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WHITE WATER PARK UPDATE
While economic conditions are somewhat difficult
at the moment there has been considerable action and profile building
with the government, occurring.
In 2007 Water Corporation
put $10 million into a trust fund for community loss of the Logue
Brook Dam which was to be converted to a drinking water supply.
The new government reversed this decision. A campaign was launched
for this $10 million to be allocated to the white water park. Emails
were sent to Friends of the White Water Park requesting them to
email the Minister for Sport and Recreation. My thanks to the almost
150 people who sent in emails. I understand you all got replies.
Minister Waldron however did not agree with our proposal. The number
of emails was considered very high by the government so it all helped
our profile.
Australian Canoeing requested a case for funding
from the Federal Government's crisis funding. This has been done.
We now have the active support of two government
members, Tony Simpson, member for Darling Range and Bill Marmion,
member for Nedlands. They are actively presenting the case for Water
Corporation to be required to honour its promises and provide funding
for the white water park.
4.5 hectares of land has been allocated for the park at Champion
Lakes. We are pushing for this to be available at no cost.
We would like to talk with a developer interested
in developing the park. There is good financial data available.
Currently we have 8378 Friends of the White
Water Park. We are hoping to reach 10 000. Please encourage people
to become a "Friend" at www.whitewaterperth.org.au
Colin Thorpe
19/2/09
WEST AUSTRALIAN MINISTER VISITS PENRITH
WHITEWATER STADIUM
1/12/2008
On 18th November Terry Waldron, West Australian Minister for Sport
and Recreation together with Ron Alexander, Director General of
Sport and Recreation visited Penrith Whitewater Stadium. They were
met by Richard Fox, Australian Institute of Sport, Canoeing National
High Performance Director, West Australians Robin Bell, Bronze Medalist,
Beijing Olympics, Robbie Jeffery, Australian Slalom Team member
and Zlatan Ibrahimbegovic, international slalom coach, together
with Jack Hodge, Manager of the Penrith Whitewater Stadium.
It was a fact finding visit for the Minister
and I understand he was impressed with what he saw.
On 21st November Canoeing WA wrote to Minister
Waldron requesting that the $10 million Water Corporation had posted
as compensation for the community loss of access to the Logue Brook
Dam be transferred into a white water park trust fund as compensation
for the loss of the Harvey International Slalom Course. This was
closed as a direct result of Water Corporation's construction of
the Harvey Dam. Public access has been restored to the Logue Brook
Dam so that this compensation trust fund is no longer required.
Canoeing WA is requesting Friends of the White
Water Park (now numbering 8314) to email Minister Waldron expressing
their support for the Canoeing WA proposal. See the White Water
Park home page for details.
Colin Thorpe
White Water Park Spokesperson
Canoeing WA
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
Late 2006
CHAMPION LAKES WHITE WATER PARK
PROGRESS REPORT August 2006
The Armadale Redevelopment Authority has advertised
for registrations of interest to develop a white water park at Champion
Lakes. They offered a 17 hectare site which will incorporate the
white water park with grades 2 and 3 level white water in one or
two channels. The remaining land will be available for other complementary
use including short term accommodation, conference, dining and refreshment
facilities.
They received several registrations of interest
and have commenced discussions with these proponents. They have
also commissioned a major feasibility study to assist the integration
of the range of proposals with other commercial opportunities that
have been proposed. This report should be completed by the end of
September.
Then it is about another 3 to 4 months before
a final decision is made.
Enquiries:
Colin Thorpe
Director, Canoeing WA
08 9386 6842 Email
CALL FOR REGISTRATIONS OF INTEREST FOR A WHITE
WATER PARK AT CHAMPION LAKES
The Armadale Redevelopment Authority
has called for registrations from the private sector to develop
a White Water Park at the new Champion Lakes sporting complex near
Armadale. They have appointed Colliers International to market the
request for registrations of interest. A national and international
marketing campaign will be conducted.
Click here
to view the promotional brochure (2.8MB).
If you know of companies that might be
interested please get them to contact Terry Hutchings of Colliers
International in Perth on 61 8 9261 6666 or terry.hutchings@colliers.com
Concern over the loss of rivers for sport
and recreation as a result of dam construction. There is growing
community concern over the number of rivers lost for community sporting
and recreational use due to dam construction. 7 of the 10 significant
rivers between Perth and Bunbury have been lost to the community.
Four "Lost Rivers Paddles" have been filled both sides
with signatures. The paddle is endorsed "Have paddle but no
creek any more".
Our Friends of White Water Park is still
growing with over 7850 registered "Friends". If you would
like to become a "Friend" please check our registration
page.
Have paddle but no creek.
Early 2006
The Armadale Redevelopment
Authority is to call for registrations from the private sector to
develop a White Water Park at the new Champion Lakes sporting complex
near Armadale. They have appointed Colliers International to market
the request for registrations of interest. A national marketing
campaign will commence very shortly.
If you know of companies
that might be interested please get them to contact Colliers International
in Perth.
Robin Bell was recently
awarded the West Australian, ANZ, Sports Star of the Year jointly
with footballer Ben Cousins in recognition of his World C1 Slalom
Championship win.
Robin is a West Australian
who gained his initial slalom experience at the Harvey International
Slalom Course. This was closed in 1998 as a result of dam building
by Water Corporation. As a result Robin moved to NSW where along
with other West Australians they have been very successful. They
would like to be able to return home. They need the White Water
Park to be built to be able return to the West and still remain
competitive at the elite level.
Concern over the
loss of rivers for sport and recreation as a result of dam construction.
There is growing community concern over the number of rivers lost
for community sporting and recreational use due to dam construction.
7 of the 10 significant rivers between Perth and Bunbury have been
lost to the community. Four "Lost Rivers Paddles" have
been filled both sides with signatures. The paddle ie endorsed "Have
paddle but no creek any more". We also have a poster that focuses
on the loss of the Harvey International Slalom course below the
Stirling Dam as a result of dam construction by Water Corporation.
This poster is available
from Canoeing WA at ww.wa.canoe.org.au.
Posters cost $20 with $6 postage and handling. See a sample here.
Our Friends of White
Water Park is still growing with over 7850 registered "Friends".
If you would like to become a "Friend" please check our
registration page.
Have paddle but no creek.
Late 2005
It has been decided not to go ahead with the
initial proposal to develop a White Water Park in Perth.
However the Armadale Redevelopment Authority
is to call for registrations from the private sector to develop
a White Water Park at the new Champion Lakes sporting complex near
Armadale. They have appointed Colliers International to market the
request for registrations of interest. Advertisements will be placed
in January 2006. If you know of companies that might be interested
please get them to contact Colliers International in Perth.
Congratulations to Robin Bell on his recent
World C1 Slalom Championship victory. A celebratory poster is available
from Canoeing WA at www.wa.canoe.org.au.
Posters cost $20 with $6 postage and handling. See sample.
Robin is a West Australian who gained his initial
slalom experience at the Harvey International Slalom Course. This
was closed in 1998 as a result of dam building by Water Corporation.
As a result Robin moved to NSW where along with other West Australians
they have been very successful. They would like to be able to return
home. They need the White Water Park to be built to return to the
West and still remain competitive at the elite level.
There is growing community concern over the number of rivers lost
for community sporting and recreational use due to dam construction.
7 of the 10 significant rivers between Perth and Bunbury have been
lost to the community. Four "Lost Rivers Paddles" have
been filled both sides with signatures. The paddle ie endorsed "Have
paddle but no creek any more". Mr Ulrich Feldoff, President
of the International Canoe Federation was a recent signatory. See
his picture.
We also have a "Lost Rivers" car
sticker and more information.
Our Friends of White Water Park is still growing
with over 7700 registered "Friends". If you would like
to become a "Friend" please check our registration page.
Have paddle but no creek.
SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE
ON LOST RIVERS
Read it here.
SPORTING & RECREATIONAL
PADDLING RIVERS LOST DUE TO WATER CORPORATION WATER HARVESTING
Full article is here.
WHITE WATER PARK
NEWS
On Friday 25 February 2005 the Department of Sport and Recreation
received a firm proposal from Sydney based company JK Williams to
develop the White Water Park.
This proposal now needs to be evaluated before
a recommendation goes to the Minister for Sport and Recreation,
probably by mid to late April.
Our Friends of White Water Park is still growing
with close to 7500 now registered as "Friends". If you
would like to become a "Friend" please check our registration
page.
We have also been contacted by several people
expressing their concern of a continual pattern of ongoing loss
of white water for sporting and recreational purposes. Over the
years the community has lost access to white water on the Helena,
Canning, Wungong, Serpentine, North Dandalup, South Dandalup and
the Harvey rivers. In addition the Collie River is also under threat.
PRESS COVERAGE
The White Water Park has been getting good press coverage. There
have been articles in
There have also been letters in the papers
supporting the White Water Park. Thank you for all the effort you
are making to help make the Park a reality.
EAST LEISURE GROUP
SHORT-LISTED
East Leisure Group has been named
by the Department of Sport and Recreation as the short-listed company
to submit a proposal to develop the White Water Park in Perth. The
Sydney based company, has considerable experience in white water
parks including the Penrith Whitewater Stadium in NSW.
A director of the company visited Perth recently
for discussions with key stakeholders and visited possible sites.
FRIENDS OF WHITE
WATER PARK PUBLIC MEETING
The Friends of White Water Park public meeting on 22 September was
very successful with about 60 people attending. We were very pleased
to welcome Liberal member for Canning Don Randall and Labor candidate
Kay Hallahan to the meeting. Both expressed their support for the
White Water Park to be located at Champion Lakes. There are currently
3483 Friends of White Water Park in the Seat of Canning.
Robin Bell who came 4th in the Canoe
Slalom C1 event, shared his Athens Olympic experiences with us.
Everyone at the meeting had the opportunity to inspect his Olympic
Torch, which he received when he carried the torch in Sydney prior
to the Games, for us to inspect.
WEBSITE
The website www.whitewaterperth.org.au
has been widely visited. There have been over 158,000 hits from
over 16 different countries since the site was launched on 17 May
2004.
FRIENDS OF THE WHITE
WATER PARK (FOWWP)
FOWWP membership is growing very strongly. Membership is now over
7,400 but we still need more friends. We thank you very sincerely
for your support. A large FOWWP membership very significantly helps
our campaign for a White Water Park for Western Australia.
If you are not yet a FOWWP please check the
benefits that a White Water Park will bring to Western Australia.
(Click on benefits in the menu). Then please join. Click on Friends
in the menu and follow the directions.
If you are a FOWWP please get some of your
friends to join. A sample email to send to your friends can be found
under Friends, Email friends in the menu.
ROBIN BELL'S OLYMPIC
SLALOM SUCCESS
West Australian Robin Bell had a great Olympic campaign, just missing
out on a bronze medal in coming fourth in the Men's C1 canoe slalom.
Robin, a West Aussie, who has had to relocate to Penrith in NSW
to continue his sporting career is hoping for the White Water Park
to be built in WA so he can return home to continue his sporting
career.
The TV coverage of the Olympic slalom was very
spectacular. It was watched by 148 nations around the world. The
television ratings for the slalom competition were overwhelming.
Greek television stations have ranked slalom as their top event
of the first week of the Olympic Games, while the global viewership
figures have placed the slalom racing in the top three of the Games
overall, along with the first day of the swimming, and the athletics
one hundred metres finals.
The final day's action was watched live by
IOC President Jacques Rogge, and many IOC members and national federation
presidents attended the slalom events during the earlier part of
the week.
Robin will be talking about his Olympic experience
at the Friends of White Water Park public meeting at the Harold
King Community Hall, Grovelands Drive, Westfield on Wednesday 22nd
September at 7.30 pm. All are welcome.
LABOR PARTY POSITION
RE THE WHITE WATER PARK AT CHAMPION LAKES
We have received a letter of support from Kay Hallahan Labor candidate
for the Seat of Canning.
To view her letter click here.
FRIENDS OF WHITE
WATER PARK PUBLIC MEETING
A meeting of Friends of White Water Park has been called to advise
"Friends" of developments in the White Water Park campaign
and to encourage people to contact their local candidates in the
Federal election to ascertain their position re Federal funding
for the White Water Park.
Robin Bell who just missed bronze at the Athens
Olympics in C1 Slalom will share his Olympic experience with us
at the meeting.
Meeting details:
Harold King Community Hall
Grovelands Drive
Westfield
Wednesday 22 September 7.30 pm
REGISTRATIONS OF
INTEREST
The Department of Sport and Recreation has advertised for Registrations
of Interest to develop a White Water Park.
Registrations of interest closed on 29 June
2004.
NEW PROMOTIONAL
BROCHURE
We have produced an new FOWWP (Friends of White Water Park) promotional
brochure. It looks great. Check it out on the Help
Us page. Send it to your friends and get them to register.
WEST AUSTRALIAN
SLALOM PADDLER SELECTED FOR ATHENS
West Australian, Robin Bell, has recently won selection for the
only slalom C1 berth in the Australian canoeing team to compete
at the Athens Olympics.
Robin clinched selection
with a meritorious 4th place in the Slalom World Cup conducted at
the recently completed Olympic slalom course just outside Athens.
Another West Australian, Kynan Maley, was unlucky
to miss selection just behind Robin.
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