Queanbeyan Tomorrow Community Vision 2021 Our community, your say “Vision without action is merely a dream, Action without vision is just passing time, Vision with action can change the world.” Joel Barker. Preface The Queanbeyan Tomorrow Community Vision 2021 has been prepared for Queanbeyan City Council. The document has been designed by People, Place and Partnership and prepared jointly by The Regional Development Company and People, Place and Partnership. Special thanks to those who gave freely of their time to attend workshops, be interviewed or participate in feedback sessions. The design of this document will remain in the ownership of People, Place and Partnership who has given Queanbeyan City Council the authority to use for its reproduction. Copyright - June 2012 Version 1 - produced November 2006 Version 2 - reviewed and amended June 2012 Version 3 - November 2013 - updated statistics Prepared by Prepared by based on 2011 Census Jo Kelly Susan Benedyka Table of Contents Executive summary 4-5 Introduction 6-9 Overview of Key Issues 10 Working Towards a Vision 11 Queanbeyan Tomorrow Vision 12-13 Values and Strategic Priorities 14-15 Queanbeyan Today 16-21 Queanbeyan Tomorrow 22-23 Strategy 1 - Image and Influence 24 -29 Strategy 2 - Business and Industry 30-35 Strategy 3 - Culture and Leisure 36-41 Strategy 4 - Infrastructure, Access and Transport 42-47 Strategy 5 - The Community 48-53 Strategy 6 - The Environment 54-59 Achieving the Vision 60 Measuring Performance 61-67 Appendix 68-77 Executive Summary This document represents the results infrastructure; a sense of safety; and The Queanbeyan community has said it of extensive community consultation easy access to Canberra, Sydney, the values: mountains and the coast. conducted during 2006 and a review Our Community undertaken in 2011 to determine a The vision goes on to describe in detail the An active, involved community that commonly held vision for the future of aspirations of the community in regard to: Queanbeyan. connects people with each other and the • Image and Influence place in which they live, which creates a The Community Vision portrays the • Business and Industry sense of belonging, a sense of safety and desired destination for the Queanbeyan a country atmosphere, while embracing the • Culture and Leisure community by the year 2021. It will become diversity of the community, including the an overarching guide to the way future • Infrastructure, Access and Transport various cultures and neighbourhoods. strategies and Council plans are developed • Community and implemented. Our Environment • Environment It is the year 2021… Queanbeyan’s attractive complex These topic areas form the basis for the landscape, its parks, river, escarpment, The Vision begins… Key Strategies: grassland and forested hills and associated A thriving lively city with a strong • Building an image for the future flora and fauna are key assets that must be community spirit, based on its country • An innovative environment preserved for future generations. values and the warmth and friendliness • Enhancing our lifestyle Our History of its people. The city celebrates its natural setting and its rich heritage, • Building sustainable foundations From the original inhabitants through to the preserved in its built form. • Sharing our sense of belonging early settlers and finally the rising of the national capital nearby – Queanbeyan is The city, suburbs and surrounding • Ensuring a sustainable future one of Australia’s oldest inland settlements. rural and residential areas cater for a The Vision for Queanbeyan is based This history not only shapes who we are, multicultural population of 50,000 which on clearly expressed values during but is captured in our historical buildings enjoys a diverse lifestyle; a growing community consultation. These values are and community spaces. economy; retail, health, education, the “touchstone” (or test) for any future recreation and cultural services; proposals. Our Lifestyle continued investment in the city’s These values were first developed in 2006 A country town with city benefits, from and have been retested in 2011 with the diverse housing choices to a wide range of local community and key stakeholders. services and community groups including sports, arts and culture. Easy access to the The values presented here have been transport links that expands our horizons. adjusted in 2012 to reflect the feedback from the community review. – 4 – The final section of this Community Vision outlines the revised higher level Key Directions and Strategies required to achieve the Vision. For each, the applicable Strategic Priorities Key directions and strategies time frame (ongoing, short, medium and long and various combinations with ongoing), the role of Council (Manager/Leader, critical partner, facilitator, Infrastructure, Access • Planning for future growth advocate and supporter) as well as the other key stakeholders that should be • Sustainable water management involved are identified. and Transport • Integrated land use and transport Building Sustainable • Sustainable transport options Strategic Priorities Key directions and strategies foundations • Transport infrastructure Image and • Raising the local profile The Community • Implementing the plans we have Influence • Develop an image and brand • Strengthening partnerships • Promoting Queanbeyan as a destination Sharing our sense of • Providing services Building an • Creating a civic heart belonging • Targeted groups image for the • Sustaining the river • Encouraging community and business • Community engagement future leadership • Places that are important to the community The Environment • Integrated water management • Where people choose to live Ensuring a • Energy consumption • Providing strong local democracy and civic • Future planning governance sustainable future • Community education regarding the environment Business and • Delivery of local economic initiatives Industry • Local business and industry leadership A major community-based review was undertaken in 2011, and finalised in • Local employment opportunities early 2012 to ascertain whether the Vision remains valid and to recognise and An innovative • Revitalisation of the CBD celebrate the achievements of the Strategies and Actions to that time. environment • Support existing business • Attracting new business This document now represents the achievements that have occured over the • Creating opportunities for youth last 5 years and revisits the strategies and subsequent actions to update these for the remaining 10 years of delivery of this plan. Culture and • Heritage This plan remains a Community Vision - one that has been validated and Leisure • Excellence in recreation and lifestyle tested with the local community - which describes the aspirations of the opportunities Queanbeyan Community as they move closer to 2021. Enhancing our • Cycleways and pathways lifestyle • Cultural activities – 5 – PART 1 Introduction Introduction The Queanbeyan Tomorrow Community arise over the course of implementation within the Vision will also need to recognise Vision 2021 was originally prepared in 2006 will determine how this Vision is realised. that there are variances in the needs and after extensive community consultation. The purpose of this document is to be an aspirations of the residents of Queanbeyan The Vision has been developed to enable overarching guide that details the way in (rural and urban) as well as between the local community to create the kind of which future strategies are developed and commercial enterprises, and between place they would like to live in by 2021. The implemented. broader stakeholders. The Vision is the overall expression of the preferred future Vision provides Council and the Community The Vision captures the thoughts and for Queanbeyan, developed from the with a common direction for the long term aspirations of the Queanbeyan community Community Consultation process, but the future of Queanbeyan. that have participated in many workshops detail will also need to be tailored to meet From November 2011 to February 2012, and community ‘Have-A-Say’ Day events the specific needs of the communities and Queanbeyan City Council again undertook about the future of Queanbeyan, in 2006 groups of interest. Council is essentially the extensive consultation to validate and test and again in 2011. ‘guardian’ of the Vision, but it is up to the whether the vision still best represents the The Vision is based on the values people community to assist in keeping it alive. future that the community would like to see hold dear that are the test for new Queanbeyan Tomorrow Community Vision Queanbeyan in 2021. developments and directions. They are 2021 is more than just a list of strategies This document now represents an updated fundamental to creating the future feeling, - it’s an ongoing process, one that will and amended version of the original plan look and energy of the Queanbeyan City continually assess and monitor progress prepared in 2006. area. moving towards the year 2021. Therefore it A vision is idealistic, a call to change and The Vision provides key principles that form is essential that the goals of the Vision be something to aspire to. It should inspire the the basis of developing specific strategies. periodically reviewed and validated. local community to actively participate in the Each key principle has been drawn from Although the Queanbeyan Tomorrow Vision future and motivate them to act upon it. The recurring