New Facility

The newly elected Premier of Western Australia (the Hon Colin Barnett MLA) has confirmed his election commitment to relocate Scitech to a new purpose-built facility at the Burswood Peninsula.

This is extremely good news for Scitech as its location at City West has always been seen as a temporary location, even though we have called it home for the past 25 years.

Scitech currently leases its space from a retail provider, Gerry Harvey of Harvey Norman. The City West premises were originally designed as a retail space that has been converted for use as a science centre, but the centre is ageing. The demand on our toilets and eating areas during peak times currently exceeds our facilities and we don’t have any more room to expand into City West. We are also at capacity for staff with cramped working conditions and facilities. The Scitech Board always viewed City West as a temporary home and has had numerous discussions with Government regarding alternative locations close to the City.

Moving to a purpose-built location will mean a lot of benefits to our visitors including a customised and tailored internal fit-out which gives our visitors the best interactive exhibition experience possible, purpose-built lecture theatres and teaching and education spaces so we can present and facilitate educational, relevant and engaging shows, events and workshops, improved visitor comfort facilities with adequate restrooms, cafes, venue hire opportunities and lecture and seating space, direct access to trains, buses and parking, and purpose-built quality workshop facilities which will service all areas of the business and also construct world class interactive science exhibits for visitors to enjoy.

Scitech is currently working with the State Government to determine the land allocation and size of the premises. Once this is decided, conceptual planning for the layout and design will begin.

Construction is expected to start in 2014. Scitech’s current City West lease expires in June 2018 and Scitech is aiming to open the new science centre at the Burswood precinct by July, 2018.

[Information provided by Scitech April 2013]