Brisbane’s answer to Central Park

A prime 45ha tract of inner Brisbane land will be transformed into the city’s biggest public park in over half a century.

BRISBANE’S Victoria Park golf course will be closed down to make way for the city’s biggest public park in over half a century.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Brisbane City Council will transform the inner-city golf course into a 45ha green sanctuary, complete with water features, woodlands and gardens.

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The new park, dubbed the Victoria Park Vision, will be the second biggest in Brisbane when completed, behind the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, and will be more than double the size of the City Botanic Gardens.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said council would consider a range of ­opportunities for the new mega-park, including pop-up cinemas, markets and “revolutionary” play areas for all ages.

“Council will involve the community in every step of this planning process and will hold forums and public consultation as well as engage experts to create the best design for this green space,” he said.

Brisbane’s Victoria Park golf course will be transformed.

“The Victoria Park Vision will double the size of the existing park and deliver a green link that boosts the connectivity of the city fringe, including Kelvin Grove, Herston, Bowen Hills and the Brisbane showgrounds.”

Cr Schrinner also pointed to other examples of inner-city parklands, such as Central Park in New York City and Hyde Park in London, which are home to free attractions and hundreds of trees.

The council will allocate $1 million to the park in their upcoming budget and will begin work on the project in 2021, when the existing golf course will be permanently closed. The golf course site is entirely owned by the council and patronage numbers have decreased by about 16 per cent over the past eight years.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has shared the Victoria Park Vision. Picture: Jamie Hanson

Cr Schrinner said council would work with the current tenants to ensure the popular driving range, putt-putt course, wedding venue and function centre are part of the new parkland.

“People love and value the existing putt putt course and driving range, with more than 180,000 people using these facilities in the past financial year,” he said.

The council said work was already under way to improve access to the park, where car parking is available.

“Both lines of the high-frequency Brisbane Metro will transport passengers directly to the parkland via the Herston and Kelvin Grove stations in the future,” Cr Schrinner told The Sunday Mail.

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