CONSTRUCTION on the proposed $6.8m new ALDI store blueprint will get under way this week at the razed Fidler and Webb site, which will transform into a bustling retail precinct.
Demolition of the vacated Target store is also poised to move into full swing as the contractors make way for the $12m new Coles Supermarket store.
According to construction company Kennett, the ALDI supermarket warehouse should be completed within 22 weeks ahead of the festive season.
Company spokesperson James Kennett said yesterday the building firm was thrilled to be part of this major project, which would be its third Aldi store contract in South Australia.
He said the ALDI development would revitalise the site into a modern retail hub following years of the Fidler and Webb building laying idle.
“It is the best site in Mount Gambier for the development, it will be fantastic. We are excited the project is kicking off this week,” Mr Kennett said.
Amid tens of millions of dollars of new infrastructure projects in the pipeline for the Blue Lake city, he said these projects would stimulate growth across the entire city.
“There is good feeling about Mount Gambier, there is a bit of buzz and excitement,” Mr Kennett said.
He said ALDI and Coles would not be spending this amount of money unless they believed the city was poised for growth.
Mr Kennett said the ALDI store development would generate activity across the city’s construction sector with a maximum of 40 people at the site at anyone time.
Overall, Mr Kennett said around 120 workers would be involved during the construction stage with a plethora of regionally-based contractors being involved.
“We like to use as many local contractors as possible,” the company spokesperson told The Border Watch yesterday.
“There is plenty of new infrastructure getting under way or coming up over the next 12 months, including $19m by OneFortyOne and millions of dollars in Building Better Regions Funding projects at schools including Mount Gambier and Grant high schools and Reidy Park Primary School,” Mr Kennett said.
He said the city was going to experience a “buoyant” period over the next 24 months.
Mr Kennett said his company was also pouring money into Mount Gambier with plans to redevelop a vacant shop on Crouch Street into its regional office.
“This will be our new head office for the region, which will cover from Mount Gambier to Keith and Portland,” he said.
The Aldi development – incorporating a 6944sqm supermarket – will also include four retail spaces at the site.
These four shops will be split into a group of three and another smaller shop, which was a former takeaway store space.
Meanwhile, the Coles development – on the former Target store site – will house 10 speciality shops and will include more than 300 carpark spaces.
The largest of these speciality spaces will be occupied with a liquor store.
The Target store site has now been closed to public carparking given the looming demolition works.
