About the project

The Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub is a major Council project to redevelop and revitalise the Ivanhoe area with a state of the art building provide great community facilities.

We are investing over $34million in this project, which is expected to be completed in in late 2020.

The Hub, which will be connected to the existing heritage listed Ivanhoe Town Hall, will house:

• a modern accessible library
• arts gallery
• conference and meeting spaces
• maternal and child health consulting suites
• informal theatrette
• café.

Importantly, the project will sensitively respond to the heritage value of the existing Town Hall and transform this section of Upper Heidelberg Road into a vibrant place for people to congregate, connect and learn.

Learn more about this project by reading the fact sheets outlining the overview of the project, heritage considerations, the need for a new library, car parking, the arts and cultural side of the hub and Maternal and Child Health services.

See images to get a feel for how the space might look. View the concept plans for the Ground Floor and First Floor to see the layout. You can also view the full set of Concept Plans.

The look and feel of the space is still being refined and we would love you to provide your views on how you see the space - give your feedback online or at one of our face to face events.

Background

This project is one of the opportunities that is identified in the Ivanhoe Civic Precinct Master Plan. The Master Plan, which first went out for community consultation in early 2014, establishes the guiding framework for developing the civic precinct, a project first flagged in the Ivanhoe Structure Plan.

Vision for the Hub

Plans for the Hub are being developed around a clear vision for services and facilities that meet community needs and expectations for this iconic site.

• As a cultural connector - an important and inclusive cultural asset welcoming and supporting existing and new residents while telling a story of the local area and its history and identity.
• As a community living room - welcoming people to a comfortable and safe place, which provides a range of formal, informal and spontaneous spaces.
• Supporting creativity, sustainability, education and technology – a sustainably designed hub supporting creativity, lifelong learning, and performance with extensive and creative use of technology.
• Heritage significance and local identity – a redevelopment that strengthens and supports the existing Town Hall, with its strong architectural identity and heritage value, and provides a strong focus for community engagement within the Upper Heidelberg Road shopping strip.
• Flexibility and spaces to meet different needs – with different zones for different uses, from quiet to participatory spaces, and supporting after hours activities.
• Urban regeneration – increasing public use and activity within the landscaped public outdoor area and ensuring a connection with the broader Ivanhoe precinct strategy.

Your feedback

To help progress the detailed design of the building we asked for your thought on the look and feel of the new building and how you imagined using the space. We ran a range of events to speak with you and hear your views. We are currently preparing a summary of everything we heard. We will be using this to progress the design of the building.

You can still view the feedback that was received online via the converations tools below.

Previous feedback

Earlier in 2017 we released the concept plans for feedback and asked people to share what they liked about the plans. Thanks to those who commented and shared their thoughts. View the comments by clicking on the questions we asked.