City e-News June 2017

Armadale wins with $2.3 billion road and rail deal

The City was delighted with the recent announcement of the Federal and State Government’s commitment of $2.3 billion to critical roads and rail projects.

The Federal-State announcement confirms that the Armadale community will directly benefit from several major infrastructure projects prioritised in the City’s Advocacy Strategy.

The City has been campaigning for the dualling of Armadale Road and the bridge linking to North Lake Road and the freeway since late 2015. This project, now confirmed by the Premier, addresses traffic congestion and provides better access to jobs, services, the Perth CBD and the coastal employment region.

The City also welcomes the Metronet railway funding commitment which will see grade separation of the level crossing at Denny Avenue in Kelmscott. We now await more information on the details of Metronet and plans to extend the Armadale rail line to Byford.

The incoming State Government has also confirmed that the $83 million Armadale Courthouse and Police Station precinct is on track for completion at the end of 2021. This project cannot come quickly enough as the current facilities are inadequate for the growth in the region.

Thanks go to local MLAs Tony Buti, Yaz Mubarakai, Barry Urban and the State Government for their commitment to the Southeast Metropolitan Region.

FOCUS Photo Competition Winners Announced

The presentation ceremony for the winners of the FOCUS 2017 photographic competition was held at the Armadale Library on Saturday 27 May.

This year the competition was open to adult amateur photographers, with the purpose of capturing Our Corner Stores. There were many impressive entries showcasing several of the City’s iconic corner store locations.

This year’s winner was Helen Gordon for her photo of the Town and Country Fruit and Veg - Old Shop/New Shop (pictured). Runner up was Christy Wintle for her photo of the River Road Deli, and third was Julie Beaston for her capture of Alan Beatties Meats.

Honorable mention went to Kerry Faulkner for her shot of Norm’s Lunchbar.

The winners took home cash prizes and vouchers up to $500, plus a professionally mounted print of their winning image.

The local corner store is getting rarer every year. This competition helps the City to document these unique and often quaint shops before they start to disappear.

The City is very keen to continue to build upon Birtwistle Local Studies Library’s Picture Armadale photographic collection, and that’s where the community can assist with their local knowledge of these hidden gems.

The winning photographs will be on display at the Armadale Library from Sunday 28 May to Friday 23 June.

Armadale growth 10th fastest in the nation

Armadale experienced a 4% increase in population during the 2015 - 2016 year, ranking the City as the 10th fastest growing local government areas across the nation.

The growth rate is four times the State growth rate and nearly three times the nation’s, which sits at 1.4%.

Other Western Australian local government areas making the top ten were the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale and the City of Kwinana, both in the southern metropolitan area.

According to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Armadale’s population has increased by 25% over the last five years.

The City continues to work with property developers to cater for this growing population. With the rapid expansion of the western suburbs there are no signs of it slowing down.

Armadale has also seen a rise in business investment, with the number of businesses growing by 4.8% during 2015 - 2016, leading other local governments in the Southeast Corridor.

For the full list of local government authorities and their growth over the 2015 - 2016 year, visit www.abs.gov.au.

NAIDOC Celebration Day and Youth Festival

Join us to celebrate our local indigenous cultures with lots of music, entertainment and activities for the entire family. This year the City is also partnering with Brothaboy to host a NAIDOC Youth Festival on the same day.

The celebrations will be held on Tuesday 4 July at Bob Blackburn Oval (behind the Champion Centre), 76 Champion Drive, Seville Grove, with the NAIDOC event happening from 10am – 3pm and the Youth Festival from 3 – 8pm.

The 2017 theme, Our Languages Matter, celebrates the preservation and revitalisation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages – the original language of this nation.

There will be special performance by local artists, activity hubs for children and youth, information stalls, giveaways and a free sausage sizzle.

Everyone is welcome to attend!

Cancellation of Ticketek and Ticketmaster at Visitor Centre

From 1 July the Armadale Visitor Centre will no longer act as a ticketing agent for Ticketek and Ticket Master. This comes after an extensive review of the viability of these services. As Ticketek and Ticket Master are now predominantly online service, all tickets can be purchased online.

Residents that don’t have access to a home computer or electronic device can use the computers and mobile printing service at the Armadale, Seville Grove and Kelmscott Libraries.

Funding Available for Community Groups

The City’s annual contributions scheme is opening on 19 July and will close on 30 August. Community organisations can apply for up to $25,000 in funding towards community focused initiatives which benefit Armadale residents.

To be eligible for the scheme, representatives are required to attend a community funding training workshop (2 sessions available: session 1 and session 2). Two workshops will be held at the City of Armadale Administration Building on 19 and 26 July. If you think your community group could benefit from this funding, visit the City’s website to book your place.

Community Calendar