Message from the CEO This financial year has seen the organisation continue to evolve in response to the needs of the community. Well hasn’t 2020 been a strange year - COVID-19 hit the world like a shock wave. And it wasn't any different here in the City of Kalamunda. We all called it a crisis - which by definition... is a turning point of a disease when an important change takes place, indicating either recovery or death? And that’s what COVID confronted us with. My approach to dealing with this threat was to fall back to a wellplanned out attack. I recall the day after we were told to shut down business on 27 March. On 28 March I gathered my thoughts and wrote a plan. That plan was the Local Community Preparedness Pandemic Plan. That plan became our guiding light. It set out what our crisis response would be, who needed to be involved, when things would happen, all the actions we needed to implement and how we would communicate with our staff, stakeholders and most importantly the community. The new world we now face will become heavily reliant on economic growth, with a localised focus. We are committed to support small business to grow or emerge out of the ashes of COVID. To find the people who have dreams about being an entrepreneur and help them realise
that dream.
development will soon be unveiled.
We have been doing some innovative and progressive strategic land use planning for the past decade.
We have also championed aged care development in the City to deal with the current under supply.
We have driven the rezoning of key areas of rural land within the City for example Wattle Grove Cell 9 which is now nearly built out.
Soon we will see new land parcels, formerly crown reserve, released to the market in Pomeroy Road, Carmel and in Cambridge Reserve, Forrestfield.
We have created a new light industrial area in Forrestfield and we are in the throes of finalising structure plans for High Wycombe South around the new train station. This will provide residential housing, mixed use and TOD development where around 8,000 people will live.
The Hales, like most subdivisions in the City sold like hot cakes. People love living here and we have not seen any downturn in sales even during COVID-19. We are 20minutes from the Perth CBD, we have amazing new road networks and we will soon have a train station nearby.
We put through a scheme amendment to enable dual density zoning around our activity centres in Kalamunda, High Wycombe and Forrestfield.
We are courageous in our endeavours to ensure environmental protection and sustainable development which results in the creation of connected communities that generate sustainable growth within our City.
We finalised an exciting activity centre plan for the Kalamunda town centre which will deliver a vibrant and unique contemporary centre, targeted small business, food experiences, markets, arts and crafts to become a tourist hub so we can capitalise on the marvellous assets we have here in the hills. We have also finalised a functional review of Kalamunda Road through High Wycombe so as we see an intensification of infill we will be able to create a beautiful boulevard style road through that area. We have been working with the State to look at ways to breathe life into our hinterland and the Pickering Brooke Townsite
This year, I am pleased to report we have maintained the City’s strong financial position, while ensuring support for the community during a very difficult time for many. Finally - thank you to our elected members, led by Cr Margaret Thomas, the City’s Executive Staff and their teams for their energy and commitment to getting through this past year and the community for sticking together and supporting local. Rhonda Hardy Chief Executive Officer City of Kalamunda
City of Kalamunda Annual Report 2019-2020
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