Woden/Weston Creek Community HubMay 2015

Background

In the 2012-13 Budget $0.550 million was appropriated to investigate options for a Community Hub in the Woden/Weston Creek area to accommodate a community centre, a childcare centre and a seniors centre.

The Community Services Directorate (CSD) commissioned Stewart Architecture to undertake an investigation and document site options for this Community Hub.

Stakeholders and Purpose

The key stakeholders are:

• Woden Community Service (WCS), • Lollipop Childcare Centre (Lollipop), • Weston Creek Community Association and • Woden Seniors Club (Woden Seniors).

A new Community Hub will provide more appropriate accommodation for a community and seniors centre, collocating the operations of WCS (which operates multiple sites) and Woden Seniors.

The Report

The Study focussed on a model where the uses were contained in one building as this would provide the opportunity to maximise the usage of shared space and reduce overall space requirements.

After receiving the draft Study WCS indicated their preference for the child care centre to be located separately to their operations. It is considered that relocation of the child care centre is not as high a priority and this matter could be addressed separately.

The Study recommended a community hub be located in the Woden town centre and that additional site feasibility and design work be undertaken in order to select a preferred site and design option.

The findings presented require more in-depth design work and consultation to ensure optimal outcomes for government, the community and the community groups that operate within the region.

The Sites identified by the Consultants

Section 80 option, Site 9

This option would see a community hub form part of a larger community precinct development and would require a territory plan variation.

The preliminary cost estimate for development of a community hub on this site was approximately $25 million.

This option ruled out

The Sites identified by the Consultants

Section 12, Site 1 (the existing site)

A number of issues were noted, namely that the site, if progressed, would frustrate and compromise development opportunities of nearby sites and create overshadowing.

The preliminary cost estimate for development of a community hub on this site is approximately $22 million.

This option ruled out

The Sites identified by the Consultants

Section 9, Site 2

The option of locating the community hub as a tenant in a larger commercial development

This option was not recommended.

The Study advised that the arrangement would have significant drawbacks in delivering a positive community asset with the level of autonomy expected of a community facility.

The preliminary cost estimate for development of a community hub on this site is approximately $15 million.

Additional Sites – Callam Offices

Is largely vacant now that the ACT Government Office in Gungahlin is completed

provides ample car parking and is potentially suitable for the purposes required of a community hub.

A number of studies already undertaken including:• Future Use Studies by GHD (in 2004) • ...and Townsend Associates (in 2010);• a 2014 Jones Lang LaSalle proposal for the site be used as a community facility; and

• a 2014 community needs assessment completed by Buckley Vann for the ACT Planning Strategy Woden Master Plan (for the Environment and Planning Directorate) that drew attention to Callam Offices as a possible site for a community hub.

•The studies referenced above highlight the shortcomings in the suitability of Callam Offices as office accommodation.

Additional Sites – Cosmopolitan Building

The Cosmopolitan Building is a recently refurbished office building targeting 4.5 star NABERS rating.

The building has new carpet, air conditioning and services. The building has 7,361sqm of floor space, is split over five levels and has a basement car park with 40 bays.

Re-use of this building as a community hub would have the advantage of achieving a good outcome for the regeneration of the Woden town centre and create a sense of belonging and community within the town centre, an outcome that the Study identified as crucial to the ongoing viability of a community hub.

Although the property is not listed on the market, it is understood that the owners are willing to sell.

The Next Steps

The Chief Minister has indicated his preference for the remaining budget funds be used on design and feasibility on:

• Callam Offices• Cosmopolitan Building.

ED to commence negotiations with consultants with a view to having the work completed by the end of 2015