$30 million upgrades to Darwin Civic Centre the keystone of capital works program

A $30m upgrade to the Darwin Civic Centre is part of the council’s record breaking $91.5m capital works program.

A $30m upgrade to the Darwin Civic Centre is part of the council’s record breaking $91.5m capital works program in the draft municipal plan for the 2021/22 financial year.

The new facility, which is set to include a ceremonial Town Hall for weddings and official functions, is expected to be completed in late 2024.

Darwin council chief executive Scott Waters said the new facility would improve the council’s capabilities and help the economy.

“We need to be able to have offices that are commensurate with the requirements of delivering a modern council, with up-to-date IT infrastructure,” Mr Waters said.

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“We also need a council chamber that is going to be able to live up to state of the art facilities and be modern and working with what the local government industry is taking on now and into the future.

“This is going to give us a great economic boost with jobs. We’ll have buildings coming out of the ground and cranes in the sky. That’s going to be great but the legacy it delivers is this will be our home for the future.”

Concept design of the New Darwin council Civic centre, to be completed in late 2024. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Waters said the new Civic Centre would also resonate with the people, which the existing ageing and deteriorating centre now failed to do.

“We want it to be a special place, a place people can come back to remember,” he said.

“We have town hall ruins but we don’t have a town hall.”

The new Civic Centre would be built within the Civic and State Square Masterplan, establishing an iconic building complimenting the proposed and developing precinct.

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said the existing Civic Centre was in dire need of an upgrade and now was the time to do it.

“This building is an old one … it was built in 1968,” he said.

“It costs a million dollars a year to maintain its condition … it’s time.

“Our council has a vision that will guide community consultation to ensure that the new building incorporates recognition of the Larrakia people, promotion of Darwin’s history, public access and community spaces and opportunities to enhance community participation in council activities.”

It will be funded from the council’s sale of land reserve, which included $14.6m from the sale of the Cavenagh Street carpark land.