A vision for Docklands

Docklands can be the best suburb in Melbourne, but a vision must be clear to do that.

The cooperation with Development Victoria, City of Melbourne, Parks Victoria, the AFL, Transurban, Lend Lease, etc. is vital in ensuring Docklands residents and visitors enjoy what it is they need in order to thrive (we really should have less organisations involved as they are generally competing and often focused only on money).

These corporations must be obligated to give back in some form to the community e.g. Transurban to build a much-needed secondary school. 

The following are essential:

• It must be compulsory in plans to have open spaces for children and families in high-rise buildings to come down and socialise.
• Trees and gardens are necessary for beauty and ambience. 
• There must be jetties for people to fish on, to relax and laze on.
• NewQuay Promenade must be extended to the Bolte Bridge asap and not be barred because of a possible private development.
• A secondary school built in the space near the primary school and Costco.
• Water taxis making waterway travel easy.
• Have amazing events but realise this is not essential in making a suburb fantastic. 
• A two-storey tourist building on Harbour Esplanade that has a viewing area, toilets, and dining is essential. It must not extend into the waterway though.

Residents have a wealth of information and they need to be consulted in order to build on the special community they are already creating. 

These are just a few thoughts focused on Docklands necessities, not chewing up land for high-rise buildings that block the sun and create wind tunnels. Great cities around the world have beautiful, vibrant harbours that are viable and good for the soul, and we must too.

Dianne Wood 

Celebrating 25 years of the Bolte Bridge

A bridge that is more than a crossing.

Having lived in Docklands, Melbourne for more than eight years, I was always drawn to the magnificent Bolte Bridge, which is a jewel of Docklands.

My apartment now faces this crowning glory of Docklands, and it stands strong amid the different weather conditions Melbourne offers daily.

Following a little research, I discovered that it’s been 25 years since the inception of the Bolte Bridge on August 16, 1999.

What better way to honour this place than to write about it and share the knowledge with Melburnians.

The bridge was designed by architect Denton Corker Marshall, construction took three years from 1996 to 1999, and cost $75 million.

It is named after Victoria’s 38th and longest-serving Premier Sir Henry Bolte. The bridge features two 140-metre-high silver (grey concrete) towers, situated on either side of the roadway at the midpoint of the bridge’s span. These two towers are an aesthetic addition by the architects and are not joined to the main body of the bridge.

These towers are hollow, and feature access ladders to a small rooftop hatch (now closed). Access is prohibited to cyclists and pedestrians.

The Bolte Bridge is a large twin cantilever road in Melbourne, Australia. It carries a total of eight lanes of traffic – four lanes northbound and four lanes southbound. While officially only 490 metres in length, the actual structure appears much longer as it forms part of a five-kilometre elevated roadway between Flemington Rd and the West Gate Freeway.

Amruta Wazalwar

Run Melbourne disruption

I recently wrote to Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece to express my strong objection to the complete closure of residential streets at NewQuay Docklands during the Run Melbourne event on July 21.

The closure, which lasted from 6.30am to 8.30am, unfairly restricted rate-paying residents, hotel guests, and other members of the community from accessing public roads.
I believe it is unjust to deny citizens the freedom to move about their daily lives for the sake of an annual event. I urge the council to improve event management and traffic management strategies to minimise disruptions to the community.

The event’s traffic management team, MS Traffic Management, faced justified criticism from frustrated residents. Unfortunately, my call to the Victoria Police at the time went unattended.

I request that the council takes necessary steps to ensure that Docklands residents are not treated as second-class citizens of Melbourne.

Leonard Elliss •