Page 4289 - Week 14 - Thursday, 24 October 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The proposal that was put to us at the time was that it should be made available for a community arts organisation to establish and set up a performing arts area within the city which could be used at lunchtimes, on weekends, in the evenings, et cetera. Organisations and groups, schools and colleges that were going to have a function, could bring a small excerpt of their play or activity into the city and demonstrate it to the many shoppers moving around. They could show what was on and suggest that people see it. I would have thought that that, in conjunction with small bands and music, et cetera, during the luncheon interval or even late in the evening in daylight saving time, would have ensured that that whole area was improved and jumping and becoming more exciting.
Over the last few years we have seen an increase in the number of seats and chairs and tables that gradually have been moved out into Garema Place. With the umbrellas, et cetera, they have provided a quite nice area for people to gather in and enjoy themselves. It is unfortunate, as has already been indicated, that there are some people within our community who see a need to disrupt the ability of more law-abiding citizens to enjoy themselves in this place. I suppose there are a number of reasons for that, one of which, of course, is the high youth unemployment rate in Australia which is not being helped by the policies of the Federal Government. It is certainly not improving that.
Mr Connolly: A Labor government responsible for skateboards.
MR JENSEN: They may not be responsible for skateboards, but they certainly may well be responsible for the time that some of our younger people have on their hands because they are unable to be employed. I think that was one of the problems. That is one of the reasons why we have these people gathering in those areas.
I do not think there is any doubt, if anyone looks at Garema Place, that there is a need for some form of outdoor performing centre. That should not necessarily be at the end of the BMI building, where I understand the redevelopment is to take place. It could be further down in front of the old Grace Brothers building. This would open up that whole area of Garema Place once the toilets, the electricity substation and the pit are taken away. That would open up that whole square and centre and provide the potential for outdoor cafes, et cetera.
Probably one of the reasons why Garema Place is suffering the way it is at the moment is the opening of the Canberra Centre which, unfortunately, included the locking up of a part of Ainslie Avenue, the locking up of public space. That, effectively, was what Ainslie Avenue was. Mr Deputy Speaker, I recently saw an article that commented on the alienation of this sort of space by malls, the taking away
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .