More than $20 million would be spent in the Rockingham-Kwinana region over the next two years by the State Government and local authorities, Premier Carmen Lawrence said today.
Dr Lawrence was speaking at a briefing held at Rockingham City Council on plans for the construction of new city and town centres in Rockingham and Kwinana.
The Premier released details of a State funding package of $6.2 million for key infrastructure and civic facilities in the new centres.
"This assistance is a direct result of the work of the Rockingham-Kwinana Development Committee," Dr Lawrence said.
The committee was established earlier this year by the Minister for Lands, David Smith, under the leadership of local MPs Mike Barnett and Norm Marlborough and includes representation from the Rockingham and Kwinana local authorities.
"Both councils have been strong in their support for the development of this rapidly growing region and I congratulate councillors on the quality of their plans which reflect a long-term commitment to Rockingham and Kwinana," the Premier said.
"The establishment of these centres will have an enormous impact on both local communities as well as the metropolitan region as a whole.
"In years to come people will look back and be grateful for the foresight shown in planning exciting new urban centres at the heart of the south west metropolitan corridor."
Dr Lawrence said the $6.2 million provided by the Government complemented significant investments being made by the Rockingham and Kwinana councils.
Over the next year Rockingham City Council would inject more than $12 million in initial works to establish the city centre.
Projects to be funded included new council offices, a Community Arts and Resource Centre, a Senior Citizens Centre, reconstruction of O'Hara Street as a city `main street' and stage one of a nine-hectare urban park. Extensive foundation works in the civic precinct will also be undertaken in the coming year.
Kwinana Town Council has allocated $3.6 million to projects in its new town centre, including substantial extensions to council offices and the Kwinana recreation centre. Important works to establish a framework for the centre's development would also be funded by the council.
Dr Lawrence said that $4.2 million of the State funding package would be allocated by LandCorp under its regional development charter. It would be used for a number of projects including:
· $1.5 million to construct Kwinana's Town Centre Park and Market Square precinct.
· $1.4 million for streetscape and road works in the principal streets of the new Rockingham city centre.
· $1 million towards the $2 million Rockingham City Park, to be developed as a joint venture by the council and LandCorp.
· $300,000 for design documentation on a regional court and police complex planned for the Rockingham city centre.
As well, the State Government would allocate funds in 1993-94 for the construction of a 250-seat theatre for the Rockingham city centre.
"The theatre will be funded on a dollar for dollar basis with the Rockingham City Council, to a maximum State contribution of $2 million," Dr Lawrence said.
The State's $6.2 million investment would be managed by the Rockingham-Kwinana Development Committee.
"This committee represents the Government's long-term commitment to development of the region.
"It continues the valuable work of the Premier's taskforce for the Rockingham and Kwinana region established by me in 1991 under the joint chairmanship of Mike Barnett and Norm Marlborough," Dr Lawrence said.
Work on both centres had commenced already and would continue through 1993.
