The bridge proposal.
The Shipping News recently published an opinion piece by Rebecca Clarkson What’s Happening With Our Fremantle Traffic Bridge in which the Mains Roads proposal for a new traffic bridge into Freo is outlined.
The proposal has received considerable recent community comment. There is a sense that the proponent, Main Roads, is reluctant to fully engage Fremantle people about their plans.
It feels a bit like a ‘done deal’ and how major proposals were processed in the 60s, long before citizens were recognised as having not only a right to participate in major project decision-making, but also as having good ideas about a project that are worth listening to before construction contracts are let.
Danang, Vietnam – Mar. 29, 2019: The Golden Bridge “giant hands of Gods”. The two giant colossal hands emerging from the mountains holding up the golden bridge at the height of 1,414 m from the sea level in the Ba Na Hills, Da Nang, Vietnam.
Freo people would like to contribute to such issues as where the new bridge should be located, what it should look like, whether the old bridge should be retained, and how the new works should be integrated and relate to Fremantle and North Fremantle and the Port.
Perhaps the bridge just captioned, in Vietnam, is not exactly what we all might have in mind, but you have to agree, it gets you thinking!
Panel discussion and Q&A
These issues have now been taken up by a new Freo non profit. DesignFreo have organised a panel discussion of the Old Bridge/New Bridge questions. The discussion will be followed by a Q&A session.
The panel will feature switched-on experts including:
* Rebecca Clarkson, Community Development Expert and instigator of the change.org campaign to retain the old bridge as a public space, and author of the recent Shipping News opinion piece.
* Russell Kingdom, Urban Designer, and Manager – City Design and Projects, City of Fremantle.
* Dr Anthony Duckworth-Smith, Research Fellow, Australian Urban Design Research Centre.
* Brendan Moore, Aboriginal Engagement Officer, City of Fremantle.
* The Hon Simone McGurk MLA, Member for Fremantle
* Meri Fatin is the moderator.
* Main Roads have also been invited.
The questions
The panel will address these questions –
· Can we save the old bridge, which is on the State Heritage Register, and repurpose it into something for community use?
· If so, what could that look like? Precedents include the High Line in New York and Seoullo 7017, Seoul.
· The new bridge is an opportunity to create something with design merit – how do we ensure we get the best design outcome?
· What consideration has been given to the land uses at each end of the bridge – Cantonment Hill and the North Freo town centre? This project has the potential to open up and enhance these key hubs, and to recognise their Indigenous cultural significance.
· With the Westport process underway, would knowing that a second harbour is to be built in Kwinana open up opportunities to rethink the location of the new bridge? For example, should it be pushed further west, into the current active port zone?
Where and when
Date: Thursday 30 July
Venue: Tannock Hall, 44 Cliff Street, Fremantle
Time: 6.30 – 8pm
Tickets
Please book here at Eventbrite.
About Design Freo
DesignFreo, you will be interested to learn, is a brand new organisation driven by a team of committed, local architects, landscape architects and interior designers, as well as communications, fashion, product and digital designers all with a passion for design and for the future of Fremantle/Walyalup.
