The Federal Government’s Thriving Suburbs Program is set to deliver $15 million in funding to the City of Melville’s future Library and Cultural Centre (LCC), council’s most significant cultural development project to date.
City of Melville Deputy Mayor, Karen Wheatland, and CEO, Gail Bowman, met with the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, and Member for Tangney, Sam Lim, on 3 December at the Civic Square Library to celebrate the funding.
In March 2024, Council approved the business case for the almost $60 million project, which will become the central community facility for the City of Melville.
Envisaged as a vibrant innovative hub of arts, culture, literature and learning, the endorsed project is set to house the City’s Main Library, gallery and exhibition spaces, municipal museum, an outdoor civic space and a host of other core services.
The LCC has been designed for the entire city to enjoy and is expected to transform the current commercial precinct at Booragoon into a true hub for the city, providing a lively focal point for cultural activities and for the community to come together.
Construction is expected to start in mid-2026 and the facility will sit across four levels with a total floor space of 5,080sqm, with space to accommodate dedicated creative learning spaces, museum collection storage, community meeting rooms, basement parking, and an anticipated annual foot traffic of 350,000 people.
The LCC will replace the existing Civic Square Library and form the focal point of the Melville City Centre high street, situated as part of Scentre Group’s redevelopment of Westfield Booragoon.
The long-awaited project will be a transformative step for the city, creating an extraordinary cultural destination that anchors the wider precinct including the city centre and nearby Yagan Mia Wireless Hill to create a compelling destination and strengthen the city for years to come.
The LCC was among 13 projects in Western Australia to receive funding through the Thriving Suburbs Program, which is designed to build better cities and more liveable suburbs, targeting projects – such as sporting and cultural hubs, libraries and parks – that increase community cohesion, liveability and accessibility.
Deputy Mayor Karen Wheatland said that the city was very grateful to Minister King and Member for Tangney, Mr Lim, for their commitment of $15 million of funding.
“Today is another historic day for the LCC with this funding assisting the city to deliver this transformational project, which is the largest and most significant cultural development project ever to be undertaken by the City of Melville,” Deputy Mayor Wheatland said.
“The $60 million LCC will be an iconic facility for the City of Melville which will benefit all residents in our city and will be a vibrant and innovative hub of arts, culture, literature and learning, housing the city’s Main Library, gallery and exhibition spaces, municipal museum, an outdoor civic space, and a host of other core services.
“We know that the Civic Square Library is a special place for Mr Lim as he had his first ever English lesson here with his wife in 2003 and I look forward to the new opportunities that the Library and Cultural Centre will create.
“The City’s vision for the centre is a place where the community can gather, engage, and enrich their lives in a space that is safe, trusted, accessible, and inspiring.”
