Gary Morgan Outlines Initiatives for Melbourne's 'North Bank'
| Article No. 352 -
November 15, 2004 |
 |
Gary Morgan
Lord Mayor Candidate
Margaret Wood
Deputy Lord Mayor Candidate |
 |
Lord Mayor Candidate and local businessman Gary Morgan announced today his intention to fight for a major redevelopment of the Yarra River’s ‘North Bank’, from Spencer Street to Swanston Street.
Mr Morgan outlined five major components of his proposed strategy.
- Relocate the proposed Convention Plenary Hall to the ‘North Bank’ diagonally opposite the Convention Centre with a direct link over Spencer Street into the Convention Building. This will allow the continued expansion of the Exhibition Centre facilities and avoid the need for yet another bridge over the Yarra.
Unless the State Government relocates the proposed Convention Hall to the right location, Council should not be spending rate payers’ $43 million plus in this way.
It is a ‘poor deal’ anyway; the State Government knocked back $90 million from the Federal Government for the MCG so they don’t need rate payers’ funds for a State infrastructure project.
- Invest in a major upgrade of Flinders Street Railway Station.
The Station Upgrade would include:
- Upgrade the historic Flinders Street Railway building and ballroom, presently a disgrace,
- A five star hotel as part of the historic building keeping the façade and important features,
- A retail precinct stretching from the Swanston Street concourse to Queen Street, linking in with the Banana Alley Vaults. The retail overlay and bridge network would enhance Melbourne’s retail spine from Melbourne Central, off Latrobe Street, to Southbank which will infill the missing link,
- A glazed atrium Grand Station providing light and shelter over the renovated historic platforms. This space must ensure train travel is a pleasant ‘warm’ experience, not a cold and windy one,
- An equivalent to a ‘flight deck’ lounge for train travellers,
- Other facilities would include child minding and play centres, change rooms, tourist information centre, lockers and bicycle parking.
- Link, via escalators, Sandridge Rail Bridge and improved under cover access from Southbank to Elizabeth Street.
- Upgrade the tired and dirty underground Flinders Street walkway-tunnel.
The Flinders Street walkway-tunnel should feel more like a ‘retail arcade’ than an underground sewer. Melbourne residents and visitors deserve better.
- Other available space between Flinders Street and Spencer Street can include further hotels, residential, lifestyle facilities, gyms and extensions to the aquarium (if required). Developments should be low rise in nature and should compliment the Southbank and other historic buildings in the area.
“This initiative is a corner-stone project for Melbourne’s future.
“In conjunction with other levels of Government and the private sector I will make this vision a reality,” Gary Morgan said.
Mr Morgan’s policies can be viewed on the Roy Morgan Research website: www.roymorgan.com/melbournecivicgroup.cfm
|
