Reconnecting North Sydney: Major parklands plan for Warringah Freeway

NEW multi-billion dollar plans to reconnect North Sydney in a car-free parklands community to be built over the top of Warringah Freeway can be revealed today.

New plans for parklands over Warringah Freeway will resemble Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas.

PLANS for a multi-billion dollar “field of dreams” have been drawn up to reconnect North Sydney with a car-free parklands community over Warringah Freeway, turning a concrete jungle into an urban oasis.

Mosman Daily can today exclusively reveal the High Mount Consortium’s “once-in-a-century” confidential proposal — which would return­ “open spaces” to North Sydney, 50 years after freeway works sliced it in half — is under assessment by the State Government.

The massive makeover would see North Sydney reconnected with terraced and staged podiums above an upgraded Warringah Freeway to create extensive public open space, pedestrian precincts, transport links and activities adjacent to the CBD.

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson and Mosman architect Michael Fox overlooking the Warringah Freeway at North Sydney on Monday. Sweeping new parkland plans for Warringah Freeway have been unveiled that are three years in the making. Picture: Troy Snook

The man behind the grand plan, Mosman architect Michael Fox, said there was a “unique opportunity” to combine a freeway upgrade with the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link projects.

“The time is now for something as significant as this,” Mr Fox said.

“The consortium has the capacity to make this happen. And the proposed involvement of North Sydney Council provides a unique opportunity for a successful outcome, with genuine community­ participation.”

Open spaces: Klyde Warren Park, Dallas, Texas.

Similar to Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Texas, where parklands were built across the eight-lane Woodall Rogers Freeway, the North Sydney plan would also address the lack of open space and connectivity in North Sydney.

“This visionary proposal would be a game-changer for how local government uses public space,” said North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson, who will reveal more about the plan to councillors in a mayoral minute at next week’s council meeting.

This aerial photograph of Warringah Expressway construction taken for the Department of Main Roads in the early 1960s shows the extent of demolition that occurred to build the road.

It would reverse works done half a century ago, when more than 500 homes were demolished to make way for the Warringah Expressway, as it was originally known.

“The proposal’s benefits will include traffic calming to make our CBD a place for pedestrians; significant additional open space for our residents and city workers; and the reconnecting of North Sydney, which was rudely cut in half in the 1960s,” Cr Gibson said.

“And council would be in the unique position of being involved from the outset.

“With the help of community members we would ensure the project delivered maximum public benefits to our CBD and surrounding precincts.

“I hope the State Government looks favourably at this proposal, which will dramatically increase the liveability and economic vitality­ of our CBD.”