Page 2689 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 September 2014
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While the Waramanga shop upgrade was completed in September 2013, the investigation and planning for the upgrade commenced in December 2008. This consultation and planning phase included surveys of the shop tenants and owners, followed by a cultural planning study and the subsequent forward design study, both prepared by professional consultants. Design consultants were then engaged to prepare final designs and prepare tender documents for construction.
Extensive consultation was undertaken in 2009-10 during the cultural planning and forward design study phase of the upgrade; firstly to identify the needs, wants and priorities of the local community and then to ask for feedback on the new design proposal. The consultation involved local residents, community groups, shop tenants and lease holders. The information gathered from the local community through this consultation shaped the final design of the upgrade.
The highest priorities identified by the community during the consultation period were safer pedestrian access within the shopping centre as well as to and from the medical centre, particularly for less mobile members of the community; safer entry and exit conditions for vehicles; improvements to parking and lighting; and measures to improve security in and around the shops. Places to gather and sit outdoors, as well as improving the appearance and amenity of the shops, were the next highest priorities.
The accessibility report prepared by the access consultant identified the post box’s original location as non compliant with new Australian accessibility standards. Options to provide a compliant grade ramp from the shop terrace to the post box were investigated. However, it was not possible to achieve a compliant grade without significantly compromising other areas. This access issue was identified in the preliminary sketch plans which were displayed for community comment.
Australia Post was also consulted about the relocation of the post box at the final sketch plan stage and confirmed they had no issues with the proposal.
As a result of this process, the post box was moved to its current location. This has made it more directly accessible from the car park, as well as centred to the two main businesses at the shops.
In this new location the post box is clearly visible from the shop terrace and can be accessed from a number of parking places, it also allows the Australia Post van and bike to work more easily and safely around the flow of traffic and parking.
In the location proposed for the post box by the petition, a person in a wheelchair driving to the centre to post a letter would have to travel a lot further from either of the designated parking spaces and the ramps. Moving the post box back to this original position would result in the box being inaccessible by anyone in a wheelchair (from the top terrace), a car driver in a wheelchair would not be able to exit their car, traverse a kerb crossing and reach the post box. Each of these access issues was considered in the selection of the current location.
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