$4.5 million upgrade at Sydney and Melbourne Buildings
Businesses around the iconic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings have broadly welcomed a $4.5 million revamp of the city centre.
The aim is to transform the core of the city into a much more pedestrian friendly area, with more space for street cafes.
There's now a proposal to extend out-door dining further out into the street, and so increase the European cafe society feel.
There's a new raised cycle lane, separating the track for cyclists from the road.
The extra space and the wider pavements come because bus stops have been moved elsewhere. The space for the bus stops has now become the cycle lane so the road lanes for cars have not been cut back - just the bus stops.
At the unveiling, Minister for City Services, Chris Steel, said, "This is the most significant improvement work conducted on the Sydney and Melbourne Building precinct for a long time and we hope all Canberrans will enjoy our revitalised city centre."
Businesses there said they were pleased - though some said the disruption had hurt them and the work had come too late.
Aldo Cataldo who owns a hair-dressing salon on Northbourne Avenue said, "After 25 years, they've finally done the right thing in paying homage to these buildings."
But he added that it was now important that neighbouring land wasn't just sold off for development so car parking was lost.
Gary Ruble who owns Kingsize Big and Tall said, "Aesthetically, it's very good but the damage has been done by the construction."
He said the work on the improvements plus the tram construction had disrupted his business. "We need an advertising campaign. We need to let people know that we are back in business."
The ACT Government said it had "completed works to re-invigorate the precinct around Canberra’s iconic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings."
"The works have reclaimed a section of the road verge on Northbourne Avenue and opened it up for new cycle paths as well as renewed pedestrian areas, seating, lighting and outdoor dining within distinctive formal landscaping outside Canberra’s historic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings."
Pasquale Trimboli, one of the owners of the Mezzalira restaurant on London Circuit said he was also worried about car parking. He thought space for trams and taxis had expanded in the area at the expense of short-term carparking.
Of the improvements to the road, he said, "Overall, it's cleaned up the area. It's brought the Sydney Building back into play."
But "business needs to survive on the supply (of customers and goods)", and that he felt needed parking.