Have your say on West Basin waterfront

Posted on 5 June, 2015

Designs for an enlivened waterfront, including a boardwalk, jetties and playgrounds, on the shore of West Basin at Lake Burley Griffin have today been released for public comment.

The West Basin waterfront is a central component of the City to the Lake project. When complete, the waterfront will be a vibrant destination, where people meet, celebrate and have fun. The precinct will include new parks, cafes, restaurants, plazas and streets for the community to use and enjoy.

There are more ways for Canberrans to have their say with a mix of traditional consultation and new interactive digital tools.

Some of the proposed design features include:

• a generous boardwalk, positioned just above the water level
• purpose built pavilions for cafes and tourist facilities along the promenade
• playgrounds, new recreational areas and a water play space
• jetties for commercial boat operators and berthing facilities for recreation craft
• a central events plaza
• new trees and other plantings which highlight the changing seasons
• water sensitive design features to filter storm water before it enters Lake Burley Griffin
• dedicated Copenhagen style bike lane adjacent to the shore
• a new lake wall on the Eastern section of West Basin returning to Walter and Marion Griffin’s 1918 design for West Basin. Portions of the lake will be reclaimed to maximise public space.

Feedback received during public consultation in 2013 highlighted the importance the community placed on public access to lake.  The design released today has responded to this feedback by not only maintaining continuous public access to the lake edge, but by including enhancements to improve user experiences.

Canberrans are invited to comment on the proposed design, and have their say on the types of commercial activities, community facilities and events they would like to see down at West Basin into the future. 

In addition to traditional consultation tools such as a short five minute survey, the community may provide feedback over social media using the hashtag #CityToTheLake.

The ACT Government has also developed a new interactive map to make it even easier for the community to have their say.   The map allows you to see what others are saying about the project.  You can also agree or disagree with other comments posted, by pressing the thumbs up or thumbs down symbol. 

For more information on the City to the Lake project, or to have your say on the proposed West Basin waterfront design, visit www.citytolake.com.au. 

Comments are welcome until 9am, Monday 29 June 2015.