The Salisbury Community Hub reflects the City of Salisbury’s status as a progressive, sustainable and connected community. Since opening on 30 November 2019, the Salisbury Community Hub has quickly become the social heart of the Salisbury City Centre, welcoming more than 150,000 people through its doors to date.

The Hub is a place for the community to come together to exchange ideas, learn, participate and celebrate in a range of flexible community spaces. The modern and contemporary building features civic spaces, a gallery, learning and information facilities, council chambers, office space and a cafe. Other features include a large outdoor screen used for cinema experiences, live television broadcasts and sharing useful information.

The development of the Hub was included within Council’s City Plan 2030 as a high priority and represents a significant commitment and investment into the City Centre and our greater community. The $43.8 million project created up to 150 new jobs during construction and injected up to $65.5 million into the local economy.

In July 2020, the Hub and its architect, HASSELL, received the esteemed Jack McConnell Award for Public Architecture as well as an Interior Commendation within the 2020 South Australian Architecture Awards.

“The Award is a reflection of all the people who contributed to this achievement by telling us what they wanted to see in their community hub,” said Mayor Gillian Aldridge OAM.

“It celebrates what we already know – the Hub is an innovative, modern and stylish building. But most importantly for us, it has been designed in a way that promotes the community coming together to learn new skills, connect with others, access resources and enjoy being in a place where you know you belong.”

The Hub was recognised as inviting opportunities for community use and having a strong sense of place – both by embracing the future with modern design and maintaining connections with Salisbury’s past, such as through the preservation of the cemetery which is located in front of the building.

The Interior Commendation was a nod to the Hub’s highly effective spatial flow and volume, creating a range of opportunities for members of the public to visit the Hub to make use of its resources and connect as a community.

The development of the Hub, along with investment by Council in the Salisbury Oval Precinct, also acts as a signpost to the business sector of Council’s commitment to revitalise the Salisbury City Centre, which it is supporting with works to improve the road network to facilitate better traffic, pedestrian and public transport movements.

The council funded the construction of the Hub via accumulated cash balances with sufficient LGFA cash advance debenture (CAD) facilities in place to manage any additional cash requirements if needed. This allowed the council to reduce its interest costs during the construction phase of the project by not borrowing the full project cost at the beginning of the project.

LGFA CAD loan facilities worked exceptionally well during the construction phase of a project as their come and go nature means they can be drawn down to make progress payments and can also be repaid at will when a council receives rate and other income.

Information was provided by Erica Visser, Media Relations Advisor, Communications & Customer Relations, City of Salisbury