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City of Armadale shares wishlist ahead of federal election

Jessica NicoComment News

WITH the 2019 Federal Election less than five weeks away, City of Armadale mayor Henry Zelones has shared the issues and projects that sit high on their funding wish list.

Harrisdale Library

Federal Funding commitment: $2.5M

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“Federal Labor has committed to funding for a new library for the growth areas of Harrisdale, Piara Waters, Hilbert and Haynes.

The City’s existing libraries do not have the capacity to meet the needs of the growing population.

The specific concept and design for the facility is yet to be determined, but it is envisaged to be 1,000 square metres, a similar size to the Armadale Library, and contain around 30,000 items, community access computers and digital resources and meeting, activity and exhibition spaces.”

Higher Education (Tafe/Uni) Facility

Total Cost: $20M

Federal Funding Sought: $10M

?In the early 2000s it was recognised that Armadale as a district had a lower than metropolitan average cohort achieving Year 12 in high school, a similar result for access to tertiary education, and higher than average youth unemployment.

Given there are currently 25 primary and 10 high schools in the City, with more to come, the City clearly needs a pathway and improved access to higher education services for its younger citizens.

The 18 to 24 year old cohort accounts for 9 per cent of our current population in 2016, and will grow by an additional 6,627 by 2036.

This rapidly growing demographic requires access to higher education facilities to reach its full potential and contribute back to a more sustainable community.

A higher education institution, hub, or presence in our City centre is important to creating designated pathways for South East Metropolitan regional students to gain better access to higher education, and to provide aspirational learning opportunities for the region’s lower socio-economic areas.”

Rowley Road Corridor – Freight link to outer harbour

“The Perth Freight Transport Network Plan Transport @3.5 million (July 2016) highlighted Rowley Road as an integral part of the future Perth Freight Network.

Seamless connections to Tonkin Highway from Kwinana intermodal are a high priority, and Rowley Road will form part of the primary freight route required.”

Armadale Regional Recreation Reserve

Total Cost: $120M

Federal Funding Sought: $30M

“Seventy five per cent of Perth’s population growth is occurring in the outer metropolitan communities, and yet the outer metro communities of Perth have a significant shortage of public open space, particularly for local sports facilities.

Families living in these communities often face long commutes to and from major sporting precincts and many families will simply forgo the active recreation opportunity in the face of these travel costs.

Consequently, these communities are entrenched into a pattern of disadvantage and denied the access to public open space and local sporting facilities.

Residents are then further disadvantaged with higher rates of obesity and a range of other lifestyle issues and associated risks.

The regional catchment of the Armadale Regional Recreation Reserve will take in the local government areas of Cockburn, Gosnells and Serpentine Jarrahdale, as well as the City of Armadale.

The reserve will be designed as a multipurpose facility, accommodating a variety of sports including AFL, soccer, cricket, rugby and baseball/t-ball.

The facilities will also accommodate those involved in mountain biking, walking and cycling.

“In addition to the playing fields, other amenities such as a community recreation centre, with a men’s shed, community garden and barbeque areas are proposed.”

Roleystone Theatre

“In February 2018, the Roleystone Theatre had to close its doors as the building had aged to the point it became unsafe.

The theatre began life as in 1922 as a community hall and in the intervening decades has been extended.

In the 1930s it became home to what is now known as the Roleystone Theatre Group.

With a capacity of 130 the theatre has hosted a multitude of community based productions over the past 85 years.

Council has made a commitment to reopen the theatre and is seeking up to $4 million for the restoration of this iconic historic building.”

Armadale Metronet Project – Sinking the Rail and a new Town Plaza

“The Armadale City Centre requires a decisive intervention to deliver the required diversity of land use and employment opportunities that other strategic centres enjoy.

To meet the employment, service and lifestyle needs for Armadale’s growing population, development capacity within the City centre needs to be unlocked.

Transit-led renewal offers the best opportunity to provide this.

“This is achieved by combining strategic planning of the activity centre with the requirements of extension of the Armadale line to Byford.

“In transit terms it means Armadale becoming both an origin and a substantial destination, maximising the destination elements (employment, education, health, entertainment and community services) in the Armadale City Centre.”

Tonkin Highway extension

Commitment: $101M State labor, $404M Federal

“The extension of the Tonkin Highway from Thomas Road to South Western Highway in Mundijong will provide a freight gateway/link to the south and open up west Mundijong Agri Business Park and Intermodal Hub Facility providing links for Forrestdale Business Park and the future South Forrestdale – Rowley Road Precinct.

Direct road connection provides a critical link to open up east west access to the new Westport and Latitude 32 developments.”

Champion Centre programs

Cost: $5M over 10 years

“The City’s Champion Centre is a unique and highly valued community facility that provides support to primarily Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) families to achieve better health, wellbeing and cultural outcomes. Having a focus on these outcomes is particularly relevant to the Armadale community as amongst ATSI people, there are higher levels of unemployment, lower education attainment and higher levels of chronic disease.

The Champion Centre is well placed to offer community support as after 11 years of operation, over 80 organisations have partnered with the City to deliver a wide range of services and programs at the one location.

This one stop shop model of integrated service provision is considered good practice for community facilities, reflected in literature reviews citing case studies from Australia, London and Canada.”