City councillors are looking into replacing the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre’s water feature, due to rising maintenance costs and poor water quality.
In a report presented to councillor, by City of Mandurah’s works and services director Allan Claydon, the feature was described as an ongoing issue.
The feature wraps around the centre and was installed at the same time as the iconic building, on Mandurah’s eastern foreshore, was constructed.
The push to change the feature was recommended in a 2014 report on Mandjar Square’s redevelopment.
Since then, city officers have researched the associated costs of the feature and produced a report into its future options.
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Three options were put forward to councillors at their Tuesday meeting, including retaining the feature as it is, reducing its size or decommissioning and replacing it.
Mr Claydon’s report recommended that councillors should endorse option three, which was to decommission and replace the feature.
His advise came after the options were presented to the MPAC board on December 11. Board members voted that the third option was the most desirable.
On Tuesday, councillors voted unanimously in favour of Mr Claydon’s recommendations, however the project will only get the green-light if it receives a simple majority at their next meeting on March 27.
If the option is voted in, the public may eventually see a grove of white slim-trunked paperbark trees with up-lighting in its place.
The capital cost of the new installation is estimated at $150,000 and the recurring cost of the feature is tipped at $4000 per year.
The water feature also includes an artwork by Golden Bay artist Gary Aitken, which links one of Mandurah’s most significant maritime disasters.
The drowning tragedy of a priest and three nuns.
On January 28, 1959 one young Irish Catholic Priest and three Irish Presentation Sisters were killed when their fibre-glass dinghy sunk in the Peel Inlet.
All options put forward to councillors included retaining and renovating the artworks by Mr Aitken.
To view the report and costs associated with the options visit the City of Mandurah’s website and search for the agenda or minutes from their March 13 meeting.