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Major Projects Home | New Library and Civic Centre | Aquatics Upgrade | New Children's Centre | Re-location of SES | Community Facilities Upgrade
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what are council's major projects?
In 2005, Council recognised the need to address longer term issues to improve our community facilities and services and developed a Financial Plan to achieve a number of Major Projects which were identified as requiring the immediate attention of Council. The Major Projects were adopted by Council in its 2005/06 Management Plan and Major Projects Resources Plan as follows:
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upgrade of aquatic facilities at Enmore and Petersham to meet current regulatory standards and to offer modest levels of improved facilities and services and new waterplay park at Marrickville South;
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improvements and repairs to a range of valuable community facilities such as the town halls;
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establishment of a new Children’s Centre in Marrickville South;
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replacement of the SES Headquarters which does not meet current needs; and
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replacement and enhancement of Marrickville Library, creation of a civic presence in Marrickville as the centre of the LGA, establishment of additional public meeting spaces and alleviation of accommodation issues in the current Administration Centre, on the old Marrickville Hospital site.
An update of the funding arrangements for Council’s Major Projects was reported to Council’s Meeting of 20 November, 2007 (Item GM 126, C/M 10/07). Click here to view this report
Further updates to these arrangements arose from Council's resolutions at the 18 March, 2008, meeting for the New Enmore Pool (Item GM 25, 02/08) and New Library/Civic Centre (Item GM 24, 02/08) projects.
How are Council's major projects managed?
Council's current program of Major Projects are primarily guided through a Councillor and Senior Staff led Major Projects Steering Committee, and an officer led Co-ordination Group, consisting of relevant multi-disciplinary staff across Council. Both the Council and officer groups are co-ordinated by Council's Executive Manager Major Projects (Acting), Brian Barrett. For details on any of the projects, you can contact Brian through the following:
Council has also engaged the firm Kathy Jones & Associates to provide specialised communications and consultation services to Council throughout its Enmore Pool redevelopment, new Waterplay Park at Steel Park, and new Library/Civic Centre (the redevelopment of the former Marrickville Hospital site) projects.
what's the latest with the projects?
The current status of each of these projects is as follows:
New Library/Civic Centre
Council and its officers have been undertaking a series of further planning and financial feasibility investigations in order to advance Council’s previously endorsed redevelopment concept for the site from February, 2006.
Following a series of reports from external consultants, Council resolved at its meeting of 18 March, 2008, (Item GM24, 02/08) to defer any decision in relation to the new Library/Civic Centre until the pool projects are complete or there is a significant turn around in the residential property market.
For further details on this decision please visit the New Library/Civic Centre web page.
Aquatic Facilities Upgrade
The proposed upgrade of the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre at Enmore Park was subject of an extensive public exhibition process in May and June 2008. A significant amount of community feedback was received, both in support of the proposal and against it. While many citizens agreed a 50-metre pool facility provided much needed social, recreational and community infrastructure, others were concerned about the impact of the proposal on Enmore Park in terms of heritage, landscape and aesthetic qualities.
In response to this feedback, Marrickville Council supported a series of design changes to the proposal at its meeting on Tuesday 17 June. The amendments include:
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relocating the position of the café and crèche;
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moving rooms to allow for the crèche and keeping the eastern elevation away from the Black Street paperbarks to ensure their survival;
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relocating the public toilet; realigning the post-1970 pathway;
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removing the northwest wall to enable the pool building to be moved north, north/west or west by several metres and reduce the intrusion of the complex into the park;
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considering angled parking in other nearby streets where appropriate community consultation has been undertaken; and
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not to proceed with angle parking in Black Street.
Revised plans are likely to be resubmitted to the Major Projects Steering Committee within the next two months and the matter will not go before Council again until at least October, providing opportunities for further public comment.
At its meeting of 17 June 2008 (Item GM 52, 05/08), Council resolved to endorse further investigation of a revised scope for the Waterplay Park project in accordance with a holistic option involving a broader
integration with Council’s planned Steel Park upgrade, recently presented by the consultants KIAH Infranet. Council also resolved to allocate additonal funding of $500,000 from the Property Reserve (arising from the projected savings in New Children’s Centre Marrickville South project) as a means of addressing the current shortfall in funding for this option.
It is expected that further technical and design investigations will be carried out on the holistic option, prior to community consultation and further reporting to the Major Projects Steering Committee and Council, and subsequent lodgement of a development application.
Further information on both the Enmore Pool and Waterplay Park projects is provided in the Aquatics Upgrade (including Waterplay Park) web page.
New Childen's Centre for Marrickville South
Throughout 2007 and 2008 Council has been investigating the viability of a new multi-functional children's centre within the grounds of the Marrickville West Public School, and looking at options to retain the existing May Murray Children's Centre. This has involved engaging consultants, consulting with key stakeholders and reporting on financial viability of both existing services and new projects.
Council resolved to advance a proposal to adapt classrooms and facilities in the ground floor of the western wing (Building C) of Marrickville West Public School (MWPS) for a combined Council Out of School Hours (OOSH)/Connect Marrickville service. Council is currently working with the NSW Department of Education to refine the construction and future licence agreement details for this proposal.
While the new Council OOSH/Connect Marrickville facility is being built a temporary OOSH has been provided in another part of MWPS (Building A).
Council has also resolved to advance a proposal for alterations and additions to the existing May Murray Children’s Centre, to increase its capacity from 19 to 24 places. A development application for this proposal is expected to be lodged soon.
Further information on this project is contained within the New Children's Centre web page.
Re-Location of Marrickville SES
At its meeting of 20 November, 2007 (Item GM 123, 10/07), Council decided to proceed with a proposal to re-locate the Marrickville State Emergency Services (SES) building from its current location in Livingstone Road, Marrickville to Sydenham Green (along Railway Road between Stone Villa and the Princes Highway). This also enables Council to move forward on its earlier Major Projects funding proposal to subdivide, and re-locate the boundary between Ness Park and the rear of the existing SES building, and to dispose of the smaller SES site through a public tender or auction process, requiring a continuation of community uses by retaining the current Special Use 5(A) zone. The various approvals processes required for the SES and Sydenham Green will be initiated in upcoming months, involving consultation with the respective surrounding communities.
Further information on this project is contained within the Re-location of SES web page.
Community Facilities Upgrade
An inter-Divisional team across Council is currently implementing a prioritised schedule of works to advance expenditure of the allocated funds for this project, with a specific focus on upgrades to Council's four (4) Town Hall buildings at Petersham, Marrickville, St Peters and Newtown.
Further information on this project is contained within the Community Facilities Upgrade web page.
how can you have input to Council's major projects?
Each of the projects are being developed along different timelines. Council places a high priority on keeping its citizens fully informed and consulting with them at key steps of the projects.
We will keep you informed of any upcoming consultation events through a combination of advertisements in local newspapers and direct mail-outs to property owners and residents, where appropriate.
Further details on the consultation events can be obtained from Council's Executive Manager Major Projects on 9335 2250.
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