Residents say the boarded home would be perfect for a community hub. Photo: Facebook.
A former child health clinic abandoned for 20 years would make an ideal community hub, according to Ainslie residents.
The boarded-up home at 91A Wakefield Gardens is zoned for community use. Formerly a child and maternal health clinic used by the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service, it has sat idle since the organisation moved out 20 years ago.
Residents have started a petition calling on the ACT Government to revitalise the site and create a community centre.
MLA Thomas Emerson said Wakefield Gardens was brimming with potential.
“It’s time to breathe new life into this untapped community asset,” he said.
The petition says there was strong community support for revitalising the building, given its vacancy and zoning.
“[It’s] a great candidate for a sustainable living hub, incorporating features such as a community toolbox, lending libraries, repair cafes, and training spaces for practical skills like bread-making, urban farming, and seed saving,” the petition said.
It calls on the government to fund and plan a community hub at the site; consult with local community members about the best use for it and to set a start date for the reactivation.
There have been growing demands in recent years for better utilisation of Canberra’s community spaces.
The site was last year identified as being part of more than 900 hectares of underutilised land in the capital owned by the city, in a report by the Centre For A Better Canberra at the University of Canberra.
Centre director Professor Chris Wallace told Region Canberra at the time she was concerned about the lack of genuine community spaces in Canberra.
“If you’re young, virtually the only social space left is the mall and the Internet, and if you’re old, it’s just the mall,” she said.
“We need to find spaces for people to interact without having to fork out $5 for a cappuccino.”
The campaigners said the building’s close location to Ainslie shops made it ideal for reactivation.
They’re hoping it can be a site that encourages a variety of activities for the community.
“Additionally, the site could be made available for hire to support a wide range of artistic and creative activities, fostering local talent and cultural engagement,” the petition stated.
Petitions to the Legislative Assembly are debated if they reach 500 signatures. Click here to read and sign the petition before it closes on 29 August.
