Ballarat City Councillors will consider a recommendation made by the Australian Centre for Democracy at Eureka Project Control Group that local company Nicholson Construction be awarded the $5.6 million contract for Stage Two of the redevelopment of the Centre.
The recommendation will go to an Ordinary Meeting of Ballarat City Council next Wednesday (13/07) and comes after a detailed tender process which has taken into consideration the Ballarat Industry Participation Program (BIPP).
The BIPP aims to maximise the level of local business involvement.
Ballarat Mayor Cr Craig Fletcher said that the vote will be taken at Wednesday night’s Council Meeting.
“This is a major project for the City and the construction contract which went to tender in April this year was very competitive.”
“The BIPP was applied to this tender to determine the preferred contractor following the tender interview assessment.
“The BIPP was crucial in the recommendation to award the contract to a local contractor.”
“Nicholsons have advised that 12 local jobs would be created in order to facilitate the project which is obviously in addition to the many existing positions that would benefit from the contract being awarded”.
The BIPP has ensured 88.6% of Council’s contracts have been awarded locally, keeping $21 million in investment in Ballarat in the last year. Council’s decision on Wednesday night could deliver another local win.
The redeveloped Centre will feature an amphitheatre-style open space designed for community events and performances, contemplation spaces and enhanced landscaping.
The redevelopment also broadens the purpose of the Centre from a Eureka Stockade centric museum, into a state of the art, technologically advanced, education and community space that celebrates and explores Australia’s democracy.
The construction of the main building is expected to be finished by the end of July 2012.
The $11.1 million redevelopment is jointly funded by Council and the State and Federal governments.