Decision details

Minute by the Lord Mayor

To Council:

The Pyrmont Community Centre plays a key role in promoting wellbeing, physical and social activities for the village and contributing to the diverse, harmonious community in Pyrmont/Ultimo.

There is strong demand for the facilities for indoor activities, out of school hours care (OOSH), fitness classes, rehearsal and performance space, and community groups use the facility to deliver activities such as ballet classes, scrabble, line dancing, a stitching circle, singing groups and art classes.

Representatives of the Friends of Pyrmont and Pyrmont Action contacted my office and the Office of the Chief Executive Officer – most recently on 1 April 2019 – to raise concerns that they are running out of space at the Centre, and require another room to accommodate increasing demand for services.

Pyrmont is one of the earliest and most successful examples of urban renewal in Australia, transforming from an industrial area with a residential population of 300 to a densely populated residential and commercial area with 14,500 residents.

This rapid population growth is placing pressure on existing facilities, and while this Council has authorised additional capital works projects for the area, such as the Fig and Wattle child care and basketball facilities, these are not anticipated to be completed until 2024.

The City’s Chief Operating Officer and I met with members of the community on 3 September 2019 for an inspection of the community centre and to meet staff. It was clear from the busy use of the centre and the schedule provided that the demand for the facility has rapidly outstripped the current capacity.

Given the increasing demand, a modest renovation and re-organisation is proposed as well as a small expansion of the current facility, as the most effective way to support the community to continue to provide their very many activities while other larger capital works are completed over the longer term.

The specific requests of the resident groups include:

1.         Building an additional room to accommodate gym activity and equipment, which would free up the current gym room as a music room, and a smaller gym room as a meeting room.

2.         Installing an additional toilet upstairs.

3.         Installing a cupboard system to store equipment that would allow the out of school hours care space to be used for other purposes when not being used for after school care.

4.         Expanding the availability of staff on Sundays to enable the use of the Maybanke facility.

5.         Exploring the addition of more active recreation facilities for young people in Pirrama Park.

Recommendation

It is resolved that the Chief Executive Officer be requested to prepare a project scope, concept design and budget for the Pyrmont community's requests and report this to Council for consideration.

COUNCILLOR CLOVER MOORE

Lord Mayor

Moved by the Lord Mayor, seconded by Councillor Thalis –

That the minute by the Lord Mayor be endorsed and adopted.

Carried unanimously.

S051491