Is Unley’s Civic Centre suitable for future use. This is the question recently considered by Council’s Strategic Property Committee.  An exercise Council has looked into even before the Village Green Precinct Working Group identified the need.

The Strategic Property Committee has a view that mirrors that the community group.

Our Civic Centre does have an inward focus.  Given this, and given it was built 40 years ago, it does not accommodate the needs of a 2020 and beyond Council. It is therefore, in my opinion, a less than efficient building.

While several options were put in front of the Strategic Property Committee our focus was on whether the next Council should explore a redevelopment or not. We recognise, as did the Precinct Working Group that the Civic centre should open up to Oxford Terrace and better link with the Village Green.

The options we viewed as evidence of how redevelopment is possible with minimal investment. Simply, detrmine what would be suitable for future use. As a result, we passed the following motion:

1. The report be received.
2. In lieu of the acquisition of property for civic purposes, the matter of redevelopment of the Civic Centre warrants consideration by Council to ensure the facility is appropriately developed for future operational and community needs, with a report to be prepared for Council investigating requirements and costs for:

          – Provision of a main entrance to the Civic Centre off of Oxford Terrace;

          – Addition of one floor over the existing Civic area;

          – Underground car parking within the civic precinct; and

          – Filling in the space between the Civic Centre and Library/Town Hall.

3. That any funding for investigation of redevelopment of the Civic Centre will need to be considered as part of a future budget review process.

There is no budget for any redevelopment in our long term financial plan. As a result, this is simply recognising that we need to be looking at utilizing the existing facilities we have to accommodate our future occupancy needs without purchasing new property. In other words, recognizing that we perhaps should consider including such a project in our long term financial plan. A timely opportunity to recognise that we need always to plan for the future.

If council backs our recommendation it means our admin can do some research into our future needs. Because we are so close to the elections, and the caretaker period, any report will likley be presented to the next Council . Subsequently, any decisions to proceed or not, and with what, will be for the next or a future council.

The motion was carried unanimously. It is now for Council to consider. Let’s do the work know so we can establish what would be suitable for future use.