Upgrades to the first of 14 shopping centres across Canberra have commenced, with Kaleen shops the first project to get underway.
The program will include upgrades at local centres in Kaleen, Duffy, Campbell, Narrabundah, Evatt, Macquarie and Monash, as well as the commercial precincts of Weston, Holt, Lanyon, Calwell, Dickson, Braddon and Pialligo.
The work at Kaleen is expected to take six months, and upgrades to Campbell and Duffy will commence shortly.
ACT Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel said the works were part of a $40 million program to provide suburban infrastructure upgrades across Canberra.
"During the pandemic, we've seen more people gather at their local shops because they're working from home: coming here to eat, grab a coffee, go to the pharmacist in particular, or a supermarket," Mr Steel said.
"So they really want it to be a high quality space."
He said degradation over time necessitated upgrades and that this would also be an opportunity for the government to develop tree canopies as a means for "long lasting improvements".
The territory government allocated $14 million to tree planting in its 2021-22 budget, and has a broader goal to develop the "urban tree canopy" to provide shade to 30 per cent of the streets in the city over the next 25 years.
Meanwhile, work at the Tuggeranong foreshore will begin next month.
