An $18 million city centre redevelopment featuring free wi-fi and interactive public art has been named Australia's most innovative at the 2016 National Local Government Awards.
Mackay Regional Council’s Revitalisation and Activation of Mackay City Centre project won the Innovation to Create More Liveable Australian Cities category, and will now go into the running for the overall award, to be announced on June 21.
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The city centre’s last upgrade was almost 20 years ago. Completed in November, the newest redevelopment features a complete makeover of the area’s physical infrastructure and aesthetics, services and image.
The purpose of the revitalisation was to establish a vibrant, accessible community hub that supports investment and inner city living.
In March 2011, the then council embarked on a planning process with a series of design workshops. Through a formal community engagement process, it was identified that streetscaping work within the city centre was a critical project that needed to be undertaken.
The project also offers the community improved safety through surveillance, lighting and footpaths, provided more functional outdoor spaces for outdoor dining and created an attractive visual appeal for shoppers, retailers and visitors.
The project was funded 50-50 by the Australian Government and the council. Construction started in August 2014, with the tender awarded to a local company Vassallo Constructions.
Under the guidance of a project manager, the work was done in four separate sections, to minimise the impact on local businesses.
Capital works
The capital work was carried in three key areas.
The first was significant streetscape works including:
- Upgrades to a stormwater drainage system, along with other improvements to underground services
- Construction of functional spaces to encourage activation such as footpaths, dedicated dining areas, bike racks, new public toilet amenities, drinking fountains, seating and shade trees.
- Installation of new lighting to improve safety and aesthetics
- Improved visibility for pedestrian and vehicles
- Landscaping works to include additional shade trees to reduce the temperature and improve the amenity of the city centre and new public toilet amenities.
The project saw the use of:
- 47,000 individual concrete pavers
- 6500 square metres of footpath
- More than eight kilometres of electrical cables
- About 11,000 plants
The second component was to restore the heritage-listed former Pioneer Shire Council building, and complete beautification works in the adjacent parkland include landscaping, lighting and seating.
Stage three was the installation of public art, including an iconic piece called Cane Fire at the intersection of Wood and Victoria streets
In an effort to ‘freshen up’ building exteriors and align them with the city’s new, more-modern look and feel, council then introduced the successful Façade Improvement Scheme, providing funding from its city centre levy to assist building owners wanting to give their facades a facelift.
Innovations
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The project includes:
- Free wifi throughout the city centre.
- Increased events and activities have activated the city centre and seen the community become more invested in the public space.
- Attraction of new businesses opening in the city centre to reduce vacancies.
- 26 buildings upgraded through the Façade Improvement Scheme – grants of $41,000 to property owners resulted in $401,000 in building improvements.
- Cane Fire – interactive public art which is digitally enabled, allowing the community to change the sequencing of the artwork’s lighting via their mobile devices using the city centre wi-fi.
- Colourful and vibrant public art.
- Introduction of Heritage signage trail to highlight the significant heritage and art deco building that grace the city centre.
A council spokesman says the revitalisation has resulted in a considerable growth in the numbers of customers drawn back to the city centre, and new businesses have been attracted to the city centre.
Mackay Regional Council also took out the Digital Innovation award for its Transforming a Water Business project.
Mayor Greg Williamson says the council is the only multiple award winner at the prestigious local government awards.
“To win one category at these awards is a big achievement, but to win two is testimony to the innovation of the Mackay council,’’ Williamson says.
“We have some extremely talented and innovative staff on council and it is great to see their hard work recognised on a national stage."