Page 51 - Tropic Magazine Issue 16
P. 51

INDUSTRY •  URBAN AFFAIRS

































                                                 Leveraging a brighter future


                                                 How do we leverage investment    Invigorate street life along
                                                 within the CBD and bring new,    the north-south axis including
                                                 scalable solutions to become a   Abbott, Lake, Grafton, and
                                                 leading open air tropical city?  Sheridan Streets, particularly
             between the lagoon and Cairns                                        at night for both residents and
             Central at about the location of the   Reduce the temperature        tourists, and during the day for
             fig tree in front of the Woolshed. If   by planting more trees and   workers and tourists
             we draw a 400m radius from that       increasing the shade
             centre point, the main elements of    Bring permanent residential    Consolidate connectivity to the
             this walkable catchment (at the street   accommodation into the centre  activities that have developed
             level) is predominantly retail and                                   peripheral to the CBD such as
             restaurants. At the level above, we   Rethink parking                Munro Martin Parklands and
             have two university campuses, several                                the new Cairns Performing
             international language schools,       Continue to reinforce the Shield   Arts Centre, the wharf area,
             tourist accommodation and offices.    Street experience that invites   the Lagoon and Esplanade and
             There is very little residential.     people to stroll and encourages   Cairns Central
             Only three permanent residential      them to spend time and money,
             apartment blocks are in this          or to simply people watch      Do some research, collect data
             catchment and sadly the library and   Reconnect the civic to the     then share the information and
             art gallery are the only remaining    centre, such as the courthouse,   work with the community to
             community facilities.                                                make informed decisions
                                                   post office, police station, and
                                                   State Government offices at    Listen to the users and the
             ALL THE ELEMENTS                      William McCormack Place        business owners
             Our CBD has all the elements of a
             predominately open air, modern   The CBD is for all of us. We need to lift
             centre, such as retail, restaurants and   our gaze and our goal. What would
             tourist facilities. These are the same   it take for Cairns to be recognised by
             successful features of internationally   UNESCO, or receive an international
             renowned cities such as Auckland,   award for being an engaged city, a smart
             Honolulu, Stockholm, and Vienna.   city, or a healthy city?         Nikki Huddy is from Planz Town
             But Cairns isn’t sure of itself. It hasn’t                          Planning and Sharon Harwood
             matured into its potential. Currently,                              is from Harwood Planning and
             the Cairns CBD is a hot, open air                                   Development.
             centre and it continues to compete   Don’t miss the April-May edition of   MORE: Check out the Planz Town
             with the air-conditioned convenience   Tropic when we delve deeper into   Planning page on Facebook for
             of shopping centres at Cairns Central,   the elements of what does - and   posts on contemporary planning
             Smithfield, Earlville, Westcourt,   doesn’t - work in the Cairns CBD.  issues in our region.
             Raintrees and Mt Sheridan.




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