Canning Vale Building Project
Introduction from CEO Kane Blackman about the building project
Download this information as a pdf.
It’s very exciting to be starting this project. This is partly a renovation and partly a new build, with 4 sections.
The first section is a new building out the front of our reception area with new meeting rooms, a sensory room and a new reception area. We are running out of space to meet and have discussions, and we will now have new places to meet.
The second section is new toilets. The accessible toilets behind the cafeteria are all being redone, to increase the number of toilets and the accessibility for people with disability. We will have new toilets in the reception area as well.
The third section is going to be a complete renovation of the cafeteria area. There will be new walls, ceilings, lights, painting, flooring, furniture, new benches and kitchen area. It’s going to be a really bright, colourful, relaxing space for people to have lunch and enjoy themselves.
The last section is going to be a renovation of the corporate service areas around the administration area. All the small office areas are going to turn into a large open plan area, and we’ll bring more people into that area to work together. It will be a much more inclusive environment.
The project is going to last for about one year, so it’s going to go for a long time. We’re working with a company called Dawn, and they’re going to have lots of people working here.
The total cost of the project is $6 million. Lotterywest is funding half of the project, and we’re very grateful for that funding. Good Sammy is providing the other half. It’s a really transformational project and something that will set this organisation up for the future.
There will be some change, some disruption for everyone, and we’ll tell you about the changes as we go. We’ll have weekly meetings and when something is relevant to you we will come and tell you. You’ll also receive information through Q&A sessions, emails, SharePoint, noticeboards and Happiness Hub.
This is a really exciting project that we should all be proud of. We’re going to have a new building for the public, our staff, our customers and our stakeholders that’s modern, clean, contemporary, accessible, and that has room to grow.
Additional fact sheet for download
Frequently asked questions
Once it starts, the project will take 12 months. We are waiting on a couple of things to occur first. One is the builder must obtain a licence, however we already have planning approval. Over the coming weeks you’ll start to see some new people on site. They may bring new equipment and they might put up temporary fencing and install portable toilets.
There are 4 parts to the project and it’s happening in 3 stages.
The first stage is going to be the office areas as well as the toilets. That means those staff, mostly the People and Culture team, some managers, the NDIS and call centre teams, will be the first move to a temporary location in Canning Vale. Only half the area will be done first.
The second stage will be the new building out the front, where they will be removing one timber gazebo, and then that garden area will have a new building. That’s the second stage.
The third stage is the cafeteria area.
Staff will still be able to enter through the reception area during the first part of the work. The entry near the pool table that many warehouse staff use will be closed during the first stage of the work. A new entrance will be created from the cafeteria through to the warehouse. We will let you know when this is happening. Over time there may be alternative access ways which we will communicate to you.
We will still maintain the same clocking on and off system. If we need to change the location of these we’ll let you know, but there will still be a requirement to clock on and clock off.
We will lose some parking for a period of time, for the contractors to use for deliveries and materials. We’ve asked the contractors to park on the grass on Magnet Road so they don’t take away our car parking.
The parking bays we will lose are directly in front of the cafeteria. They’ll be fenced off. This will include 2 ACROD parking bays and 4 visitor bays. We will make sure we have enough parking bays, including ACROD and visitor bays, close to the reception end of the building.
We will ask some staff to park on the verge, but when we do that we’ll let you know. We’re also creating a traffic management plan that will include some new signage and will tell people where to park.
The other thing with parking is, and it’s not part of this project, eventually we will build a new car park on the Magnet Road side, after we move the Factory Outlet. We will open it up to Factory Outlet customers. That will be after the building project is finished.
We will have the same entrances and exits to the car park, so people will still be able to drive in the same ways, and we’ll still have a drop off zone in the visitor bays and in the ACROD bays. We will ask staff who arrive early in the morning to not take the parking bays directly in front of the building, so they can be used for drop off and pickups.
Yes it will reduce slightly in size, temporarily, but there will still be plenty of room for drop offs and pickups.
There will be no changes to public transport, no change to buses, and also no change to working hours.
Yes, any staff coming to work in a taxi will still be able to be dropped off and picked up in front of the building.
No. The warehouse and operations area will be untouched. For warehouse staff there will be impact to the kitchen area and the toilet area, and we will have temporary facilities for these, but warehouse operations will continue during that time.
The area where the team is now will be under construction. We are currently working to arrange their new, temporary office spaces.
We will rent mobile toilets that are wheelchair accessible, and these will be located where the current basketball court is.
Only one gazebo will be impacted, the one closest to reception. It will be removed, however the rest will stay.
You will still be busy and at work. We’re looking to temporarily rent a portable kitchen or some other options. We may place it out in the garden area or near the car park and have our team cook from there. However it won’t be for 12 months until the area of the kitchen is being renovated, so it will be closer to September and October 2025. It will take 2 to 3 months for the kitchen area to be renovated in total. Everyone will still be required to work in Canning Vale in the kitchen. We’ll have to move the location of microwaves and fridges at the same time.
That will be happening, and it’s a separate project to the building upgrade. Our Factory Outlet has been wildly successful, the team behind the Factory Outlet has been doing a wonderful job. With so many customers coming we need to change the location to the Magnet Road side of our building and allow our customers to park in a different place to the staff parking. We will let you know when we move the Factory Outlet.
Good Sammy has been successful for a new grant and we’re purchasing some washers and dryers. Some of the clothing that we resell is of a higher value, and we will be washing and drying those and hopefully creating some extra jobs as well.
We are having a risk workshop where we will develop a safety management plan. We are unsure at the moment if the muster points have to move. If we have to move the muster points we will come and tell you. For the moment if there is a fire alarm go to the existing muster points.
There will be no change to the Christmas lunch in 2024. The cafeteria works are happening in September and October 2025 and hopefully will be finished before Christmas 2025. If they’re not, we will find an alternate venue.
If you have any concerns at all, you don’t need to keep them to yourself. Share them with your manager, team leader, mentor or Employment Pathways Coordinator. These people are here to help you through this period of change.
You can also contact our Employee Assistance Provider, Assure, by:
- Calling 1800 808 374
- Emailing [email protected]
- Sending an enquiry via their website: https://assureprograms.com.au/contact/
- Downloading the Assure Programs Wellbeing Gateway app (for Apple and Android)
When contacting Assure, quote Good Sammy’s unique code GSI3119.
If you have any further questions you can come to any member of the executive team, or you can ask your manager, team leader, mentor or Employment Pathways Coordinator.
Staff can also direct questions on the project to our Corporate Services Manager, Hima Nyapathi at [email protected].
