16 May 2018

Our engagement started with a thorough information gathering exercise run by an independent research agency called PLACESCORE. It focused on understanding what makes a place, a great place to be.

PLACESCORE conducted a range of online and face-to-face surveys. These identified Avalon's attributes and physical characteristics that make it an enjoyable place.

We also held two Visioning Workshops with key stakeholders on 30 June 2018 and 4 July 2018. The visioning workshops were designed to capture a wide range of opinions from different sectors including representatives from local resident groups, education, sustainable environment, and art and cultural organisations.

A series of pop up stalls were held in July build on the outcomes of the visioning workshop and helped us identify the challenges and opportunities for change in Avalon Town Centre.

Pop ups were on:

• Wed 11 July: 8 - 11am (Outside Avalon Woolworths)
• Thu 12 July: 10am - 1pm (Outside Avalon Recreation Centre)
• Tue 17 July: 11am - 2pm (Outside Avalon Recreation Centre)
• Sat 21 July: 8 - 11am (Dunbar Park – Avalon Car Boot Sale)
• Sun 22 July: 9am -12pm (Palm Beach Market, Governor Phillip Park)
• Mon 23 July: 2 - 5pm (Outside Avalon Woolworths)
• Fri 27 July: 8 - 11am (Outside Avalon Woolworths)
• Sat 28 July: 1 - 4pm (Outside Avalon Woolworths)

During the community engagement period, more than 1,512 contributions were collected and were used as the foundation for My Place: Avalon project.

We also established a Community Reference Group comprising of local stakeholders including community, industry, business, club and group representatives.

The Care Factor survey hosted by PLACESCORE held between 11 May and 1 July 2018 was the first stage of community engagement on Avalon Place Plan.

We asked people who live, work or visit Avalon - what makes our town centres and villages better places to be?

Council will also be holding Visioning Workshops and establishing a Community Reference Group. These will comprise of local stakeholders including community, industry, business, club and group representatives.

Further opportunities to have 'Your Say' will also be available online and in person at drop-in sessions (dates to be confirmed).

The survey closed on Sunday 1 July 2018. A total of 848 responses were collected during the survey period and a Community Insight Report with the key findings from the survey and the 190 PX assessments undertaken will be available on the website from the middle of July.

The survey results will provide a systematic approach to data collection across the Northern Beaches helping Council make evidence-based decisions and measure trends and change over time.

View Avalon Community Insights Report

Council invited our demography consultants .id to give a presentation to the My Place: Avalon Community Reference Group. The presentation covered the broader demographic changes happening within Avalon. The presentation is now available and can be accessed from the following link:

Northern Beaches - Avalon Demography Briefing - April 2019

Council and .id also make the full set of demography data available for the general public to view and it can be accessed from the link below. Across the top of the page there is four different options you can select being the Community Profile, Social Atlas, Population Forecast and Economic Profile. You can view the data for the entire Northern Beaches region or can select the data for an individual suburb such as Avalon by clicking on the suburb from the map:

Northern Beaches Council - Community Profile

My Place: Avalon focuses on the area within 400 metres of Avalon Village Centre, with a larger area of influence as illustrated in the Avalon Study Area Map.

We're developing a Place Plan for Avalon that reflects the community's values and connection to place. A Place Plan aims to:

• create places designed for people
• attract the right uses to the right places
• provide a focal point for employment and deliver high quality urban design outcomes
• improve connectivity in and around the centre, especially for pedestrians
• recognise the importance of streets as community spaces and destinations.

The heart of the Avalon Place Plan process is to inspire and stimulate the community to work together to create a greater Avalon that people love and connect with.

Due to community concerns about parking in Avalon, Council commissioned PTC. to undertake a parking study and strategy for the town centre.

The study looked at the provision of parking in the town centre and adjoining areas, as well as its usage over a seven day period including the weekend. The results of the study indicate a high usage rate of off-street parking facilities such as the Woolworths carpark, and a much lower usage rate of on-street parking. The study also included a survey of how people travelled to and from Avalon Public School.

PTC. has also made a number of recommendations to improve the parking situation in Avalon. The project team will use the study and recommendations to further refine the draft Avalon Place Plan.

View the Avalon Beach Parking Strategy 2019 - Final Report

View attachment 1 Travel to Work Tables - July 2019

View attachment 3 Avalon Public School Travel Survey Results - July 2019

Thank you to all the people who came along to the Pop up Plaza on 27 July 2019, provided comments on the four intersection options, enjoyed the temporary pedestrian space and stopped to listen to the music.

We estimate that at least two thousand people visited the engagement stall during the day, many leaving comments or talking to staff.

The aim of changing the intersection of Avalon Parade and Old Barrenjoey Road is to improve pedestrian safety, reduce driver confusion and introduce dedicated cycle lanes throughout the town centre.

• View existing intersection plan
• View Option 1 - minimal change
• View Option 2 - shared zone
• View Option 3 - one way

Comments closed Sunday 25 August 2019

Learn more

A total of 501 comments on the intersection options were received on the day of the Pop up Plaza or online during the exhibition period.

The most popular option selected by the community was for a full closure of the road (28% of responses), followed by Option 2 for a shared zone (18% of respondents). 19% of comments submitted did not select a preferred option but made general comments about traffic and parking within Avalon. 11% of submissions referred to other matters such as netball courts and the public domain.