Plans for a Haig Park community centre in Braddon have been released, which would see the former Haig Park depot converted into a “flexible” centre for community activities.

“Building on the community’s feedback and ideas, we’ve created a simple but robust design that adapts and reuses the former building including flexible spaces able to host community activities such as gardening, painting, woodwork, playgroups and yoga,” said City Renewal Authority CEO, Malcolm Snow. 

“The centre is intended to open out to the landscape, extending into a semi-covered courtyard, which integrates the indoor spaces and the surrounding park.”

The design includes sustainable elements such as a solar passive design, natural light and ventilation, water harvesting for irrigation, and the use of re-salvaged and low-carbon content building materials.

Mr Snow said the design has been shaped by community consultation which has been going on since 2017, identifying a number of new ideas for the park.

“In responding to what the community said, we want to repurpose the old depot to meet emerging community needs,” he said.

The City Renewal Authority has also released an evaluation summary report of the Haig Park Experiments, a series of events, installations and temporary infrastructure that took place in the park in 2019 in a bid to increase visitors and change people’s perceptions of the park.

“The Experiments were extraordinarily successful in positively changing people’s perceptions of the park and increasing the number and diversity of visitors, with more than 30,000 people participating in the program over a six-month period,” Mr Snow said.

The report recommended better facilities for the park, including a pavilion for weather protection for events and community activities, as well as improved paths, lighting and a permanent play area.

The City Renewal Authority wants to hear what Canberrans think of the Haig Park community centre design: have your say via the ACT Government’s Your Say website, or by dropping into the pop-up community session on Saturday 14 November 10am-12pm at the Haig Park Paw Party.