Measuring well-being in a (sub)urban future built around urban cultural clusters:

A study of suburban experience in the context of Global Sydney’s ongoing cultural

centres strategies

Jason Hugh Prior ( University of Technology, Sydney, Australia) and Giorgio Tavano Blessi (IUAV University, Venice, Italy)

What opportunities for the development of social and human capital do such clusterings have on the vast majority of the populations living beyond these urban centres in suburbia?

This scoping evaluation is focused on the long term impacts of the culture-led regeneration process at Sydney Olympic Park and how this contributes to the improvement of the human and social capitals of residents and communities with adjoining suburbs in Auburn Local Government Area.

1. Greater Metropolitan Sydney, a collection of multicultural cities /cultural clusters. • Focusing on Sydney Olympic Park

2. A mosaic of older and new suburbs in Auburn Local Government Area - • The focus of the evaluation of suburban

experience of Sydney Olympic Park

3. Methodological notes on the evaluation

4. Presentation of the evaluation of the suburban experience of Sydney Olympic Park

1. Greater Metropolitan Sydney, a collection of multicultural cities / cultural clusters

Vision:

Sydney Olympic Park is a unique precinct within Sydney, providingopportunities for our resident, worker and visitor community to engage inexemplary, diverse and accessible arts and cultural activities.

Sydney Olympic Park AuthorityArts and Cultural Strategy2005 to 2015

2. Evaluation of the suburban experience of Sydney Olympic Park – a mosaic of older and new

suburbs in Auburn Local Government Area

Demographic data from Community Census ABS 2006

Berala Auburn Silverwater Lidcombe Regents Park

Newington Auburn LGA

Total residential population 8,217 29,035 3,203 14,293 4,418 4,960 65,601

% of working population in higher income quartile ($51K plus)

9.9 8.5 18.1 13.4 13 41.4 13.9

% of working population in lowest income quartile (less $11K)

47.8 39.5 32.1 34.3 33.6 21.1 35

% Unemployment of working population 8.3 12.9 7.6 7.6 7.6 3.5 9.1

% of residential population working 51.7 46.4 20.4 52.9 53.7 67.7 49.5

% of population holding educational qualifications

30.8 28.4 12.9 32.2 31 56.2 31.3

% of residential population that are overseas born

52 56.5 39.2 54.9 45.5 46 53.1

Most significant place of origin for overseas born

China (10.8%)

China (10.5%)

New Zealand (3.9%)

China (9.5%)

Viet Nam (9.4%)

South Korea (10.7%)

China (9.3%)

Largest adherence to a religion by % residential population

Catholic (23%) Buddhist (15.9%)

Islam (41.3%) Catholic (15.3%)

Catholic (9%) Islam (9%)

Catholic (24.3%)Buddhist (12.4%)

Catholic (28.2%)Islam (24.7%)

Catholic (25.3%) Anglican (10.8%)

Islam (24.7%) Catholic (19.7%)

Table 1 - Key demographic details for Auburn LGA and its suburbs (ABS Census 2006).

3. Methodological note on the evaluation

• The evaluation is based on a survey that was distributed to 310 local residents in the selected suburbs and 193 completed surveys were collected.

• Approximatley 65% of the surveys were completed by residents within the new suburb of Newington

• Approximately 35% were completed by residents in the

older suburbs.

4. Presentation of the evaluation of the suburban experience of Sydney Olympic Park

• The evaluation is focused on the long term impacts of the culture-led regeneration process at Sydney Olympic Park and how this contributes to the improvement of the human and social capitals of residents and communities with adjoining suburbs in Auburn LGA.

• The four indicators that we have identified to measure changes in human and social capital include:

1. Social relations and participation2. Sense of involvement3. Quality of life 4. Cultural Participation

The disparity in these levels of individual participation can be explained by the fact that the new suburb of Newington emerged in the early 21st century after much of the regeneration process at Sydney Olympic Park had been completed in the later 20th century.

Dimensions OLD (A) NEW (N)

Place for social interaction 16.1% 25.8%

Participation in social activities 20.4% 10.7%

Indicator 1: Social relations and participation

Indicator 2: Sense of involvement

Dimensions OLD (A) NEW (N)

Acquaintance to other people 10.9% 30.4%

Acquaintance with other communities

10.2% 10.7%

Both the respondents from the older suburbs – Auburn, Berala, Lidcombe, Regents Park, Rookwood, Silverwater – and the newer suburb of Newington indicated that the Sydney Olympic Site had provided relatively few opportunities for meeting residents from other communities within the Auburn LGA. Data shows that the investments made have supplied few actual occasions to increase acquaintance between communities

Indicator 3: Quality of life

Dimensions OLD (A) NEW (N)

Employment for people 20.9% 37.8%

Quality of the environment 39.1% 44.9%

Sense of safety 27.5% 30.4%

Opportunity for disadvantaged parts of the community

21.2% 27.1%

Indicator 4: Cultural Participation

Dimensions OLD (A) NEW (N)

Participation in cultural events 34.3% 46.4%

The results show the difference of attitude between the two groups toward participation in cultural events organised in the area. This gap is due to differences in terms of:

•Spatial proximity and physical accessibility •Perception of space and activities.

This element is particularly clear from considering the comments provided by Auburn inhabitants who consider the area as not responding to their needs, too sophisticated in terms of proposal (cultural and events), too expensive in economic terms.

Some final comments …

Based on the evaluation, can we say that the development of Sydney Olympic Park has contributed to increased levels of social and human capital in the residential suburbs surrounding the Park? •The indicators say yes … but this is only a scoping exercise …

And to this extent has it provided elements for increasing quality of life and personal well-being?

•The indicators say yes … but was it optimal …

What huddles face the future strategic planning and development of the cultural cluster at Sydney Olympic Park over the next 25 years?

• Not just capacity to create … but perceptions….