Aqua Profunda – Culture and the Regeneration of Local Facilities

Around two-thirds of Australia’s community cultural and recreation facilities were built in the years of growth following the Second World War. Now ageing and in need of renewal, many of these facilities face change or closure as community needs and building codes change, market principles influence public policy, and local governments struggle with funding shortfalls. State and local government responses to the community infrastructure “crisis” (Troy 1999) have been mainly concerned with technical, financial and service outcomes. Although celebrated episodes of community resistance to facility closures (such as the Fitzroy Pool in Melbourne) suggest treacherous waters for local government officials, there has been limited recognition of community facilities as cultural artefacts or focal points of community life. This paper explores the cultural value of community facilities, and the challenges presented to local museums and cultural workers as infrastructure policy – still seen as the domain of engineers, property managers and financiers - re-shapes local cultural landscapes. The paper is illustrated with case studies from urban and regional Victoria.