Parking, drainage upgrades for Chinatown

Work to provide additional carparking and to improve drainage in Broome’s Chinatown is now underway.

The new carpark will add 46 bays and be located adjacent to the existing carpark off Short St behind the Broome Visitor Centre and next to Male Oval.

The drainage upgrades will increase the capacity of the stormwater drain under Short St and the Male Oval carpark to allow water to clear more quickly and reduce the risk of flooding.   

Work is now underway for completion before the beginning of the wet season. Some temporary road closures will be required in Short St but are scheduled for after mid-September and following the tourist season, and temporary replacement parking will be available on Male Oval.

Work is being undertaken by Broome firm McCorry Brown Earthmoving after the contract was awarded by Council at its July 2019 Ordinary Meeting following a procurement process.

Broome Shire President, Harold Tracey, said it was pleasing to award the contract locally which meant more than $800,000 going into the local economy and creating employment.

“As part of making our town centre more vibrant and pedestrian-friendly through the recent Chinatown Revitalisation Project upgrades, we removed some parking from Carnarvon St and Dampier Tce which is now being replaced,” Cr Tracey said.

“Additionally, anyone who’s been through a wet season in Broome will be aware of flooding in Short St and so as part of the same project we’re going to be undertaking a major upgrade of the drainage system under the road to increase its capacity.”

Other ongoing improvement work being undertaken in Chinatown at present includes the creation of a new bus stop on Carnarvon St at the edge of Male Oval, installation of filigree art panels created by Broome’s Chinese community and Yawuru into street lights in Carnarvon St and Dampier Tce, and installing infrastructure for free WiFi.