Jamison Centre

Jamison Centre is a shopping centre in Macquarie, an eastern suburb of Belconnen in the Australian Capital Territory. Established in 1969, it was the first significant shopping development in the Belconnen district and preceded the development of Belconnen Town Centre by almost a decade. The precinct consists of indoor and outdoor retail areas, standalone stores and community-oriented facilities rather than functioning solely as an enclosed mall. The centre's principal retail anchors include Coles and Aldi supermarkets. Its broader tenant and facilities mix has included food and beverage businesses, local services, independent retailers and community or leisure destinations. Two of the best-known facilities associated with the precinct are the Jamison branch of the Canberra Southern Cross Club and Big Splash Water Park. These uses give the centre a role extending beyond routine grocery shopping, serving as a local meeting, dining and recreation destination. Jamison Centre is named after Thomas Jamison, a First Fleet surgeon who later became a landowner, government official and merchant in colonial Australia. Its early position as the main commercial area for much of Belconnen gave it considerable importance in the surrounding district. That position weakened as the more centrally located Belconnen Town Centre expanded, particularly after the major government-developed shopping precinct there was sold to The Westfield Group and became Westfield Belconnen. Over time, Jamison Centre was increasingly perceived as underinvested and less prominent within the district's retail hierarchy. A renewal process began around 2000, when the ACT government under the Humphries government and the centre's private owners commissioned a master plan. Community consultation identified concerns relating to the centre's building presentation, access, traffic movement, safety and the lack of spaces where people could gather. The resulting plan, released in 2002, proposed improved vehicle circulation, new shops and restaurants oriented toward surrounding streets, and a more active relationship between the precinct and its public approaches. A major refurbishment commenced in January 2006 after the ACT government approved $8.2 million in funding. Most major construction work was completed by early 2008. Although authorities indicated that the centre would remain open during the works, parts of the complex were vacant for a period and some established retailers temporarily relocated to nearby premises. The refurbishment was intended to improve the centre's accessibility, appearance, safety and commercial appeal. The precinct also has a civic and community function. ACTION bus route 32 links Jamison Centre with Belconnen Town Centre and Civic, while roads including Belconnen Way and Bindubi Street provide vehicle access. Every Sunday morning, the car park hosts the Belconnen Trash'n'Treasure Market, a large outdoor market operated by the Rotary Club of Belconnen with support from the Rotary clubs of Ginninderra, Hall and Woden. Through its supermarkets, services, leisure facilities, transport connections and regular market, Jamison Centre remains a locally focused retail and community destination within Canberra.

Jamison Centre was built in 1969 as the first major shopping development in the Belconnen district of the Australian Capital Territory. It was established before Belconnen Town Centre and initially served as a principal commercial focus for surrounding communities. The centre takes its name from Thomas Jamison, a First Fleet surgeon and colonial-era landowner, government official and merchant. The centre's relative importance declined after the growth of the more centrally located Belconnen Town Centre. The federal government developed a major shopping precinct there, which was later sold to The Westfield Group and became Westfield Belconnen. As the newer centre gained retailers and customer traffic, Jamison Centre became less prominent and, over a number of years, increasingly suffered from neglect and underinvestment. Renewal planning began in 2000, when the ACT government during the Humphries government and the private owners of Jamison Centre commissioned a master plan. Community consultation highlighted several physical and functional problems, including the appearance and elevation of buildings, access arrangements, safety, traffic movement and the lack of places for people to meet. The plan released in 2002 proposed a more active and accessible precinct, including improved traffic circulation and new shops and restaurants opening toward adjacent streets. The ACT government subsequently approved $8.2 million in funding for a major refurbishment. Construction commenced in January 2006 and most significant work was finished by early 2008. The government indicated that the centre would remain open during the redevelopment, but the construction period nevertheless left parts of the complex vacant, and some long-established retailers temporarily relocated to nearby sites. The renewed precinct continued to combine retail, services and community uses. Coles and Aldi became its principal supermarket anchors, while the Canberra Southern Cross Club's Jamison branch and Big Splash Water Park provided prominent hospitality, social and leisure functions. The centre is connected to the wider Canberra transport network by ACTION bus route 32, which links it with Belconnen Town Centre and Civic, and it is accessible by road from Belconnen Way and Bindubi Street. Jamison Centre also supports recurring community activity through the Belconnen Trash'n'Treasure Market. Held on Sunday mornings in the centre's car park, the market is operated by the Rotary Club of Belconnen with assistance from the Rotary clubs of Ginninderra, Hall and Woden. This combination of supermarkets, services, recreation, transport access and community programming allows Jamison Centre to retain a neighbourhood role even though it no longer occupies the dominant retail position it held in Belconnen's early development.

• 2008

  Most major refurbishment work completed

  [1]Jamison Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The principal construction program is substantially completed by early 2008.

• 2006

  Refurbishment commences

  [1]Jamison Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Major redevelopment works begin in January with $8.2 million in ACT government funding.

• 2002

  Jamison Centre master plan released

  [1]Jamison Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Following community consultation, the plan sets out measures involving traffic flow, access, safety and new street-facing retail and dining premises.

• 2000

  Renewal planning commissioned

  [1]Jamison Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The ACT government and the centre's private owners begin work on a master plan intended to address the precinct's decline and physical shortcomings.

• 1969

  Jamison Centre opens

  [1]Jamison Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping development is built in Macquarie and becomes the first major shopping centre in the Belconnen district.

A neighbourhood-oriented shopping and community precinct combining supermarket anchors, local services, hospitality, recreation and periodic outdoor-market activity.

• Supermarket anchor

  Coles

  Coles is one of Jamison Centre's principal supermarket anchors, supplying groceries, fresh food, packaged food and everyday household necessities to residents of Macquarie and nearby Belconnen suburbs.

• Supermarket anchor

  Aldi

  Aldi provides a discount-supermarket offer within the centre, complementing the larger grocery offer and helping Jamison Centre serve routine food and household-shopping needs.

• Club, hospitality and community facility

  Canberra Southern Cross Club, Jamison

  The Jamison branch of the Canberra Southern Cross Club is a prominent non-retail facility associated with the precinct. It adds hospitality, dining and social functions and reinforces the centre's role as a local community destination.

• Leisure facility

  Big Splash Water Park

  Big Splash Water Park is a major leisure attraction located within the broader Jamison Centre precinct, bringing recreational visitors in addition to ordinary retail customers.

• Outdoor market

  Belconnen Trash'n'Treasure Market

  Held every Sunday morning in the centre car park, this outdoor market is operated by the Rotary Club of Belconnen with assistance from the Rotary clubs of Ginninderra, Hall and Woden. It is one of Canberra's larger recurring community markets.

• 2006

  Government-backed refurbishmentOther

  Background

  The master plan identified the need to improve the centre's physical appearance, traffic circulation, access, safety and retail interface with surrounding streets.

  Action taken

  A major refurbishment began in January 2006, supported by $8.2 million in ACT government funding.

  Aftermath

  Most major works were completed by early 2008, although some areas were vacant during construction and some long-term retailers temporarily relocated.

  ACT government refurbishment funding. $8.2 million approved (2006 refurbishment program)

  Source

• 2000

  Commissioning of a centre renewal master planStrategy

  Background

  Jamison Centre had lost commercial prominence following the growth of Belconnen Town Centre and faced concerns about access, safety, building presentation and limited community space.

  Action taken

  The ACT government and private centre owners commissioned a master plan and sought community input on ways to revitalise the precinct.

  Aftermath

  The resulting plan was released in 2002 and became the framework for later refurbishment works.

  Source

1. 1Jamison Centreen.wikipedia.org