News

WHITE WATER PARK SITE RESERVED
14/12/07

The Armadale Redevelopment Authority has included a site for the white water park in its latest plan for the land around Champion Lakes which adjoins Tonkin Highway on the Armadale, Kelmscott boundary.

The reserved site is just under 4.5 hectares and has frontage to Champion Lakes and to Lake Road.

Development enquiries should be directed to the Armadale Redevelopment Authority.

WHITE WATER PARK DEVELOPER WITHDRAWS

After considerable research, the preferred proponent to develop the white water park at Champion Lake has decided not to continue with his proposal.

While he believed the park would operate as a successful stand alone commercial venture he did not believe that it would return a satisfactory return on his capital investment.

We thank him for his involvement.

WHITE WATER PARK PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE (#3)

The white water park was debated in Parliament again on 9 May. You may recall the Liberal Party motion “That this house calls on the government to ensure that the Water Corporation honours its commitment to provide $10.85 million in financial assistance to Canoeing WA to replace the Harvey international slalom course that it was forced to relinquish in 1998”, had 3 minutes in the previous sitting of Parliament.

This time it was a 68 minute debate. Trevor Sprigg, Shadow Minister for Sport moved the motion. Terry Waldron, Deputy Leader of the National Party and Tony Simpson, Liberal spoke in support.

Mr John Kobelke, Minister for Sport and Recreation then replied speaking for about 10 minutes. He too was supportive.

He moved an amendment to the motion which read “That this House supports Canoeing WA in its efforts to find a replacement for the Harvey International Slalom Course”. Bob Kucera, Labor, spoke in support. This motion was passed.

A very useful step in the process.

Our thanks to the Liberal Party and the National Party for raising the matter.

We sincerely thank Minister John Kobelke and the Government for their support of the Canoeing WA campaign to get a white water park at Champion Lakes.

Click here to read the Hansard transcript of the debate.

WHITE WATER PARK PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE (#2)

There was no white water park debate in Parliament on Wednesday 4th April as we had hoped. We were 4th on the agenda and debate centered on the lead issue in Esperance and never got to us.

Disappointing but understandable. Our thanks to the Liberal and National Parties for their support. However wheels are still turning.

Parliament next sits in May.

WHITE WATER PARK DEBATED IN PARLIAMENT (#1)

On Wednesday 28 March as part of the regular Parliamentary “Private members’ time”, debate commenced on the Liberal Party motion

“That this house calls on the government to ensure that the Water Corporation honours its commitment to provide $10.85 million in financial assistance to Canoeing WA to replace the Harvey international slalom course that it was forced to relinquish in 1998.”

It was the third motion to be debated and time had virtually expired. We got 2 minutes.

However as debate had commenced and is being continued it should mean it is first cab off the rank next Wednesday 4th April at 4.00 pm.

Our thanks to Trevor Sprigg and Tony Simpson of the Liberal Party, and Terry Waldron from the National Party for their support.

Come to the Visitor’s Gallery at Parliament House if you want to observe the debate.

Colin Thorpe

WHITE WATER PARK DECISIONS HOPEFULLY CLOSER

The decision making process regarding the white water park proposed for Champion Lakes has hopefully gained momentum.

Water Corporation made the first a series of promises to retain or replace the whitewater Harvey International Slalom Course way back in 1999. They have not honoured their promises. (See How long must we wait??) They now say that they are waiting on a proposal from the Armadale Redevelopment Authority. That has been now been delivered.

The Liberal Party has given notice of the following motion to be debated in the West Australian Parliament:

That this house calls on the government to ensure that the Water Corporation honours its commitment to provide $10.85 million in financial assistance to Canoeing WA to replace the Harvey international slalom course that it was forced to relinquish in 1998.

The National Party fully supports this motion.

Details of the scheduling of this debate will be posted in news as they become available. We hope you can attend.

Canoeing WA has written to Mr John Kobelke, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Water Resources asking him to form a committee comprising the Armadale Redevelopment Authority, Water Corporation, the Department of Sport and Recreation and Canoeing WA to finalise decisions re the white water park and Water Corporation's financial contribution to it. Canoeing WA asked the Minister to require this committee to conclude its decision making within 3 months.

Please email the Minister expressing your concerns re Water Corporation's broken promises. Detail of the broken promises is on the White Water Park website in How long must we wait?? Emailing information is in the footer of that document.

The FOWWP Team

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