West Lakes | Developments & News
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:36 pm
From the Messenger:
$10m West Lakes vision
Chantelle Kroehn
04Jun08
GRAND PLANS: An artist's impression of the $10 million community and apartment hub earmarked for land at West Lakes.
GRAND PLANS: An artist's impression of the $10 million community and apartment hub earmarked for land at West Lakes.
THIS is the first image of what a $10 million community and apartment hub earmarked for West Lakes could look like.
Charles Sturt Council wants to build a new library and community centre, possibly on council-owned land off Brebner Drv, at Midcourse Reserve.
The council is considering entering into a partnership with a yet-to-be decided developer, with the council likely to contribute $4.5 million towards the joint venture. Charles Sturt CEO Mark Withers said working with a developer would allow the council to "deliver an outstanding facility for only a fraction of the cost to council and ratepayers".
"The cost of the community hub will be subsidised by selling a portion of the airspace above it, which could be developed as apartments, built and sold by a private developer," he said.
The council will start consulting the community on its plans, after elected members endorsed the proposal at a meeting on Monday (May 2). A concept image has been released.
Mr Withers said there was not enough space at the council library, which the it leases from Westfield West Lakes shopping centre.
"West Lakes Library is the most used community facility in our city, however, the current facility is old, cramped and costly to council," Mr Withers said.
"It makes financial sense for libraries and community centres to be owned rather than leased by council."
The council has included $100,000 in its 2008/09 draft budget to further investigate the hub proposal.