Royalties for Regions funds major upgrades to South Hedland infrastructure, Grylls
Author: Brendon Grylls
Published on: 04-April-2011
State Government Royalties for Regions will allocate funding for two major projects in South Hedland, the upgrade of the aquatic centre and the development of a new library and community centre
The South Hedland Aquatic Centre will cost $5.4million to upgrade and the library and community centre $1.4million, with the Royalties for Regions program allocating $3.6million and $665,000 to the cost of each project.
Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the Pilbara Cities initiative, funded by Royalties for Regions, sought to rectify infrastructure inadequacies and build facilities and services that people expected in a major regional centre like South Hedland.
Mr Grylls said the upgrades were fundamental to the region’s forecast growth.
“By 2015 the population growth is expected to be 40,000 to 50,000 which will transform
Port Hedland from a town into a city,” he said.
“The Pilbara Cities initiative aims to attract and retain families to the region and provide premium facilities to help make the Pilbara a better place to live, work and invest.
“Facilities such as the aquatic centre, library and community centre are essential to the community and will be an integral part of the South Hedland CBD.”
The Minister said the existing South Hedland Aquatic Centre had deteriorated and did not meet contemporary pool standards.
Mr Grylls said work at the centre would be undertaken over the winter months to keep disruption to the community to a minimum.
“The revamped aquatic centre will include disabled access, a new water treatment plant and filtering equipment, tiling and painting, overhead lighting, leisure pool and toddlers’ pool water play equipment, shade sails and external fencing,” he said.
“The South Hedland library and community centre will offer the community state-of-the-art resources including internet access, language resources, a technology laboratory and resources for tertiary study. It will be a modern facility that serves as a traditional library and a community meeting space.
“Extensive community consultation was carried out for the new library and community centre which highlighted the need for improved facilities.”
