Published on Wednesday, 5 April 2017 at 12:00:00 AM
The transformation of the Olive Street Reserve from a brown field site into a landscaped public open space will soon be underway with Council awarding the work to local contractor Red Dust Holdings.
The new parkland will feature an ephemeral or temporary wetland and a large grassed recreation area surrounded by landscaped native plantings.
City of Greater Geraldton Deputy Mayor Neil McIlwaine said the environmentally sustainable project has been in the planning stage for a long time.
“The remediation of the Olive Street Reserve has been on the books for many years and is another legacy project such as Beresford Foreshore, Town Towers and Wonthella Oval lights that this new Council has pushed through,” he said.
“Remediation works will begin with the management of contaminated materials that have been dumped at the site over the years in accordance with obligations under the Contaminated Sites Act 2013.
“This will be followed by the construction of an ephemeral wetland and drainage system which will filter diverted rainwater from the South Pipe for pollutants, rubbish and other debris before it fills the wetland area and recharges the groundwater.
The diversion of more than half the stormwater into the park will also have a positive impact on the Back Beach coastline.
“The wetland area will have enough capacity to hold up to 60% of the rainwater that flows through the South Pipe during a 1 in 100 year storm event,” Deputy Mayor McIlwaine said.
“With considerably less rainwater flowing through the South Pipe during storms coastal erosion on Mahomets Beach caused by rainwater runoff will also be minimised.”
The project has also received support from the local community.
“During a community information session in held in mid-March area residents commended the City on the park design.
“They were also able to identify a potential additional entry point into the park which has since been included in the plan,” he said.
Remediation works are scheduled to begin in April 2017 and be completed in late August 2017.
An environmental specialist will be onsite at all times to ensure the earthworks comply with the Contaminated Sites Act 2013.
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