What we are seeking
We seek to partner with the Victorian Government to support and deliver on the community co-design for the West Heidelberg precinct, with the state investing $15 million over 5 years.
What it will deliver
There is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to re-invent the Olympic Leisure Centre as a much-needed community hub.
This project will have a lasting positive impact for the residents of Heidelberg West and help promote social cohesion and wellbeing in a suburb where many residents are vulnerable or disadvantaged.
What you can do
To help us deliver this priority, you can write to our Lower House Member of Parliament for this electorate or any of our Upper House Members of Parliament for their commitment to deliver funding for this project.
Overview
Heidelberg West currently lacks civic architecture and infrastructure.
In recent years, substantial investments have been made in the area, including the establishment of the community health service in Olympic Village and the reopening of Olympic Village Primary School, powered by the Victorian Government.
However, there are still very few public spaces for the community to meet, socialise or play sport: the local library is a weekly mobile service and Olympic Adult Education operates across 6 different sites because there is not a single local facility that can accommodate their needs.
The Olympic Leisure Centre site is the ideal location for a new community hub. An initial needs analysis made it clear that redeveloping the Olympic Leisure Centre as a traditional aquatic leisure centre was not desirable. While it’s had a rich history, today the centre is operating well below industry standards.
The single indoor court, while highly valued by the community, does not comply with current standards. In addition, the surrounding area attracts antisocial behaviour, made worse by the fact that the current design creates narrow, hidden corners. Locals say they don’t feel safe to walk in the area at night. Until the site is redeveloped, the situation will continue to deteriorate.
Because of its location, the Olympic Leisure Centre project promises to have a large positive effect on the whole Olympic village area and beyond. There is substantial opportunity to improve the physical connections and services between the Olympic Village retail businesses, Banyule Community Health Service and the laneway.