Revamp for the Village Triangle

It’s time to reclaim Manly village.  

Manly Library, Whistler St car park and the surrounding plazas areas are the true heart of Manly for many locals. Referred to as the Whistler Street triangle, the area is alive with cool cafes and on-trend eating options. But it’s been let down by poor maintenance, multiplying garbage bins, and a lack of viable forward planning.

Garbage bins in Market Place and (above) Manly Library with its oversize fire escape and cluttered bike racks.

​Good For Manly is pushing for a reset; with a call for a longterm plan, as well as an immediate clean-up and re-furbishment. 

“We need to rethink this area,” Good For Manly President and Northern Beaches Council Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham said. 

“The Whistler St triangle is right at the heart of Manly Village. Some parts, such as Whistler St car park have just been allowed to run down, and the whole area looks shoddy and un-loved.  

“I’m asking Northern Beaches Council to take immediate action to repaint, or at least  clean, the outside of the library  and  refurbish the toilets there and in the car park. Also to get rid of all the garbage bins in Market Lane and around the plaza and provide an area for the businesses to store their bins somewhere else.  And  to take action on Whistler St car park to improve signage, lighting, line marking and painting."

Cr Bingham said the Manly 2015 plan put forward by the former Manly Council would have revamped the central area, but involved virtually selling it off via a 99-year-lease to developers. The  village would have ended up grossly over-developed and with a high-rise apartment block at its heart. That plan also relied upon the development of the Manly Oval car park which has now been discredited and cancelled.

“Thanks goodness that’s not going ahead now,” Cr Bingham said. “With the huge support of the local community we saved Manly Oval and now have the opportunity to revamp the Whistler Stret triangle into something special".

Cr  Bingham has put a motion to Northern Beaches Council for a short-term fix, and a longer term plan for the whole Market Place precinct. 

Whistler St Car Park has been neglected for years.