The year is 2075 – Logan’s job economy is thriving, the city’s public transport network is complete, and tourists are filling our businesses.
This is the vision for Logan laid out by a newly-formed, 50-strong community advisory panel tasked with shaping a five-decade plan for the city.
And now local residents have been asked to pitch their own large-scale dreams.
The panel – which represents the demographic of Logan in age, race and creed – was a promise of current mayor Jon Raven prior to his election in 2024.
Recently, he described the panel as a “voice of the silent majority”.
Already halfway into its run, the panel has so far laid out a plan for Logan that includes prioritising housing near essential services, enhancing access to public transport, creating more trade training opportunities, attracting emerging industries and increasing tourism through a “landmark city event”.
A Logan City Council spokesperson said the panel wanted to see the council spend money on projects that “put Logan on the map”, boost revenue through more diverse jobs and business, and have better long-term planning.
“The panel has also told us that working in the city that they live in is really important to them, but public transport is not available or adequate to meet their needs,” the spokesperson said.
“While this community reference group comes up with its 50 year vision for the City of Logan, we know there are more voices and ideas that deserve to be heard.”
Every Logan resident has the opportunity to pitch their ideas for the 50-year vision – dubbed Transform Logan – until 30 August, via haveyoursaylogan.com.au/transform-logan.
Mayor Raven said the bigger and more ambitious the ideas, “the brighter our future will be”.
“We want to come out of this with catalytic projects and programs that either we can deliver, or we can work with other levels of government and the private sector to help make a reality.”
Fifty years ago, in the 1970s, Logan was developing as a new urban area that met a post-war need for housing.
At the same time, the South-East Freeway was being built and growth was shaping the city’s landscape.
While council admitted housing and transport were still relevant today, the focus of Transform Logan is to explore five themes the council thinks will be relevant in 2075.
These are infrastructure, the economy, natural areas, communities, and waste, water and energy.
The mayor said it wasn’t enough to be planning just a few years ahead.
“That’s why our Transform Logan program is asking the community to dream big on what could be achieved in half a century.
“We want this to be a plan that is future-focused and forward-thinking without being tied up in short-term and short-sighted election cycles.
“A lot can change in five decades, so it’s very exciting to imagine what Logan could look like through this community process.
“We want to know what people love about Logan and what we can build on.”
