Community Invited to Help Shape the Future of Community Hub
Published on 11 March 2026
Residents are invited to share their ideas and help shape the future of the new Community Hub, new Hamilton Library and Civic Square, with the first stage of community engagement open from 11 March 2026.
This initial engagement invites community to share ideas about what they would like to see included in the new spaces.
Southern Grampians Shire Council Deputy Mayor Cr Helen Henry said the project has the potential to transform Hamilton and the broader region for generations to come.
“At the heart of the proposed Community Hub will be a new Hamilton Library with dedicated digital spaces—a future-ready place to spark ideas, build connections, and foster belonging,” Cr Henry said.
“The library and digital hub will offer flexible spaces for programs, events, and learning, expanding access to education and technology while supporting young people’s future pathways.
“The Hub will also bring together Council offices, allied health services, and essential programs like maternal and child health, alongside adaptable spaces for community activities.
“A shared foyer and customer service area will create a seamless, people-centred experience, making it easy for residents to access multiple services in one location and strengthen collaboration across agencies.
“The Civic Square will form part of the heart of Hamilton providing a central, open gathering place for community events and pop-up activations, offering much needed green space within the CBD.”
This is the first of three planned engagement opportunities with the current phase focusing on capturing community ideas and aspirations.
The second phase planned for April or May this year will invite feedback on concept designs, followed by a third opportunity for residents to review and comment on detailed designs.
“For now, we want to hear directly from our community,” Cr Henry said. “Tell us what would make the new library your ‘go-to’ place each week? What services or programs are currently missing in Hamilton that the new library could provide? What types of spaces do people need most? What events or everyday activities should a Civic Square support? And what would make these public spaces feel welcoming and reflective of Hamilton’s identity?”
Residents can complete the online survey, contribute ideas to the online ideas wall, or provide feedback in person via display boards located at the Hamilton Library with feedback closing end of March.
Hamilton Library is one of Victoria’s leading regional libraries, yet at just 482 square metres it is significantly undersized for the community it serves. Contemporary planning benchmarks indicate Hamilton should have a library nearly twice its current size, and even larger when considering its role as the service centre for the broader Southern Grampians region.
Demand already far exceeds capacity with program participation currently 35 per cent above the Victorian average, with sessions booked out within hours, and around 66,000 people visiting the library each year.
Southern Grampians Shire Council CEO Tony Doyle said the current facility was operating well beyond its intended capacity, highlighting the need for larger spaces.
“Without a dedicated program space, staff are routinely forced to reconfigure the library floor just to deliver essential activities,” said Mr Doyle.
“The need for a modern, purpose‑built Community Hub is further underscored by regional social and economic challenges. Southern Grampians has lower tertiary education rates, limited household internet access, an ageing population and higher‑than‑average levels of social isolation and family violence.
“Many residents rely on free, accessible public spaces and services to learn, connect and participate in community life. The project also responds to the lack of green, civic gathering spaces in Hamilton’s CBD.
“A new civic square would provide a welcoming, flexible place for events and everyday use, linking key cultural destinations and creating a vibrant, walkable precinct.
“Through this investment, Council aims to strengthen community wellbeing, support lifelong learning and ensure the region has the facilities it needs for a thriving future,” concluded Mr Doyle.
The Community Hub concept and detailed design package were included as part of funding secured through the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program, with $5 million granted in October 2024.
Council has committed $17 million to the project and is seeking a further $17 million in government support to deliver the full $34 million development for the Southern Grampians community.
Residents can find more project information as well as the survey and online ideas wall atNew Library, Community Hub and Civic Square | Engage Southern Grampians