Sydney's Centennial Park to have its first Master Plan

Centennial Parklands has released its 25-year Strategic Vision for the Parklands and concurrently announced the start of the Centennial Park Master Plan process.

Explaining the process, Centennial Parklands Director and Chief Executive Kim Ellis stated "Centennial Parklands is recognised as one of the world's great public parklands. Around 30 million visitations are made to the three parks Centennial Park, Moore Park and Queens Park making us a critical part of the Sydney fabric.

"We have developed a 25-year vision for the three parks and are delighted to confirm the support of the NSW Government to starting the delivery of this vision. $27 million will be invested over the next four years to ensure these Parklands remains an iconic sporting, recreational and entertainment destination."

"As part of this Vision, we will be delivering the Centennial Park Master Plan a first for the Park, despite it being 125 years old. Centennial Park was named at its birth as The People's Park, and later by author Patrick White as 'the lungs of the city'. Today we begin a plan to ensure future generations will be able to enjoy this Park as we do today."

Centennial Parklands aim for this to be a 'living plan' will that will evolve and be updated over time. The vision pulls together a range of proposals and projects drawn from several existing and new sources. A number of projects come from existing strategies and master plans (such as the Plan of Management 2006-2016; the Queens Park Master Plan; the Moore Park South Master Plan; and the Tree Master Plan) and other projects are new initiatives that have evolved in response to the changing environment within which we operate (such as the response to the new South East Light Rail project; the response to extensive urban consolidation and development along the Parklands boundaries; growth in demand for existing and new services from a growing population).

The project team to deliver the Centennial Park Master Plan consists of nationally and internationally renowned agencies.

BVN Donovan Hill will lead the project, and their impressive team comprises:

• BVN Lead Consultant Masterplanning, Urban Design, Architecture
• The People for Places and Spaces Placemaking, Activation, Stakeholder Engagement
• Richard Evans Economic Strategy and Commercial Opportunities
• GTA Consultants Traffic planning and Movement Analysis
• WT Partnership Quantity Surveying and Financial Modelling
• Aspect Studios Masterplanning, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture, Arboriculture
• Civatas Strategic Urban Landscape Overview and International Benchmarking
• JBA Planning Statutory Planning, Recreational Planning, Economic Strategy
• Godden Mackay Logan Heritage Assessment.

Ellis concluded "we are delighted to have such a high-powered and highly respected team on board to undertake this important project. People love Centennial Park and we expect a high level of interest during the community consultation process."

Watch the Strategic Land Use Vision and learn more at www.centennialparklands.com.au/vision

2nd June 2010 - CENTENNIAL PARK TRUSTEES THREATEN RESIGNATION