Originally posted by The West Australian, October 2018.

Historic Heart has won a City of Perth matched funding grant that will ultimately result in at least $1.1 million being invested in its streetscape revival of the eastern end of the CBD.

City of Perth commissioners signed off on a matched $300,000 grant, to be administered by Historic Heart, which adds to the $500,000 stage-one spending on the project.

The grant, to build on Historic Heart’s first stage streetscape enhancement between Barrack and Pier streets, vindicates the efforts of Historic Heart, spearheaded by property developer Adrian Fini.

Historic Heart’s stakeholders include FJM Property, BGC Australia, Mirvac, Miss Mauds, Lease Equity, EY and Curtin University.

Historic Heart, which last year raised $250,000 from its stakeholders, also secured $250,000 State Government funding for the project to improve the appeal of a streetscape populated by historic buildings but giving off a neglected vibe.

The $500,000 Stage One program included installing planter boxes, designed by Eekos, fabricated in East Perth and installed by Respoke. These were planted with native wildflowers, selected by gardening expert Sabrina Hahn, maintained by Green World Revolution, a not-for-profit enterprise that has created two jobs for people previously unemployed.

The artwork, including laneway murals by contemporary artists, was co-ordinated by Margaret Moore.

Since the project started in the middle of last year, more attention to walking trails and other developments within the precinct, including the opening of the Westin Hotel and Hibernium Place and the pedestrian bridge linking Optus Stadium to the CBD, had added momentum.

City of Perth officers said the program had enhanced tourist amenity and added appeal to the Optus Stadium-CBD walk.

“The proposal provides significant social and cultural benefits for the city and the people who live, visit and work here,” they said. “It employs artists and local manufacturers and guide the development of a sense of community in the precinct.”

The “matched” grant, made under the City of Perth’s precinct development budget, was increased to $300,000, from a previously flagged $117,000, after Commissioner Gaye McMath outlined concerns a reduced amount “may fail to achieve the critical mass required for a lasting and vibrant change in the east end”.

Historic Heart project manager Sandy Anghie said the project had yielded social, urban and economic benefits.

“Working with the City of Perth our vision for Historic Heart is to create an identifiable precinct,” Ms Anghie said, adding the grant would allow Historic Heart to add colour and life to the streets of Perth’s east end.