Whyalla City Council is keen to hear from the community in the coming months regarding a number of exciting master plans for the city’s development.
Of particular interest to both residents and businesses are the proposed Foreshore Master Plan and Economic Development Plan.
Mayor Clare McLaughlin said with the positive impacts of the new Whyalla jetty continuing to reverberate through the community, now was the time to consult with residents on their vision for the broader foreshore area.
“This unique, world-class facility has already attracted around 40,000 visits since its opening, as well as more than 15 million hits worldwide from coverage across various media and social platforms, so it’s really helping showcase our great city,” Mayor McLaughlin said.
“The ensuing high usage of the foreshore area – including the jetty, marina, beach, Ada Ryan Gardens and surrounding park areas – further highlights the importance of sound strategic planning for the ongoing development, maintenance and upgrades to this popular and valuable space.
“We believe it’s critical that the community plays a key role in deciding what the foreshore area will look like in the future.”
Mayor McLaughlin said features such as retail, hotels, cafes, restaurants, car parking, fish cleaning stations, toilet blocks – as well as other key infrastructure and business uses – are all important elements to a connected community space, and therefore will feature strongly in the community consultation moving forward.
The Foreshore Master Plan will also consider future potential uses of the Whyalla High School site (including associated ovals), as well as linkages to the City Plaza / main street precinct, Hummock Hill lookout, and the area spanning from the existing Foreshore Motor Inn through to the Whyalla Foreshore Holiday and Caravan Park.
“Throughout the planning process, council staff will continue to consult with developers, landowners, local businesses and residents with the aim of maximising the positive outcomes from the area for the broader community and economy of Whyalla,” Mayor McLaughlin said.
“The foreshore area includes ‘community land’ that could be better utilised and we will ensure a formal process is followed before any significant changes are made to these areas.”
Prior to considering any future investment, council is looking to trial a series of pop-up activities over the school holiday and festive period to encourage residents to actively utilise and engage with the area.
“As well as input regarding the longer-term investment, we’re keen to hear residents’ views regarding potential short-term activities, which will assist in planning how this invaluable community space can evolve into a key feature of our city over the coming years,” Mayor McLaughlin said.
More details regarding these pop-up activities, as well as the Economic Development Plan, will be provided in the coming weeks.