Over 25 volunteers pitch in to help shape Helensburgh's new centre

Outrage vented at Wednesday night’s Neighbourhood Forum 1 meeting has been channelled into a sub-committee with fresh determination to engage both residents and council to produce the best possible Community Centre and Library for Helensburgh.

Led by Helensburgh local Scott Spiers, a landscape architect with experience in project management, the new sub-committee was formed to represent residents over the next three years in the design and construction process, and rebuild what is widely seen as a broken relationship with Wollongong Council. 

“I’ve had an amazing response to the group, it’s been 25 people within 10 hours and counting,” Scott said on Thursday. “The goal is to improve the Burgh, working with councillors to make it better, while also working to support NF1 with other initiatives. 

“We need to establish trust and engagement again with council as we’ve done before. We’re trying to repair the relationships with council and both parties need to move forward from the past.” 

The new volunteers stepping up will take a load off longtime NF1 convenor Warwick Erwin, who has shouldered the unpaid role of representing the community to council for a decade.

Freedom of information request in progress

As NF1 convenor, Warwick has been requesting information from council on the design of Helensburgh’s new community centre since the location was announced last year. Now he’s begun a process to access a detailed scope of works under the Government Information Public Access (GIPA) Act.

“I can't bash my head against the brick wall any more,” Warwick told the Illawarra Flame after the two-hour forum meeting on Wednesday.

NF1 members feel left out of decision making, saying they're in the dark on design details. These concerns came to a head when Council accepted a $1.38 million tender at its September meeting, engaging Sherson Architecture to design the new centre and library at 53-55 Walker Street.

“But hang on a second, architects can't design something unless they brought a scope of works – so where’s the scope of works?” Warwick asked.

He’s concerned these are top-down plans that “staff – not the community – have defined”.

The forum has asked for the new centre to be built over four blocks, including the current demountable library site, which Council says must be sold to fund the new build.

“In 1978 we got this [old community centre] built,” one forum member told the meeting. “And now in 2025 we get one half the size – who did the maths? We have got three times the amount of people … The kids of Helensburgh will never get a basketball court again if we let this go. We're all busy. No one comes in. I'm tired as f***. But we need to understand we're going to lose what we've got.”

The new Northern Suburbs centre will serve residents of the 2508 postcode, which is home to over 10,000 people. According to Council’s data, no population growth is forecast in this area through to 2046.

It's one of two new centres in the works for Wollongong, with a new Southern Suburbs Community Centre and Library being built in Warrawong to serve the suburbs of Berkeley, Cringila, Lake Heights, Port Kembla, Primbee, Warrawong, and Windang, an area home to almost 30,000 people.

Double the turnout

Wednesday’s NF1 meeting attracted 40 people, more than double the usual attendance, and heard an outpouring of grievances.

Residents were unhappy with Wollongong Council across multiple fronts, including Helensburgh Pool, the new community centre, the old community centre, the town’s cemetery, footpaths, roadworks, potholes, drainage, rubbish collection, signage, flooding repairs and the recent use of bleach to clean Otford tennis courts, with fears it could pollute the Hacking River. 

The agenda featured three topics: a pool update, the Northern Suburbs Community Complex and a question: “Is NF1 worth continuing – Council doesn’t listen and doesn’t ENGAGE the community.”

Discussion ran for more than two hours, with Councillors Dan Hayes and Jess Whittaker called on to share advice. “The problems of the past, and focusing on that constantly, it’s not helpful,” Cr Hayes told the forum. “No other group seems to do that as much as this one.” 

Pool on track to open in January 2026

Helensburgh Pool works are running on time, the meeting heard. The pool’s refurbishment over summer remains a sore point and has been much criticised, including by Dr Trevor Kemper, owner of Equilibrium Healthcare, who said it was “cruel and to the detriment of the local community”. 

Three years after a government grant to repair the 55-year-old pool was announced, residents understood that works had to proceed to meet a state funding deadline. However, the meeting heard that NF1 has learned council did not attempt to postpone works until autumn 2026, with confirmation in a letter from Minister for Sport Steve Kamper shared by Heathcote MP Maryanne Stuart. 

“Council has not requested an extension to the project completion date,” the letter says.

On the subject of Helensburgh Community Centre, the meeting was divided into those who thought money might be better spent on repairing the bigger old building – which has a rotten floor and closed due to mould in 2021 – and those invested in creating a new centre on a smaller blank canvas across the road. Residents agreed more information was required.

Council to present design in ‘early 2026’

NF1 argues consultation has been limited, with less than 20 people involved in the first round in 2017 and only “tick the box” options offered at recent engagement events, such as the Lions Fair.

Council’s project timeline lists “feedback”, “planning” and a “check in” having been sought in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023 and October 2024.

“We have consulted with the community several times and will present the community with concept design of the new facility in early 2026,” a Council spokesperson said this week. 

“Construction is planned for completion by the end of 2028. Once opened, the new facility will supersede both the old centre and community rooms. 

“No decision has been made as to the future use of the Council-owned portion of the land the old centre and community rooms are located on.”

Councillors commit to building relationships

On Thursday after the forum meeting, Cr Dan Hayes told the Illawarra Flame he would be following up on key questions, including if the old centre be fixed and if residents can see the scope of works for the new centre. "Cr Richard Martin and I will continue to work with the residents of Helensburgh just like we do with all the towns and villages in Ward 1,” he said. 

“This includes those who attend neighbourhood forums and those in the community who don’t. We will continue to work with council staff to look at better ways to deliver projects and services.”

Councillor Jess Whittaker said: “It was great to meet with Helensburgh residents at NF1 and I appreciate the work the convenor does to bring people with passion for their town together to discuss local projects. 

"I have a list of questions and concerns raised that I will be working through to get more information back to the community. The key message I heard last night was the community is asking for meaningful engagement with council. 

“Helensburgh is a wonderful town with a bright future ahead and I can’t wait to see the pool upgrades complete on 1st January, and the first draft of plans for the long-awaited Helensburgh Community Centre and Library in early 2026.”

The next NF1 meeting will be on 11 February 2026 at Helensburgh Community Rooms.

Updates from Council will be shared on the Helensburgh Community Centre and Library webpage.