City of Wanneroo pushing on with Yanchep and Two Rocks area projects

THE City of Wanneroo has promoted its projects in the Yanchep and Two Rocks area amid community discontent over delays and infrastructure removal.

The City released a statement this month listing infrastructure projects underway, with works at Yanchep Lagoon highlighted.

It said work to build a carpark north of the future Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club started in mid-October after the City cancelled the contract with building company DGX Construction in September and expected to finish the carpark in mid-December.

Resident Paula Simmons said she was “absolutely irate” about the current state of the area, including the “makeshift” beach access stairs and lack of parking.

“We’ve got a sand pit,” she said.

“It was such a beautiful place; everything that the City of Wanneroo seems to get hold of up here takes forever.

“It was supposed to be finished this month.”

Wanneroo Mayor Tracey Roberts said the City planned to upgrade the temporary beach access and remove the scaffolding stairs by late November.

Mrs Roberts said the City was re-scoping the outstanding work on the surf life saving club and would advertise a tender in mid-November.

“The (other) carpark adjacent to the surf club building will be completed by the new builder,” she said.

After the council rejected all submissions for a long-term lease at the cafe in September, Mrs Roberts said a new operator was expected to start trading within the next few weeks.

“The City is finalising lease arrangements, and required maintenance, following a two-week advertising period on the proposal to award a six-month lease to Bernardo Alidi – Orion Cafe Pty Ltd,” she said.

“No public submissions were received on the lease proposal.”

The mayor said a broader strategic review was underway for the whole precinct, including redevelopment potential for the existing cafe and surf club buildings.

“The review will form part of a report to council’s mid-year budget review in January,” she said.

Having removed the beach access stairs from Sovereign Drive in Two Rocks, the City plans to install a temporary observation point with a concrete hardstand, fencing and bench seating.

It will soon appoint a consultant to undertake the beach access options assessment, and Mrs Roberts said the consultant would receive all previous community feedback and design proposals relating to long-term beach access.

“The beach access options assessment is expected to be completed by January 2017,” she said.

“A further community information session will be held to present the outcomes of the study and to obtain feedback from the community.”

At this week’s Wanneroo council meeting, members of the Two Rocks Beach Action Group asked questions about the beach access.

Carmine Travaglione asked whether the City had received designs for potential solutions, apart from the rotunda plans he submitted.

Assets director Harminder Singh said the City was still receiving community feedback and the consultant would analyse all that information and report to the City by the end of the year.

Asked if anyone had approached the City to build stairs, Mr Singh said the Atlantis Beach estate developer had offered to maintain and repair the previous stairs, but the engineering reports had found they were “beyond repair”.

Resident John Young asked whether any of the projects listed in the 10-year developer contributions plan (DCP) would be in Two Rocks.

Acting planning and sustainability director Mark Dickson said all the projects, while located in Yanchep, would provide facilities for neighbouring suburbs, including Two Rocks.

Councillors adopted a revised DCP at the November 7 meeting, which included a cost contribution increase from $2070 to $2780 per lot.

Through the current plan, the City will use funds collected from developers of seven estates in the two suburbs to build the Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club, Yanchep playing fields and Capricorn coastal node facilities in the next decade.

Mrs Roberts said construction of the Yanchep playing fields was underway and due to finish in May 2017 and the sports amenities building would be built between January and September “subject to early award of tender and contractor availability”.

The City awarded a construction tender for essential services to the Mary Lindsay Homestead site in mid-October, with work starting soon after and completion planned by mid-December.

Subsequent work to create a public open space is due to finish by mid-2017 and the homestead building works by late 2017.

The City recently reopened the refurbished toilet block at Fisherman’s Hollow, and Mrs Roberts said the original mosaic – a local artist’s depiction of Fisherman’s Hollow – was being restored, and would be returned by the end of the year.

It is also reviewing options to provide an extra meeting and training space plus change facilities at Two Rocks Volunteer Fire Station.

“The City appreciates the patience of the community for any inconvenience caused by the multi-million dollar infrastructure investment at Yanchep-Two Rocks,” Mrs Roberts said.