The conversation
The Boyd Community Hub is undergoing a transformative redevelopment to better serve the rapidly growing and diverse Southbank community.
The project involves a two-stage approach:
- Stage 1: The relocation and expansion of the Southbank Library into a new 900m² space within the adjacent Boyd Village development.
- Stage 2: The refurbishment and enhancement of the existing Boyd Community Hub facilities to provide expanded and enhanced family and children’s service and introduce new programming for youth and older people.
To help ensure the new Southbank Library and refurbished Community Hub meet community needs, we designed community engagement to gather insights on optimisation of spaces for community use, accessibility and operational requirements for Boyd Hub Refurbishment and service usage, program mix and accessibility of Southbank Library fit out.
Gathering insights
Community engagement ran from 2 July to 15 August 2025.
This included:
- Digital engagement via targeted newsletters, Neighbourhood Portals and an online survey via Participate Melbourne
- 1:1 interviews with service users i.e. MCHN clients, play groups
- 1 children’s activity
- 3 sessions with impacted stakeholder groups i.e tenants and lease holders
- 3 presentations to local resident and business groups
- 3 pop-up information sessions and activities for the general public and visitors.
- Have your say day community event
Who we reached
Reach
on Participate Melbourne
from 4 onsite pop-ups
for residents
to stakeholders
Participation
.
Survey respondent demographics
- 73% of respondents are residents; of those, 80% live in Southbank and 9% live in the CBD
- 71% currently use Southbank Library, 45% are a frequent library user (every month)
- 61% use the Hub in some capacity (e.g., visiting the café, accessing Family and Children's Services, or as a tenant)
- 43% were born overseas
- 23% speak a language other than English at home
- 50% were participating in a City of Melbourne consultation for the first time
What we heard
Themes
Community would like:
- Welcoming, comfortable and flexible spaces to accommodate both group and individual activities.
- Family friendly amenities, spaces and programming, including play spaces, programming for different ages, change facilities and pram parking.
- Programs, events and spaces to foster community connection, including classes, affordable bookable spaces to host community events.
- Facilities for creative activities, including makerspaces to enable hands-on learning and crafting.
- Activities to promote health and wellbeing, such as spaces for yoga and tai chi, cooking classes and other wellbeing-orientated programs.
- Safe and inclusive spaces, including better lighting and safe after-hours access.
Southbank Library
Respondents would most like to use the library to:
- borrow from collection (50%)
- participate in events and programs (37%)
- find a quiet space (35%).
Respondents' aspirations for the future:
- connect with local community (62%)
- learn a new skill (54%)
- improve my wellbeing (51%).
When thinking of the collection, respondents would like to read something that helps them:
- learn something new (54%)
- lose myself in a story (50%)
- exercise my brain (41%).
Boyd Community Hub
Respondents' top opportunities to enhance the experience are:
- improved interior design (39%)
- improved gathering spaced to connect with other families (35%)
- larger play space for children (23%).
Respondents would most like the following services, programming and facilities:
- new programs for a range of audiences (60%)
- space for self-directed creative activities (43%)
- recreational activities (40%).
Respondents' top safety and accessibility priorities:
- safe after-hours access (56%)
- better external lighting (46%)
- adequate surveillance (40%).
