Promenade bridge takes easy way out

A $28 million, 350-metre ped- estrian bridge linking the MCG, Mel- bourne Park and Birrarung Marr will be the key Commonwealth Games initiative in tomorrow's state budget. The bridge, revealed first in The Age on April 26, will stretch from an undecided point in Birrarung Marr over CityLink, tram and rail tracks and Brunton Avenue, to Jolimont Ter- race on the MCG's north-west side. During the 2006 Games, more than 100,000 pedestrians of an estimated 350,000 daily spectators are expected to use the bridge. Announcing the project yesterday, Commonwealth Games Minister Jus- tin Madden said the "promenade" bridge, 12 metres at its widest with several entry and exit points, was needed to avoid pedestrian logjams at the Games and would give spec- tators an easy route between the An artist's image of the pedestrian bridge linking icons. sports and city precincts. Darren Gray COMMONWEALTH GAMES Footbridge will link park to MCG Work is due to start early next year scheduled to open in late 2005. on a large pedestrian bridge that Commonwealth Games Minister will link Birrarung Marr to the MCG. Justin Madden said the link had The bridge will start in Birrarung recently been endorsed by an Marr near the bells and stretch independent planning advisory over Batman Avenue, railway and committee. "It will make it safer tram tracks, Brunton Avenue and and easier for people to make into on the north-west their way to and from AFL side of the MCG. The bridge, a matches, the Australian Open, Commonwealth Games project, concerts, and of course, the Com- will cost $27.8 million and is monwealth Games," he said. `Brutal' footbridge will ruin park, say designers Martin Boulton, Royce Millar Leading landscape architects have slammed the State Govern- ment's $28 million pedestrian bridge linking the MCG and parkland across the as a "brutal" treatment of Mel- bourne's award-winning Birrar ung Marr park. Commonwealth Games Min- ister Justin Madden yesterday Birrarung Marr recently won An artist's impression of the outlined new plans for the an Australian Institute of Land- pedestrian bridge linking the 525-metre bridge, to be built in scape Architects award for excel- MCG and Birrarung Marr. time for the 2006 Common- lence in design and master wealth Games. planning. Institute president Tim The bridge will run from out- Hart said the Government had side the MCG to Birrarung Marr, used a "closed shop" consul- crossing the Jolimont railyards tation process. "It's a $28 million and Batman Avenue. project (that) is basically being Mr Madden said it would railroaded through without con- encourage public transport use sulting anyone," he said. and improve access to concerts Mr Jones said the Govern- and sporting events. It is ment could have got a better expected to carry 350,000 people result for a fraction of the cost by a day during the Games. upgrading existing walkways Mr Madden said the Govern- along the river. He said the ment would ensure it was "sensi- bridge appeared to be at odds tive to its environment". with long-term plans to deck the But Ron Jones, who worked in Jolimont railyards between Fed- urban design for the Melbourne eration Square and the MCG. City Council for 14 years and The chairwoman of Mel- played a leading role in the bourne City Council's major pro- design of Birrarung Marr, said jects committee, Cr Kate the Government had been "brut- Redwood, said the council had ally insensitive to the designers asked the Government to plant of the park". trees in Exhibition Street "to Mr Jones, who now works in ameliorate the visual impact of private practice, said Birrarung the bridge". She said the coun- Marr had been designed as a cil's preferred arrangement was a series of distinct levels to accom- bridge that landed on the east of modate events. The "middle ter- Batman Avenue, not in the park. race" — where the bridge would Mr Madden said the design of It's a $28 million project land — is now compromised as the bridge had been endorsed (that) is basically being an event space, he said. after community feedback and "Landing the bridge on the assessment by an independent railroaded through middle terrace drives a advisory committee. He said key without consulting thoroughfare through one of groups consulted included the anyone. those activity spaces, in fact, MCG Trust, the East Melbourne through the one space most pro- Residents Group and public TIM HART, Australian Institute of tected from through traffic." transport operators. Landscape Architects president Troubled water over bridge Misha Ketchell pulled down in 10 years' time, when the decking project could Tensions between the Mel- reasonably commence," he bourne City Council and the said. State Government deepened The council is also reluctant yesterday — over a bridge. to pay for maintaining the Lord Mayor John So attacked 113.; bridge. It has called on the State Government plans for a Government to cover it. $28 million pedestrian bridge But a spokeswoman for linking the MCG, Melbourne Commonwealth Games Minis- Park, Birrarung Marr and ter Justin Madden said the . An artist's impression of the Government expected the The 350-metre bridge, proposed footbridge. council to meet its respons- announced in this year's state ibility to maintain the bridge budget, will span the Jolimont He said it would be cheaper under the Local Government railyards, from Birrarung Marr, and more efficient to build a Act. She said the final design near Federation Square, to ground-level pedestrian cross- had not been decided but the Yana Park and the MCG. ing on the 60 km/h road. Government was committed to Due to be completed in time Cr So also said the council a pedestrian bridge to improve for the 2006 Commonwealth wanted to build decking over safety and access to the MCG. Games, it is expected to carry the Jolimont railyards and it The council is preparing a as many as 350,000 pedestrians would be a waste of money to submission to the Govern- a day. But according to Cr So, build something that would ment's planning advisory com- the proposals are flawed and eventually have to be pulled mittee detailing its criticisms of include an unnecessary section down. "There is no point build- the bridge proposal and seeking extending over Batman Avenue. ing a bridge that needs to be alterations. Melbourne's latest landmark a step closer to completion

SOME time between lam and 3am carry between 11 and 20 per cent on Sunday, the two halves of Mel- of pedestrians in and out of the bourne's newest bridge finally met. MCG. The link between the MCG, Mel- Commonwealth Games Minister bourne Park and the city is almost Justin Madden said a name for the complete, with one section of the 525-metre-long bridge had been bridge to be lowered and a couple of decided but would be under wraps finishing touches to be added in the for five weeks. The bridge will go to next fortnight. Work has taken place parklands at the western end of the early in the morning to avoid disrup- MCG during the Games and later be tion to trains in the railyards below. extended to reach the stadium con- The bridge will make the walk from course. Separately, Mr Madden said the city to the MCG about eight min- landscaping could push back the utes shorter than the Flinders Street November 30 handover of the Park- and Wellington Parade route. Once ville athletes village by up to a week. finished, it is expected that it will PETER KER The bridge will cut the walk to the MCG from the city.PICTURE: MICHAEL CLAYTON Council tries to bridge maintenance gap

IT COST $30 million, is named after an "And it is now coming back to haunt Aboriginal diplomat and was proudly us because the Government is not unveiled by the State Government prior doing it." to the Common wealth Games. She said the council would carry But six months on, the William Barak out maintenance if the Major Pro- pedestrian bridge is awash with graffiti jects Department paid for it. and litter, according to Melbourne City A spokeswoman for Major Projects Council, sparking an "inundation" of Minister John Lenders said the bridge, complaints from the public. which links the CBG with Melbourne's "It is quite disappointing," planning sporting precinct, was cleaned when committee chairwoman Catherine Ng required. said. But the council claims there is no "We were very clear in 2003 that we maintenance arrangement in place, would have no responsibility for ongoing and will vote this week on whether to maintenance. try to take over management of the bridge from the East Melbourne's William Barak Government. RACHEL CLEINMAN bridge.