Page 3970 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 30 October 2013
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frustration in recent years about the way Kingston Foreshore has proceeded and the way it has cut off some of the access to the lake. Certainly, there has been a break in the link around Lake Burley Griffin.
Work is being done to improve that. I was down there recently. Some parts of the waterfront have been opened up and they are very nice. Hopefully, people’s frustrations will be eased by the fact that that work has now been done. But we need to make sure that, as we develop West Basin, we do not cut it off for the next decade while that work gets done and that the public retains a good level of access.
The City Hill precinct is also a key component of the city plan. You only have to look at the aerial photograph on the inside cover of the draft plan to see how clearly this part of the city is underutilised. City Hill was planned to be the civic centre of the city, yet today it is ringed by barriers that keep people away—a layer of fast-moving traffic, another layer of car parks and the backsides of public buildings. If you ever venture up onto City Hill, which I do from time to time—it is actually quite a nice spot up there; there are some mature trees, grass and the like—frankly, you take your life into your own hands because of the three lanes of traffic and the nature of the road around there. The visibility lines are not great and organised pedestrian access is non-existent. I think many people recognise that that space is not what it could be. I am pleased that has been a key focal point of the discussions, because there is a great opportunity to make better use of this part of the city. If it is done well, it will revitalise the City Hill precinct and create the missing link in the chain that connects the city centre with the lake foreshore.
The proposed changes to Parkes Way to try and break what has become a significant physical barrier between the city and the waterfront would go a long way to reinstating the vision of the Griffin plan to join together the foreshore and the city. Of course, fixing mistakes is a lot more expensive than getting things right the first time, but the challenge that this generation face is Parkes Way. Obviously, from a private motor vehicle perspective, it is very convenient. It provides a great linkage east-west across the city for many commuters, and that is obviously important in our modern traffic mode, but the actual physical barrier it creates is one that I think many people would love to see fixed in some way.
It is clear from the first round of consultation that respecting the Griffin heritage is important to Canberrans in terms of maintaining access to views and vistas. Having trees is an important part of the landscape. There is always going to be some tension here. Development around West Basin and the City Hill precinct, for example, will certainly change the feel of that part of the city and there will be changes to the skyline. That is something that will challenge some people’s traditional perceptions of the city area.
Transport through the city is a key part of the plan. It is important that we start to plan now for the whole of the future light rail network so that the city to Gungahlin route is connected to the city. The plan brings the light rail alignment down to City Hill to link with potential expansions along Constitution Avenue and south down Commonwealth Avenue. It also proposes changing Vernon Circle from a major arterial road to a minor collector road and rediverting traffic to alternative routes using a bypass based
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