Civic Improvement Plan - Wollongong City Council - NSW Government

2. Public domain projects2.11 SIGNAGE STRATEGYSignage must contribute to the characterand amenity of the public domain. Providinga clear and informative system that reflects theprocess of access, and the hierarchy of facilitieswithin the city. It is also an essential elementin the conservation of energy. The level ofsignage should be sufficient to address user’sneeds without causing clutter. Principles forestablishing a system of signage for differentpurposes and areas are outlined below:• cost effectiveness – including recurrentmaintenance costs;• equity of access – provision of accessiblesignage in public open spaces where possible;• design signage to be multi functional, easyto maintain and is robust;• visual and environmental appropriatenesswithin the particular context;• provide public notice boards as a forum foryoung people to communicate and promoteyouth activities;• use signage to contribute to the safetyof the city centre;• use signage to create interest andawareness of Wollongong’s natural culturaland indigenous heritage;• develop a consistent signage style fromframe to graphic;• develop signage to clip onto light polesto reduce clutter;• remove unsightly road signage pipesupports in key locations and replacewith clip on signage onto light poles; and• signage should not dominate streets.The technical manual will set out a rangeof signage that builds on this strategy.2.12 CITY ECOLOGY STRATEGYAlthough the city centre is predominantly a‘built’ environment, there are opportunitiesto enhance the natural ecosystem within thecentre and beyond. Strategies for enhancingcity ecology take advantage of existingresources in the form of waterways, parks andgreen open spaces, and Wollongong’s naturalsetting to promote a distinctive visual characterand satisfy community needs for greenbreathing spaces.Strategies for enhancing city ecology include:(See Figure 2.7)• protect and enhance existing reserves,parks, public squares and open spacesin the city centre and at the edges;• acknowledge and value significant openspaces such as Lang Park, MacCabe Park,Pioneer Park, Market Square, the foreshoreand the harbour;• promote positive relationships betweenthe natural systems, including the rainforest,the coastal geography, creek lines, thebeach, and the city centre;• provide positive integration of infrastructureinto the public domain; and• carefully select materials in lightof sustainable design practices.Specific water and infrastructurestrategies involve:• revealing drainage to promoteunderstanding of natural systems;• integrating water harvesting and filtrationinto streetscape, tree planting and parkprojects where possible;• collecting and filtering runoff throughengineered and vegetated wetlandenvironments; and• providing pedestrian/cycle connection alongwaterways – improve water quality andincrease biodiversity along the waterways.20 WOLLONGONG CITY CENTRE CIP 2007