Curbing antisocial behaviour and an all-year heated swimming pool were top priorities for City of Armadale residents, according to results from an extensive survey undertaken last year.
From October to December the city embarked on Growing Armadale, its biggest ever community consultation campaign, to provide direction for its Strategic Community Plan 2016-2031 with almost 2800 responses.
Of those, 77 per cent lived in the city, eight per cent worked there and 15 per cent were visitors.
Other priorities flagged were youth engagement, streetscapes, parks and value for money from rates.
The highest priority for respondents in almost all eastern Armadale suburbs including Roleystone, Kelmscott and Seville Grove was for the city to advocate more for reduced crime rates and improved crime response.
In the newer suburbs of Harrisdale and Piara Waters respondents’ highest priorities were improved value for money in their rates, with 38.2 and 36.3 per cent respectively listing it as their number one change.
Almost every suburb mentioned improving the Armadale Aquatic Centre as a priority.
One respondent said they would like to see it become an indoor facility like the Riverton Leisureplex.
“We badly need a swimming complex that we can use all year round,” the respondent said.
Some survey respondents suggested streetscapes could be improved by tackling the issue of car wrecks in front yards.
One respondent said she loved the natural beauty of the city but felt the suburbs were let down.
“There seems to be a high volume of neglected houses with lots of car wrecks in front yards in the suburbs,” one said.
“There really needs to be some sort of law to be enforced to stop the minority messing it up for the majority.”
When asked what they were most proud of in the city most residents said the natural beauty and the community spirit.
Armadale councillors adopted the plan at its ordinary meeting on Tuesday.
The plan was aimed at guiding the city’s policies, priorities and actions as it seeks to meet the changing needs of the current and future population.
For more information go online and visit armadale.wa.gov.au.
