Q&A with Cr David Law on Nambour's 'activation projects'

Cr David Law

Q&A Interview with Sunshine Coast Division 10 Councillor David Law

Sunshine Coast Council last month announced two major initiatives to help shape Nambour’s future. The Gazette asked Div 10 Cr David Law to expand on the projects and what they will mean for the town. 

• What is the Nambour Centre Activation Project (NCAP)?

This is the project for the Council buildings (assets) in Nambour and accomodating the 200-plus staff that will be staying in Nambour. The Eddie de Vere Building; The Fred Murray building; the Library and the forecourt space. Including the parking around this precinct.  This project will see the renovation and repurposing of the precinct for the future requirements of council staff and the library including the customer contact centre.

Activation is the driving force of the NCAP and aims to stimulate and attract public and private investment into Nambour, as well as helping to make Nambour a great place to live, work and play.

• What is the Naamba Place Revitalisation Project (NPRP)?

This is the project related to the Nambour CBD area and will focus on walkability throughout Nambour to enable people to get around town on foot which will contribute to the activation. It draws on the many master plans completed over the past 10-15 years or more and the community consultation that contributed to these master plans. There has been an initial  “Think Tank” with stakeholders and over the coming 12 months or so there will be a lot more consultation to particulary engage with the recently arrived residents and young families.  This will result in placemaking improvements in the CBD area.

 Both projects are intended to support the activation of Nambour in collaboration with the community.

 With this context in mind I hope that we can provide clarity and purpose for everyone who is interested in Nambour and the future prosperity for all elements of the economy and community.

• When do you think the NCAP be completed? When will we see a plan?

A couple of months ago the contract was signed with architects for the feasibility study and concept design. This may take up to 12 months to complete and will include community input. The indicative timeline for the whole project to completion is likely to be up to 4 or 5 years.  We would expect to see the concept designs within 10 to 12 months.

• Can you give us an idea of the sorts of things that might be in the plan?

The core elements of the project are to provide the office accommodation space required for the council staff who will be based in Nambour once the new city hall opens by the end of this year.

There will be approximately 200 staff remaining in Nambour after the move.

The library is likely to be moved into the Eddie de Vere building and become a modern contemporary district level library with space and facilities to suit a library for the 2030s and beyond.  

The customer contact centre will remain an important element of council services for residents of Nambour and Hinterland region. 

This will also be renewed and made suitable to current and future community service requirements.  

Recent surveys have shown a lack of community meeting spaces/venues so this may be one of the additional uses that will be made available in the precinct.

The current feasibility study that is underway will help to understand the needs of the council and the community and provide concept designs.

• You’re passionate about Nambour. How important is NCAP for you on a personal level?

I am very passionate about Nambour and one of the main reasons I nominated for election as the Councillor in 2020 for Nambour and Division 10 was to achieve the best possible outcomes for the future of Nambour. Like many people at that time I believed that the Council was leaving Nambour completely when the new council city hall was completed. So the past two years I have been working hard to establish the reality of the situation and to keep the maximum presence of council in Nambour to service the whole Hinterland region. This has included ensuring that at least 50% of staff continue to work in Nambour and that the library and customer contact centre remains to provide these essential services for our Nambour and Hinterland Community.  And of course this means ensuring that the funding for this is in the council budget for the coming year and into the future forecast year budgets.

And right now the NCAP has created the opportunity for the Nambour Forecourt Live Events and there are more planned for this year as well as other activation projects. When there is some certainty about these new projects I will share them with you.

• When will people be able to have input into the Project?

We will be seeking community input for this project and at the moment I am not able to give detail on the timing.

• A common comment on social media was that this type of thing has been announced before.  How will NCAP be different from other initiatives that maybe have not lived up to expectations?

In my election campaign I made two promises I knew I could keep; 1 to be honest and 2 to work hard. I have complete control over these promises and throughout my professional career it is the only way I know how to do business. Of course the people will make their own view.

That said I appreciate the doubt people may have following such an announcement and in conjunction with the NPRP. However with all the information I have available today these are the projects that are underway and will be completed. If something should occur to change or impact progress then I will let everyone know the reasons and the what the changes are.

The indicators I have to date show that this project is under way and is funded, key elements of any council project. I know there is funding in this budget 21/22 and the architects are contracted – there is funding in next year’s budget to continue the design, planning and activation – the project has funding in the future budget forecasts.