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Placemaking Journey
In 2019, CCSA partnered with Midway Road Community House (MRCH) in Elizabeth East to undertake a placemaking project funded by the Department for Human Services (DHS).
The MRCH is an independent Centre managed by a volunteer Board with a proud 40-year history working with its community. Despite this, it was experiencing low participation and volunteer numbers. A recent analysis showed that centre users were also not representative of the cultural diversity in the community – African migrants were identified as an under-represented target group.
Before
"It looks like a regular house, all locked up and private."
Click the ‘play’ arrow below to watch the video
120 community members participated in the project
50% were new to the Centre
15% were from culturally and linguistically diverse communities (under-represented amongst existing Centre participants)
Click the headings below for more detail of the projects
- Colourful community art wall on the side of the building that can be seen from the shopping centre, pedestrian crossing, foot and vehicle traffic
- Fairy lights in the tree visible at night
- Directional dots along pathway to building entrance
- Potted citrus trees lining the pathway entrance
- Landscaped front garden to delineate car-parking area from seating area and pathways to the entrance
- The gates are open during the day at the Centre
- Picnic-set and bench seating at the front of the building
- Pot plant / trash n treasure stand at entrance gate to draw people in to the site
- Fence gates remain open during operation hours
- Contemporary rebranding visible up-close on fence panels , and from afar on the colourful community art wall
- “What’s On” signage using corf lute boards with blackboard paint updated and displayed at the front of the building
- Window awnings removed from the outside
- Net curtains removed from inside the building
- Activity inside the building can be seen from the outside
- Being able to see the outside space and the street is also a form of “passive surveillance” which promotes safe use of a space
- The Centre has two driveways – one provides direct access to the carpark, and the other has ‘directional dots’ to the front door promoting it as a pathway
- Creative, colourful and welcoming presentation
- boundary and internal fences painted in bright colour to connect with branding
- Painted pot plants and upcycled car tyres with plants adding pops of colour throughout the site (at ground and eye level)
- Fence panels with images representing diversity in the community and in the program and activities offered
Use the slider to view the before and after images
Click the photos below for a closer look
MRCH would like to thank the following community partners...
- Elizabeth East Residents
- Thomas Moore Primary School
- Sierra Leone Women’s Association of SA
- Basango Refugees Association of SA
- Australian Refugee Association of SA
- Bunnings Munno Para West
- TAFE SA (Signs and Graphics Pre-employment Program)
- Renewal SA (Works Program)
- Playford Men’s Shed
- Dependable Sand, Metal and Landscaping Supplies
- Playford City Council
- The Colour Manifesto
