North Ryde. Construction company collapses

Whitehorse Constructions, at North Ryde, the construction arm of the Sydney developer, PacLib, went into voluntary administration, on October 29, seven months after the NSW Government chose PacLib as one-third of a consortium to build the $1 billion Riverstone West industrial park Whitehorse owes more than $6.7 million to more than 200 subcontractors, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The park’s the first employment precinct within the North West Growth Centre to be completely planned. The precinct has land with the potential for over 12,000 new jobs.

North Ryde. Fair Trade university

Macquarie University has obtained certification by the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ) to become a Fair Trade university. A Fair Trade University is a campus recognised by the FTAANZ to have made a commitment to undertake fair trade procurement within its own purchasing requirements, and to support the growth of fair trade products in cafes and retail outlets.

Parramatta. Progress on West Metro

Public exhibition of the environmental assessment of the West Metro, the 24-kilometre, underground rail link between Central and Westmead, could take place in the first quarter of 2010. Construction could commence as early as 2011, subject to future funding decisions. Currently, samples of rock and soil are being be taken from a depth of up to 40 metres below Sydney Olympic Park, as part of investigations for the link, “A total of six drill rigs will bore more than 80 points along the proposed route over the coming months,” a Sydney Metro spokesperson said.

Parramatta. International aspirations

Parramatta City Council has resolved that Events NSW be asked to consider the feasibility of a major multi-faceted festival of South-Asian culture being held in Parramatta to drive business and tourism, as well as an opportunity to place Parramatta on the international map..

Penrith. Community TV goes digital

The Australian Community Television Alliance (ACTA) has welcomed the Federal Government's decision to allocate digital spectrum for community television. "As community TV relies on sponsorship revenue to fund station operations, and sponsors want to know that people are watching, urgent action was required," ACTA secretary and CEO, of the Penrith-based TVS, Laurie Patton, said. The lack of digital spectrum has severely hampered audience growth for community television and in recent times has seen audience numbers in most cities begin to fall significantly. Community television acts as a training ground for new entrants to the broadcast industry, Mr Patton said.

Region. Waste is on the agenda

Parramatta City Council and Auburn City Council are encouraging businesses in suburbs of Camellia, Rosehill, Clyde, Granville and Silverwater, in the Duck River catchment, to take part in a new waste exchange program designed to reduce landfill and enhance inter-business community relationships. Encompassing an area of about 39 square kilometres, the Duck River catchment is home to more than 600 businesses. The second business workshop will be held at Dooleys, Silverwater Road, Silverwater on Thursday, November 19, from 10am – 1pm. Elsewhere, Macquarie University has officially launched a new system for managing its waste in a bid to create a more sustainable campus.

Parramatta. Property and investment strategy

Parramatta City Council will prepare a property development and investment strategy which reviews council’s existing property portfolio, identifies strategic sites, evaluates redevelopment opportunities and makes recommendations, which contribute towards maximising council’s long-term financial sustainability. Lord Mayor, Paul Garrad, said the adoption of such a strategy would enable council to "unlock and leverage” additional long-term value and income from currently under-performing key assets.