Green space is a precious commodity in Melbourne CBD. There's Flagstaff Gardens, Treasury Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens (which really seem like the same thing, no?) and, er, that weird bit of grass in front of The Age building. That's about it.
But soon city office workers will have a new piece of inner-city greenery in which to eat their lunches, with Melbourne City Council approving a new park on the corner of Collins and Market streets. That spot is the site of the new Collins Arch development, and the park will be 1,750 square metres of public space.
Artist's impression: Supplied
The spot was a popular alfresco lunch destination for nearby office workers until the then-Suncorp building started shedding its marble cladding, which crashed onto the plaza below and made for a rather unpeaceful lunch in 2012. The building sat empty for a while and was then demolished.
Artist's impression: Supplied
The new Collins Arch development on the old Suncorp site will include apartments, commercial offices and a new five-star hotel, W Melbourne. The park is set to include a large lawn area, bluestone paths, benches and seating, trees and space for public events. It's being designed by Oculus, the same firm that designed Hobart's famed Museum of Old and New Art.
The design is still open for consultation, so have your say at Melbourne City Council's website until October 10.