Platform Garden Design Underway!

We are creating a semi-permanent garden and social space on the platform at the Aldgate railway station. The Hut has been working with our volunteers and local community to design the space in a way that celebrates the diversity of our unique Hills environment and creates a place for you, your family, friends and all community members to enjoy. We are keen to gather as many ideas as possible from everyone! All ideas will be considered, discussed, debated by a working group and consolidated into a master plan which we will endeavour to realise in stages over the next two years.

All aboard – Let’s Make this Platform Perform – Community Event and Consultation

Crowds filled the Aldgate Railway Platform on Saturday 19th May as The Hut Community Centre gathered ideas on the transformation of the railway platform into a community space and garden. A range of speakers inspired and captivated the audience, food was shared and children played in nature. The event was an important part of a two month consultation process. Ideas gathered will be discussed by a working committee who will draw up a master plan for the space.

The program began with a momentous Indigenous welcome and a cleansing smoking ceremony, the first ever held on the Aldgate platform. Ivan Tiwi Copley continued with a presentation of local Aboriginal history. One participant said, ‘I have lived in the Hills my whole life and have never learnt about this history’. Karen Montgomery (Horticulturalist, Garden Writer, Radio Presenter) led a brainstorming session about what attendees feel should become of the platform. Bec Francis, (Creative Producer, Designer, Space-shaper, Event Director, Educator) inspired those present with a presentation about activating a space for the community. This included a dynamic full-sized ideas workshop where participants could create designs with tyres, crates and cardboard to experiment with shape, height and size. The final speaker was Lolo Houbien (Garden Writer, Occasional Activist and Conservationist) whose rare presentation discussed growing food in the context of climate change. Bronwyn Paynter, Occupational and Nature therapist, spoke of the importance of gardens for health and wellbeing. Steven Hoepfer who is described as the ‘Costa of Adelaide’ spoke about the trials and tribulations of starting the Wagtail Urban Farm and the lessons learnt. Food, donated by Frankie’s and Bakers Delight, Stirling was shared and children played in nature play activities set up by Twig and Stick and the Hills Toy Library. One child said, ‘This was the best day of my life!’

Schools Consultation

The Hut Community Centre has been in coordinating with a number of local schools to seek the views and ideas of young people. A number of submissions have been shared including from Hills Montessori School and Mylor Primary School Submissions include dynamic ideas such as mud pits, pop up café’s, giant games boards, outdoor cinema and performance spaces, fire pits and more. Many thanks for to Jack, Aimee, Sebastian, Sam, Amino and Darcy from the Hills Montessori School and Kari, Henry, Tea, Chelsea, Alex, Adi, Tyson, Ned and Fin from Mylor Primary School.

Peramangk Heritage and Land Council Consultation

The Hut Community Centre staff and members of the Platform Garden working group met with Peramangk Elders Micheal Hunter (Chairperson of Peramangk Heritage and Land Council) Ivan Copley (Independent Consultant) to gather ideas for the Platform Garden. The consultation was fruitful and many ideas were generated about how to recognise and incorporate culture and heritage into our garden design as well as ivolve Elders and community in the realisation of the plan. Ideas included incorporating history, stories, shapes, and symbols into the landscape design, and the identification of specific plants and animals to be featured.

Other Consultations

We have met with a wide range of community members and groups including locl historians, The Aldgate Business Association, Twig and Stick and more.

Working Groups

Over 15 people diverse community members from all backgrounds and aged from 8 years old to over 60 have put their hands up to join a working committee to draft the master plan for the platform garden. Members include representatives from The Old School Community Garden and The Rangers Early Learning Centres. The group is in the process of considering all submissions, debating ideas, consider logistics and is now liaising with a local landscape designer to compile a master plan for the site.

A COMMUNITY PROJECT CREATED BY THE COMMUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY

The Hut Community Centre invites, and needs, more people to get involved through sharing their ideas. Here’s how you can get involved;

  1. Join the working group. A passionate and enthusiastic, diverse group of people to consolidate the ideas collected and work with the designer on the master plan.
  2. Submit any ideas, designs and suggestions via email or in person to The Hut.
  3. Share share share! Information with friends, family, community members about this initiative or refer us to people who think should be involved.
  4. Donate resources towards the space. If you are a business or individual we welcome and encourage donations of garden supplies, resources and expertise.

For more information contact The Hut on 8339 4400 or email programs@thehut.org.au to register your interest