The Crown St Mall makeover could be completed earlier than expected after Wollongong City Council landed a multi-million dollar funding deal.
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The Federal Government has awarded the $15 million project a $5 million grant, potentially allowing the council to allocate enough cash to complete the overhaul in one year rather than two, according to Acting Lord Mayor David Brown.
Regional Australia Minister Simon Crean announced the funding yesterday, along with $2.6 million towards the $5.2 million cost of converting the old Warilla police station into the Southern Community Hub and Youth Foyer.
Mr Crean said both projects would improve the Illawarra's economic and social development.
Wollongong City Council had allocated just $4 million towards the Crown St Mall upgrade in the coming financial year.
A further $7 million had been allocated in 2013-14 and another $4 million in 2014-15.
Now the project has secured federal funding, councillors will consider whether it should be built in one hit after this year's busy Christmas period or staged over two years in 2013 and 2014.
"The big financial hit of doing it all at once is no longer a big hurdle," Cr Brown said.
"It's an option council will absolutely look at."
Cunningham MP Sharon Bird said a speedy upgrade was "critically important" for Wollongong.
"With our commitment to basically fund a third of the project, hopefully it can be done much quicker than it normally might have," she said.
The Government's $2.6 million grant will allow the redevelopment of the Warilla police station - which closed in 2010, to be completed by 2015.
Southern Youth and Family Services would have had a tough time getting the Southern Community Hub and Youth Foyer off the ground without the Federal Government's support, according to chief executive Narelle Clay.
"There are very few sources of capital infrastructure money available, so this is an amazing development," she said.
"It's important to understand infrastructure isn't just roads and footpaths, it also means building and sustaining community services."
The former station will house a new community hub, with social support and health services, as well as a youth accommodation facility.
Fifteen projects across NSW secured a $66.6 million share of the latest $200 million round of the Regional Development Australia Fund.
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