The City of Stirling in Western Australia is establishing community hubs to provide residents with grouped facilities, resources and spaces in and around one central location.
The suburb of Mirrabooka welcomed the City’s first community hub recently.
About 10km north of the Perth CBD, Mirrabooka covers 400 hectares and is home to a thriving multicultural population, several primary schools and a major shopping centre.
With a large number of migrants moving to the suburb and its surrounds on a regular basis, Mirrabooka has proved the perfect fit for the first City’s community hub.
Among the many City services on offer at the hub, Mirrabooka Library provides free homework help to youngsters each week, story time sessions entertain the littlies and conversation groups cater for locals wanting to improve their English skills.
In addition, residents can pay their rates at the library, receive tax help at tax time and make use of the hub’s most recent addition, a weekly JP service.
With the City’s Kevin Smith Community Centre conveniently positioned next to the library, the local services continue with an Aboriginal Engagement Officer available to connect residents with local services.
The centre also has City representatives who can assist with information about children’s services, family services and newcomer engagement programs.
As well as City-run facilities, the hub includes non-profit organisations such as a multicultural women’s health centre and mental health aid for migrants and refugees.
The Mirrabooka hub also incorporates the Wandjoo Gardens, a relaxed community space directly outside the library where visitors can unwind with a good book or e-book.
With the City’s aim of delivering further community hubs to provide ‘places where residents can find important information, meet new people and learn new things’, the program looks set to be embraced by more and more residents.
