Inner West Council Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub
"Item No: C1224(1) Item 17
Subject: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub
Prepared By: Julian Oon - Property Project Manager, Samuel Pagano - Property Project Manager and Michael Craven - Capital Projects Manager
Authorised By: Ryann Midei - Director Infrastructure
RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive and note the report
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
This report supports the following strategic directions contained within Council’s Community Strategic Plan:
4: Healthy, resilient and caring communities
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Inner West Council understands our responsibilities and role in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to promote cultural heritage and history, address areas of disadvantage, and protect and preserve the environment as well as sites of significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The creation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub is one of the significant commitments included in the Reconciliation Action Plan and will provide a fit for purpose cultural space for local community and for the delivery of culturally appropriate community services.
Council is currently in the planning phase for the Hub at the site of the former Tempe Jets Club located on Holbeach Avenue in Tempe Recreation Reserve.
The current concept design and site plan utilises the existing footprint of the former Tempe Jets Club and includes the provision of the following rooms:
Information, office space, health, kitchen, music, art, woman’s area, men’s area, cafe (potential social enterprise), multi-purpose Hall, WC’s, storage and covered outdoor space.
The current landscaping footprint has been designed to include:
A meeting point with fire pit, food prep areas, seasonal gardens, various seating and meeting arrangements, and an outdoor multipurpose sports court.
During the investigation of the building condition, significant termite and other damage were identified by the structural engineer and extensive remedial works will be required to the structure that was constructed in the 1970s. The cost to undertake this refurbishment and subsequently deliver the Community Hub has been estimated at $5,357,886 through a quantity surveyor. The full extent of damage to the existing building was not known at the time of the last quantity surveyor estimate and it is expected that the cost will increase further than anticipated.
Given this remediation cost, it is therefore proposed that Council explore an option to rebuild a new purpose-built facility and report back to Council with a funding source including grant opportunities.
BACKGROUND
Council’s commitment to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub is contained in Council’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) July 2023 – June 2025. The RAP states that the Inner West Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee would love to see Council assist reconciliation through “the establishment of a Community Hub, a permanent cultural safe space for gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There is a need for this space to have access to technology and internet’” Action 2.5 of the RAP is to “Explore opportunities for the recognition and commemoration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture and heritage’” Deliverable 2.5.4 is to “Explore the opportunity for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub with a timeline of December 2023”.
Since the adoption of Council’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan on 13 September 2022, Council officers have explored opportunities for the creation of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub. Council officers have collaborated to:
· Identify the preferred site at Tempe.
· Engage an architecture firm, Kaunitz Yeung, with the knowledge, skills, and experience to prepare concept designs guided by award winning local Aboriginal architect, Mari Reti.
· Worked with local Aboriginal people, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee, and internal stakeholders to develop a concept design based on the refurbishment of the existing former Tempe Jets Club building.
· Undertake investigations into the condition of the building, as significant remedial building works are required to make it fit for purpose.
· Commenced the process of amending the adopted Tempe Recreation Reserve and Tempe Lands Plan of Management and Master Plan with the NSW Government, Department of Crown Lands.
DISCUSSION
As previously reported to Council, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Hub will be located on the site of the former Tempe Jets Club in Holbeach Avenue in Tempe Recreation Reserve. The site encompasses the former club house building, the former Remote Control Car Track and the temporary off-lead dog park bound by the Cooks River to the north and west and Tempe Reserve to the east and south. The building is a single storey brick and timber framed structure that requires significant remediation works, including to the structure which has been significantly damaged by termites.
The current Tempe Recreation Reserve and Tempe Lands Plan of Management and Master Plan was adopted by Council on 27 October 2020. The Master Plan calls for the demolition of the existing Jets Club and dedication to public space. The existing remote-control racetrack was to be retained for open public flexible use.
Feedback from General Counsel is that Council will have to wait until the amended Tempe Recreation Reserve and Tempe Lands Plan of Management is approved by Crown Lands before any works can be carried out. The Crown Lands Management (CLM) Act makes it clear that unless there is a Plan of Management in place which permits the activity then that activity cannot be undertaken. Sections 3.36 (3) of the CLM Act suggest that until a Plan of Management is adopted, no activities may be undertaken on or in relation to the Crown Land unless they are in accordance with an approved Plan of Management. Subsequent feedback received was that maintenance and remedial building works to maintain the asset could proceed within this requirement.
In January 2024, an architect was engaged to prepare a concept design for the Community Hub. Following a process of early engagement with internal stakeholders, the local Aboriginal community, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Committee and site analysis, a preliminary concept design was prepared with enough detail to draft the amendment to the Plan of Management for the refurbishment of the existing building.
The current concept design and site plan utilises the existing footprint of the former Tempe Jets Club and includes the provision of the following rooms:
Information, office space, health, kitchen, music, art, woman’s area, men’s area, Café (potential social enterprise), multi-purpose Hall, WC’s, storage and covered outdoor space.
The current landscaping footprint is being designed to include:
A meeting point with fire pit, food prep areas, seasonal gardens, various seating and meeting arrangements, and an outdoor multipurpose sports court.
The amended Plan of Management was submitted to Crown Lands for review and approval on 11 September 2024. Once approved, Council will then publicly exhibit the plan for 42 days before bringing the draft Plan of Management back to Council for adoption. On the 12 November 2024 Council received an email update from Crown Lands that the assessment of the Plan of Management has commenced.
Investigations into the current state of the existing building has also progressed. Council officers engaged consultants to prepare a site survey and underground service location, a building condition report, preliminary structural reports, pest inspection reports and hazardous materials reports.
To further investigate the recommendations provided by these reports, Council engaged a local Aboriginal builder to undertake preliminary investigation works inside the building. Initially the ceiling lining was removed as extensive wood rot and termite damage was noted. Further evidence of timber damage was then sighted, and the scope of works was subsequently extended to remove the internal wall linings so that the extent could be assessed. Following the completion of the ceiling and wall lining removal works, the pest consultant returned to site and provided an inspection report. The report noted that greater than 50% of the structural timbers inside the building will require replacement and reconstruction due to major termite damage. The structural engineer has been asked to return to site to complete their reporting on the issues noted also.
On 20 September 2024, the architects provided Council officers with a more detailed concept design for costing with a Council engaged Quantity Surveyor. The concept plan is based on the refurbishment of the existing building and retention of the footprint. The external racetrack will be demolished to make way for an outdoor multi-purpose sports court, meeting point and ceremony area, seasonal gardens, and food prep area.
On 16 October 2024, the quantity surveyor found this design to have a cost estimate of $5,357,886.
The existing building already required significant remedial building works to make it fit for purpose. Subsequent investigations have exposed a greater extent of damage than originally thought with major structural remediation required to address structural inadequacies and damage, termite damage as well as remediation of hazardous materials. The full extent of this was not known at the time of the last quantity surveyor estimate and as such it is expected that the cost will increase further than anticipated.
It is therefore proposed that Council explore an option to rebuild a new purpose-built facility and report back to Council with a funding source including grant opportunities.
Once a concept design for the rebuild has been developed, Council will need to consider future operating models.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The FY24/25 budget for this project is $1,267,394 which was allocated for the remediation works required to make the building fit for purpose and did not envisage the work required to transform the site into a community hub.
It is noted that a funding shortfall exists for the project. This will be explored further in a report back to Council with a funding source including grant opportunities for the project." [The cost of the Community Hub has been estimated at $5,357,886]
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