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28 Business View Australia - March-April 2016
PUBLIC WORKS &
a ringing endorsement from the
community when the initial concept
plans were revealed. The indigenous
community was also consulted and
has similarly endorsed the project.
“What we will provide in terms of
tourism is a very creative event
space. One of the features of this is
a performance space located in the
foreshore and what we’ve proposed
is an Amphitheatre that broadcasts
itself out across the water, so it’s
quite a unique feature,” he says.
As a low lying area, there was a need
to build the wall up to address climate
change. The Council will use the
increase in height to provide ramps
and seating for people to experience
the water-edge up close.
The new seawall is set to be
completed later this year.
Delivering
effective
outcomes
within budget can be a challenge for
the Council, especially on red tape
issues. Claydon says this can take all
the energy, drive and budget out of
the project, although he believes it is
worth the effort.
“We’ve got a very strong argument to
upgrade the foreshore and waterway
for our community, visitors and future
events. We’re a very easy–to–reach
destination, so this is one way of
enhancing that from an economic
viewpoint. There are not many places
out of Perth which can provided the
amenities we provide,” Claydon says.
Sustainability Partnerships
Chief ExecutiveOfficerMarkNewman
outlines economic, environmental and
social aspects as the three planks of
the City’s strategic plan.
The City has been collaborating with
the Peel Harvey Catchment Council
for the past 12 years, focusing on the
drainage into the Peel-Harvey Estuary.
As Newman explains, the estuary is a
big part of the city, and protecting it
from human wastage and offsets is
crucial.
“Without the estuary I don’t know
what we’d be. In 1994 we actually
introduced a more robust marine
life. The things which made the
algae bloom was heavy metal from
drains, farming and residential
developments. The Peel Harvey
Catchment Council was formed to
liaise as a partner with councils on
how they put drains in. It became the
last Natural Resource Management
area to be announced through the
State Government last year and
Council has continued to sponsor
them through the process.”
The Council partners with universities
on estuary-related projects, which
have been so successful, the Federal
government is now funding them
directly.