Gold Coast City Council, South East Queensland (2006)





SOUTHPORT BROADWATER PARKLANDS MASTER PLAN, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM

Building the community's ideas and visions into the development of a major public space of citywide significance to the Gold Coast.



Outcomes

  • The Institute of Public Administration Australia nominated the program as a finalist in the Best Practice in Local Government Award in 2010
  • Broad engagement with a range of stakeholder groups was achieved considering the significance of the site to the city (as a major entry point) and the local community (as a recreation space and resource)
  • Produced and facilitated a 'Speakout' event that attracted broader awareness and participation in the program, through activities for families and a live open-air radio broadcast
  • A hugely successful and loved public open space at the gateway to the Gold Coast strip

key success factors

Over 60 different stakeholder groups engaged through the program, including sports and recreation clubs (9), special interest groups (15), local government stakeholders (11), state government stakeholders (7), arts and cultural groups (2), community service providers (6), local schools (3) and local tourism sector (7).

Plan C identified strong synergies and shared visions over five key themes that included environment and water, sport and recreation; arts, culture and diverse groups; events and activities; and amenities and facilities.

A refined and staged draft concept plan was presented with accompanying artists' impressions of parkland spaces, and approximately 40 concepts that were ranked.

Process

The approach that underpinned the whole program included:

  • Educate
    stakeholders regarding the context of the project to the broader community.
  • Inspire
    those engaged about great public spaces with four themes used to frame the design that included:
    • A great place for people
    • Reconnect the city to it's waterfront
    • A world class landscape
    • Urban water gardens.
  • Engage
    stakeholders to provide strategic input regarding their visions, aspirations and issues across a number of consultation events.