Woden’s CIT - opportunities
WVCC Recommendation
Include a central park between the CIT and Westfield, to be activated for a day and night economy for student and community life, with a street theatre facing on to the central park. Provide parking for students under the building and upgrade surrounding cycle paths.
The Issues
culture - there is little visible cultural activity (music, art, theatre) at street level in the town centre
public spaces - the population is growing in the Town Centre however the town square and surrounding areas are not active and are dark leading to people feeling unsafe at night.
parking - there is no student parking in the facility and the adequacy of public transport needs to be investigated.
cycle paths - the north south spine needs to be separated from pedestrain traffic and access to the new interchange improved.
Objectives
The primary objective is great educational outcomes however there are also opportunities for the CIT to be an anchor to improve the ‘vibe’ of the town centre. The WVCC assesses proposals in the town centre against the following criteria:
a sunny focal point for community gatherings - eg events and markets - in a central area that is/has:
connected to other places in the area and where people naturally walk
active fronts with shops that draw large numbers of people to them
cultural facilities and places for music and buskers
greening the area with trees, trees shrubs and grassy areas
inclusive with activities for 8 year olds and 80 year olds, people with disabiity and diverse backgrounds
comfortable and protected from the wind
safe, social environments where people want to gather and visit again and again.
efffective access through underground parking and cycle infrastructure.
ACT Government Policy
The primary open space is the North Plaza and while it is potentially sunny in the mornings and may attract people to sit, it is not an area where people tend to walk through the town centre. Some people may pass the area on the way to and from the bus interchange however it is small and will not act as the focal point for Woden in the context of events and markets.
Although the town square is very close to the CIT, it is not mentioned in the planning documents. Unfortunately it is zoned for 28 storeys around its perimeter which will leave it overshadowed, windy and unattractive.
Making cities for people with Jan Gehl
Alexander Maxwell-Anderson interview with Jan Gehl - 15 May 2021
“A good city is made up of streets and squares. They have different functions in the life of the city.
The street psychologically signals to move. We call it a movement space. So when you see this linear space, it suggests ‘go, go, go’.
But when you come to a square, it signals stop the movement and start to do something else. Throughout history, squares were always used for all other things apart from walking; the markets, the ceremonies with the church and election, the democratic expressions – everything. They needed some space for these things. So squares were always where things happened, where you stopped walking and started doing other things.”
https://www.foreground.com.au/culture/making-cities-for-people-with-jan-gehl/
The west side of the CIT has the potential to be the centre of culture with food, drink and performing arts to bring activity to the area and be the central connector between Bowes St and the Hellenic Club in the north and Bradley St and the Southern Cross Club in the south.
Amp It Up grants
We need a music venue (street theatre) to contribute to the activity and life of the area. See the allocation for Amp it Up grants below.
Conclusion
Like the Chief Minister said in 2016, “cities don’t succeed by accident or by leaving things to chance – they require design, good governance and great collaboration.”
We need a plan for the cultural, social, environmental and economic development of Woden to ensure we put the right infrastructure in the right place and enable student and community life.
