Page 196 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2019
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The government sponsored the Gungahlin community festival on 20 October 2018, working with local businesses to promote activity in Gungahlin to celebrate the completion of a number of public upgrades. The event provided the opportunity to promote business activity and shopping patterns and to thank businesses and the community for their patience during these works. The government and Canberra Metro, our partners in delivering light rail, have continued the conversations with local businesses as construction activity progresses. With a number of milestones in construction being completed, areas of the town centre have been re-opened at the earliest opportunity.
The government is also working to further promote businesses through major community events celebrating the completion of light rail and during light rail operations. As the report identifies, a more comprehensive lessons-learned process in partnership with other stakeholders is scheduled to be performed at an appropriate time following the construction of light rail stage 1.
The ACT government is supporting continued business growth in Gungahlin town centre and I really believe the disruptions caused by the project will be outweighed by the very positive outcomes of the project in the long term. Light rail is integrated into our transport system in our urban environment, but it is just one part of the picture. Our government has invested in projects that support the expanding Gungahlin town centre more broadly.
Investments have been made in the Hibberson Street shared zone, the Gungahlin bus station, upgrades to Valley Avenue and Kate Crace Street, the extension to Ernest Cavanagh Street and the construction of Camilleri Way. Broader road upgrades are supported with works underway or completed at Horse Park Drive, Gundaroo Drive, Gungahlin Drive and Mirrabei Drive.
A number of the development activities in Gungahlin also have private sector contributors. Some of these projects include the opening of a major expansion of Gungahlin marketplace, new commercial development in Hibberson Street for Bunnings and other new retailers, the construction and opening of the Gungahlin Club and a further five major apartment developments in the town centre.
I must also mention the Gungahlin walk-in centre that our government has completed and opened. The walk-in centre was a necessary public work that is now generating additional activity in the Gungahlin town centre. The ACT government has facilitated increased employment in Gungahlin through the construction of Winyu House providing a stable employment base in the town centre delivering jobs across the city and supporting small businesses where those workers will shop and eat.
The report identifies lessons learnt for both the current project and future projects. It also gives consideration to the lessons around how to improve collaboration with businesses. The ACT government consistently demonstrate that we are responsive to feedback. Through this report we have used the lessons learnt to inform ongoing work on the light rail corridor, and we certainly look forward to considering those lessons during the construction of light rail to Woden.
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