Page 121 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 February 2018
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the residents there. It is a really great meeting place but also a great way to connect with neighbours and to enjoy the spoils. It is thriving there and I really commend Sentinel for all the work that they have done to help build a sense of community in that block.
In walking around the town centre, despite what some may think, it is not dark, scary or lonely. The town centre is well lit. As someone who exercises her dog at all hours of the day and night, I know that there is always someone around offering a friendly smile or hello. I have never felt nervous, particularly now. I do note that some people might still prefer to drive around the town centre, but it is a pretty big town centre. We have some excellent shopping facilities in the town centre, but some of those are quite a distance away from each other. You might not know that it is more than a kilometre to walk between Belconnen Fresh Food Markets and Westfield. That is a very long way to carry quite a lot of shopping. But all it takes is some ideas and regeneration.
For example, following lobbying from me a few years ago, Westfield Belconnen changed the hours it opened its doors at its Benjamin Way entrance—that is the entrance that faces most of the new apartment blocks, including my own—from 5.30 pm to 9 pm, which made a huge difference. It meant that fewer people are driving because they can now access it rather than having to go right around the centre, which, as you might appreciate, is huge. So some little things can go a very long way.
While there is significant change that has happened and that is underway, there is more coming. I agree with Ms Le Couteur that we can do more in our destination areas like Emu Bank. I do not think it was necessarily designed for fast food and drive-throughs, but that is what we have ended up with there. I have been on the record for many years now saying that, while I like fast food as much as the next person, I am not sure that drive-throughs and car parks that are literally adjacent to the lake are the best use for that space.
I know that the moving of some federal governments like ComSuper have caused concern, as has the closure of some of our bars. Regrettably, just over the weekend, Ha Ha Bar & Dining Room and La De Da announced that they are shutting for good. Hopefully, they will be sold and, as a venue, will continue to make a huge contribution to the town centre, but that is absolutely regrettable. I know there is also some concern about the future closure of Myer, but Westfield Belconnen is very confident about what could be done in that space.
We have a Belconnen town centre master plan, which I believe still holds the record for the greatest amount of community consultation. That Belconnen town centre master plan does need to be implemented; we need to see those Territory Plan variations to help effect some of those changes. We can also make sure we are doing some things through the other directorates that do not necessarily require variation; for example, Transport Canberra and City Services. I look forward to continuing my conversations with Minister Fitzharris.
With all of this change underway and the potential ahead, colleagues may recall that during the successful community cabinet that was held in Belconnen late last year I called for a Belconnen town centre showcase or a market day. With the significant
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