Some radical ideas for Canberra, including the relocation of the Prime Minister’s Lodge, Government House and the gateway from Sydney, Melbourne and the airport, were unveiled by the National Capital Planning Authority yesterday.
The ideas were presented in the context of the lead up to the centenary of federation and beyond and were looking at the city as a symbol of democracy and nationhood.
None was set in concrete.
However, the ideas have some general themes, the most significant being the redefinition and restatement of the Triangle as a functioning symbol of democracy much as Walter Burley Griffin intended it.
A key to that was the upgrading and completion of Constitution Avenue as one of the three sides of the Triangle and to extend it and King Avenue so they intersect at the third point of the Triangle which would be a new gateway to the city. The other points being City Hill and Parliament House.
The Prime Minister’s Lodge would be within the Triangle on the lake shore near the north-east corner.
However, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said that Mr Keating had no intention of moving from the Lodge either literally or figuratively.
The acting chief executive of the NCPA, Gary Prattley, said he hoped the ideas upset some people and enthused some people.
“”The aim is to generate a debate, not just in Canberra, which will happen anyway, but throughout Australia,” he said.
He hoped the ideas presented would make Australians think about their capital.
“”There is no pre-determined target or plan, no hidden agenda or preferred outcome,” he said.
Among other ideas, the main entrance to the city would be diverted from the present Northbourne Avenue route. Rather, it would divert east from the present Federal Highway around the back of Mount Ainslie and Mount Majura and come out of the bush dropping over a ridge near Mount Pleasant where the Triangle would be spread before visitors. The entrance would hit the “”exchange” point of the Triangle at Russell. Visitors would then continue by car or could swap to rail or bus or turn into Constitution Avenue and pick up a ferry where Constitution Avenue intersects the land axis.
Non-city traffic would have been earlier diverted towards Fyshwick, Queanbeyan, the snow and Tuggeranong.
Another theme of the ideas was to stop the way Parkes Way cuts the city from lake. This could be done by slowing the traffic through at-level intersections, by more bridges or by putting some of it underground. Residential and commercial building would go from Constitution Avenue to part of the lake shore.
The NCPA (which is the federal authority in Canberra) has engaged a group of Australian and international consultants ranging from architects, planners, designers, economists and managers to look at the Central National Area.
The reassessment comes now for several reasons. First,the National Capital Plan which was put together in 12 months in the wake of self-government for the ACT is now five years old and according to the NCPA needs reviewing. The plan deals with the national elements of the city. The remaining elements are dealt with by the Territory Plan administered by the ACT Planning Authority.
Secondly, the lead up to the centenary gives an opportunity to reflect on the purpose and function on the city which is one of the main off-springs of Federation.
Thirdly, in 1921 the first general report of the Federal Capital Advisory Committee envisaged three main stages of development: to set up a city for parliament and those departments that need to be close to their minsiters (which was under-way in 1927); to bring the other departments here and to establish the permanent infrastructure; and the third prolonged consolidating stage.
Mr Prattley said the ideas launched yesterday were the beginning of the third stage.
“”While Canberra’s Central National Area does have a certain grandeur, it still lacks cohesiveness and appears somewhat incomplete,” he said.
The city as a seat of government “”requires a symbolic presence to promote a sense of national identity”.
He said, “”It is not too outlandish to regard the capital as a symbol of the idals, apirations, achievements, culture and history of the nation.””This study is the opportunity few cities in the world ever have _ to consider the physical and the intangible, to reassess the landscape and symbolism.”