthetically Unpleasing (Rubbish Bins) 2

Narrow Footpaths 2

Pavement (Uneven / Unstable) 2

No Consistent Style 1

Traffic (Congestion) 1

Roundabout near Vintage Cellars 1

No Public Toilets 1

Median Strip is too Narrow 1

Unsafe After Dark 1

No Pedestrian Amenities 1

What could be improved?

What Could Be Improved? Number of mentions

40 Kph Speed Limit (Traffic Calming) 9

Street Greenery (Flowers / Gardens / Trees) 7

Improved Median Strip 4

More Street Seating (With / Without Shade) 3

Additional Bus Stops 2

Bicycle Parking Facilities 2

Public Toilets 2

Improved Shopping Area (Speciality Shops) 1

Walkability 1

Realign Bus Stops 1

Change Road Surface (Promote Slower Traffic) 1

Somewhere People Can Meet 1

Public Art 1

Improved Footpaths 1

Better Use of Shop Frontage 1

Alexander / Waratah Intersection 1

Focal Point 1

Alfresco Dining 1

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Genesta Park

What works?

What Works? Number of mentions

Location (Close to Shops) 4

Size 4

Safe 3

Trees 2

Usability 2

Storm Water Catchment 2

Calm / Quiet / Relaxing 2

Parking 2

Undulating Character 2

Visibility 1

Nice 1

Clean 1

Well Maintained 1

What doesn’t work?

What Doesn't Work? Number of mentions

Parking being used by surrounding businesses not park users 3

Under Utilised 3

Not Enough Seating 3

Boring' Trees 2

Tired Looking 1

Traffic along Waratah Ave 1

Lack of Attractive Amenities 1

Safety 1

Lack of Public Toilets 1

Current Sculpture 1

What could be improved?

What Could Be Improved Number of mentions

More Child Facilities / Play Equipment 7

More Seating and Tables 6

Undercover Areas 5

Greenery / Landscaping 5

Improved Linkage Between Shops and Park 4

Community Garden 2

BBQ Facilities 2

Parking (Time Limit) 2

Public Toilets 1

Entry Statement 1

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Bicycle Racks 1

Water Fountain 1

Lighting 1

Water Feature 1

Build on its Peacefulness 1

Exercise Equipment 1

Public Art 1

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Part two

The second part of the workshops was to determine potential ‘options for the area’. This

part was to be used to identify options for Waratah Avenue, and was divided into three

sections which included:

a. Looking at options for the future of the Dalkeith Hall Site;

b. Looking at options for to improve the streetscape and Genesta Park; and

c. Prioritising areas for improvement in the future.

A. Looking at options for the future of the Dalkeith Hall Site

The community were presented with the two realistic options for Dalkeith Hall that were

identified by the City and the projects steering committee along with the pros and cons of

each option.

The two options identified were:

Option A– Replace like for like that meets needs.

Option B– Replace with a mixed use development involving a community use with Nedlands

Community Care staying.

Following this, the community were then asked to vote on their preferred option with a two

more options added being:

Option C– I have no option.

Option D– I have another option.

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The results

Option 4 results – Other options identified by the community

Sport Facility and Gym

Maximum diversity of uses- NCC / Retail / Residential / Office / Shops / Apartments

Make a multi-storey car park with Town Hall on same site

More rooms for meeting

Bigger space for dancing

Sell the land- facilities are underutilised

Use the proceeds to shift all community facilities to DC Cruckshank reserve

Already there is child minding facilities and a Kindergarten

Re-route buses to DC Cruckshank

Leave it as it is

A two storey building might fit in with future developments of Dalkeith

Council could have an office upstairs;

Clubs and functions downstairs (Bridge, Dancing clubs etc.);

Saturday markets in the car park

B. Concept drawings and sketches

Councillor Nigel Shaw volunteered to put together some concept sketches for Waratah Avenue which was presented at the community workshops. These sketches were developed as concepts only and were not to be final drawings. They were aimed at giving the community an insight to what placemaking in Waratah Avenue could look like. Following Councillors Shaw’s presentation, the community were asked to write down what they liked and didn’t like about the drawings.

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The results

What the community liked about the concept sketches No. Of Responses

Street Trees (Aesthetically Pleasing) 28

Incorporation of Town Square 17

Pedestrian Promenade 10

Streetscape (Revitalisation / Communal Interaction) 9

Integrating Genesta Park with Waratah Ave 6

Lack of Median Strip 6

Traffic Calming 4

Laneway Access 4

Greener 3

Wider Footpaths (Reduced Road Width) 3

Increased density providing multiple services for the community 3

Friendly / Interesting 2

Redesigning of Genesta Park (Sense of Place) 2

Underground Parking Opportunities 2

Village Atmosphere 1

Better Use of Available Space 1

Cost Effective (Mainly Landscaping) 1

Water Feature at Genesta Park 1

What the community didn’t like about the concept sketches No. Of Responses

No Cycle Path / Bicycle Facilities 10

No Median Strip (Retain for Elderly / Children) 5

Lack of Pedestrian Crossing Facilities 4

Any development should provide its own entry / Exit on its own land- not public land

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No roundabouts on Alexander and Waratah 4

Should Be Extended to Roberts Road 4

Increased Traffic (Not Catered For) 3

Concerns of Town Square (Orientation / Boring / Utilisation) 3

Less Offices / Real Estate Agencies 3

The proposed size of the redeveloped Dalkeith Hall (PAD voted for 3 storeys not 3 to 5)

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Physical Bulk of Building (Dominate the Streetscape) 2

Too Much Parking 2

Too 'Strip-Like' 1

Lack of Children Amenities 1

No Traffic Calming 1

Cost (Potential Increase in Council Rates) 1

No Clear Indication of how People and Buildings engage with the Streetscape 1

Laneway should be limited to walking only 1

Narrowing of the Street 1

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Laneway at rear of Hall site should not have through traffic 1

Formality of Genesta Park 1

Not Enough Flower Beds 1

No Bus Stop Shelters 1

Eating into the space within Genesta Park 1

Paving in Genesta Park (Leads to nowhere) 1

Water Feature in Genesta Park 1

Dalkeith Hall being Redeveloped / Rebuilt 1

Loss of space around Hall (restricts options for Hall development) 1

Additional comments on the sketches

Comments

Opportunity for council to develop and control the Dalkeith Hall area to provide something the community wants without being held hostage by landlord

What could the council do its land to encourage more vibrancy and bring people to the area:

Public-Private Partnerships- Pop up restaurants at Genesta Park

Wider Footpaths for Alfresco dining to make it more attractive for landlords to rent to food providers

Dalkeith Hall becomes something vibrant / mixed use / communal meeting space outside Town Square Concept

Retail is dying- what will the ground floor for mixed-use developments be used for?

Rear Access Lane should stop at C3 Church boundary – Land should be provided by owner of the site for the laneway

Improved access from shops west of Hall Site to potential Town Square

Potential for underground parking under proposed redevelopment of Hall

Differentiated buildings forming a contiguous shop front up the street

Existing old buildings need replacing

No thought given to laneways parallel to Waratah Ave (except as access thoroughfares)

Dangerous exit of rear laneway through P.O.S area of Hall site- setback further from road

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C. Options and ideas for Waratah Avenue and the Streetscape.

The community were presented with a range of options and ideas that could be implemented on Waratah Avenue and Genesta Park. Community members were asked to vote using their keypads what they thought of each option. They were given five options:

1. Brilliant idea

2. Like the idea

3. No opinion

4. Dislike

5. Strongly dislike

After the City presented their options, the community were then given a chance to come up with their own ideas and options for the area. These were then voted on as per all the options before.

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Options and idea presented by the City

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Options developed by the community

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Prioritising areas for improvement in the future!

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After all the options were presented, the City then divided the options into 5 broad areas in

which each of the options fitted. The community was then asked to vote on which areas

they thought the City should prioritise moving forward. Below are the results.

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Consultation with Year 7’s at Dalkeith Primary School Consultation with Dalkeith Primary School Year 7’s was held over two days. Day one focused on the Waratah Avenue Streetscape.

In the first part, like the workshops, students were asked what worked and what didn’t work. Below are the results.

What Works What Doesn't Work

The roundabout Paths are too boring (different colour / style)

Children's crossing Dalkeith Hall should be put to better use

Good footpaths Cleaner, bigger bus stop

Trees Un apealing bins

Modern art Old shops

Chairs outside shops Roundabout needs flowers

Wide Footpaths Too many Hairdressers

Lots of Rubbish bins Bus stop blocking the path

Friendly Uneven and Narrow footpaths

Good bike racks Ugly pathways

Very accessible for local residents Trees give a depressing vibe

Variety of shops Footpath is only on one side

Day one - Options and ideas for Waratah Avenue and the

Streetscape The students were then presented with a range of options and ideas that could be implemented on Waratah Avenue. Students were then asked to vote using their keypads what they thought of each option. They were given five options: 1. Brilliant idea

2. Like the idea

3. No opinion

4. Dislike

5. Strongly dislike

After the City presented their options, the students were then given the opportunity to come up with their own ideas and options for the area. These were then voted on as per all the options previously mentioned.

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Options developed by the Year 7 students

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Day Two – Community Constulation

Day two of the consultation with the students focused on Genesta Park. Part one – Students were taken to Genesta Park in Dalkeith where they were asked to draw the park and insert all its features and its infrastructure. During this excercise they were also asked to identify what worked and what didn’t work. Part Two – Students were then taken back to the classroom and asked how they would make the park better within a certain budget. Each group was given ‘$100’ along with a list of things they could buy which were priced relative to their real costs. The options ranged from play equipment, bins, lighting, seating, picnic spaces, bbq to toilets.

The Results

Part one

What Works No. Of Responses

What Doesn't Work No. Of Responses

The Ditch 4 The grass (unmaintained) 3

Big Trees 3 Not enough seating 2

Modern art 2 Small trees 2

Close proximity to shops (Cimbalino's) 2 Lack of attractions 2

Lighting 2 Not enough shade 2

Bins 2 Too many trees 2

Water fountain x2 2 Location of the water fountain 2

Lots of Trees 1 Power boxes 2

Modern statues 1 The Ditch 2

Friendly 1 Lack of flowers 2

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Shade 1 No small play area 1

Benches / tables 1 Three statues at the Front of the Park 1

Good size car park 1 Size of the park 1

Middle lamp post with two lights 1

Too many bins 1

Dark, native trees 1

Layout of benches / bins 1

Part Two

83% of groups incorporated the following: seating, gazebo, water fountain and bins

66% of groups incorporated the following: use the ditch as a feature, playground and lighting.

50% of groups incorporated the following: water feature as the main focal point, BBQ/picnic area and public art.

33% of groups incorporated the following: more tables with seats, public toilets and bike racks.

Each group felt greenery and colour (trees and flowers) were an important aspect of Genesta Park to promote a more-lively and welcoming atmosphere.

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Waratah Avenue Place Assessment Results Hard copy and online place assessments were made available via the City’s website, left in businesses on Waratah Avenue and also available at the City’s administration centre and the libraries. 71 place assessment surveys were filled out. Part one – Your evaluation of the place Area One – Waratah Avenue Participants were given a series of questions on Waratah Avenue and asked to tick the rating that best describes their evaluation of the place. They were give 4 ratings; good, fair, poor and N/A. The questions were;

1. What is your opinion of the street’s attractiveness? 2. What is your opinion of the safety of the street? 3. What is your opinion of the cleanliness of the street? 4. Rate the comfort of the street’s seating options? 5. What is your opinion of the number of seating along the street? 6. Rate how easy it is to walk around the street. 7. Rate how easy it is to catch the bus to and from the street. 8. Rage the safety of cycling to the street. 9. What is your opinion of the number of places to park your bicycle?

Results Question Good Fair Poor N/A

1 Street Attractiveness 11 44 9 0

2 Safety of the Street 23 34 10 0

3 Street Cleanliness 42 24 2 0

4 Comfort of Street Seating Options 3 21 34 3

5 Opinion on Seating Numbers 2 19 43 3

6 Walkability 32 27 6 0

7 Access to P.T Services 31 22 4 9

8 Safety of Cycling 12 27 23 2

9 Opinion on Bicycle Parking 6 19 32 7

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Area Two – Genesta Park As the exercise before, participants were given a series of questions on Genesta Park and asked to tick the rating that best describes their evaluation of the place. They were give 4 ratings; good, fair, poor and N/A. The questions were;

1. What is your opinion of the park’s attractiveness? 2. What is your opinion of the safety of the park? 3. What is your opinion of the cleanliness of the park? 4. Rate the comfort of the park’s seating options. 5. What is your opinion of the number of places to sit at the park? 6. What is your opinion of how well the park is used? 7. What is your opinion of the park’s attractiveness?

Results

Question Good Fair Poor N/A

1 Park's Attractiveness 20 29 16 0

2 Safety of the Park 31 30 3 1

3 Cleanliness of the Park 31 27 5 1

4 Seating Options within Genesta Park 6 31 22 2

5 Number of Places to Sit at the Park 9 22 30 1

6 How Well the Park is Utilised 10 22 27 2

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Area Two – Dalkeith Hall Again as the exercise before, participants were given a series of questions on the Dalkeith Hall site and asked to tick the rating that best describes their evaluation of the place. They were give 4 ratings; good, fair, poor and N/A. The questions were;

8. What is your opinion of the building’s attractiveness? 9. What is your opinion of the attractiveness of the grounds around the building? 10. What is your opinion of the frequency of the events/ activities held at the building?

Results

Question Good Fair Poor N/A

1 Building's Attractiveness 9 24 30 1

2 Attractiveness of Grounds Surrounding Dalkeith Hall

8 22 33 1

3 Opinion on the Frequency of events/ activities at Dalkeith Hall

15 20 18 11

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Part two: Identifying some opportunities for these places

In the second part, participants were asked their opinions about the opportunities for Waratah Avenue, Genesta Park and the Dalkeith Hall site. Question one – What do you like best about each of these places? (Waratah Avenue, Genesta Park and the Dalkeith Hall site and the area?

Results for Waratah Avenue

What People Like Best About the Place- Waratah Ave

Local Meeting Place

Community Feel (Sense of Place)

Good Mix of Residential / Commercial

Variety of Shops, Cafes, and Restaurants

Access to Services

Safe

Useful Shops which are well Utilised

Friendly

Accessible by Multiple Modes of Transport

Ample Parking

Village Atmosphere

Results for Genesta Park

What People Like Best About the Place- Genesta Park

Comfortable and Small

Aesthetically pleasing (vegetation)

Multi-purpose

Simple but pleasant

Creates a community feeling

Locally used

Wonderful asset

Results for Dalkeith Hall

What People Like Best About the Place- Dalkeith Hall

Embraces the 1960’s Heritage

Frequently Used

Accessible to the Community

Excellent Public Facility

Development Potential

Large, Functional Indoor Space for Multiple Uses

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Question two - What would be the three things that you would do to improve Waratah Avenue and Genesta Park? Results for Waratah Avenue

Suggested Improvements No. Of Responses More Cafes /Restaurants /Alfresco Dinning Opportunities 22

Improved footpaths- greater carrying capacity / allow for alfresco dining 10

More Street Trees and Significant Vegetation 9

More Street Seating 9

Urban Greenery (More Attractive Streetscape) 7

Cycle Paths and supporting bike infrastructure (Bike Racks) 9

Traffic Calming / Pedestrian Amenities 9

Encourage mixed use developments 3

More Rubbish Bins 3

Improved Lighting 1

Improved Family Nightlife 1

Urgent need of re-defining as a place of community engagement 1

Business attractions to help Placemaking 1

Develop petrol station site 1

Results for Genesta Park

Suggested Improvements No. Of Responses

More Child Facilities / Play Equipment 7

More Seating and Tables 6

Undercover Areas 5

Greenery / Landscaping 5

Improved Linkage Between Shops and Park 4

Community Garden 2

BBQ Facilities 2

Parking (Time Limit) 2

Public Toilets 1

Entry Statement 1

Bicycle Racks 1

Water Fountain 1

Lighting 1

Water Feature 1

Build on its peacefulness 1

Exercise Equipment 1

Public Art 1

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Results for Dalkeith Hall

Suggested Improvements No. Of Responses

Relocate to David Cruickshank Reserve 2

New, modern multi-purpose facility 1

Needs to be upgraded to accommodate more functions 1

Public Hall for Community Functions 1

Low-Rise development 1

Community / health services- medical facilities / childcare 1

Timber Floors 1

Quality Kitchen 1

Extra Storage 1

Aged Care Accommodation 1

Mixed commercial use 1

Renovate- upgrade facilities and appearance 1

Weekend markets 1

Keep it for community use- not commercial 5

Fitness and sporting venue 2

Cinema 1

Stage area for community events 1

Residential 2

Cafe 2

Public Toilets 3

Improved Kitchen / Toilet facilities 2