Manning Community Hub acknowledged with prestigious awards

The City of South Perth’s Manning Community Hub has been recognised with three awards at the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Awards for Planning Excellence 2019 held on Friday 8 November at The Westin, Perth. 

The City’s Manning Community Hub development took the honours for the Healthy Active by Design (sponsored by Heart Foundation), Great Place (sponsored by Urbis) and Minister’s Award at the Western Australian ceremony. 

A multi-million dollar project that aimed to create a new 'heart' for Manning, the community hub construction commenced in June 2015 and was completed at the end of 2016 before doors opened in February 2017. 

The hub includes the relocated Manning Library, a community hall, Manning Child Health Clinic, Moorditj Keila Aboriginal Group, a sporting clubroom for Manning Rippers Football Club and an early years’ centre, home of the Manning Toy Library and Manning Playgroup association. 

The two large commercial properties created and sold by the City have approvals for ground floor activated buildings with retail, child care, offices and apartments to bring people and activation to the hub. Work continues on the pedestrian linkages through the hub.

Aiming to provide the community with a vibrant, connected and attractive precinct integrating community services and social activities, planning encompassed a range of variables in the area to integrate with the oval and nearby school, and to ensure walking access for nearby residents. 

This ‘walkability’ aspect was applauded with the Healthy Active by Design and Great Place awards, which acknowledged that the hub provides future generations with exemplary access to a healthy and active lifestyle, and provides opportunity for residents to enjoy both garden and city in their neighbourhood.

The prestigious Minister’s Award recognised the hub as a “fantastic example of a collaborative and innovative project that reflects the ambitions of the State Government’s draft Precinct Design Policy”.

City of South Perth Chief Executive Officer Geoff Glass (pictured below left) was proud to receive the awards and acknowledged the focus on the planning of the precinct and integration of the building into the area and community, rather than just the design of the building itself. 

“Manning Community Hub was a major undertaking for the City, but has proven to be a worthwhile and innovative project providing many benefits for our residents,” Mr Glass said. 

“There’s more to great design than just a state of the art building and as the awards have acknowledged, the City has been conscious of ensuring the hub enhanced the surrounding area and encouraged its neighbours to walk in and enjoy the variety of offerings it provides. 

“We are pleased to be acknowledged by the Planning Institute of Australia with these three awards and continue to strive for excellent, innovative developments within the City as we carefully plan for the growth forecast in the City over the coming years.” 

The awards commence at state and territory level, and following recognition each state and territory’s best are then judged at a national level at the National Awards for Planning Excellence in May 2020. 

The City acknowledges the great work of project partners Bollig Design Group, which created the beautiful buildings for the hub; and the funding contributions of Lotterywest and the State Department of Sport and Recreation (now Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries). 

Image below courtesy of PIA.