Walyalup Koort, looking back on the future of Freo

With the Walyalup Civic Centre nearing completion, the new playground looking great and the public spaces around the newly renamed Walyalup Koort taking shape, it’s timely to go back and revisit the reasons why all of this was necessary in the first place.

The Fremantle Council recognised back in 2003 the need to deal with significant structural and maintenance threats associated with our old administration building.

The council under then Mayor Peter Tagliaferri moved a motion to investigate alternatives to what was described in the council report as a building which was “outdated and incurred considerable annual maintenance costs”. The report also stated, “a considerable amount of money would be required to upgrade and refurbish the building to current acceptable standards”.

The following year the council established a Civic Area Redevelopment Project to look at a precinct-wide development of Kings Square, including the City-owned buildings and the privately-owned Myer building.

In 2011 the council revisited these earlier plans with a fresh new approach to the Kings Square precinct to kick-start Fremantle’s much-needed revitalisation.

Around that time, Fremantle’s local economy was in decline and our inner-city population had stagnated. This was reinforced when Myer closed in 2013, one of many large format retailers forced to scale down operations in the face of the growing emphasis on online shopping and a decline in the dominance of department stores.

The anchor tenant in the Queensgate complex, Hoyts Cinemas, advised in 2012 that it would not renew its lease, and no other cinema chain could be found to take it over. The Queensgate building had a failing roof and air conditioners which required significant funds to repair. The City considered an option to renovate the cinemas into offices so they could be re-purposed for lease, but the cost of doing this was $14 million.

Action was needed to reverse Fremantle’s economic malaise and attract more people to live and work here. In 2010, council led by Mayor Brad Pettitt recognised that most of Perth’s leading developers had become disenfranchised with Fremantle as a place to invest.

The council sought to turn that negativity around by developing new economic development and planning strategies and promoting a new vision to the development industry. The rejuvenation of Kings Square was at the heart of the City’s plan to do just that.

Following an innovative ‘Citizens Jury’, the Kings Square Urban Design Strategy was adopted by the council in June 2012.  These community-inspired design guidelines, along with a comprehensive business plan, were then used as the brief for the Kings Square Architectural Design Competition.

The competition was promoted nationally and internationally in 2013 and conducted in accordance with the Australian Institute of Architects Competition Guidelines. It attracted more than 60 entries from around the world. The final winning design by Fremantle-based Kerry Hill Architects, along with other entries, formed part of a public exhibition in 2014.

The council then worked to further refine the design, put our finances in order to fund the project and entered into a commercial agreement with Sirona Capital to leverage their $220 million investment to redevelop old Myer and Queensgate sites as part of the broader renewal of Kings Square.

It’s a fact that Sirona would not have invested in the Kings Square Renewal project unless the City also committed to building new civic and community facilities in the square.   The council had to put skin in the game to kick-start the necessary investment in Fremantle.

The old administration building suffered from concrete cancer, had significant asbestos contamination and did not meet legal disability access requirements.

A report prepared in 2012 showed the City would have to spend $28 million on the old building just to meet the minimum required standards, and more than $50 million to properly refurbish it and add new extensions.

It was cheaper to knock it down and build a new, better building.

The improved energy efficiency and reduced maintenance costs on the new building will also deliver significant ongoing operational savings.

The original budget to construct the Walyalup Civic Centre was $41.3 million. That was increased to $42.6 million to allow for the installation of new fire protection measures and other improvements in the town hall that were not part of the original scope.

Despite the construction delays and other impacts due to COVID-19 and the collapse of the head contractor Pindan, the project remains on track to deliver on its original objectives.

From the beginning, the construction of the Walyalup Civic Centre has been funded using a combination of existing savings, asset sales and low-interest loans. Because of prudent financial planning it does not rely on increases in rates.

The 10-year financial plan adopted in 2015 showed the City would deliver long-term benefit from this essential, ‘once in a generation’ investment, and the knock-on developments it would generate.

We are already seeing the boost this project has given central Fremantle, with new investments in residential apartments, commercial properties and hospitality venues – Liv Apartments, Little Lane, M/27, The Social, the Manning Buildings, hArbour Fremantle, the Old Synagogue, Warders Hotel and Emily Taylor and more.

The increase in commercial and residential property developed as a result of Kings Square will generate more rate revenue for the City by significantly increasing the number of people living and working in the city centre, a core strategy in developing a ‘seven day per week’ economy.. 

Less than half the floor space of the Walyalup Civic Centre will be taken up by the operations of the City and its staff, with the majority of the building to be used for community facilities and commercial and retail spaces. Those commercial and retail spaces will provide an additional source of revenue for the City.

The Walyalup Civic Centre will be a spectacular building, with a stunning modern library, fully accessible toilets and change facilities, a state-of-the-art information and customer service centre, a wide range of community meeting rooms and gallery and exhibition spaces integrated with the town hall.

It will also be one of the most energy efficient buildings of its size in Australia and showcase a wide array of sustainability features that will also help reduce operational costs. But most importantly, it will bring people back to the civic heart of Fremantle and make it a safer, more attractive and vibrant place.

Now that we’re almost at the finish line, it easy to forget the years of community engagement, investigations, reports, consultations, debates and deliberations that took place before we gave the green light to one of the most significant projects in the city’s history. 

The City’s commitment to a new civic building and the renewal of Kings Square leveraged Sirona’s investment in new offices spaces that now accommodate more than 1700 state government employees – providing a huge boost to the local economy and acting as the catalyst for further private sector investment.

Without the Walyalup Civic Centre the revitalisation of central Fremantle we are currently witnessing simply would not be happening.

As of May 2021, the City has expended $38,311,347 on the Walyalup Civic Building. A new building contract has been awarded to complete the project after the collapse of original builder Pindan and the building is expected to be completed prior to the end of this year.

References

• Why is the City investing in Kings Square?
• Council refines Kings Square civic building plan – adds new community features
• New 21st century Fremantle Council building gets heritage tick of approval
• Fremantle city centre redevelopment to underpin port city’s economic future

Walyalup Civic Centre taking shape

A new time lapse video released by the City of Fremantle shows how construction of the City’s new civic centre and library building has progressed over the past year.

The $41.3 million Walyalup Civic Centre is the City of Fremantle’s main contribution to the $270 million Kings Square Renewal project, which the City is undertaking in partnership with Sirona Capital.

It has been exciting to watch the Walyalup Civic Centre taking shape over the past year.

It’s hard to believe it was at this time last year that we held a sod-turning ceremony to mark the start of construction on our new building.

Since then it’s been incredible to see the building that we were all so familiar with from the concept drawings taking shape right before our eyes, to the point where features like the library, the sloped lawn of the outdoor room and the central drum housing the council chamber are now easily recognisable.

The City’s infrastructure team and our builders Pindan have been doing a great job and the project has been progressing smoothly.

While the outbreak of COVID-19 has unfortunately affected Pindan’s supply chain and delayed the importation of some materials, the team have worked together really well to resequence the works and ensure that any potential delay in the completion of the building is kept to a minimum.

When it’s finished it will be an amazing facility that everyone in Fremantle can be proud of and one that will be enjoyed by generations to come.”  

The building, designed by the internationally renowned Fremantle firm Kerry Hill Architects built by WA construction company Pindan, will feature a stunning modern library, fully accessible toilets and change facilities, a state-of-the-art information and customer service centre, a wide range of community meeting rooms and gallery and exhibition spaces integrated with the Town Hall.

It will also be one of the most energy efficient buildings of its size in Australia and showcase a wide array of sustainability features.

The City is also rejuvenating the public spaces around Kings Square, including a new Fremantle-themed adventure playground featuring cranes, bridges, train tracks and shipping containers as well as natural elements like water and trees.

Sirona Capital’s contribution to the Kings Square Renewal project includes the redevelopment of the old Myer and Queensgate sites to create offices for state government departments and the revolutionary FOMO food, art and retail concept.

The first 300 staff from the Department of Communities moved into their new head office last month. It’s expected that by the end of June more than 1700 staff from the Department of Communities and Department of Transport will have relocated to Kings Square.

For more information on the Kings Square Renewal Project visit the Kings Square Fremantle website, or watch this video.

To watch the Walyalup Civic Centre time lapse video click here.

Department of Communities now part of the Freo family

Mayor Brad Pettitt, Department of Communities Director General Michelle Andrews and Child Protection Minister Simone McGurk with ‘The Family’ outside the department’s new home in Kings Square.

The first 300 staff from the Department of Communities have officially moved into their new head office in Fremantle’s Kings Square.

The state government workers are occupying new office space created as part of the Kings Square Renewal project – a $270 million redevelopment of Fremantle’s civic heart by the City of Fremantle and Sirona Capital.

It is expected that by the end of June more than 1700 staff from the Department of Communities and Department of Transport will have relocated to Kings Squae

Having the new workers in Fremantle will provide a substantial boost to the local economy and Fremantle traders

We’re absolutely delighted to welcome the Department of Communities staff to Freo.

To help them settle in we’ve partnered with the departments and the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce to put together a welcome pack providing tips from the locals on their favourite shops, cafes and lunch spots.

Saying the timing is unfortunate is a bit of an understatement given the the latest updates on the COVID-19 response. This they’ll only be able to order takeaways for the time being, but once this is behind us they’ll discover Fremantle has some amazing cafes, bars and shops and is a great place to work.

The main driver for the City’s decision to embark on the Kings Square project was to revitalise the heart of the city and get more people living and working Fremantle, so it’s fantastic to see this happening.

“When our new building – the Walyalup Civic Centre – is finished and Sirona’s FOMO development is open Kings Square will be full of people and an amazing, lively place to be.”    

Department of Communities Director General Michelle Andrews welcomed staff to their new offices in the South Campus at Newman Court.   

“Today marks a very significant milestone for the Department of Communities and I am very pleased to welcome the first 300 staff to Fremantle. Our new head office provides a safe and welcoming environment for our staff members and visitors.

“Our wonderful new accommodation will help our staff work together more efficiently to create pathways that enable individual, family and community wellbeing.

“We are looking forward to discovering the surrounding vibrant, cultural and historical Fremantle which I’m sure will inspire us to do our best work.”

Minister for Child Protection Simone McGurk said the relocation of Department of Communities workers to Fremantle’s redeveloped Kings Square would provide a significant boost to the area’s working population.

“The department’s move to Fremantle could not come at a better time,” Minister McGurk said.

“As we all practice responsible social distancing and alternative working arrangements, this new location could provide an opportunity.

“In the medium and long term it is going to be crucial that we have a large number of people working in Fremantle as we weather the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Another measure to make the Department of Communities feel at home in Fremantle was the relocation of ‘The Family’ – an iconic sculpture by celebrated West Australian artist Margaret Priest.

The artwork was commissioned by the state government in 1975 and welcomed staff and visitors to the Department’s former head office in East Perth for over 40 years.

Standing 4.2 metres tall and weighing almost 20 tonnes, ‘The Family’ was transported from East Perth and installed in front of the main entrance of the department’s new headquarters in Newman Court in a major operation in November.

Margaret Priest is one of the few female artists of her time to live and work as a professional artist in post-war Perth. She introduced modernist concepts in her major works during the 1950s to 1980s and had an important influence on Perth’s cultural landscape.

The Pioneer Woman at Kings Park is her most recognised piece, however Margaret Priest also produced many works displayed at Kings Park, Perth Zoo, the University of Western Australia and in private collections.

The City of Fremantle is undertaking the $270 million renewal of Kings Square in partnership with Sirona Capital.

The project includes Sirona’s redevelopment of the old Myer and Queensgate sites to create offices for more than 1700 state government employees and the revolutionary FOMO food, art and retail concept, the construction of the City of Fremantle’s new civic centre and library building, and the rejuvenation of the public spaces that surround the site.

For more information on the Kings Square Renewal Project visit the Kings Square Fremantle website, or watch this video.

The Wonderful Redevelopment of Freo’s Manning Buildings

The redevelopment of the Manning Buildings in central Fremantle has had less publicity than Kings Square or even the proposed Woolstores development but it a really important development is emerging behind its 120 year old façade.

For the first time in generations the upstairs floors will be fully activated as offices, the bull-nose verandas and posts will be reinstated, and the shop fronts upgraded. It is great to see this important heritage adapted and brought fully back to life.

The inappropriate paint is been stripped back to the original concrete – just as the Fremantle Town Hall was recently and the Atwell Building across the Mall.

Out the back is a major development of new commercial floor space that will enable the development to connect far better with the Paddy Troy Mall behind.

It is great to see such important redevelopment for central Fremantle well underway and well done to Silverleaf for undertaking such a major investment in Fremantle.

I don’t think it would be exaggerating to say that our High Street from the Roundhouse to the Fremantle Town Hall is looking the best it has in many, many decades.

Here are a few photos both inside and out of the development over the last few weeks.

Kings Square Development Photos

I had the opportunity to have a look around the Sirona component of the Kings Square redevelopment

As you can see it looks great. As do the views across Freo from higher floors.

Kings Square public realm contract awarded

A $1.6 million contract to upgrade to the public spaces around Kings Square has been awarded by the Fremantle Council.

The council awarded the tender to construct stage one of the Kings Square public realm upgrade to Perth-based civil engineering and construction company MG Group.

City of Fremantle Kings Square Project Director Russell Kingdom said the public realm upgrades were an important part of the broader Kings Square Renewal project.

“The contract is for the provision of civil works to Newman Court and part of High Street to complete the public realm adjacent to the new Sirona development and the City’s new civic centre and library,” Mr Kingdom said.

“The scope includes supply and installation of concrete pavement, cobbles and pavers, soft landscaping, lighting and electrical, CCTV, furnishings and other associated works.

“The contract will be delivered in two stages, with the aim to have public realm works open to the public as soon as possible after the completion of the neighbouring buildings.

“The first part is aligned with the construction and opening of the Sirona development, with works planned to commence in August and finishing in late 2019.

“The second part is aligned with the construction and opening of the City’s civic building and library, with completion expected towards the end of 2020.

“MG Group are a highly respected local company that has recently worked on landmark projects like Perth Stadium, Scarborough Beach foreshore, the Elizabeth Quay Island Playground  and Perth Children’s Hospital.

“They have previously worked for the City of Fremantle on the Tuckfield Oval project at Cantonment Hill and delivered the project on time, within budget and to a high quality.”

The City of Fremantle is currently undertaking a $270 million renewal of Kings Square in partnership with Sirona Capital.

The project includes Sirona’s redevelopment of the old Myer and Queensgate sites to create offices for 1500 state government employees and the revolutionary FOMO food and retail concept, the construction of the City of Fremantle’s new civic centre and library building, and the rejuvenation of the public spaces that surround the site. 

For more information on the Kings Square Renewal Project visit the Kings Square Fremantle website, or watch this video.

Australian Heritage Festival in Freo

And if the City of Fremantle International Street Arts Festival wasn’t enough festival activity for you then there is also the month-long Australian Heritage Festival 2019 also kicking off tomorrow in Fremantle.

The City of Fremantle has hosted its own Heritage Festival for a number of years, and is thrilled to be part of the Australian Heritage Festival’s program this year.

The Australian Heritage Festival has 159 events registered in WA, and we are proud that 40 of them will be hosted in Fremantle.

In this year’s Fremantle program, you’ll find inspiring guided tours at WA’s only World Heritage-listed building Fremantle Prison, and plenty more across the city’s important heritage sites.

Collectors Weekend on 18-19 May is shaping up to be a fantastic addition, and of course, I’m pleased to be involved in the bike tour again where I’ll present stories of the unbuilt and historical saves across our city.”

Australian Heritage Festival 2019 runs from 18 April – 19 May. The theme this year is Connecting People, Places and the Past.

For more information about the festival’s events, visit the Australian Heritage Festival website.

 

Highlights include:

 

Collectors Weekend: Claudia Chan Shaw

Claudia Chan Shaw presents on the Art of Collecting. Claudia is widely known around Australia as co-host and present on ABC TV’s popular program Collectors and is a presenter on Eastside Radio 89.7FM.

Free (bookings required reception@museum.wa.gov.au)

WA Maritime Museum

Saturday 18 May, 11am

 

Fish Guts and All – The Return

The successful and colourful tour returns. Let’s dive deeper and explore the undercurrents that created the fishing industry in Freo. Where the fishermen and women mended and made their nets, processed their fish and refitted their boats. Street the streets and ride in style to places that used to be.

Wednesday 1 May – Friday 3 May, 2-4.30pm

fishguts.eventbrite.com.au/

 

Demolished and Unbuilt: The Mayor’s Alternative Fremantle History Cycle Tour

Returns after being sold out the last two years!

Fremantle is a city of layers with thousands of individual planning choices shaping the unique place that it is today. Join Mayor Brad Pettitt on a bike tour exploring what could’ve been – the stories of the unbuilt and the historical saves.

Free (bookings required: Fremantlehistorycycle.eventbrite.com.au)

Saturday 11 May, 2pm

Rainbow, 1 Canning Hway

 

Waalyalup Waarkiny

Art, craft workshops, storytelling and music performance. Wadjuk Nyoongar Richard Walley and family will deliver creative cultural workshops for children e.g. toolmaking and clay modelling. Children will get the opportunity to make a small tool using clay.

Free

Fremantle Town Hall

Saturday 4 May

10.30 – 3pm

 

Fake News and False History: Peter Greste

Join us for the annual keynote address of the Fremantle Heritage Festival, delivered by the internationally renowned journalist Pete Greste. In this fascinating keynote address, Greste will explore the complex issues of truth and lies as it relates to our past, present and future.

Free (bookings required)

Tannock Hall, University of Notre Dame

 

It is not everyday you get to turn a sod…

Ceremony marks start of construction on new Fremantle Civic Centre and Library

A sod turning ceremony at Kings Square this morning has marked the start of construction on the City of Fremantle’s new civic centre and library.

The $41.3 million project is part of the broader $270 million Kings Square Renewal project – a joint initiative of the City of Fremantle and Sirona Capital.

It is a historic day for the City. The Fremantle Town Hall has been standing proudly in Kings Square for well over a hundred years. It’s my hope that a hundred years from now our new civic centre and library building will still be standing alongside it, and will be regarded with the same love and affection.

Our new civic centre and library will be an amazing building, not just for the council but for the whole community.

Less than half the floor space of the building will be taken up by the operations of the City and its staff, with the majority of the building for community facilities and commercial and retail spaces.

It will have a stunning modern library, fully accessible toilets and change facilities, a state-of-the-art information and customer service centre, a wide range of community meeting rooms and gallery and exhibition spaces integrated with the Town Hall.

It will also be one of the most energy efficient buildings of its size in Australia and showcase a wide array of sustainability features.

But most importantly, it will bring people back to the civic heart of Fremantle and make Kings Square a safer, more attractive and vibrant space.

The new civic centre and library was designed by the internationally renowned Fremantle firm Kerry Hill Architects and will be built by WA construction company Pindan.

Pindan Managing Director George Allingame said it was very special to be involved in such a landmark project.

“Even though I have been in the construction business for over forty years, I really enjoy moments like these,” Mr Allingame said.

“I would like to thank Mayor Pettitt and the City of Fremantle for entrusting Pindan with this project, and I would also like to commend Kerry Hill Architects for designing such a magnificent building.

“We are excited to help bring this stunning new civic centre and library to the City of Fremantle and I look forward to being back here together for the official opening in mid-2020.”

Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk represented the Premier at the ceremony.

“Today marks a turning point for Kings Square and the Fremantle CBD,” Ms McGurk said.

“The new civic centre will be an open, sustainable and community-oriented space in the heart of Fremantle.

“Combined with the state government’s relocation of over 1500 public servants to Fremantle, it will inject new life into Kings Square and the local economy.”

For more information about the Kings Square Renewal project visit the Kings Square Fremantle website

 

Kerry Hill Architect’s Sean McGivern, Sirona Capital’s Matthew McNeilly, George Allingame from Pindan, Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk and Mayor Brad Pettitt turn the first sod of the City of Fremantle’s new civic centre and library.

Why the new Kings Square civic building is central to Freo’s revitalisation

Here is the long version of the Thinking Allowed in the Freo Herald this weekend:

This week’s signing of the contract with Pindan Constructions to build the new civic centre and library in Kings Square was a historic moment for the City of Fremantle.

As an integral part of the broader Kings Square Renewal project, the new civic building will be an amazing community asset we can all be proud of.

It’s a fact that without the City’s commitment to invest a new civic building the revitalisation of central Fremantle we are currently witnessing – with new offices, retail spaces and 1500 state government employees relocating to town – simply would not be happening.

Similar to other Kerry Hill designed buildings – like the City of Perth library and the State Theatre Centre – the new civic centre will be a light, bright and airy space.

It will have a new, modern public library – double the size of the old one – with a huge range of books, computers, a state-of-the-art history centre, a library lounge and outdoor courtyards, even gaming consoles and a slide.

It will have community meeting rooms, fully accessible public toilets and change facilities, a modern information and customer service centre and gallery and exhibition spaces integrated with the Town Hall.

It will also be one of the most energy efficient buildings of its size in Australia – aiming to be zero carbon by making more energy that it uses.

It’s taken years of community engagement, investigations, reports, consultations, debates and deliberations to arrive at the point where we could hit the ‘go’ button on one of the most significant projects in the City’s history.

The Fremantle Council recognised back in 2003 – long before I was elected – the need to replace our old administration building.

At that time the council moved a motion to investigate alternatives to what was described in the council report as a building which was ‘outdated and incurred considerable annual maintenance costs’. The report also stated ‘a considerable amount of money would be required to upgrade and refurbish the building to current acceptable standards’.

The following year the council established a Civic Area Redevelopment Project to look at a precinct-wide development of Kings Square, including the City-owned buildings and the privately owned Myer building.

In 2011 the council revisited these earlier plans with a fresh new approach to the Kings Square precinct and kick-start Fremantle’s much-needed revitalisation.

Following an innovative ‘Citizens Jury’, the Kings Square Urban Design Strategy was adopted by the council in June 2012.  These community-inspired design guidelines along with a comprehensive business plan were then used as the brief for the Kings Square Architectural Design Competition.

The competition was promoted nationally and internationally in 2013 and conducted in accordance with the Australian Institute of Architects Competition Guidelines. The final winning design by Fremantle-based Kerry Hill Architects, along with other entries, formed part of a public exhibition in 2014.

Since then the council has worked to further refine the design, put our finances in order to fund the project and entered into a commercial agreement with Sirona Capital to leverage their $220 million investment to redevelop old Myer and Queensgate sites as part of the broader renewal of Kings Square.

The total cost to construct the new civic centre and library will be $41.3 million. We have been very diligent in keeping costs down and ensuring the best value for money for ratepayers, while also delivering a magnificent new community facility.

Even so, $41.3 million is a lot of money so it’s natural for people to ask if we can afford it.

A 10-year financial plan adopted in 2015 showed the City’s finances would be strengthened as a result of the Kings Square development.

The project will be funded over the next four years using a combination of existing savings, the proceeds of previous asset sales and additional borrowings. Because of prudent financial planning it does not rely on huge increases in rates.

We are already seeing the boost this project has given central Fremantle, with new investments in residential apartments and commercial properties. The increase in commercial and residential property developed as a result of Kings Square will generate more rate revenue for the City, taking the pressure off existing ratepayers.

The improved energy efficiency and reduced maintenance costs on the new building will also deliver significant operational savings.

The old administration building suffered from concrete cancer, had significant asbestos contamination and did not meet legal disability access requirements. A report prepared in 2012 showed the City would have to spend $28 million on the old building  just to meet the minimum required standards, and more than $50 million to properly refurbish it and add new extensions.

So the real question around a new building was not if we could afford to do it, but rather if we could afford not to do it.

The recent demolition of the old administration building and library created an open environment at Kings Square which hasn’t been seen for more than 100 years, and which prompted some to ask why we couldn’t leave the square open and locate the new facilities elsewhere.

Fremantle Society cited a report from 2006 which recommended just that. However, that same report also said in order for Kings Square to function as a big open space it would require the redevelopment of the four surrounding sides of the square, with significantly increased density and building heights.

It’s also clear that Sirona would not have been willing to invest in the Kings Square Renewal project unless the City also committed to new civic and community facilities in the square.

The whole point of the Kings Square Renewal project is to bring people back to the heart of the city and make Kings Square a safer, more attractive and vibrant space. The new civic building will do that – our current library alone attracts 14,000 visitors a month.

It is a genuinely transformational project, which will breathe new life into Fremantle’s civic heart and be enjoyed by generations to come.