Caloundra Community and Creative Hub
A vibrant new community hub is visioned for the Sunshine Coast.
The Caloundra Community and Creative Hub seeks to create a public space precinct connecting The Events Centre, new district library, Caloundra Regional Gallery and town square through to Bulcock Beach.
The final round of community engagement was completed in June 2021 and has since informed the final concept design.
Overview
The new Community + Creative Hub is a place where arts, community and creativity can come alive. The project area includes parks, public spaces and streetscapes within:
- The Events Centre
- new Library+
- existing Caloundra Regional Gallery
- existing Library site (to become the site of the future new Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery & development site)
Along with sections of streetscape within:
- Omrah Avenue
- Otranto Avenue
- Minchinton Street
- Nutley Street
- Bulcock Street
The final Concept Design creates green public spaces within Felicity Park, upgrades to Bill Venardos Park and provides pedestrian friendly streetscapes on Omrah and Otranto avenues, connecting the new town square to the main street.
It also captures active street frontages including shops, cafes and businesses which will make the hub diverse and vibrant.
The public spaces will be supported by adjoining mixed use development which will embed the ‘City of Beaches’ character and sub-tropical landscaping into the public space and building design.
The precinct will be brought to life with community and ongoing activation.
We heard your vision which has resulted in a concept design that creates:
A place for people to enjoy and discover arts, creativity and community in an extended shady and green public precinct. A place which connects spaces and civic buildings with accessible events and engaging creativity, social and retail opportunities that tell the stories of Caloundra old and new. A Community + Creative Hub that captures your spirit of Caloundra.
Community engagement
The community told Council through a series of community pop-up sessions, online survey and engagement forums to keep the hub green and unique, change the way we move, improve how we navigate, offer more events and cater for creative interests.
Community engagement was undertaken in two phases:
Phase 1: November 9 to December 7, 2020 - the community were invited to have their say on the values and vision for the hub.
Phase 2: May 25 to June 22, 2021 - the community were asked ‘have we got it right?’ after developing a concept design from the values and vision from the first stage of engagement.
To view the outcomes and for more information about the community engagement phases please visit the Create Caloundra have your say page.
Where to from here
The Concept Design has been finalised in response to your feedback and the detailed business case for the new Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery.
The community can look forward to detailed design and construction, dependent on budget and approvals.
Background
The Caloundra Community and Creative Hub is part of the Caloundra Centre Activation Project, which seeks to revitalise and activate the Caloundra Centre area as envisaged by the Caloundra Centre Master Plan, adopted in March 2017.
Contact
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For more information, please contact [email protected].