The Bungarribee Community Resource Hub is now award-winning, having been recognised by the Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW (UDIA NSW) at its recent Awards for Excellence.
The Bungarribee Community Resource Hub won the award for Government Leadership for Urban Development. In awarding the prize the judges said, “The Hub has set the benchmark for councils, state agencies and communities to collaborate to provide major long term community assets.”
The Hub, which opened in February 2014, is an 800sqm community facility that sits adjacent to Bungarribee Homestead Park. The design was led by architect Roderick Simpson and features farm building characteristics that reflect the history of the former Bungarribee Estate, a major rural estate and breeding ground for the Australian horse racing industry.
The Hub was delivered as a partnership project between Blacktown City Council and UrbanGrowth NSW. This brand new $4.9million facility provides residents in the southern part of Blacktown City with the opportunity to come together, interact, learn new skills, access services, share ideas and enjoy life.
The Mayor of Blacktown City, Cr Len Robinson said, “This outstanding facility is the third Community Resource Hub delivered by Council since it developed the innovative model in 2008 - marking the next generation of flexible and multi-purpose community facilities.
I take this opportunity to thank UrbanGrowth NSW for developing yet another outstanding facility that Blacktown City residents will benefit from and look forward to a continued partnership with future developments.”
The Hub’s design was developed with the Bungarribee and surrounding communities. The facility caters for private functions, playgroups, clinic services, office space for small business, support programs, exercise and dance classes.
The Hub also includes a large community garden which thrives on community participation.
The UDIA NSW Austral Bricks Awards for Excellence
The UDIA NSW Austral Bricks Awards for Excellence celebrate the highest levels of achievement in innovation, sustainability and industry leadership in the urban development industry. The Awards showcase the contribution that architects, planners, developers, councils and government agencies make to delivering places to live, work and play.
The judges commended the architect in delivering an innovative sustainable building with minimum energy costs. This included a hall built from rice straw baled walls rendered with site sourced clay.
A key feature of the process was to engage the community in the hall’s construction. This saw over 22 local community members and school students work with the builder, Prime Constructions and Strawtec in delivering a place that is now a focal point for communities in South Blacktown to meet.
The Bungarribee Community Resource Hub is located on Sir Hercules Parade, Bungarribee.
For more information about Bungarribee Community Resource Hub, please contact Blacktown City Council on 9839 6000.
