Helensburgh Community Centre and Library

The new Helensburgh Community Centre and Library will be located in the centre of Helensburgh at 53-55 Walker Street.

The land is adjacent to the existing library and, following strategic land acquisition in recent years, is already in Council ownership.  The site is adjacent to Helensburgh’s beautiful bushland combining convenience with natural charm. The location selection follows detailed investigations by Council into a number of sites within the township for the facility, and responds to community feedback gathered during consultation around the Helensburgh Park Plan of Management.

Once the new integrated community centre and library is open, the new centre will replace the temporarily reopened Helensburgh Community Rooms. The adjoining land where the current library stands will be sold, with funds raised contributing to the cost of the new facility.

The design for this new community facility is being shaped by feedback we've received from our community. We'd like to thank everyone who shared their great ideas and vision for this project.

Council is working with NSW Public Works who are providing Procurement and Project Management assistance to the project. Following an invitation only tender, local company Sherson Architecture Pty Ltd has been engaged as Principal Design Consultants to complete the design.

The scope for the project is as follows:

* It will be an integrated Community Centre & Library
* There will be flexible spaces, including a community hall that can expand to increase its size
* The project will be targeting best practice environmentally sustainable design
* The design will aim to provide views to the east
* Public art will be commissioned for the centre

The project aims to incorporate the following primary functions:

Community Centre
* Community Hall
* Flexible Meeting Rooms, Study/Office Rooms
* Community Hall Kitchen
* Community Hall storerooms

Library
* Public Library collections including adult, young adult, junior and children’s
* Study and reading areas
* Public computers and photocopying/scanning facilities

Public Community Kitchenette

Other Spaces
* Entry / Foyer
* Service Pod / Desk
* Staff rooms and facilities
* Public Amenities including Parent Room
* Store rooms

Outdoor Areas & Parking
* Car parking, bicycle parking and delivery area
* Walker St frontage including awning and footpath replacement
* Walker Ln connection
* Landscaping

Council remains committed to completing the project by the end of 2028.

• 2017 - Community engagement began with Helensburgh's Library of the Future Community Engagement.
• 2020 - Further feedback sought on Community Centre options.
• 2021 - Planning for a new Helensburgh Community Centre and Library Community Engagement.
• 2023 - Plan of Management exhibition. Community feedback received shows a strong preference for the new building to be located on Walker St.
• August 2024 - 53 - 55 Walker St announced as site for the new Helensburgh Community Centre and Library.
• October 2024 - New Helensburgh Community Centre and Library concept community engagement check-in.
• Late 2024 / early 2025 - Preliminary detailed site investigations completed including site survey, waste classification and remedial action plan, and geotechnical and utility services investigations.
• 2025 - Development of draft scope of works based on feedback from the community. Preparation of brief to engage consultants and progress to concept design.
• September 2025 - Sherson Architecture Pty Ltd engaged as Principal Design Consultants to complete the design.
• February and March 2026 - Feedback was sought from the community on the concept designs with online and in-person information sessions. Summary of feedback.
• August 2026- Development Application (DA) submitted.

We'll provide further updates as we progress the project.

Good question!

Council closed the old Helensburgh Community Centre Hall at 26 Walker Street in late 2021 due to significant damage from subfloor water ingress and widespread black mould throughout the building.

Detailed investigations, including hygienist assessments, found that part of the centre—the former youth rooms adjacent to Walker Street—could be repaired. These rooms were fixed up and reopened as the Helensburgh Community Rooms to provide temporary space for the community to use.

However, the condition of the hall was significantly worse. Moisture issues from water under the hall had been evident for some time, and various works were undertaken in 2011, 2012, and 2015 to try to rectify the problem. Despite these efforts, water continued to flow through the subfloor area, and mould contamination kept getting worse.

When we spoke to the community about the centre and library, many residents told us they found the old community centre poorly designed, uncomfortable, dark, and clinical. (Helensburgh Community Centre Option Engagement Report 2020)

After weighing up all the options, Council decided that permanently closing the old centre and building a new facility was the best use of community funds.

You can learn more about the condition and see photos of the old Helensburgh Community Centre Hall here.

Back in 2017, Council started talking with the Helensburgh community about plans for a new library. People told us they wanted an eco-friendly, light-filled space that could accommodate a wide range of uses, events and activities. (Helensburgh Library – Engagement Report April 2017)

As planning progressed, Council considered the option of co-locating the community centre and library to create an integrated community hub. In 2019 and 2020, Council engaged with the community about this vision and sought their feedback.

The community told us that they support this vision and wanted a modern design similar to successful combined community facilities like the Thirroul Community Centre and Library. (Helensburgh Community Centre Option Engagement Report 2020)

We’re planning for around 1,000m² facility across two levels.

This size of the facility is based on Council’s adopted Places for the Future – Social Infrastructure: Future Directions Plan. The Plan sets a benchmark of 84.5m² per 1,000 population for a co-located library and community centre.

Current population figures for Helensburgh and surrounds are approximately 9,960, with little predicted growth to 2046. This equates to a floorspace size of 845m². The planned new centre exceeds this benchmark and allows for additional flexibility to meet the community’s needs for a modern and vibrant community hub.

Because you asked for it, we've designed spaces that allow for community meetings, fitness classes, and social events to happen simultaneously.

The designs include a bookable multi-purpose meeting room, 3 bookable office spaces and a large public hall with kitchen, all available for community use.

The new centre will also provide more than twice the library floor space of the current Helensburgh Library, along  with a variety of open study areas and bookable quiet study/office space.

The hall will be around 220 square metres. That’s bigger than the main hall at Thirroul District Community Centre & Library and almost the same size as the one at Corrimal District Community Centre & Library.

The hall will have a capacity for over 200 people, as well as kitchen facilities, air conditioning, Wi-Fi access, and AV equipment.

Accessibility is a key focus, and the modern amenities and flexible spaces mean the centre can adapt to the needs of the community, making this facility more versatile than the previous one.

Council needs to make sure community funds are used wisely across many important projects in the LGA. Selling the adjoining land where the current library sits will help fund the new facility and allow us to deliver a great space for the community sooner.

The long-term plan for the current community centre site is eventual demolition.

Right now, there are no decisions about future use of the land because Council only owns part of the site.

The building is designed to suit the local climate while meeting site and planning requirements. Its orientation, shading, natural ventilation and durable materials help improve comfort and energy efficiency year-round.

Sustainability features include rainwater reuse, water-efficient fixtures, high-performance insulation, double-glazed windows and heat-recovery ventilation, consistent with PassiveHaus principles.

Landscaping increases greenery and strengthens connections to nearby bushland, while sheltered entrances improve protection from the weather.

Future library and community facility staff have also helped shape the design to ensure it is practical, welcoming and functional for the community.

The new Community Centre and Library is a multi-million-dollar investment in the area.

We can’t share an exact figure yet because Council hasn’t gone out to tender for construction.

The centre is being designed in consultation with specialist bushfire consultant and the RFS to address and mitigate the risk of bushfire on the facility, which will likely include the partial clearing of land to the east to form an Asset Protection Zone (APZ).

Protected species will remain unaffected, although there may be some reduction to introduced and invasive species in the APZ. Council is also developing a management plan to explore ways to potentially reduce the size of the APZ, ensuring a careful balance between safety and environmental preservation.

It's important to know that the old Helensburgh Community Centre is not a “place of gathering” during emergencies like bushfire, and the new Community Centre and Library will not be either. The RFS Neighbourhood Safer Places bushfire assembly area is Charles Harper Park in Helensburgh.

The NSW Rural Fire Service has information and tools to help you prepare for bushfires. Visit the RFS website for more information.

Yes, parking and accessibility are key considerations in the planning process.

We’re working to make the new Helensburgh Community Centre and Library easy for the community to reach so you can arrive by foot, bike, bus, or car.

Following feedback from the community, the designs have been revised to now include 22 off-street parking spaces, including two dedicated accessible parking spaces. This doubles the original number of parking spaces and exceeds the off-street parking spaces for the current Helensburgh Community Rooms and Library.

The site is within the town centre and is well‑connected to bus stops, residents, and both on and off-street parking within walking distance.

Across the Helensburgh town centre, we’ve delivered a range of improvements including a slower 30km/hour precinct, upgraded pedestrian crossings, planting, and new and wider footpaths to help people walk and ride safely and comfortably.

We have also included additional carparking within the Helensburgh town centre as part of our current Infrastructure Delivery Plan, with design and consultation taking place in the 2026-27, and construction scheduled for 2027-28.

The new facility will include a large, modern 220m² hall suitable for a wide range of community uses such as group fitness classes, performances and events.

Noting that the old hall was previously used for basketball and did not meet the size requirements for a safe operating basketball facility, Council is also exploring opportunities for outdoor basketball courts in Helensburgh to help meet future sport and recreation needs. We will come back to the community once these investigations are completed.

Council is also developing a new aquatic and indoor sports strategy that will assess future needs for indoor sports and aquatic services in the LGA.

An online survey, live from early December 2025 to mid-February 2026, was the first step in this review, which aims to understand how our residents use these facilities, what they enjoy, and what could be improved. We will also be carrying out targeted consultation and workshops with local clubs and governing bodies to understand current needs and how they may shift over the next 20-year period. Data and community input gathered through this recent phase of engagement will inform a draft Strategy to go before Council, before it's placed on public exhibition for further community feedback.