It’s believed the suspicious fire started on the outside of the Wakefield Gardens building. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
ACT Policing is investigating a suspicious fire which gutted an abandoned community building in Ainslie early this morning (19 August).
Emergency services were called at about 4:20 am to Wakefield Gardens, but the significant blaze had already caused “extensive damage” to the building.
“The origin of the fire appears to be external to the property,” an ESA spokesperson said.
“At this stage, we don’t believe this fire is connected to the fire in Kingston on Monday, 18 August.
“Due to the extent of the damage, a structural engineer will be required to assess the building to determine if demolition is necessary.”
The site had been earmarked in a petition calling on the long-empty site to be transformed into a community hub.
Sponsor and independent Kurrajong MLA Thomas Emerson said he couldn’t imagine that the remains of the building could be saved.
“The roof is caving in; it doesn’t look structurally sound,” he said.
“This is what happens when you leave a building vacant for 20 years.”
The site had been identified as part of 960 hectares of under-utilised land across Canberra that could be revitalised for community benefits, potentially providing childcare centres, cultural hubs, theatres and playing fields.
The Wakefield Garden petition called for the site to be transformed into a fit-for-purpose community hub for the inner north, with suggestions it could host a sustainability and skills sharing hub, along with a First Nations community-controlled service.
Mr Emerson said the fire should act as a turning point for the site’s future.
“I’ve been engaging with the [relevant] minister and asking to understand the government’s plans for the site; it seems like they’re considering options at the moment,” he said.
“There are some stakeholders who might be willing to put some money up, who want to be part of this site as head tenants, but it’s also on the government to accelerate their timelines and make use of what’s a fantastic opportunity for the inner north.
“It shouldn’t have come to this, but it has, so now let’s start the conversation about what’s next, not just for this building, but for Wakefield Gardens in its entirety.”
Given concerns about the site’s structural integrity, Mr Emerson also wants the government to do something before someone gets hurt.
“I understand that the emergency services didn’t go inside, they were extinguishing the fire from outside for safety reasons,” he said.
“They’re concerned about the structural integrity of the building, so this needs to be secured quickly.
“We don’t want to see something [else] go wrong.”
The Wakefield Gardens petition is open for signatures until 29 August. Mr Emerson is hosting a community forum about the building’s future on 12 September.
