Outgoing chamber boss Stacey Sheehan excited by Devonport's momentum

Devonport’s Living City project will underpin the region’s economic development for many years, business leader Stacey Sheehan says.

Ms Sheehan, who is stepping down as Devonport Chamber of Commerce and Industry president after three years, said the official opening of stage one of the CBD redevelopment project would be “a momentous milestone in the city’s history”.

“We are currently in discussions with UTAS to see if the project journey can be documented to develop a blueprint for other cities.

“There are so many lessons to be learned from this project and I believe it’s important the knowledge is shared for the benefit of other regions, particularly given the investment by both state and federal governments.”

Ms Sheehan said the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries, due in 2021, would provide “tremendous opportunities” for Devonport and the wider region.

They would have 43 per cent more passenger capacity and 39 per cent more freight capacity than the current vessels.

Ms Sheehan said she was pleased the Devonport City Council had adopted a strategic retail plan.

She said it contained many initiatives the chamber had lobbied for.

She said she hoped to help with the final elements of the plan, which included a Destination Devonport website “to showcase the city’s outstanding retail and tourism offer”.

She said the chamber was pleased the Don River Railway had received a $50,000 state government grant to aid its progress towards heritage rail trips on the main line along the coast.

It was arguably one of the most scenic routes in the Southern Hemisphere, Ms Sheehan said.

She said the chamber was in discussions with the major parties about attending chamber events aligned with advocacy issues in 2019.

Then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and state MHAs Roger Jaensch and Shane Broad appeared at chamber events in the past year.

The chamber’s annual meeting will be at the Quality Hotel Gateway on September 6.

State governor Kate Warner will be guest speaker.

Tickets are available through the chamber’s website.

Source: https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/5618427/outgoing-chamber-boss-stacey-sheehan-excited-by-devonports-momentum/