Community consultation for the new civic building and garden’s in the City’s historic Civic Precinct opened on Friday 14 November 2025 with steady levels of feedback coming in via the short online survey on
Have Your Say Subiaco, feedback postcards available at the City’s Customer Service desk, Subiaco Library and Lords Recreation Centre and through in-person listening posts.
Mayor David McMullen said, “There have been some healthy levels of responsiveness to the project so far – which is exactly what we want during this community engagement period.
“There is concern about tree retention, and of course, cost is an issue not far from the minds of most respondents so far. This comes as no surprise. We acknowledge we are talking about large sums of money, and we are very conscious that this comes with a high level of responsibility. For this reason, we are determined to show that the design concept represents value.”
Community engagement is focussed on understanding what the community would like to see from the bookable community spaces within the building and gardens and what they would like to see within the gardens themselves.
Mayor David McMullen said, “This is not just an office; it is not just a Council HQ. The community components are significant, and this project is for the entire Subiaco community now, and for the next 50 to 100 years."
Inclusive of design, demolition, construction, and landscaping, the new civic building and gardens are estimated to cost $64 million. More than half of this amount is dedicated to community spaces.
The
cost estimate includes buffers to account for rising prices and any unexpected issues that may arise. The City is working the project’s design team to keep costs down where possible, while providing for a build that will stand the test of time. A quality build will mitigate the need for excessive maintenance and renovation costs down the track.
The tender for construction will likely be on a fixed price basis, helping Council to be confident on the financial outcomes when a builder is recommended. For extra assurance, the City has appointed an independent cost planner to advise on value management opportunities and ensure that the project remains financially on track.
“A huge amount of planning and consideration, and the taking of professional advice, has occurred to get us this far. There is little that we have not taken the time to consider,” the Mayor said.
“The purpose of the consultation exercise is to gather as much feedback as possible. We want to know what the community wants from their space – now and for future generations."
There are a number of in-person listening posts coming up:
The community engagement period has been extended until Wednesday 31 December 2025.
“We are doing this because we can. We have time, and it is important. The idea is to extend the month-long consultation period that is already open,” the Mayor said.
“City staff will continue to monitor feedback, and update the FAQs on our website to address information gaps and areas of interest and uncertainty. We will be publishing updates via our usual channels, through to the end of the extended consultation period.
“Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback so far; please, keep it coming.”
To read more about the project, including more about the concept design, frequently asked questions, a project timeline or contact information, please visit this
Major Projects page.