Page 51 - Tropic Magazine Issue 11

Industry
Urban affairs

Vibrant vision

It’s time to help our council create a
comprehensive vision for the future
of the Cairns CBD.

Words Gavin King
One of the most exciting phases in the evolution received by council – overwhelmingly supported
of the Cairns CBD is now open for debate. And the concept of a more liveable, vibrant and
Cairns Regional Council wants you in the welcoming CBD. As one Our Cairns survey
conversation. With our economy and population respondent put to council: “Continue to
set to thrive over the next decade, a new vision is encourage the growth of the city centre, make it a
required to manage the growth. Already, the special place, create a vibrant town that can
pressures of a renewed economy are on display in compete on an international level, turn the city
the CBD. Exhibit A: parking. According to council, into a clean green vibrant modern place to be.”
the residential population of the city centre has Lofty, exciting and entirely worthy goals indeed.
grown by around 3% annually over the past five
years – and that was during a relatively restrained Have your say:
economic period. Just imagine what the next five www.cairns.qld.gov.au/citycentre
years will look like given the billion-dollar-plus
investments of Crystalbrook Collection and Nova
City, to name just two major projects set to CBD pics by
transform the city’s fortunes. TEQ/Andrew Watson
Mayor Bob Manning told Tropic the council was
seeking ideas and input from the community to Up for debate
help develop a new City Centre Masterplan. The
last such over-arching visioning exercise was Should the Cairns
released in 2011 during a very different chapter in Esplanade be closed
the city’s history. In the first phase of the to car traffic between
masterplan’s development, council is asking Aplin and Shields St?
residents to focus on three project ideas: a
renewed Esplanade Parklands, the Esplanade How do we get more
Dining Precinct and the Gallery Precinct. people interacting with
“Our city centre is evolving as a result of the under-utilised
population and tourism growth, private Northern end of the Four steps to create a walkable city
development and an emphasis on community Esplanade?
values,” Cr Manning said. “Given the emergence “In the typical city in which most people
of our waterfront as a focal point for city events What can be done to own cars and the temptation is to drive
and leisure activities, it’s important that we take a better connect and them all the time, if you're going to get
strategic approach to any further development of integrate Fogarty Park them to walk, then you have to offer a walk
the inner-city precinct. into the Esplanade’s that's as good as a drive or better. What
“We know the character of our city is important to bigger picture? does that mean? It means you need to offer
residents and we want to protect that with the four things simultaneously: there needs to
new master plan. In order to set the right How do we create a be a proper reason to walk, the walk has to
direction for the city centre, we need input from cultural precinct of be safe and feel safe, the walk has to be
our community on key elements of the plan. We inter-linked spaces comfortable and the walk has to be
are very interested in hearing the thoughts of incorporating interesting. You need to do all four of these
residents as we progress with this planning buildings such as the things simultaneously.”
project.” Cairns Art Gallery and American author, city planner and
The council’s recent Our Cairns survey – the former Courthouse? architectural designer Jeff Speck
largest cache of community feedback ever