Rockingham secures $60,000 grant for design upgrade to Palm Beach West boat ramp

A $60,000 grant has been secured from the State Government to develop a design for upgrades to the Palm Beach West boat ramp.

The City of Rockingham has secured the funding through the Department of Transport’s Recreational Boating Facilities Scheme, which will contribute 75 per cent of the design costs.

The Palm Beach West boat ramp has been identified for redevelopment through the City’s Coastal Facilities Strategy to keep up with the demand for boating facilities across the community.

Mayor Deb Hamblin said given how frequently the community used the boat ramp, it was important for the City to plan ahead.

“A 2020 survey of boat owners in the City found the Palm Beach West boat ramp was the second-most utilised boat ramp in the community,” Ms Hamblin said.

“The largely sheltered waters of Cockburn Sound provide safety for users when using the facility, with 96 per cent of survey respondents stating they felt safe when using Palm Beach West boat ramp — the highest response for safety across all of the City’s boat launching facilities.”

The city also has one of the highest rates of recreational boat ownership in the metropolitan area, and redevelopment of ramps is required at the site to cater for projected future usage and to maximise the use of the facility.

Construction of the redevelopment and associated time frames will be subject to the outcome of the design.

“The City gratefully acknowledges DoT for the funding contribution and looks forward to carrying out the study, which will provide a detailed design and associated cost estimates for upgrades to the boat ramp,” Ms Hamblin said.