Port Kembla citizens are being encouraged to get in touch with their inner child, as part of a speedy, hands-on makeover hitting town next month.
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International expert in “place making” David Engwicht will use his “7 Day Makeover” to quickly transform the area around the Allan Street play area.
The seven day concept has been used in South Australia, Queensland and New Zealand to overhaul public spaces; Port Kembla will be the first suburb in NSW to take part.
After a two-day brainstorm and planning session, small projects are rolled out by residents and businesses over the following five days.
Mr Engwicht said he developed the approach out of frustration with how long it usually takes to see change in community spaces.
“We get bogged down in endless talk, and the only people who turn up are professional axe-grinders and people addicted to committee meetings,” he said.
“So we created this, where there’s no chance to get bogged down.”
He said projects were chosen by residents, making sure they were personally invested in spending time in the area.
“An public space that’s in trouble is in trouble because people have given up on it, so my job is 99 per cent psychology, getting people to re-own the space,” he said.
“If 100 people invest 10 minutes of time in a space, then they have an emotional attachment to it.
“We want to do things that cause the inner child within us all to smile.”
The makeover will take place between July 29 and August 4.
More information is available at 7day.com.au
Meantime, the council has revealed the names of 20 businesses along Wentworth Street who will share in $256,000 to upgrade their shopfronts along the struggling street.
The council funding – delivered as part of the Port Kembla Community Investment Fund – will be accompanied by an equal amount of investment from business owners, who are being encouraged to activate the street and celebrate the heritage of the area.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
