Premier’s vision to revitalised Sydney CBD long overdue
A revitalised CBD linked by transport that can become a centre of activity for all of Sydney at nights and on weekends is a vision of which John Bradfield would have approved, writes Anna Caldwell.
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Great cities need vibrant downtowns. Without one, a city is just a bunch of suburbs organised around some office towers. And when John Bradfield engineered our stunning Harbour Bridge, you can only imagine the kind of sparkling CBD people dreamt it would one day service.
Surely it would be bustling, heaving with people working and playing — the kind of place that could be the heart and soul of the great city his work was defining.
And yet here we are with a nine to five CBD that is at best limping along when it comes to night-life, recreation and weekend activity.
I recently returned from a trip to New York and needed to head into Sydney’s CBD the very next day, which just happened to be a Saturday.
Walking down King St towards Pitt St Mall, the street was so bare — dead — and jarring after time in the Big Apple that I took video footage to record the moment, which felt truly eerie.
Of course you might rightly say that Sydney does not want to be heaving with people as some other big cities are. I agree.
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But surely there’s a satisfying midpoint somewhere between wall-to-wall people and the weekend ghost town we’ve come to be used to.
We have stiff competition when it comes to being a great city. Look to Melbourne, which is dotted with alleyway cafes, restaurants and bars.
Think of London, Singapore, Hong Kong and New York.
Without doubt Sydney is a city that can outclass them all — but not when it comes to a vibrant night time economy or weekend CBD.
The lockout laws have cruelled us on that front.
The final report of a state parliamentary committee inquiry into the lock out laws summarised submissions as finding Sydney to be “soulless, boring, a ghost town and a shadow of its former self”.
They noted that submissions argued “Businesses and venues have closed down leading to reduced revenue and employment opportunities”.
And, finally: “Business owners submitted that it is difficult to attract talented people to work in Sydney because the city is not an interesting place to live.”
You can see why Premier Gladys Berejiklian is wanting to usher in a renaissance for the CBD.
There has been much talk about the night-time economy, but the CBD has a weekend economy issue as well.
The Premier told me yesterday that she believes the CBD is on the cusp of a rebirth — a renaissance if you will — which will transform the hub from a place you dread to a place you can enjoy.
What she describes is no easy task and we should be sceptical that damage to our CBD can be reversed.
Businesses have been crying out for patronage over the course of the light rail construction and they will believe in a change only when they see it.
But if launching the light rail and winding back the lockout laws — two major reforms expected by the end of the year — can genuinely spark new eateries and bars, this buzz would certainly flow over into daytime activities as well.
This is a combination that could truly change the tenor of our city.
And, of course, all of this must be matched by reliable transport services to ferry people in and out without the hassle of driving and parking.
It was heartening this week to see Transport Minister Andrew Constance say he would add light rail services through the CBD after dark to ensure a new flood of people were catered for.
The attitude here is right.
From a political perspective, there aren’t too many votes in a rebirthed CBD.
The Premier was right when she told me it would benefit people all over the state as well as tourists from interstate and overseas, but still it won’t be a vote shifter in places where it matters.
And here’s the rub — revitalising our CBD isn’t about votes. It’s a good thing for all of us. This is about Sydney. Who we are and who we aspire to be.
Bradfield’s Harbour Bridge and Jorn Utzon’s Opera House hover over this city as stunning landmarks reminding us every day what we are capable of.
They inspire and unite, complementing Sydney’s unrivalled natural beauty.
Governments must continue to do their bit to build a city that is worthy of wrapping around these stunning pieces of infrastructure that define us.
We should aspire to be a place that is continually improving — not one that accepts its own shortcomings — whether it be a CBD you “dread” or a painful commute.
Racing NSW under the visionary guidance of Peter V’landys showed this year what a bit of gumption and self-belief can do when Sydney rattled Melbourne which has long taken for granted its dominance on the racing calendar.
V’landys believed Sydney could do better and despite all the signs to the contrary, he set about making it happen.
We should welcome Berejiklian’s intention to revitalise Sydney’s CBD and we should never for a moment believe that making our city better is not worth the hassle.
The idea of a reborn CBD is exciting — and daunting. It won’t be easy and we should expect the government to live up to this commitment every step of the way.