THE CASE FOR CHANGE
Why Is This Project Needed?
Brooklyn is a vibrant, cohesive and geographically isolated community. Together with boat access only communities, there is a strong community vibe with Brooklyn as the epicentre and service hub to many of these activities. It is also the epicentre for many aquatic groups that also utilise the river recreationally on a regular basis but also the wider community. Generally children and young people undertake recreational and sporting engagements as part of schooling extracurricular activities outside of the community, necessitating car travel both south to Hornsby and Berowra and north to Gosford.
The opportunity exists for improved engagement of children and young people both within Brooklyn and river communities in a multi-purpose facility – the Parsley Bay Centre – that offers educational and resilience building skills, social engagement and group participation opportunities for younger members of the community and region, as well as older members. So it makes sense to combine all our needs and come up with one multi-purpose facility that will benefit not only the locals but also the wider community.
How will The Delivery of This Facility Improve Community Participation and Cohesion ?
Currently the lack of a multi-purpose facility – a fundamental part of any community’s fabric – creates social isolation and disadvantages our community. An aquatically biased multi purpose facility would invite social cohesion and growth within the several boating groups benefiting from this space by encouraging the local community to join clubs, learn new skills, establish friendships and take ownership. It could also become the platform for the establishment of future groups such as Sea Scouts, Navy Cadets, etc., – an enormous benefit for our geographically isolated youth as well as educators.
What Regular Opportunities are Foreseen?
Apart from aquatic activities (dinghy sailing, yachting, dragon boating, kayaking, etc.) being offered, it is anticipated that the members of the community will be able to access the community space for regular activities such as indoor sports and training, health courses, TAFE outreach courses, mobile library, craft groups, meeting space, theatre performance and rehearsal space, church groups, environmental education school outreach etc.
Other Uses
As locals, we conduct several large functions annually – often outside and subject to adverse weather. Furthermore, we need facilities to shelter people and disseminate information during bushfires or other emergencies. A multi-purpose area could also attract special interest workshops, exhibition space for government proposals, environmental studies, group gatherings, film nights, and fundraising ventures as well as school speech days and concerts.