Shire of Broome: community infrastructure planning and development

This report provides an overview of the current and projected Community Infrastructure for the residents within Shire of Broome. More specifically this report focuses on the use of Community Infrastructure by residents within the township of Broome, and the demand for this infrastructure by communities in the Shire. This report details the results of the Community Survey undertaken by Creative Communities Australia Pty Ltd and is complimented with the results of consultation undertaken by researchers at James Cook University that addressed the needs and aspirations of Social Inclusion groups in Broome. The results of this report can be used to inform the calculations that underpin the Community Infrastructure Development Contributions for future development in Broome. The Vision Statement that emerged from the results of consultation for the purposes of this report is consistent with the Shire of Broome's Forging Ahead Strategic Plan, namely - A liveable community that has access to a diverse range of infrastructure, facilities and services that contribute to the health and wellbeing of Broome residents and creates additional social and cultural capital. Five distinct themes related to the provision of Community Infrastructure emerged from the data analysis. These are as follows: 1. Protecting and Enhancing the Broome Lifestyle. The Broome lifestyle is typified through the shared appreciation of the natural landscape and in particular the coastal areas to the south of the township. All demographics enjoy these areas irrespective of age, ability, gender and culture. A threat to an ongoing association with the natural coastal landscape would have a significant impact on the identity of the community and to their leisure time. To ensure that the Broome lifestyle is protected and enhanced, development must be sensitive to the values on the coastal landscape and impacts must be proactively mitigated. 2. Opportunities for social connections Social capital is created through social contacts and networks. Whereas cultural capital is created through shared community experiences such as festivals and events. Accessing open spaces, community meeting places, third spaces (shopping centres), attending community festivals and the participation in sport and recreation provides opportunities to meet people and develop friendships and social networks. These types of capital are facilitated through the provision of community infrastructure such as cycle and pedestrian networks that are connected to safe open space and recreation. Most of the unstructured recreation activity that takes place in Broome is undertaken with family and friends and in undeveloped natural settings. 3. Cultural Understanding and shared experiences Understanding cultural traditions and providing knowledge about other cultures through events, festivals, public art and performing arts assists in facilitating cross cultural learning. This cross cultural learning is essential to creating bridging capital between different groups of people that possess different heritage within a community. Cultural capital is created through shared experiences such as traditions, customs, values, heritage, identity and history. The manner in which these shared experiences are facilitated can vary and will typically include at least one of the following if not a combination: • a space (infrastructure, open space and beaches) to gather and celebrate, • a theme (history, literature, specific to a nationality) to frame the experience • a medium to communicate the sharing of the experience (song, art, festival) 4. Collaborative Governance and Strong Leadership Collaborative governance refers to a shared responsibility between the Local government administration and the communities to develop alternatives, identify preferred solutions, and make decisions that create liveable communities. To achieve collaborative governance requires strong leadership, a commitment to the principles of social equity, open and transparent decision making processes and an informed community that understands the governance structures that Council are bound by. Shire of Broome will assist the community to be resourceful, innovative and resilient to enable the ability to adapt to change and manage community based services. 5. Diversity of services As the population increases, the demographic characteristics will change and the demand for a more diverse range of social and community facilities, infrastructure and services may ensue. The demand for the range of services to be delivered within the facilities and infrastructure may vary over time which will in turn affect short and long term efficiencies. This will require monitoring and evaluation of the demand for services and the utilisation of community infrastructure according to benchmarks. The Action Strategies from the table below emerged from the data analysis and focus on creating a means to which the community may access facilities, infrastructure and services that increase their health and wellbeing and that creates additional social and cultural capital.