Wollongong Public Spaces Public Life 2014

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Consultation has concluded

Wollongong City Council is partnering with internationally recognised consulting firm, Gehl Architects, and prominent urban designers, McGregor Coxall, to undertake a Public Spaces Public Life (PSPL) study. The PSPL study will complement the revitalisation of the city centre and provide a sound evidence base for decision-making.


Look out for the Impressions of Wollongong Survey – Distribution in July 2015.

The role of the survey is to find out the community’s impression of the city centre. The survey asks people to draw the city as they remember it, and asks how often people visit the city day and night. Importantly, the survey asks respondents to let us know their impression of the city during the day and at night, and for their impressions of various city attributes (streets, sense of place, atmosphere, sense of belonging, business). The survey was developed following extensive research into understanding the qualities of a lively city and asks respondents to reflect on their own perception. The survey was developed in partnership with the University of Wolllongong and the University of Tasmania and is funded by a research Linkages Grant.

The survey has been distributed to 9,000 homes, and is available here(External link) if you want to print, fill out and return it to Council (contact details below).


What is Public Spaces Public Life about?


Public Spaces Public Life Studies put people first. These studies, developed by Jan Gehl and his team and used in cities across the world, measure how cities function from the perspective of the people who use them.

Collecting data is a key focus of Public Space Public Life studies, and we having been busy data collecting since March of 2014. We have collected over 60 data sets to help us better understand how our city is functioning including numbers of people moving through the city.

What’s next?

We are busy finalising the vision and key actions for the city centre and will be sharing these with stakeholders and the community and asking for your feedback in late 2015.

Contact Us

Share your stories or thoughts by emailing records@wollongong.nsw.gov.au(External link) or writing to: The General Manager, Wollongong City Council Locked Bag 8821 Wollongong DC NSW 2500. Please quote the reference number ESP-100.03.030 in your submission. Submissions may become public documents on request, please follow this link(External link) for privacy information.

Your feedback will form part of our data collection and evidence base. We will be sharing this data and consulting with the community on specific aspects of the study in late 2015. If you would like more information about the project please contact Land Use Planning on (02) 4227 8264.


Wollongong City Council is partnering with internationally recognised consulting firm, Gehl Architects, and prominent urban designers, McGregor Coxall, to undertake a Public Spaces Public Life (PSPL) study. The PSPL study will complement the revitalisation of the city centre and provide a sound evidence base for decision-making.


Look out for the Impressions of Wollongong Survey – Distribution in July 2015.

The role of the survey is to find out the community’s impression of the city centre. The survey asks people to draw the city as they remember it, and asks how often people visit the city day and night. Importantly, the survey asks respondents to let us know their impression of the city during the day and at night, and for their impressions of various city attributes (streets, sense of place, atmosphere, sense of belonging, business). The survey was developed following extensive research into understanding the qualities of a lively city and asks respondents to reflect on their own perception. The survey was developed in partnership with the University of Wolllongong and the University of Tasmania and is funded by a research Linkages Grant.

The survey has been distributed to 9,000 homes, and is available here(External link) if you want to print, fill out and return it to Council (contact details below).


What is Public Spaces Public Life about?


Public Spaces Public Life Studies put people first. These studies, developed by Jan Gehl and his team and used in cities across the world, measure how cities function from the perspective of the people who use them.

Collecting data is a key focus of Public Space Public Life studies, and we having been busy data collecting since March of 2014. We have collected over 60 data sets to help us better understand how our city is functioning including numbers of people moving through the city.

What’s next?

We are busy finalising the vision and key actions for the city centre and will be sharing these with stakeholders and the community and asking for your feedback in late 2015.

Contact Us

Share your stories or thoughts by emailing records@wollongong.nsw.gov.au(External link) or writing to: The General Manager, Wollongong City Council Locked Bag 8821 Wollongong DC NSW 2500. Please quote the reference number ESP-100.03.030 in your submission. Submissions may become public documents on request, please follow this link(External link) for privacy information.

Your feedback will form part of our data collection and evidence base. We will be sharing this data and consulting with the community on specific aspects of the study in late 2015. If you would like more information about the project please contact Land Use Planning on (02) 4227 8264.


Consultation has concluded
  • A City for People

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    10 Nov 2015

    On 9 November, Council voted to exhibit the draft report A City for People, Wollongong Public Spaces Public Life 2015 for community input, commencing 14 November 2015 to 4 March 2016. Read the Council report(External link).

    A City for People presents a robust analysis of our city centre, a draft city centre vision, and strategies for turning ideas into action.

    A City for People is a draft document. Your feedback will guide the refinement and finalisation of the Vision and way forward for our city centre. Check back here on 14 November to join the conversation and help shape the city’s future.
  • Impressions of Wollongong Survey

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    20 Jul 2015
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    A survey exploring residents' impressions of Wollongong City Centre has been distributed to 9000 homes. The feedback from this survey will inform revitalisation initiatives across the city centre. This survey forms part of a research project, partnering with the University of Wollongong and the University of Tasmania to undertake a qualitative research project investigating Wollongong City Centre as the Lively City. This research has been funded with a Linkages Grant.

  • Quotable Quote #4(External link)

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    26 Feb 2015
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    "Finding the measure of a city is as much about the intangibles that light up a community as the infrastructure keeping it going."

    Monocle Magazine's Quality of Life Survey 2014

  • 2015 is going to be a big year for PSPL

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    09 Jan 2015
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    This year as part of the Wollongong Public Spaces Public Life study we will be doing more people counts, lots of stakeholder consultation, refining recommendations and effecting change in our public spaces across the city centre

  • "Is Jan Gehl winning his battle to make our cities more liveable?" Article 8-12-14(External link)

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    15 Dec 2014
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    As part of the Guardian Cities Event, this interview(External link) with Jan Gehl and his practice partner Helle Søholt explains the Public Spaces Public Life process, the importance for planning for people and Gehl Architect's work in cities across the world

  • Mall Kiosk

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    13 Nov 2014
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    On Friday 14 November, staff working on the Public Space Public Life Study were in the mall sharing information about the Public Spaces Public Life study and asking people about their pedestrian experience in the city.

    If you couldn't make it, don't worry! We will be holding more kiosks over the coming months.

  • Quotable Quote #3(External link)

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    11 Nov 2014
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    "The theory is that people should be on the street, the street is the key to the city."

    Professor Rob Adams AM, Director City Design, City of Melbourne

  • City Talks 5 November 2014(External link)

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    11 Nov 2014
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    A series of short yet pertinent talks were presented at the City Gallery (change of venue due to inclement weather) on 5 November 2014. Topics explored included the need to integrate top down and bottom up approaches in planning; revitalisation tips and learnings from American cities; the importance of understanding how people use the city and an update on the Shaping Wollongong project. Copies of these presentations are available under the "Sharing the Data" tab above.

  • "Residents Favour Mall over Beach" Article 5-10-14(External link)

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    11 Nov 2014
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    The Public Spaces Public Life data sets have revealed some interesting information about our city centre. To learn more, view our presentation boards, available under the "Sharing the data" tab to the right. 

  • Quotable Quote #2(External link)

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    11 Nov 2014
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    "Big or small, cities need reliable and comparable information for urban planning and for their safe, sustainable and prosperous development."

    The Cities We Need, Grattan Institute, 2010