The territory government has begun a process to reshape Exhibition Park in Canberra in a bid to increase attendance and revenue raised by Canberra's festivals and events.
The efforts will deliver a 2020 election promise to build a multipurpose event facility with a 10,000-square-metre footprint, but could also see some of the land redeveloped, and a range of new infrastructure built.
In 2019, Venues Canberra tasked Lockbridge with writing up an analysis of the EPIC site, its potential to be reconfigured, as well as the costs and value of land divestment.
All of the three options include a new event facility, a new Fitzroy building and a new main gate and ticket booth at Gate 1, but vary beyond these key points.
Approaching the market for a consultant to lead designs on a new precinct plan, Venues Canberra identified the third development option as its preferred scenario.
Here is a look at the other ideas on the table.
Development option one
In this scenario, Exhibition Park would "generally remain in its existing state", with the government divesting 53,000-square-metres of land for non-retail commercial or light industrial use. That would be made up of a strip of land along the Federal Highway (identified as Area A) which totals 23,000-square-metres, as well as a 30,000-square-metres made up of land parcels generally north of the power line (part of Area B). Currently Exhibition Park spans 710,366-square-metres. The land would need to be developed under a sub-lease or ground-lease arrangement due to the existing Crown Lease, and restrictions around heights and noise have ruled out residential uses. This option would also see the Summernats Cruise change from 2100 metres to 2500 metres to include Flemington road.
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Size of land after reconsolidation: 657,366-square-metres
- Cost of works: $33,703,527
- Potential land divestment value: $13,250,000
Development option two
Option two would involve a greater divestment of land and more changes to the Exhibition Park site as we know it. The 23,000-square-metre strip along the Federal Highway would still be divested, as would additional surplus land of 240,000-square-metres in Area B. It would mean the park would generally be contained within the borders of Block 6 Section 72 Lyneham. In this vision, a 4500-space carpark would be built within and adjacent to the powerline easement, while the campground would be moved into the north of the site. Dogs ACT and the German Shepherd clubs would be consolidated into one new building, while the Canberra Harness Racing Club training track would be relocated and a new burnout pad would be constructed in its place. The Summernats cruised would change from its current 2100 metres to 27000 metres to include Flemington Road.
- Size of land after reconsolidation: 447,366-square metres
- Cost of works: $44,741,943
- Potential land divestment value: $57,923,913
Development option three
The third option for the park is split into two variations - 3A and 3B - with the former identified by Lockbridge as the preferred configuration. Major Venues Canberra also backs this option. Option 3A would involve the divestment of 153,000-square-metres. That would be the strip along the Federal Highway as well as parts of the land marked as Area B. A 530-space carpark and camping area would be built adjacent to the powerline easement, and a 70-space carpark would be built adjacent to the new EPIC ticket office. A new Dogs ACT building would be built, as would a new EPIC workshop, while stables would be demolished and replaced with temporary ones for race days. Tank Farm would be relocated, and Summernats Cruise would change from 2100 metres to 2500 metres.
Option 3B would divest more land - 223,000-square-metres - in Area B, if a new location could be found for the Canberra Harness Racing Club training track. Lockbridge found that going with option 3A could scale up attendance at events to 932,000 people from 727,000 in 2019. Direct expenditure would increase to $107 million, up from $77 million.
- Size of land after reconsolidation 3A: 557,366-square-metres
- Size of land after reconsolidation 3B: 487,366-square-metres
- Cost of works 3A: $56,531,690
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Cost of works 3B: $58,747,451
- Potential land divestment value 3A: $34,663,043
- Potential land divestment 3B: $49,880,435
Which option do you think would be best for Exhibition Park? Or should it be left as it is, or is there a different option that should be considered? Let us know in the comments.
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