Published on Monday, 11 October 2021 at 2:10:24 PM
CONTEXT: A blow has been dealt to the Ocean to Channel Recreation Precinct development with recent news of an unsuccessful application to the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF). The application for $4 million, which would have been set to match funds already committed by Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Lotterywest, Denmark Surf Lifesaving Club and Shire of Denmark, was a key element of the Ocean to Channel project.
DETAILS: Ocean Beach and Prawn Rock Channel have been under increased visitor pressure over recent years as population and tourism numbers increase in Denmark. Growing user pressure has necessitated intervention and improvement plans to access and amenities, as well as safety improvements and environmental protections. The importance of the precinct as a popular community and visitor hub in addition to major erosion issues this year, meant the news of funding through the BBRF was eagerly awaited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the project go ahead with the funds which have already been committed? Unfortunately, the BBRF application was for matching funds which means we have just half of the money needed to proceed as planned. As a result of the unsuccessful application, we now need to reassess our options and put together another plan to progress any future development in the Ocean to Channel precinct. It will also mean going back to the funding bodies we’ve received funding from to ensure the funding already committed to the project is retained for the project.
Can the project be partially completed? We’ll be considering every option in the coming days and weeks. As to what this means for the future of the Surf Club development and the precinct development as a whole, we’ll share updates with our community as soon as we are able.
Will the community be consulted as to the next steps? Yes! The plan was always to bring the next stage of the project back to the community for further consultation once funding had been secured. Obviously, we haven’t been awarded the funding, but we are committed to continuing the consultation process as planned so our community can help us shape the final plans.
Where can I find details about the Ocean to Channel Recreation Precinct project? Just visit our Your Denmark page. Here’s the link: https://www.yourdenmark.wa.gov.au/ocean-to-channel-recreation-precinct
Statement from the CEO
Shire of Denmark Chief Executive Officer David Schober said news of the unsuccessful Building Better Regions Fund application was very disappointing.
“We worked very hard to write a compelling application and to champion it through the approval process at every stage,” Mr Schober said.
“Up until this news came through, we had been led to believe our application was at the very top of the pile, so to lose this funding is very disheartening. It means we need to go back to the drawing board with our funding partners and community to work out what our next steps will be for this key project for our community. It will take some time, but we will work closely with all of our stakeholders to come up with a new plan to share with our community as soon as we are able.”
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