War Memorial plans to build car park at base of Mount Ainslie
The Australian War Memorial plans to acquire ACT government land at the base of Mount Ainslie for construction teams to use during its expansion, and would later turn it into a car park.
War Memorial director Brendan Nelson told MPs on Wednesday night the land would host buildings used by construction workers during its redevelopment, before becoming a car park of 118 spaces.
Dr Nelson, speaking at a Senate estimates hearing, said the memorial wanted to begin works on temporary buildings for construction teams late this year.
"The land that is immediately behind Treloar Crescent, behind the existing Anzac Hall, just across the road, we need to acquire that land. We don't anticipate this will be a problem, the ACT government has been very supportive with this project," he said.
"We want to acquire that land and build the facilities for the construction teams that will be coming in next year to work on the project."
This would prepare the nine-year, $498.7 million expansion of the War Memorial for a start late next year with the demolition of the 17-year-old Anzac Hall, followed by work to rebuild it and extend the Bean building in early 2021.
Construction would start on an underground hall and entrance at the memorial's front in April 2021, and major works are expected to end in 2025, leaving gallery fit-outs as the next task.
"What's important in this is the galleries themselves need some effort," Dr Nelson said.
The War Memorial's plan to build behind Anzac Hall would push its boundaries beyond Treloar Crescent, which now divides its buildings from Remembrance Nature Park at the base of Mount Ainslie's popular walking track.
War Memorial assistant director of corporate services Leanne Patterson on Thursday said it was intended the car park would be constructed by the memorial and remain ACT land.
"There have been only preliminary discussions with the ACT government about the acquisition of land at the base of Mount Ainslie related to the memorial redevelopment project," she said.
"These discussions will continue as the project progresses."
Dr Nelson earlier said the War Memorial would minimise the expansion's cost and length by breaking it into discrete projects contracted to different companies, who would complete works simultaneously.
The memorial will use a newly-built $16 million, 5500 m² storage space in Mitchell as a temporary exhibition area during the expansion, moving aircraft and other artefacts into the building from Anzac Hall before the demolition next year.
Dr Nelson said the redevelopment was broadly supported, and promoted it as part of the "therapeutic milieu" for veterans returning from deployment, helping them come to terms with its effects.
The war memorial director has previously framed the redevelopment as a project honouring modern veterans, as much as commemorating past wars.
In a significant expansion of its exhibition and public space, the memorial will rebuild Anzac Hall over three levels, substantially grow exhibition space, and create a new entrance and research centre.
There'll be a complete redesign of the memorial's lower ground floor and a new underground exhibition hall to display large items such as helicopters and jet fighters, but the building’s original facade will remain unchanged.
The redevelopment will also include a live feed of current defence activities, an area for quiet reflection and a display of the nation's cenotaphs and memorials.