When you talk about development in Northam, Stan Malinowski is the man whose name comes up time and time again.
The ambitious developer has helped change the Northam landscape over the years and at the age of 69 he is working on his next big project; the restoration and renovation of the old Commercial Hotel.
Stan has featured on the front page of the Avon Valley and Wheatbelt Advocate numerous times over the years but in 1998 his plans for the $6 million Springfield motel and retirement village development made front page news.
“I remember this plan well,” Mr Malinowski said.
“Probably the Springfield Heights sub-division is one of the stand outs for me. That now has got more than 300 blocks out there and I’ve got approval for more.”
Mr Malinowski said the project he is not upset about not seeing become reality was a proposed hotel and hotel overlooking the Avon River.
“One you would have seen on the front page of the paper is the hotel that would have been where the tourist centre is now,” he said.
“We’ve still got the plans sitting around somewhere and it is quite incredible when you see it.
“We were going to hang a restaurant over the river but there was a whole bunch of people who didn’t want to let us use a part of the park that was giving to the town by Mayor Bernard.
“When those against it sat in the public gallery council rejected the proposal.”
