Peninsula News - 27 Jul 2020

A council document, dated May 2020, and called the Place Activation Framework - Woy Woy, Umina, Ettalong Town Centre, said the aim of placemaking was to "facilitate creative patterns of activity, exchange and connection, that support its ongoing social, recreational, cultural and economic role and celebrate its unique character."

"Visitation drivers" would "attract people to centres and create momentum for visitation by residents and visitors".

To decide what the "visitation drivers" would be, the document said: "It is essential to arrive at a thorough and considered understanding of place.

"This requires a detailed audit of the essential elements of a centre that extends to the public domain and explores how the centre fits within a wider environment."

The Place Activation Framework document outlines council's "place assessment findings, along with a summary of the engagement outcomes that serves as basis for the identified key principles which can drive activation and align with the centres identity".

An invitation sent to selected stakeholders to attend video presentation sessions in June, sent by Council's enterprise and activation officer Ms Tanya Press, said: "Through observation, research and engagement sessions with the community and stakeholders in late 2019, tailored activation projects and initiatives for each of the areas has been developed."

Ms Press said the Place Activation Framework would "identify short, medium and longer term initiatives and projects that will increase visitation, enliven the centres and improve the visitor experience".

"Our goal is to foster community pride and transform the way the community interacts and connects with each of the town centres."

The Place Activation Framework said it was "informed through an analysis of Central Coast Council's strategic documentation and the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's previous work, including engagement workshops undertaken in 1998".

Consultation with the public and local businesses in late 2019 was also considered.

The framework describes the "best bits" of Woy Woy as: Fisherman's Wharf; waterfront; pelicans; Gnostic Corner; beaches out of town and op shops.

Ideas identified for Woy Woy included an activation team, large-scale event, interactive boardwalk, streetscape beautification, artistic mural, greenery and colour and a business hashtag.

Umina's strengths were listed as vacant shop activation, new opportunities and nature and the same strengths were identified for the Ettalong town centre.

Ideas listed for Umina were a food and wine festival, art events, community collaboration and night events.

Ideas identified for Ettalong were interactive art walks, the ferry connection, dining destination, cycle trails event, shuttle services, water activities and beautify the entry points.

In addition to proposals for each of the town centres, a Peninsula-wide "way-finding" strategy was proposed, a social media strategy, Peninsula merchandising, business training, streamlining of "pop-up" events, activation of vacant shops, a waste management and a graffiti management program.

The Identity Package was an assembly of graphics, colours, words and phrases designed to express the town centre's unique image and essence.

"It is intended to be a design guide for future public domain works, creative installations and promotional material."

The identify package included a new Peninsula Logo based on a water graphic.

Logos and colour palettes have been developed for each town centre around common themes and elements unique to each location.

Stakeholders who attended the invitation-only consultation in June were asked whether the vision accurately represented the town centres, whether they agreed with the action points and how they felt about the elements and patterns presented in the Identity Packages.

SOURCE:

Draft Place Activation Framework, May 2020

Draft Identity Package, May 2020

Gary Murphy, Central Coast Council

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