Brisbane City Council has released new renderings of what Brisbane’s biggest park development in 50 years would look like after thousands of residents sent in their ideas.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced in June that Victoria Park Golf Course would be transformed into a multi-use public space more than double the size of the City Botanic Gardens.
Cr Schrinner has offered a sneak peek at some of the most creative and innovative ideas, including suspended canopy walks, kayak and swimming lagoons, wetlands, a giant walk-through butterfly house, a food forest and produce garden, dog water parks, fountains, waterfalls and even an ‘adult playground’.
“We have been sifting through 5400 submissions from the community consultation process and there are some superb ideas, some that are completely unique and others that draw inspiration from around the world,” he said.
The most noticeable feature of the new park shown in the concept design video is a large brand new lake which would be known as ‘Lake Barrambin’ and would straddle the ICB towards the southern end of the park.
A large new pedestrian walkway bridge is also shown which would connect to Gregory Terrace, in Spring Hill. A large helix style circular structure also appears in the concept design towards the northern elevated section of the park.
“We called on everyone to share their brightest ideas to transform Victoria Park into an amazing parkland that is uniquely Brisbane, and our residents certainly did not disappoint.
“It will take into the new year to go through so many ideas but there are key themes coming through which will feed into the Victoria Park concept design.”
These include water features, lagoons, sports grounds, picnic facilities, cafes and restaurants, a large community garden and the ability to use the park both day and night.
More than 3500 people joined a Victoria Park Party in September and many others had their say on the concept design online.
“It has been spectacularly popular; we received far more ideas and feedback than we expected. We want to work through all the great ideas to make sure we do them justice,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Victoria Park offers a rare opportunity to re-imagine a significant green space in a prime inner-city location, so we need to get it right.
“With the help of local design experts, we are going to bring ideas to life in the draft Victoria Park Vision, which is expected to be released for more community feedback in late January.”
Residents submitted a wide variety of ideas with everything from native gardens, indigenous spaces and tropical forests, to iconic architecture, giant slides, a miniature village, replica life-size dinosaurs and a suspended tree house playground proposed.
“We had a lot of very interesting proposals come in. Once the draft vision is released next year, everyone will be able to let us know their thoughts on how we interpreted their ideas to create a vision for a truly spectacular and iconic park,” he said.
“We’ve taken your ideas from the community consultation process and will combine them with advice from local and international design experts to generate a vision for the future.
“Victoria Park will strengthen Brisbane’s reputation as one of the world’s greenest, cleanest, most liveable cities, and a destination of choice for tourists and investors.”
Residents can keep track of project progress by signing up to receive email updates by searching ‘Victoria Park Vision’.
I believe that the total destruction of a golf course at this site is a grave mistake if the goal is to develop Brisbane into a global city. I play this course for many years and find it to be a Brisbane gem.
I would like to share a comment from an american I played Victoria park.
“You can tell the Council that it is a complete travesty to think that such a well-travelled facility such as Victoria Park should fall victim to being transformed from golf to general parkland. Brisbane is very rich in lovely parkland, very poor in public golf courses.
I love the place. Having travelled extensively around the globe, I can tell you that such places should be treasured and not transformed. There are few places as beautiful as Brisbane and this is a shining example of why it such a jewel of a place. When I tell people of Victoria Park, its location, its facilities, the joy of walking a round there, most are envious and desiring that their cities would have invested in such a place!!
I know I would love such a place here in Raleigh NC.
Don’t let them do it!!!
Good advice.
Regards
Tim Davison