Place managers to reinvent town centres

POP-UP shops, public art and street furniture could be heading to Bayswater, Maylands, Morley and Noranda town centres with the appointment of two place managers.

Bayswater and Maylands place manager Emma Snow and Morley and Noranda place manager Jennie Arts will work with businesses and community groups to develop each town centre’s uniqueness, create quality public spaces and attract visitors.

City of Bayswater Mayor Barry McKenna said the role aimed to reinvent the four town centres as the heart of the communities.

He said the place managers would look at “activating” centres through events, public art, landscaping, improved street furniture and pop-up shops with businesses and community groups.

“Place managers will also work closely with businesses to enhance their street appeal thus attracting more people into our town centres,” he said.

“Another aspect of the role involves liaising with other stakeholders, such as state government agencies, to advocate for improvements to the centres.”

Ms Snow said they would identify what was unique and special about each of the places and build on that.

“In Maylands we know there are a lot of creatives, there’s a lot of art and heritage,” she said.

“We’ll need to identify the heart of each town centre.

Ms Arts said they wanted the centres to complement each other rather than compete.

“There’s a very diverse demographic, for instance, in Morley, multicultural shops and restaurants and that may be one of the bigger assets of Morley you could build on,” she said.

Community forums generating ideas for the activation of town centres will start this month.