Page 4339 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017
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tell us if the concepts we have identified through this process reflect what the community wants from its park.
There has already been so much achieved for the people of Yerrabi and I am excited by the prospect of what else we can deliver for the community in the three years remaining in this term.
MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (3.46): I also stand today to celebrate everything that this ACT government has achieved in its first year. It was with great pride that I was sworn into this Assembly a year ago next week. I have spoken often about the profound sense of home I have found in Belconnen and I was extremely humbled to be elected to serve my electorate of Ginninderra.
One year on and I can unequivocally say that the people of Ginninderra have shown me that they are creative, intelligent and resourceful members of the Canberra community. I have been lucky to have already met so many people in my electorate from all walks of life to discuss how we can continue to make Ginninderra a wonderful place to live.
It has been with great pleasure that I have seen many of the government’s election commitments for Ginninderra already implemented or underway in the first year of this term. Projects across the spectrum of education, infrastructure, health, recreation and the arts are boosting the local economy and injecting new life into the region.
This year we allocated funds for the third stage of Belconnen High School’s modernisation. Stages 1 and 2 delivered a major refurbishment of student learning and teaching spaces as well as a new school administration area. A further $5.9 million was committed in this year’s budget to refurbish technology areas, replace the roof of a building and upgrade outdoor learning and teaching environments. This further investment will help the school meet future enrolment needs in the Belconnen area and will also improve the school’s environmental sustainability. Lake Ginninderra College, Aranda primary and Melba-Copland are also sharing in the $85 million for school classroom and facility upgrades that are happening across Canberra.
This government has a long-term vision for an integrated transport network that allows Canberrans, including children and the elderly, to move easily across the city and engage in active travel wherever possible. Active travel across the Belconnen town centre will get much easier, with money committed for the Belco bikeway this year. A separated bike path will be constructed which will help connect the major landmarks in the town centre but also the town centre to the neighbouring suburbs and, importantly, the University of Canberra.
The Belco bikeway is complemented by the new Belconnen learn to ride centre at Lake Ginninderra. The learn to ride centre opened mid-year and replicates real riding conditions, complete with replica roads, paths and pedestrians. Young riders can hone their cycling skills and learn to negotiate real-life distractions and obstacles. The centre helps Canberra kids get ready to use active travel to and from school, and eventually it will connect with the Belco bikeway too, I hope. Active travel will also get easier around Page, with the suburb sharing $1.5 million with Hughes, as you
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