Project objective
Bayside City Council established a temporary marquee structure on the Beaumaris Concourse Green after community desire for open-air, sheltered, public gathering places was heightened after the emergence of COVID-19. From its inception in September 2021, the popular temporary structure has undergone a series of upgrades with additional picnic tables, new planter boxes, lighting, and clear walls for seasonal use. The local resident and business community has expressed overwhelming support for the positive impact the gathering place has had on the local shopping district.
The temporary structure will remain in place until 30 June 2025, and we’re now in the planning stages to build a permanent structure, pending budget allocation, when the temporary marquee is removed. Council has undertaken concept design work for the permanent structure and new Concourse gateway signage. These enhancements will add eye-catching appeal to the village and be a drawcard for visitors to the local business district, while also offering a greater sense of place for community and social interaction.
We’re undertaking a three-week community engagement program and seeking feedback on the concept designs. We want to know what the community think about the designs for the permanent structures and hear ideas for improvements. We’re also seeking to gather ideas for the use and furnishing of the shelter to ensure it meets local needs and aspirations.
We’ll analyse the community and stakeholder feedback to help inform the final design, use and furnishing of the permanent structures. The placemaking initiative will align with the Bayside 2050 Community Vision, the Beaumaris Concourse Masterplan, the Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022-24, the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021 – 25, the Bayside City Council Plan 2021-25 and other related Council plans and strategies.
Project impacts
The structure is being built on the same footprint as the temporary marquee and will provide a permanent sheltered place for gathering and socialising. Community and trader feedback gathered over the last three years attributes the gathering place to supporting a connected and healthy local community and enhancing the local business district. As published in the 15 February, 2022 Council meeting agenda, the Bayside Spacelet Survey 2021 Face-to-Face Community Engagement Summary reported 100% of the community surveyed agreed that the marquee had a positive impact on the Beaumaris Concourse; 80% of the participating traders held the same opinion. 97.2% of the residents surveyed wanted the marquee to stay long-term. The gateway signage will define the concourse entrance assisting with the one-way traffic management, and further enhance the area, providing street-front appeal with a highly visual and impactful entrance to the village, encouraging visitation to the commercial centre.
What information do we need from the community?
The three-week community engagement period will gather ideas and feedback through an online comments board where participants can share their thoughts about the project, and like/ comment on other contributions. An online quick poll will assess community sentiment and support for the concept designs. A face-to-face engagement event at the Beaumaris Concourse Green will be conducted on a busy Saturday morning with community and stakeholder groups invited to attend.
Community engagement will seek to understand:
- Community and stakeholder sentiment about the permanent structure and gateway signage concept designs, and ideas for improvements and modifications
- How the community and stakeholders see the permanent structure being used
- Who the users of the permanent structure will be
- Any existing issues the community encounter with (one-way) traffic management and existing unsigned entry into the concourse
What can the community influence?
- Identification of issues with, and ideas for the concept designs
- The preferred furniture types and styles for the permanent structure
- The potential use(s) for the permanent structure
- Inclusions and add-ons for the structure, for example retractable walls for inclement weather, choose taps, bike hoops
- Preferred design for the gateway sign
What can’t the community influence?
- The development of the permanent structure and the gateway signage
- The location and footprint of the permanent structure
- Pathway connections leading to the new structure from existing pathways
- Accessibility requirements for access to the permanent structure
- The location of the gateway signage
- The dates, timelines and milestones involved in the delivery of this project
- Council’s budgetary process and strategy financial allocations. This is subject to separate community engagement on the annual budget
- The awarding of contracts for the design and build
- Alignment to any legislative, anti-discriminatory, ethical, and culturally sensitive requirements/guidelines
Stakeholders and community
This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.
Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter
Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated
Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum
Stakeholder / community | Impact | Interest | Influence |
| Beaumaris residents | M | H | Consult |
| Beaumaris Concourse traders | H | H | Consult |
| Beaumaris Conservation Society | M | H | Consult |
| Bayside U3A | L | M | Consult |
| Beaumaris Maternal and Child Health Centre | L | M | Consult |
| Bayside advisory and representative committees:
| M | H | Consult |
| Community action and ‘Friends of’ groups | M | M | Consult |
| Bayside City Council employees | L | L | Consult |
Selected tools and techniques
The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought.
Key tools for communicating the project
- Project page on Have Your Say engagement platform
- Direct email to relevant Have Your Say members
- Postcard mailbox drop to residents within a 500m radius of Beaumaris Concourse
- Signage at various locations around Beaumaris Concourse, Banksia Reserve, Beaumaris Reserve and Donald McDonald Reserve
- Direct e-mail to community members/groups that have an interest in placemaking and urban strategy
- Council website (news story)
- This Week in Bayside (Council e-newsletter)
- In the Loop (Council staff e-newsletter)
- Social media, organic and paid - geo targeted to Beaumaris
Key methods for gathering feedback
- Quick Poll to gauge community support for the concept design of the permanent shelter and a second quick poll for contributors to vote on one of two gateway signage design options
- Online ideas/ comments board on Have Your Say project page
- Face-to-face engagement session:
- Beaumaris Concourse Green, Reserve Road, Beaumaris. Saturday, 9 September, 8am – 11am
- Email, post, or phone submissions
- Opportunity for key stakeholders to book a meeting with Project Manager to discuss the project
- Printed materials, as required.
Project timelines
| Timeline: |
| |
| Stage title | Stage Status: | Stage Description: |
| Community engagement – feedback on concept designs for the gateway signage and permanent shelter | Active | 4 September – 25 September |
| Collate and consider engagement feedback | Incomplete | September - October 2023 |
| Finalise gateway signage and permanent shelter designs | Incomplete | October – November 2023 |
| Capital works project submission | Incomplete | November 2023 |
| Council to consider endorsement of project | Incomplete | This project is for feedback on the design to inform the capital works process. A budget bid is required for the construction of the project. |
| Commencement of project build | Incomplete | July 2025 |
Decision-making process
We will engage the community in a three-week consultation campaign on the concept designs for the Beaumaris Concourse gateway signage and permanent shelter. Feedback from the consultation will be considered in the final design process. This project is for feedback on the design to inform the capital works process. A budget bid is required for the construction of the project.
The agenda for this meeting will be published a week before the meeting date. Interested community members can make a submission or request to speak in relation to this project at the meeting.
Please select the +Subscribe button at the top of the page to receive updates about this project, including when it will be considered by Council and any further opportunities to participate in this project.
More information:
Sally McLennan
Place Maker
