A community workshop was held at 10am on Saturday 7th March at Ibis Styles, 69 Adelaide Terrace, open to all residents, businesses, and property owners in the Terrace precinct.
The Terrace precinct for the purpose of the workshop was defined as the area between Hay Street and the Swan River. Major roads were viewed as Adelaide Terrace and Terrace Road.
A letter drop to this defined area, an email newsletter, a local story in the Perth Voice and social media advertising were used to promote the event, with approximately 60 people in attendance.
The format was a workshop style session, with participants asked to break into groups to discuss and report back on the following questions:
1) What are the positive aspects of the precinct?
2) What are the issues/concerns facing the precinct?
3) What are quick wins and medium to longer term actions to improve the precinct?
The following is the summary from this workshop, although it is recognised this may not capture all aspirations or plans desired for the precinct. Please also note that added to each list were ideas recorded in individual workshop groups.
This information will be fed into developing an action plan for the precinct, led by a Terrace Precinct working group as part of the East Perth Community Group. This action will help guide funding requests and advocacy efforts to both the City of Perth, State and Federal Governments.
The event was hosted and organised by the East Perth Community Group and John Carey MLA, Member for Perth, with the Community Director from the City of Perth in attendance.
Terrace precinct – positive attributes
The workshop asked participants to identify what they loved about the area. The following were listed:
1. Proximity/closeness to the Swan River/amazing views of the Swan River
2. Proximity/closeness to the CBD.
3. The Cat Bus Service/access to free public transport/great transport links
4. Walkability of the precinct - foreshore
5. Access to and proximity to Langley Park/open space
6. Activities that happen at Langley Park (more happening there than people think)
7. Access to and proximity to parks and green space/green precinct (Queens Gardens etc)
8. Precinct is a gateway to the city
9. Access to Causeway bridge (pedestrian/cycling/road access)
10. Proximity to Perth Mint – as a tourism drawcard
11. Housing diversity in the precinct
12. Demographics of the precinct – diversity in age and culture
13. Mix of hotels in the precinct
14. Proximity to Heirisson Island.
15. Historical components of the precinct/historical buildings
16. Quiet feel to the precinct
17. Sports precinct – access/proximity to sporting facilities/WACA/Optus Stadium/Gloucester Park
18. City living at its best/family friendly
19. Proximity to festivals in the city
20. Access to bike paths/cycling ways
21. Easy access to the precinct
22. Walking distance to tourist attractions
Shaping a potential identity for the precinct.
Workshop participants from this first phase were asked to sharpen their focus to a potential positive identity for the precinct. The following were prioritised from the floor among the positives suggested:
1. Gateway to the City/arrival to the CBD
2. Great city living – great residential precinct
3. Access to Swan River and Langley Park
4. Sport precinct/WACA/Langley Park sports
5. Hotel precinct
Terrace Precinct: key issues facing the precinct
Workshop groups were asked to identify issues facing the precinct, local concerns or issues to improve. The following were listed:
1. Issues with short stay apartments in residential buildings
2. Anti-social behaviour surrounding homelessness
3. Bad behaviour of hotel guests
4. Uneven footpaths making it unsafe to walk on Adelaide Terrace
5. Lack of supermarket/too many convenience stores
6. The lack of bins near river
7. Lack of use of Swan River – no night time activity/events/facilities/family friendly events/beach
8. The position of the bus stop on Terrace Road/noise pollution from bus layover on Terrace Road
9. Lack of a primary school
10. Lack of facilities for kids/kids day care/playgrounds
11. The need for more greening in the city
12. The lack of lighting on river/in precinct/paths – (ie Hill and Bennett Streets)
13. Empty building spaces/fill empty spaces
14. Lack of street level activation/cafes/shops
15. Vacant block opposite Perth Concert Hall/vacant lots in general
16. Lack of Street Art
17. Lack of Playgroups/Community Facilities
18. The lack of public toilets/state of public toilets
19. Issues with parking
20. Traffic speeds on streets
21. The lack of variety in developers’ building developments in the precinct
22. Lack of amenity for residents
23. Lack of communication to residents
24. Lack of streetscaping on Adelaide Terrace (greenery etc)
25. Lack of focus on Terrace precinct
26. Lack of CAT Bus Service to The Point
27. Lack of amenities/restaurants/food/drinks for visitors/hotel guests
28. Lack of night time activity
29. More sustainable buildings – landscaping/greenery/general greening of the city
30. Noisy commercial vehicles in the morning
31. Lack of free parking on streets (ie weekend)
Key issues to improve for the Terrace Precinct
From this list, the full workshop was asked to identify the key issues to work on:
1. Anti-Social Behaviour
2. Lack of river activation/boardwalk
3. Lack of supermarket
4. Lack of lighting – street both on streets and river.
5. Lack of riverside leisure facilities
6. Lack of playground for children
7. Wind tunnel effect of Adelaide Terrace
8. Poor streetscape of Adelaide Terrace
9. Lack of residential facilities
Terrace Precinct: Actions to take/advocate for
Each workshop group was ask to identify both quick wins for the precinct. Quick wins were identified as shorter term projects or programs that could be achieved with greater ease at a lower cost.
As part of this process, participants were asked to identified potential projects that could be funded for $500 or less.
1. Community building initiatives – community working bee
2. Running/walking group/club for local residents
3. Establishment of a precinct kids playgroup/toy library
4. Establishment of a community notice board.
5. Funding of planter boxes along Adelaide Terrace
6. Creation of a dog walking group
7. Long table dinner on Terrace Road for local residents
8. Greater use of Bowling club for community uses – Sundowner, other events
9. Games night for residents
10. Local events on Langley Park – Tai Chi
11. Film nights/events at Adelaide Terrace amphitheatre/pop up cinema – greater use of amphitheatre in general
12. Food truck event in unused spaces/Langley Park
13. Wine club for local residents
14. Book club for local residents
15. Yoga in the amphitheatre
16. Stronger communications for apartments/residents/business: emails, flyers, social media, newsletter
17. Participation in clean up day on Heirisson Island.
18. Pontoon on the Swan River for events
19. Mothers group
Terrace precinct – medium and long term projects to improve the precinct
Medium Term
1. Funding of Street Art/public art on Adelaide Terrace
2. Funding of Bus Shelter Improvements/Art
3. Installation of historic markers to ID key historical points
4. Increased policing patrols (Operation Heatshield underway)
5. Funding to fix problem walkways/pedestrian paths
6. Program to support and promote local businesses
7. Introduction of 40km on streets backed by signage
8. General better use of Langley park
9. Free weekend events – using open air amphitheatre and Langley Park.
10. Installation of lighting in street trees/creative lighting
11. Better street lighting in precinct
12. Installation of lights on buildings on Adelaide Terrace
13. Use of vacant block or council lot for community garden
14. Encouraging greater number of restaurants/wine bars
15. Improvement of Bowling Club
16. Establishment of a Men’s Shed
17. Longer term building community programs precinct
18. Construction of basketball court
19. Introduction of street parklets (like Royal Street)
20. Attracting Fringe events
21. Attracting markets – arts/craft/food/historic/farmers
22. Including Terrace precinct in Christmas trail/Christmas events
23. Off leash dog park for dog owners/dog water station
24. Activation/reuse of Rod Evans Centre
25. Free parking like Royal Street
Long term projects to improve precinct
1. Construction of a skate park – skate/bmx facilities for teenagers/children
2. Installation of a river board walk between The Point and Elizabeth Quay, with low key cafes/restaurants/foreshore activation
3. Construction of playground/facilities for children
4. Establishment of facility for homelessness
5. Bridge to Heirrison Island to extend river walkway and indigenous culture centre/walk
6. Redevelopment of WACA with community facilities/swimming pool/leisure centre
7. Redevelopment of Hyatt Hotel
8. Securing a major supermarket to the precinct
9. Expansion of university campus in Terrace precinct
10. Expansion of a ferry service
11. New pedestrian bridge over causeway