Major Bunbury infrastructure projects have dodged escalating building costs, but some could still be hit

Bunbury City Mayor Jaysen Miguel has admitted rapidly rising building and material costs will impact infrastructure projects in the City, but said a number of major projects have dodged the hike. It come as updates on the progress of a number of major projects, including the new Youth Precinct and developments at Hay Park, Forrest Park and Hands Oval, were all revealed in the City’s Capital Works Summary. The highly-anticipated Youth Precinct, an entry statement to Bunbury’s CBD, is 80 per cent complete, with key components including the skatepark, climbing nets and sports courts installed, while the new multi-use pavilion at Hay Park is 90 per cent complete, with only landscaping and furniture installation still to come. But other planned projects, including those at Forrest Park and Hands Oval — Bunbury’s premier sporting precinct — could be impacted by escalating prices. “With some of the major ones we have had so far in terms of the Youth Precinct and Hay Park — a lot of the contracts have been locked in prior to some of the escalations — and they haven’t been as bad as some other ones,” Mr Miguel said. “Things like Forrest Park and Hands Oval are ones where we are going to experience it now and we need to make sure we get those right. “We are looking at modelling and working with our builders when we are going through the tender process to get the best out of it, rather than just going out for tenders and saying ‘this is what we want’, we are working a bit more closely around how the builders can come to the party. “It is something every local government is going to experience and we need to make sure we are in a position to do that. “When we are going and asking for money from the State or Federal government we need to make sure we know exactly what we are asking for.” It is the same approach taken by the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, which will confirm plans for its redevelopment of V.C Mitchell Park after working closely with tender applicants. That development is expected to experience major cutbacks, with the work now centering on the new two-storey football club development. Mr Miguel also said a number of projects had been delivered behind time, including the Youth Precinct, which the City had hoped to open “towards the end of summer”. “Unfortunately some of those projects haven’t been completed on time, but given the timing we are in now it has been very difficult,” he said. “That is purely out of our control, there is nothing we can do about it. “It is a shortage of getting some gear from overseas and with COVID there are difficulties with delivery time. “The good news is they are still going ahead and will be completed and it will be great when they are all being opened.” The design and construction contract for the upgrades at Forrest Park — home of the Marist Cricket Club and Bunbury Dynamos Soccer Club — will be awarded next financial year, while a request for tender has been advertised for the design and construction of Hands Oval. The Federal Government last year announced $4.4 million worth of funding would go towards the Hands Oval upgrade, in addition to the State Government’s $5 million. The summary also revealed work to upgrade CCTV and sewerage in the Halifax Business Park was 95 per cent complete.