Civic Centre Shuffle

A project that has been on the DCC’s books for more than a decade is about to become a reality. A major overhaul of the existing Plaza level of the 28 year old Civic Centre has been designed to deliver improved public access to DCC services, along with a major re-disposition of operational and administrative staff.

The Council’s General Manager: Strategy and Development, Kate Styles says, “The existing entrance to the Civic Centre is impersonal, poorly lit, confusing for customers and doesn’t present an attractive and welcoming face of the Council to either city residents or visitors. The existing Customer Service Agency payments area is also difficult to find. When completed early next year the new lay-out will simplify and streamline the way in which we deliver our services to customers and will rejuvenate this important public area.”

“When complete the Plaza level of the Civic Centre will provide a welcoming main reception area for visitors and those doing business with the Council.”

A new feature of the redevelopment will be a Ground floor suite of meeting areas where Council staff will be able to meet with visitors and attend to a range of enquiries. This will ensure that members of the public will no longer need to make multiple and time-consuming trips around the Civic Centre looking for the person they want to meet.

“This will offer a truly ‘one stop shop’ meeting just about everyone’s initial needs” adds Kate Styles. “And equally important in the new design will be a meeting room dedicated for the use of Councillors, enabling them to meet with ratepayers and members of the public.”

The facility for payments including parking, dog registration and rates, will remain on the Plaza level and be contained within the ‘one stop shop’ which will also accommodate counter staff for planning and building control who are relocating from their first floor offices.

The main reception area will be an initial point of call – all visitors who have business or meetings with Council departments will be first met and greeted and will be directed to their destination, or will be met by a member of staff who will come to them on the Plaza.

Elsewhere in the Civic Centre the Plaza level changes have offered an opportunity to relocate staff into areas where those activities with common interests or outcomes can work alongside one another, improving intra-departmental communication and workflow. These moves, which are unlikely to affect public access to staff or the delivery of services, are taking place during out of hours times to reduce the impact on visitors and staff and are expected to be completed before Christmas.