Waroona Community Precinct receives $550k boost from Alcoa Waroona Sustainability Fund amid cost increases

A much-anticipated revitalisation of the Waroona town centre has received a welcome boost, with a six-figure sum being contributed to the project. The Alcoa Waroona Sustainability Fund will put an additional $550,000 towards the under-construction Waroona Community Precinct, with the contribution being approved by the council at its meeting on Wednesday. With the additional funding, the total amount contributed to the project by the fund now stands at $1 million. Waroona Shire president Mike Walmsley said the funding would allow the momentum to continue on a “transformational project” for the town. “The extra funding will enable works to push ahead onsite, while we continue discussions with other funding bodies and navigate cost escalations affecting the construction industry,” he said. The Shire of Waroona had originally budgeted about $4.2m for the development of the precinct, but tender prices received by the council at the February meeting put the total cost of completing the project at over $6.2m. Wagerup refinery manager Mark Hodgson said the contribution was by far the largest made to a single project through the fund. “Set to make a positive contribution to Waroona’s economic, social, recreational and environmental sustainability, the precinct project is a prime example of the type of community development project the fund was created to support,” Mr Hodgson said. Works have already started on the precinct, which the council hopes to have completed by the end of the year. Once completed, the precinct is designed to be a central community hub. Some of the features of the precinct will include a toddler play area and junior playground, skate park and pump track, a Noongar six-seasons garden, grassed open space and shaded picnic areas. The Alcoa Waroona Sustainability Fund is a partnership between the Shire and Alcoa, with financial contributions made yearly based on the production of the company’s Wagerup alumina refinery. In addition to Shire funding and the contributions from the sustainability fund, the project has received financial support from the Federal and State governments, Lotterywest and the Waroona Lions Club. Work to continue additional funding for the project is continuing.