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| Picture taken from http://www.sjb.com.au/projects/malvern-hill to provide some context of what urban renewal could aspire to be in around the hospital precinct. |
Council sent out this week Mayoral minute about lunch time on Tuesday and I was shocked at the content.
The Mayor was requesting that Council support a $10mill(approx.) multi storey car park for Nowra as the number one project when we apply for our slice of this funding.
The multi storey car park is a project that Council has just agreed to put into its long term financial plan and has come about through pressure from shop keepers and building owners in the Nowra CBD. I have a problem with the location I think its wrong to build it on the Berry Street all day car park- It should be in another location-but that is a different story.
I was shocked that this was the most exciting plan we could come up with to attract government investment for jobs creation in the Shoalhaven. Surely there are more exciting projects / programs that could have a long lasting impact and generate sustainable employment.
The Shoalhaven Business chamber southern chapter met last night to discuss the budget and I asked them to put on their thinking caps and to lobby that the funding not have a narrow set of guidelines and make the maximum number of applications eligible. A few projects were suggested straight away- Ulladulla Industrial Lands, more berthing and boating facilities in the Ulladulla Harbour and some educational programs to help get people trained for our local economy.
One suggestion that I am putting up is an urban redevelopment plan for the residential area near the Nowra hospital bounded by Shoalhaven, Hyam and Mandalay Ave -it could even extend out to Bridge St. Such a plan would need some funding to make sure the zoning was right, funds to create a concept/master plan and some work with the NSW government to start to try and create a land package from some of the Department of Housing stock that exists in that area. There could also be a voluntary sales process for any private landholders to sell their blocks into the package.
Of course this would have to be done sensitively and with the needs of the existing residents a priority- I certainly don't want this to be an exercise of exorcising people from their homes.
So the aim then would be to create a medium density mixed use precinct that has plenty of office space for health service providers and complementary practitioners. Penthouse apartment living for the Doctors ( and perhaps shared with Military personnel), some affordable housing or community managed apartments, and some student accommodation- a real mix that provides support to the ever growing medical hub that is happening around the hospital especially when cancer care comes on board.
Now this may happen organically- but Council has a real opportunity to try and fast track it and plan it so that it fits in with the other master planning that has recently been done. It could even be the opportunity to have infrastructure improved in this area.
Its a plan that fits directly with the South Coast Regional strategy and it helps contain urban sprawl.
The flow on effects would be terrific as there would be more employment not only in health related fields but in the secondary supports and services such as secretarial, cleaning and sustenance. BY having more people employed in the area means more indirect spending locally. With an increased density of people living close to the Nowra CBD and the entertainment centre there would be flow on effects there to.
The cancer care centre will attract many more people to our region and we need to be ready to support them and the teams of health care professionals that will be required. Shoalhaven can be proactive in bringing this about or not.
This project suggestion is by no means the only project, and its not the first time I've mentioned it in Council, but unless we don't think of more 'blue sky' options then we will be stuck with parking lots that will have a low impact on long term unemployment. It would be even better if we could get multiple and diverse projects funded from the $100 million. I hope that at least my 'stirring' in the local media will bring about more thought about we should be aiming for with this possible windfall funding.
4 comments:
Your idea sounds good Amanda. The Shoalhaven should be striving for innovation and using their best assets to encourage a sustainable and flourishing future.
Jervis Bay is a known international tourist destination. Tourists are hindered from gaining easy and affordable access. Poor public transport makes Nowra and the major town centres clogged with cars, requiring expensive parking lots and wider roads. Poor public transport stops unemployed community members (over represented in our population) get to a place of employment or training. The cycle continues unless we create better opportunities! Poor public transport costs a great deal to professionals commuting, our environment, and our reputation.
What about a bus pick up area allocated for highway pick ups for the Bay and Basin area? Has anyone surveyed the number of people sitting in their cars in transit from these areas into Nowra on a daily basis? While I can fantasise about an extension of the train line, what about smaller/cheaper to run buses running from the Bay/Basin area to Nowra? The council could offer incentives to residents (for lowering greenhouse gas emissions) like free newspapers/magazines to read, travel at a reasonable cost... I am aware the public transport in the Shoalhaven is run by private companies. This is a hurdle we must get over.
I apologise I am unaware of where the local committee formed to address transport in the area are up to currently.
Or what about some healthy living or tourism industry business incentives?
You are right in wanting something more than a carpark but I think it should be possible to incorporate that into something more complex than medium density.
I also think that to begin in occupied property would see funds vanish into acquisition and litigation.
You are right in bringing focus to Nowra CBD for several reasons. To attract new industry, surely meaning modern industry, skill based, information based, requires a start closest to Sydney and requires building the biggest up first, to give it sufficient mass of activity, capability and amenity so it will actually grow. For so many arrivals, amenity means the seaside but protection of the sea margin (and acknowledgement that it will not be where it now is in 100 years) means build up Nowra. Sensibly building up Nowra means the centre, not the periphery of prime agricultural land with soil such as is being churned and reburied with highway and residential development to the north.
I am very conscious that Nowra sits next to a major gas pipeline. A key to the future must be in trigeneration (see cogeneration in wikipedia) and a way towards building a multipurpose structure in Nowra, with combined parking, residential, various workplace, food and entertainment may be facilitated by looking at the work at www.climateworksaustralia.org sponsored (I hasten to add over the growl of dinosaurs at the word climate) among others by the Property Council of Australia.
It would cost more than a carpark. It would do more than slash and burn development of old settled spaces. It would say we embrace the future. It would have power to attract not just with new facilities but also with the lower energy costs for users of a new trigeneration building (a building with its own small, near 100% efficient power plant), exportable to adjacent properties that exist or could be part of a broader plan. It could also incorporate social housing as is being done in inner Sydney by government, developers and housing non-profits.
Embarking on such a vision would get us visibility for more to follow, breaking old moulds, doing something better. And would enable people to see that the way to solve the strangulation problems of Sydney is not more rope there but smarter development here.
Certainly we need improved public transport and I agree with Stacie in regards to the Bay and Basin area. I work at the hospital and drive in 4 - 5 days a week. I would be happy to take public transport IF it coincided with my shift.
While on the topic of the hospital, I was most disappointed that the new oncology unit did not have solar panels or water saving devices in place. No power saving was installed either. Whilst I commend the building for its aesthetics, the view for patients is majestic, I believe they did not forward think enough when planning this building. The trees are wonderful, however, too close to the building, which will mean eventual removal for roots will disturb the structure.
I wish we could connect the Fair and the CBD because presently it is very confusing for tourists and restricted access around the car park of the fair makes it rather annoying to go in and out of there.
Personally, I would like to see a tram as a way of getting around the town.
Julie Danser
I work in Nowra and live in the Basin area, a regular bus service would be great as there are a lot of us out here who need to travel daily. If the transport was direct after pick up around this area I feel there would be a lot of interested commuters.
The CBD and Nowra fair needs to be connected in a way that visitors can access without the stress of trying to find their way as it is currently a nightmare. I like the idea of a tram service in the town. Accessing the fair is stressful as it is now. The car park is not designed in a way for traffic to flow, it is an insult for regular locals to have to deal with these restrictions, especially in holiday season.
The oncology building has a brilliant view for patients, however, they did not take into account power saving devices or water saving. The roof could have housed enough solar panels to make the unit money. Very disappointed in this lack of foresight.
The trees are beautifying but are too close to the unit and in time they will have to be removed as the roots and branches will eventually damage the building, again not enough planning and foresight went into this area.
Julie Danser
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