why is the town moving forward on constructing the sutherland street shared footpath extension?

At the June 2021 Ordinary Council Meeting, Council endorsed the Sutherland Street shared footpath extension. This followed on from the decision made in March 2021 to defer any action on the proposed footpath until further community consultation had been undertaken.

what community consultation did the town do?

• 6 focus group sessions with 17 landholders directly impacted by the proposal
• A letter was sent to 44 impacted landholders around Kingsmill Street, supported by a letter box drop
• A landholders online survey received 11 responses
• A community wide online survey received 126 responses
• A webpage on the Town’s website garnered 20 visits
• A video published on the Town’s Facebook page reached 1,800 people
• A media release was opened by 150 subscribers

how much is the shared footpath extension costing?

The projected cost of the footpath extension will be $900,000, as outlined in the June 2021 agenda item.

how were the contractors selected to carry out the works?

The Town selected the suppliers to carry out the works based on an approved preferred supplier panel, which was the subject of a tender 2 years ago. This is in line with the Town’s Procurement Policy.

what are the benefits of the footpath, is it worth constructing?

Constructing the footpath fills in a missing link in the Hedland’s pathway network, connecting the West End precinct to Sutherland Street assets and the future Spoilbank Marina precinct. Key benefits include providing better pedestrian and cyclist connection, encouraging residents to get active in the area, supporting the local economy and providing a better and more enjoyable experience for tourists.

what does the community think about the path?

• 83% of community wide survey respondents support better connectivity between the West End and the future Spoilbank Marina precinct
• 81.6% of community wide survey respondents agree that local government should invest resources into improving pathway connectivity
• 89% of community wide respondents agree that coastal risks should be taken into consideration when developing coastal assets

WHen are the works occurring?

Construction of the shared footpath extension will occur between the hours of 7am and 7pm, from Thursday 16 September until early October 2021.

are works occurring on public or private land?

The footpath extension is being constructed on public land and a road reserve, not privately owned land.