Sydney's Centennial Park announces program of 125th anniversary celebrations

Centennial Park has revealed a program of events, activities and projects to mark its 125th anniversary. The 12-month long program aims to provide community celebration opportunities and a plan for the future of one of Australia's best loved public parks.

Launching the program, Centennial Parklands Director and Chief Executive Kim Ellis explained "Centennial Park is not only one of Australia's best known and loved public parks, but one of its most historically significant. 

"Dedicated in 1888, the Park has survived the daily struggles of drought, environmental degradation, and the strains of surviving in a modern urban environment receiving over 11 million visits annually.

"Even after 125 years, it is still truly 'the People's Park' and will continue to be if we all support, engage, protect and communicate the story of this extraordinary Park and its history."

A highlight of the calendar will be celebrationsin Centennial Park during January 2013 to mark the anniversary date while a number of designated legacy programs will be promoted throughout the year, encouraging community, corporate and government support for the creation and enhancement of the Park's environmental, social and commercial assets.

A dedicated website for the anniversary year will go live shortly while Centennial Park's four key goals for the year are:

1. Awareness: community awareness of the Park, its facilities, its challenges and its future.
2. Engagement: providing a range of engagement touch points throughout the year with the community, corporate sector and government to learn, celebrate and contribute.
3. Support: providing knowledge of the support mechanisms in place to contribute to the Park's future.
4. Sustainability: awareness, engagement and support to secure a sustainable future for Centennial Park - sustainable environmentally, socially and financially.

The program for the year includes:

JANUARY 2013
The Light Garden
The flagship community event to celebrate Centennial Park's 125th Anniversary. Includes a dusk picnic, with outdoor activities and entertainment. As the sun goes down, Centennial Park's landscape will be transformed into a magical canvas of lights, outdoor galleries, roving entertainers and musicians, workshops, food and beverages, and more!

Australia Day, the actual anniversary date, will be marked by a tree planting ceremony on the site of the very first tree planting 125 years before, and the community will be able to take home their very own piece of Centennial Park with a Parklands Plant Sale, curated by Centennial Parklands nursery volunteers.

Brought to life by AGB Events, major contributors to outdoor events such as Vivid Sydney and Crave Sydney.

Centennial Parklands Land Use Plan
Announcement of a Centennial Parklands-wide land use plan – the first of its kind. It will act as a proposed overarching plan for the use and future management of precincts within Centennial Parklands, reinforcing the integrated management approach of the Trust.

FEBRUARY - JUNE 2013
Centennial Park Master Plan
A series of public announcements, consultation sessions and community engagement opportunities to help develop the Master Plan that will guide the future of Centennial Park.

Children's Garden announcement
A formal public announcement of the new Centennial Park Children's Garden, with a call for sponsors to fund the project.

Pop-up Garden Display
Interpreting Centennial Park's 100+ year history of stunning public horticultural displays, the Park will be creating some visually spectacular pop-up garden displays around the Centennial Parklands Dining precinct.

Tours and events
A series of free and guided tours and events will be held throughout the first half of the year, including many of our popular events helping to provide some festive spirit:
• Moonlight Cinema
• Taste of Sydney
• Nike She Runs the Night
• Head On Photo Festival

JULY - DECEMBER 2013
Three new iconic events in Centennial Park will be announced in 2013:
1. A sports/recreation-related event
A new international recreation-related event will be held in Centennial Park for the first time in August.
2. A new lifestyle-related event
A new iconic lifestyle event to be held in Centennial Park that will have the potential to become an iconic Australian event on the annual calendar.
3. An arts/cultural event
Making its Centennial Park debut is a large artistic/cultural event that Park management believe is the perfect fit for the venue.

Centennial Park: A History
Park management have re-commissioned the development and publication of the Centennial Park: A History book – a book released in 1988 and out of print soon after. The original author will oversee the complete redevelopment and redesign of the book for a new generation keen to learn the fascinating history of this place.

Pop-up Garden Display
Interpreting Centennial Park's 100+ year history of stunning public horticultural displays, Park management will be creating some visually spectacular pop-up garden displays around the Centennial Parklands Dining precinct.

Tours and events
A series of free and guided tours and events will be held throughout the second half of the year, including many of our popular events helping to provide some festive spirit:
• Moonlight Cinema
• Taste of Sydney
• Nike She Runs the Night
• Head On Photo Festival

For more information go to www.cp125.com.au 

9th March 2011 - NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO LEAD CENTENNIAL PARKLANDS

2nd June 2010 - CENTENNIAL PARK TRUSTEES THREATEN RESIGNATION