12/10/00
The State Government has approved $20,000 funding to assist the Newman community to undertake a range of projects to revitalise the town’s central business district.
Regional Development Minister Hendy Cowan said the funds would go towards employing a Mainstreet Co-ordinator to help implement projects that have been identified by the community as positive ways to stimulate local business activity.
Potential projects range from streetscape improvements such as new town entrance statements, improved parks and shade areas and redeveloping the CBD carpark, through to promotional events such as weekend markets, a shop local campaign, development of an events calendar and promotion of Newman as the ‘North-West Service Centre’.
“There is no lack of ideas in Newman and the community has put together some clever marketing strategies designed to breathe new life into the business district,” Mr Cowan said.
Under the Mainstreet Program, the State Government provides up to $60,000 over three years to regional communities wanting to progress specific initiatives aimed at stimulating growth within their local economy.
Newman is one of 23 regional communities to have received Mainstreet funding since the State-wide program commenced in 1992.
“Newman has weathered some tough times in recent years and it is good to see the business community coming together as one behind the Mainstreet Program,” Mr Cowan said.
“More than 50 people attended the initial planning workshop last year and this enthusiasm has continued to grow right across the community. There has been strong financial and in-kind support from businesses and the Shire of East Pilbara to ensure individual projects can proceed and I have no doubt we will see excellent results over the coming year.”
Mr Cowan congratulated the members of the Mainstreet Management Committee for the enormous contribution they had made in both time and effort to get the program started. The committee, which represents a wide cross section of the community, will work closely with existing community groups in Newman to complement their activities as the various Mainstreet projects start to progress.
Mainstreet is co-ordinated by the Department of Commerce and Trade and is part of the State Government’s CommunityWise program.
Media contact: Peter Jackson 9222-9595
