Page 2409 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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Forward design studies and preliminary sketch plans for the refurbishment and upgrade of the Scullin shops were completed in 2009. I am pleased to advise Dr Bourke and his constituents that funding of $1.1 million for construction has been identified in the local shopping centre upgrade program for the coming financial year. The government will be investing just over a million dollars in an upgrade of the Scullin shops. This includes, and I am sure that those opposite will be delighted to hear this, $120,000 allocated towards public art at the Scullin shops. Those who use the shopping precinct regularly will have a shopping place that is both practical and a pleasure to visit.
I am sure that Dr Bourke will also be pleased to hear that the government has a construction program for the 2011-12 financial year. We expect that construction to commence later in this calendar year and be completed by the middle of next year.
The residents of Scullin will benefit from an upgrade which will include improvements to car parking, better paved areas, a new shelter area and street furniture for the comfort of visitors to the shops. The upgrade will also add play sculpture for children who are at the Scullin shops with their carers as well as suitable signage and improved landscaping at the centre.
Also—it is a matter that often comes up from constituents—a new accessible toilet will be installed as part of the upgrade, which is being funded separately from the government’s program for that purpose. This might seem a relatively small issue, but it is this type of practical delivery of services to residents in areas such as Scullin that makes a real difference to people’s quality of life and maintains the emphasis this Labor government places on continuing to improve Canberra as a place to live and a place to bring up your family.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke?
DR BOURKE: Would the minister advise the Assembly what would be the other benefits of these improvements for the Scullin community.
MR CORBELL: I thank Dr Bourke for the supplementary. One of the issues that was identified as part of the design and community consultation in relation to the Scullin shops was the need to improve traffic management around the centre and, in particular, measures to calm traffic use. As a result, there will be improved traffic movement as traffic control and calming devices will be installed in the car park areas to slow the traffic, making it safer for all the users of the centre, particularly pedestrians who are moving to and from their cars as they visit the local shops.
The upgrade will also improve access. It will improve visibility. It will make the shops more obvious to people in the area and assist in attracting patronage to the centre. We know from the experience of shop upgrades in other parts of the city that it helps to instil improved community pride in the amenity of their local neighbourhood and, of course, we know that it helps to bring new life to shop owners as well, and indeed to the owners of the shop premises, who often respond in kind in upgrading and improving the quality of the assets that they own.
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