Wharf Street Basin – A Next Generation Community Park

Urbaqua has assisted the City of Canning in their successful application for Federal Government funding as part of the Smart Cities and Suburbs Program.

The project includes redevelopment of the Wharf Street detention basin into a smart park that, through increased amenity and smart technology, provides opportunities for recreation and education within a piece of drainage infrastructure, whilst delivering improvements to natural systems and opening up previously inaccessible land.

Wharf Street Basin concept

One of the key SMART facets of this project is ‘removing the fence’.  This is enabled by partnering with the owner of the asset, Water Corporation.  As there are over 100 of these assets in Canning, creating a paradigm shift in the perception and function of these inaccessible areas that achieves much needed amenity is something that cannot be overstated.  The Smart technology layer further creates a compelling value proposition to the existing community, new investors, visitors and students.

The site will operate as a Living Lab to facilitate collection of information from a range of sources to increase our knowledge of public space utilisation, water quality performance, integrated stormwater management and maintenance. It applies smart design and technology solutions based on environmental data and community needs, which include facilities, digital technology and materials which reflect the site’s cultural and environmental surroundings. The facilities will be easily accessible, resilient to climate change, water- and energy-efficient, easy to maintain, and will promote the health and safety of the community.

Project partners include the Water Corporation, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, Curtin University, Innovation Central Perth & Cisco, and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.