Strategy
The mission
The Strategy for Pyrmont 2015 has been titled Creating a neighbourhood village. As the title implies, the strategy aims to create a stronger sense of partnership between the resident and worker population together with Sydney City Council and other authorities, to influence outcomes affecting the community.
The mission statement for the strategy is:
"To make Pyrmont a more attractive place to live, work and visit."
A city of villages
The policy of the Sydney City Council to foster the evolution of a global city comprising, neighbourhood villages, each with unique and distinct characters is the ideal setting for this strategy. Creating a neighbourhood village is not simply about the basic needs of the community, many of which are patently obvious. It is also about creating a thriving village meeting the diverse social and cultural needs of its people. The commonality of purpose in the policy of the City and the aspirations of the Pyrmont community provides an ideal basis for an immediate and productive working relationship to turn the visions of both into reality.
Community participation
The development of the strategy over nearly a year has been conducted within the community without any external funding. Despite the lack of external funding, every effort has been made to ensure, in keeping with the mission statement, that there have been ample opportunities for community participation in the process. These efforts have included:
- A website (www.pyrmontprogress.org.au) has been established to inform the community of the strategy development process and of community news generally;
- Invitations to the whole community to attend strategy development workshops have been printed and distributed by hand throughout Pyrmont for each workshop;
- An inaugural community workshop was held on 2 April 2005 to enable participants to contribute to the strategy;
- A list of 68 issues identified by small groups at the inaugural workshop was actioned and posted on the website;
- A second workshop was held on 7 May 2005 to flesh out a community vision for Pyrmont and outcomes posted on the website and incorporated into the strategy;
- A third forum involving the then Deputy Lord Mayor, John McInerney and professional community strategist Andrew Brown was conducted on 13 August 2005;
- An email contact list of members, attendees at workshops and others has been established:
- Regular community updates are issued to those on the email contact list;
- News reports on the strategy development process and other pertinent community information is regularly posted on the News section of the website.
Each public forum has been well attended by councillors of the City of Sydney, including the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor at the inaugural workshop.
The strategy development process has received favourable local publicity, particularly the items:
- “Pyrmont must not become characterless” (City News, September 2005);
- “Pyrmont and Glebe uppermost in City’s villages plan, but Oxford St mix ‘wrong’”(City News, September 2005);
- “Workshop told: Pyrmont must not become a gated community” (City News June 2005);
- “Landmark Pyrmont meeting seeks now deal for suburb” (City News May 2005).
Already, the process has resulted in community building work, including the establishment of a group comprising mainly retired academics who have prepared proposals for a community-run library link which will ultimately lead to a community learning centre and beautification of planter boxes by the combined efforts of the business and residential communities in partnership with the City.
Key result areas
Typical strategic planning approaches identify key result areas that must be addressed to fulfil a plan’s mission. Creating a neighbourhood village identifies five important areas of focus:
- Planning and development – shaping the vision for Pyrmont’s future infrastructure and controlling its implementation in a holistic way to strike a reasonable balance between commercial gain and community aspirations and to enhances neighbourhood values such as safety and security, family, social life, health, recreation and personal achievement.
- Pyrmont infrastructure – the provision of integrated, comprehensive transport, parking facilities, improved pedestrian access and community facilities to enable more effective participation by people in neighbourhood activities and commerce, safely;
- Neighbourhood focus – the process of developing and promoting community activity to enhance a sense of belonging to and participation in the Pyrmont neighbourhood.
- Business activity – the fostering of a balanced and appropriate mix of commercial and business activity that reflects neighbourhood needs and aspirations.
- Safety and security – the development of programs and activities to promote the safety of residents, workers and visitors, and the security of their property
The first community workshop held on 2 April 2005 focused on a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) in each of the five key result areas.
Required actions
Our analysis highlights the need for co-ordinated action to achieve:
- A new Local Environment Plan;
- Activation and vitalisation of Harris Street for neighbourhood activity and commerce;
- Planned approach to dealing with traffic, transport, public access and parking issues;
- Holistic development of parks, open space and foreshore access;
- Heritage conservation, and;
- Interrelated activities designed to create a community focus.
PPI has asked for the immediate appointment of a Pyrmont Place Manager by Council to co-ordinate Council’s development of an action plan for Pyrmont.
PPI Inc. appreciates that not all things can be accomplished at once. Hence, we suggest that the vision contained in this strategy is fully achievable by the year 2015.
Nevertheless, there is much work to be done. If Pyrmont is to realise its potential, the community, Council and other bodies must start now on building and implementing the vision.