Update on Port Campbell town revitalisation
Published on 04 April 2022
Port Campbell residents will soon have somewhere to drop in for face-to-face updates on the town centre revitalisation project.
The vacant Alcove Cafe building will become a site office during the construction phases.
Residents will be able to drop in, view plans, speak directly to a staff member, or ask questions about the project.
Corangamite Shire Mayor Ruth Gstrein said Council expected to appoint a Project Manager/Coordinator – who will be based at this site – in the very near future.
“The person will have the technical expertise to help deliver this project and will provide regular project updates.
They will be Council’s point of contact for community members, local businesses and other stakeholders.
“They will oversee the project to make sure it comes in on budget and ticks all of the regulatory requirements and funding agreement obligations.”
Cr Gstrein encouraged residents to keep up to date by the project’s dedicated website and Facebook page.
“There’s lots of ways members of the community who have got questions can get in touch with us.”
The project tender was advertised widely from December 2021 and closed on 11 February with some interest, but unfortunately no submissions were received.
Market conditions, COVID impacts, staff shortages, and the timing of the tender were cited as some of the reasons for lack of tenders.
Council will split the tender into different sections to allow smaller companies to bid for the project. A tender for 2022 works will now be advertised this month.
Coastal Ward Councillor Jamie Vogels said restructuring the schedule of works would hopefully mean a tender could be awarded by June and works begin in November.
“It’s been a long road to get this far and still some way to go,” he said.
“The lack of tenderers was disappointing but it does give us an opportunity to make some adjustments to the timing and order of the works and to add some of the big concerns that keep being raised about the safety and parking.
“If we can get more parking into Lord Street – particularly around the general store and post office - and address the safety concerns about traffic movements and pedestrians - we will have come a long way.”
Cr Vogels is chair of the PCTCRP Community and Business Reference Group and invited community members to stay in touch.
“Members of the community and business have been asking questions and no doubt they will continue as the project moves into the construction phases,” he said.
“The best place to do this is via the community and business reference group.”
Community members can nominate reference group on the project website.
For more information, call Council on 5593 7100 or go click here for the project website or here for the dedicated Facebook page.