FAQs

1. Why did Manly Council develop the strategy?

In response to public concerns about the surrounding areas connecting to the Manly Corso.  In particular, the vision and concepts in the MANLY2015 project respond to  issues about public safety, street lighting, vandalism and the need for associated public domain improvements in surrounding streets and public places radiating out from the Manly Corso.

Other benefits being sought from the proposal are to make Manly pedestrian and cycle friendly, offer sustainable public transport options and to activate laneways and streets in the CBD connecting to the Corso.

 

2. Why is Council thinking of demolishing the existing car park, and building a new one under the Manly Oval?

The relocation of parking from Whistler Street to beneath Manly Oval  achieves several key objectives:

- It completes the peripheral parking strategy that was initiated during the early 70s with all 6 parking stations now accessed from the perimeter of the town centre instead of causing congestion and pedestrian conflicts within the town centre itself

- Council is responding to the immediate need to demolish the Whistler Street car park that is currently operating beyond its current economic life, and is in serious need of being re-built, and enable Council to fund public domain improvements from a better use of its land in this area and benefit across the quadruple bottom line. 

- A two level car park under the Manly Oval would also provide an opportunity for Council to maintain current parking levels needed in the Manly  while also enabling greater pedestrian activity in the central areas of the village.

 

3. Do we need new library and community facilities in Manly?

There is a considerable demand for local improved and bigger library and community meeting rooms and facilities.  We currently are unable to accommodate the local and visitor demands for  library and community services in Manly.  Libraries world-wide have become hubs for people, places of study, interaction and new ways of learning and provide social networking community opportunities.  Manly needs to respond to the community’s future needs in planning for a more community responsive facility that can be used for multi-purpose activities.  We are therefore seeking input on the various two options for the Manly Library.

 

4. How much is this all costing?

Costings, estimates and income streams have been prepared to assist Council establish the “bankability” of the MANLY2015 project overall. However MANLY2015 is still only at a stage where preliminary design concepts have been undertaken. Detail costing cannot be prepared until a final detailed design phase is completed and this can only follow a public exhibition period (taking place between April and Mid September). Council will then need to resolve how it wishes to proceed. It assumed works would be staged over a number of years.

 Summary Project Expenditure

Village Centre

To be funded by a Public and Private Partnership – Council will offer the underlying land and development potential it offers in return for public facilities

 

$29 Million for Option 1: (retaining existing building)

OR

$35 Million for Option 2: (demolition of existing building and replacement with a new one)

 

Car Park 800 Place underneath Manly Oval

To be funded from loans secured by carpark operations over the 50 year life of the facility

 

 

$36 Million

Public Domains

To be funded from existing Town Improvement Levies and from general revenue over 5 to 10 years

 

$15 Million

Tramway Loop plus Rolling Stock (subject to feasibility study)

To be funded from General Revenue and grants

$4-5 Million

   

5. Why does there have to be road closures or changes to road traffic flows, and how will these changes help residents?

The MANLY2015 project has been designed around the vision of a fully pedestrian friendly Manly village, or ring road system for motorised vehicles on the outskirts of the centre.  This will provide a Manly where people and visitors can walk, cycle and arrive by their choice of transport (be it car, bus or our community transport solutions, e.g Hop Skip Jump Buses). 

The main difference between now and the future vision is the ability of people to walk safely to and from our shops, beaches, business, services and cultural meeting places. 

Our future vision is for a Manly village without cars dominating bringing back the heart back into Manly in terms of amenity, providing spaces and places for locals and visitors.

 

6. What changes are proposed to the traffic management as part of  MANLY2015?

One of the central aims of the MANLY2015 is to reduce traffic intrusion into the heart of the Manly CBD and to improve pedestrian, worker and resident amenity. In October 2010, Manly Council engaged independent traffic consultants, Philip Brogan and Bitzios Consulting, to provide an assessment of the proposed road network changes being planned in the Manly CBD.

For further information see the Traffic & Transport page and also the Traffic Modelling page of this website.