DESPITE holding an official opening day in September the Y.hub on Yanchep Beach Rd is still to open its doors.
Yanchep Beach Joint Venture (YBJV) executive manager Jon Kelly said there was not much to see from the road as some negotiations, contracts and program development were still happening.
On Thursday, December 7 Mr Kelly said there had been some issues with nbn, which was hopefully coming to an end soon, and there should be a lot more activity in the new year.
“We are negotiating with the City of Wanneroo trying to get them to be part of the Y.Hub and run economic development programs in conjunction with us – as there will be a better outcome if we all work together ,’’ he said.
He thought the council and the Mayor seemed keen on the idea but the council administration not so much.
“(YBJV is) finalising the lease agreement with the Honey Bee CRC, they should move in before Christmas and have some big plans for the new year.
“The Yanchep Institute will be graduating its first students at the Yanchep District High School graduation ceremony (Friday, December 8) – we are very excited about that – it’s been a long road. ‘
“We will partnering with the new high school next year and have been finalising the new MOU.’’
He said YBJV had signed a management agreement with Spacecubed for the co-working space and they would be advertising early in the new year.
“We have just employed the new Hub manager, who will be located at the Y.hub.’’
He said the new manager would start in a few weeks.
Also he said YBJV was about to lodge a development application for land near the building (128 Yanchep Beach Rd) as they were expanding their training facilities.
Co-operative Research Centre for Honey Bee Products (CRC HBP) chief executive officer Liz Barbour said CRC HBP and Space Cubed would be running a Honey Hackathon from Y.Hub on February 23-25.
“We are also taking the opportunity to promote Yanchep with hosting a Honey dinner in the Yanchep limestone caves,’’ she said.
She said Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan had expressed an interest in coming to the event.
In late August Mr Kelly said the developer had spent $10 million on the buildings and fit out already with another $5m to be spent during the next three to five years to help small and medium size enterprises in Yanchep establish and grow.
Mr Kelly said in Yanchep – part of the north west corridor – there was a need for more jobs and in particular “driver” jobs or “knowledge” jobs.
“That’s what the centre is about fostering jobs in technology and research,’’ he said.
Mr Kelly said he would like a technology park zoning for the area.
He said the state government’s commitment to extend the Joondalup rail line to Yanchep was crucial to what the centre could achieve.
In early September acting chief executive officer Debbie Terelinck told Yanchep News Online the city had a strong presence in Yanchep through the Yanchep Community Centre and Yanchep-Two Rocks Library.
“Both of these facilities allow residents to access council information as well as community services,’’ she said.
“The city recognises the need to develop a place-based approach in its strategic community plan, and is currently looking at ways of providing further access to services in various suburbs, including Yanchep.’’
