Home

Works on Geraldton Regional Art Gallery Park to start this week

Headshot of Kate Campbell
Kate CampbellMidwest Times
Concept design of the GRAG Park upgrade.
Camera IconConcept design of the GRAG Park upgrade. Credit: Supplied/City of Greater Geraldt/City of Greater Geraldt

Works on a long overdue $1.2 million project to transform the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery Park into a popular outdoor space for locals to enjoy start this week.

The council’s aim is to return the area to its original use as a community meeting place.

Works will begin on Thursday and include construction of a covered walkway along the gallery building, seating, areas to temporarily display public art and upgraded landscaping of trees and gardens to showcase the region’s world class wildflowers.

The aged toilet block, built in 1983, will be demolished and replaced.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said the space would return to its former glory as a community meeting place, an overflow area for the gallery on exhibition opening nights and a space for people to relax before venturing into the city centre via Rocks Laneway.

“In the early 1900s, a new Town Hall (now GRAG) was constructed that complemented the existing building beside it that was already being used as the Municipal Council Chambers,” he said.

“In 1907, the Town Hall was officially opened and the seat of local government was located in these two buildings till 1963 when it moved to the newly constructed Civic Centre on Cathedral Avenue.

“Unfortunately, the former chambers building then fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1969. It was used as a carpark until the 1980s when it was then turned into a park.”

The post office car park will remain open during the works, but several parking spaces near the park and art gallery building will be fenced off.

Construction was awarded to local contractors GBSC, with Parscape in charge of the landscaping. The project is expected to take about five months to complete.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails