Funding boost secures initial stages of Port Wakefield’s rejuvenation
FURTHER improvements to Port Wakefield’s Edward Street and tidal pool precinct have now been secured on the back of a $1 million State Government grant.
Primary Industries Minister, Clare Scriven, was at Port Wakefield on Thursday announcing the funding through the PIRSA Enabling Infrastructure Program.
This injection of funding towards the Celebrating Port Wakefield’s Cultural Connection project, which has already been supported with $619K from the Federal Government’s Local Road and Infrastructure Program and $500K from the State Government’s Open Spaces & Places for People program, will see Edward Street transformed over the coming year.
Alongside Council’s contribution of $200K for the tidal pool dredging and $500K for upgrades to Edward Street, this recent funding will bring the project total up to $2.81 million.
Mayor Rodney Reid said this project has been a long time coming and paired with the dual carriageway through Port Wakefield, the time to activate Edward Street was now.
“We’ve known that Port Wakefield has needed an upgrade for a long-time but we were cautious of what might happen with the highway upgrade,” he said.
“Now that project is completed, we can reinvigorate Port Wakefield and draw people into this great town.
“Council has done an enormous amount of consultation with the community to ensure this project delivers the community’s vision all the way from the highway along Edward Street to the foreshore precinct.
“Through our masterplan, we’ve worked towards something that will work for both residents and tourists, with the end goal to make Port Wakefield a tourist destination, more than just a thoroughfare.”
Works to the precinct will include a new town centre plaza on Edward Street, tree planting, footpath and pram ramp upgrades, the establishment of an Indigenous art trail that will lead to the foreshore precinct where the failing tidal pool boardwalk will be replaced with a new compliant bridge that will allow kayakers under it and provide better access to the water for swimmers.
Capping it all off is the long-awaited dredging of the tidal pool.
“This funding will give the project the boost it needs to deliver our vision for the area, it’s going to be very exciting times ahead in Port Wakefield,” Mayor Reid said.
“We’re incredibly thankful for the State Government support towards this project.”