#38 NCA Scheme – Relocated Dawsons Garden Centre

Part of a series of posts by Neil Cownie on The Future of Swanbourne Village

Main Roads Western Australia’s proposed location for the replacement bridge will require the existing Dawsons Garden centre to move from its current location. The Dawsons Garden Centre is located in what was previously a petrol station building on land leased from the Public Transport Authority (PTA). The approximate 2600 square meters of Dawsons leased land could be renegotiated with PTA and transferred to the vicinity of the existing overflow parking area to the south west side of the existing bridge. Such a location would allow sensible reuse of the existing carpark and allow Dawsons to remain as the much-loved local garden centre within the Swanbourne Village.

Proposed Plan for Relocated Dawsons Garden Centre

In my own proposal for their relocation, I have placed the garden centre along the existing angled concrete pathway along the north side of the existing park. By positioning the garden centre as the backdrop to the existing park, it provides Dawsons with a ‘green’ landscaped community interface as it takes advantage of the park as a forecourt.

The existing steel framed shade cloth structures of the garden centre have been shown relocated to this new position.

: Proposed Dawsons Relocation

: Proposed Dawsons Perimeter

: Proposed Retention of Trees

: Proposed Salvage of Shade Structure

: Existing Park

Opportunity exists for Dawsons to use this new location to take the mantle as a centre of excellence for sustainable gardening. I see the garden centre hosting talks and demonstrations for the public in sustainable gardening practices. My scheme shows a grass terraced landscaped amphitheatre where such informative events could take place. Dawsons may like to expand the interface with community further by perhaps initiating a small café amongst the garden setting and park outlook. Such a café could attract interest from further afield from people who were wanting information on sustainable practices and plant selection.

Dawsons commercial viability is enhanced through this new location that will make the garden centre much more visible from the Swanbourne side of the train line and from its location adjacent to the proposed new civic space in the form of an expanded landscaped park area.
In my proposal the carpark area provides for fifteen bays, being three more car bays than within the areas of the carpark currently leased by Dawsons.

Importantly the proposed new location for the garden centre allows vehicle access outside the pedestrian orientated zone of the village centre while still being equally accessible for pedestrians directly from the new civic space.