WANNEROO councillors have approved the construction of a cycling track at Splendid Park to start next month but at this stage the city still needs about another $1.2 million to fund the project.
At last night’s ordinary council meeting the councillors voted unanimously to accept a tender by DB Cunningham trading as Advanteering Civil Engineers for a lump sum of $3,859,868.
The total cost of the cycling track is listed in the City of Wanneroo’s March agenda as $4,737,600 but to date the city only has funding of $3,507,100.
As well as needing another $352,768 to pay the construction company the city requires an extra $63,000 for project management, $12,000 for seed collection, at total of $240,000 for rehab and revegetation to be carried out in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, a contingency of $275,000 and $70,000 for rock breaking.
The officer’s report said it was proposed to fund the project budget shortfall from the strategic initiative projects reserve.
“The proposed draw down from the strategic initiative projects reserve is likely to have an impact on the current ratio, particularly if there are any unforeseen expenses,’’ the officer’s report said.
“It will also require a review of the draft long term (20 year) capital works program potentially resulting in a reduction and/or deferral of other projects listed in 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-25 financial years.
“The city would also need to review the use of the reserve across the 20-year plan.’’
During last night’s meeting North ward councillor Chris Baker asked the city’s chief executive office Daniel Simms about the funding shortfall and the implications for projects listed on the draft long term capital works program.
Mr Simms said it meant the councillors would have to review either the scope, expenditure or continuation of projects on the draft long term capital works program to enable funding to be released to fund the shortfall in the cycling track project.
Cr Baker asked if this could affect projects such as Heath Park in Eglinton, which was moving towards the construction stage.
Mr Simms said he did not want to pre-empt or influence any decision the council may make in reviewing the long term financial plan but consideration would likely be given to things such as whether a project was already receiving external funding, the status of a project and where a project was in its implementation journey.
Mayor Tracey Roberts, who is Labor’s candidate for the seat of Pearce moved the motion, seconded by North ward councillor Sonet Coetzee, to accept the tender submitted by Advanteering Civil Engineers.
The motion included the notes that further funding would be necessary in the capital works budget of a) $1,090,500 in 2022-2023, b) $100,000 in 2023-2024 and c) $40,000 in 2024-2025.
North-East ward councillor Linda Aitken, who is the Liberal candidate for Pearce, acknowledged the Morrison Government’s contribution – a $500,000 grant from the building better regions fund.
At the briefing session on March 8 Central-East ward councillor Paul Miles said Advanteering Civil Engineers was the lowest tender and he would be concerned if there was a lump sum extra at the end or halfway through the contract.
Northern Beaches Cycling Club president Chris Howard said once the cycling track was completed it would provide a place where children could learn to ride a bike and learn competency so their parents would be able to let them ride safely to school.
Dr Howard said the track would give schools a place to provide cycling for sport and outdoors education and the resident sporting clubs such as little athletics, football and cricket would have a fitness training track.
“Our club will proudly host community and sporting events and encourage physical activity,’’ he said.
“We will offer training sessions for youth and adults during the week and racing on the weekends.
He said the club would promote its youth squad training to start on April 28.
“In the interim this will be held at the Quinns Rocks Sports Club.
“In this way we’ll hit the ground running by the time the facility opens in October this year.’’
