Celebrating community spirit and a major project starting soon

During the past couple of months, I’ve seen the absolute best in our community. People physical distancing at our local beaches, drive-thru businesses offering volunteers a free coffee and kids bringing a smile to our faces with chalk drawings on driveways, it’s been a remarkable display of unity all round.

With driveway art contest winner Makayla Fung (10) and her brother Zach

To showcase some of those colourful and inspiring chalk drawings you might have spotted across the City, we recently ran a Facebook contest with three prizes. Congratulations to our winners in Dianella, Scarborough and Karrinyup who each won an art pack. I would also like to thank all the kids across the City who created driveway artworks as they sure brightened up everyone’s day just when we needed it.

The recent announcement by the State Government to further ease COVID-19 restrictions in WA has been excellent news for cafés and restaurants. To support local businesses in establishing outdoor alfresco areas and meeting physical distancing requirements, we have fast-tracked the Footpath Activation Permit process. Permits are now provided free of charge within one business day via our website. Please click here for more details about the process and to apply for a permit.

The City continues to work towards reducing red tape and providing support to small business, so it was great to hear that the State Government is set to introduce planning reform to Parliament. The reforms include initiatives similar to those already introduced or soon to be adopted at the City, such as a proposed Local Planning Policy. The policy would offer exemptions for simpler development applications, resulting in a smaller number needing to go through a planning process.

Households and small business will be the big winners in the reforms, with proposed changes abolishing change of use approvals for several types of small businesses. A range of small residential projects such as patios, decks and extensions would also be exempt from planning approvals.

After many years of planning, I’m thrilled to share with you that the Stephenson Avenue Extension project is almost underway. A joint initiative between the City, the State Government and the Federal Government, the $125 million project will ultimately open large areas of land for development and reduce traffic along Scarborough Beach Road.

Managed by the City, phase one works for the project will extend Stephenson Avenue from Scarborough Beach Road through to Sarich Court in Osborne Park. It is anticipated these phase one works will be completed in mid-2021. To stay up to date on the exciting project, visit www.stirling.wa.gov.au/stephenson or please click here.

Local sports clubs can now apply for a share of $12 million in grants under the State Government’s Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund (CSRFF). I recently visited Des Penman Memorial Reserve in Nollamara when Sport and Recreation the Hon Minister Mick Murray MLA announced that the next application round had been fast-tracked.

As well as supporting not-for-profit sporting clubs, community groups and local governments to improve sporting facilities, the grants aim to boost our economy by creating jobs. So, if you are part of a local club, now is a great time to get an application together. Please click here for more information about CSRFF grants.

At the CSRFF announcement at Des Penman Memorial Reserve

Works are underway on a $1.5 million revamp of the central sports clubroom facility at Des Penman Memorial Reserve, which received part-funding from the CSRFF and the Federal Government. Set for completion by the end of August, the project will deliver improved amenities for local footy and cricket clubs including two new change rooms and improved storage facilities.

For anyone wanting to add a bit more colour to their life, we have recently transformed some of the City’s best-loved murals into activity pages for the community to enjoy. The colouring-in outlines are another way of showcasing these very talented artists and their local artworks.

Mural outlines by artists including Peta Roebuck (Mirrabooka Hub), Kerise Delcoure (Carine Regional Open Space) and Paul Deej (Dianella Library) are now available for download via the City’s website or by clicking here.

As we start to venture outdoors to socialise a bit more, the Inglenooks civic spaces on Beaufort Street in Inglewood are ready for you to enjoy with family and friends. A recent addition to the area, Inglenooks was the brainchild of the Inglewood on Beaufort community group.

Located directly opposite Inglewood Library, the spaces have transformed previously unusable garden beds and some paved areas between Ninth and Tenth Avenues into an inviting destination offering shade, lighting, art, games and gardens. The creative project was partly funded by grants from the City of Stirling and Federal and State Governments, as well as an Inglewood on Beaufort contribution from Monday Night Markets proceeds.