Civic Centres a Great Place for Public Space.

Civic Centres are the places and spaces that surround public buildings, these can serve as the “front porches” of the buildings such as post offices, courthouses, museums, libraries and seats of government. These places have the most potential for enrichment of the public realm. Cities and neighbourhoods with thriving civic spaces reap the benefits of a strong sense of community spirit which is generated from these spaces being utilised. They create a sense of identity between a city’s residents and their spaces. Public buildings are at their best when they not only function as active community places in their own right, but also when they form part of a larger civic district.

A library and a city hall do not create a civic center on their own. But add an outdoor reading room to the library, start hosting public exhibits at city hall, set up food vendors on the sidewalk or a farmers market in the parking lot and suddenly you begin to generate much greater levels of activity than before. The moving from a Civic Centre out into the public realm such as a park, street, plaza or square results in the reaching out to the neighbourhood and creating a sense of inclusion of communities into the public realm. A good example in Auckland is that of Aotea Square next to the Town Hall which links a public space and beautiful architecture of the Town Hall together to form an atmosphere and space which people enjoy.

Auckland Town Hall and Aotea Square (Photo courtesy of Zimbio)

 

Civic centres are an extension of the community, when they work well they serve as a stage for our public lives. If they function in their true civic role, they can be the settings where celebrations are held, where social and economic exchanges take place, where friends run into each other, and where cultures mix. ‘The rewards of transforming a civic space into a great public place go way beyond just the space, although the place in itself enriches the lives of its users and enhances its surrounding buildings and neighborhood. Great public places contribute to community health in the means of socially, economically, culturally and environmentally. They add enhancement to the civic realm not only visually, but also in providing a sense of character and a forum for public activities. They can be anchors for downtowns and communities, acting as focal points for definition and foundations for healthy growth. All of these assets, as well as the opportunity these places offer for people to relax and enjoy themselves, add up to greater community livability’ (Project for Public Spaces, 2010).

Transforming the empty public spaces that surround our civic centres is the small change in which local authorities can develop a sense of pride within a city and neighbourhood. Hamilton City Council could develop the area around the court house which is just empty grass and is unused the transformation of this area into an open public space which is utlised by the public would help to generate interest in the Hamilton CBD as well as bringing a sense of pride and providing a great space around a beautiful civic building. What other areas do you think Local Authorities could utlise surrounding civic centres?