Wollongong council’s new Public Spaces Public Life strategy has gone on public exhibition.  The draft report A City for People, Wollongong Public Spaces Public Life 2015 will undergo a period of community input, commencing 14 November 2015 to 16 March 2016.  

The project strategies were developed by McGregor Coxall in collaboration with internationally renowned urban research company Gehl Architects and Wollongong Council.  McGregor Coxall provided urban design expertise to map key strategic initiatives to inform the future planning of the city and strengthen a data driven approach to infrastructure delivery.  The study was underpinned by place making and incremental urbanism, thus a key focus required the identification of small scale activation projects that would seed change in the city centre. 

The study identifies six catalyst sites which will facilitate urban renewal through the transformation of the CBD. In the short term the report proposes a series of “quick wins” which will promote improved activation and connectivity within the CBD through renewed signage, pop up coffee shops, temporary “parklets” and street furniture, art installations, food vans and more outdoor markets.  Long term the project will guide future development along the railway entrance, western Crown Street, the mall, MacCabe Park, the arts precinct and the foreshore.  

Embracing this approach empowered the client to promote a flourishing city life by sympathetically framing the city around people’s everyday activities.  Importantly the study incorporated comprehensive engagement of council staff, local stakeholders and residents to captivate local opinion and empower the local community to put forward ideas. 

McGregor Coxall director Adrian McGregor said. “We’re excited to see how the project is received by the local community, the feedback will be vital in helping the council further refine the framework so that they can improve the quality of life in the city.”