An alderman’s push for Darwin City Council to green the disputed Bicentennial Park carpark set to be debated at Tuesday’s council meeting could mean the end of the RSL’s proposed Esplanade project.
Darwin City Council alderman Justine Glover said she will be raising the motion at Tuesday’s council meeting to green the current carpark, which she says is in keeping with council’s vision to green the city.
“I think this is a discussion that’s been going on for months and I feel that there is good support,” she told ABC Radio on Monday morning. “And I’m confident that it will be upheld at tomorrow’s meeting.
“But you never know on the day how the debate goes. But I have been lobbying and working my numbers, and I am quite confident, but we just have to wait till the debate at council.”
Part of the $200 million Darwin City Deal is the redevelopment of Civic and State Square “to create a cooler, greener precinct that will provide more space for events and festivals” which is understood to have included the carpark, Ms Glover said.
“The original plan, as I understood it, you know there was in principle agreement that we would green it,” she said.
“But obviously there’s been some, you know, something happened where it hasn’t occurred, but I think there is a strong will from the council that that carpark now be greened and in line with [the city’s plans].”
Ms Glover, however, refused to comment when asked if the RSL proposal will be dead in the water if her motion is accepted.
“I can’t comment on that. You know, the plan is it’s currently zoned CB which is commercial business so that, you know, buildings can be placed on that,” she said.
“My hope is that it will be greened and made into community purpose so that in the future, it will be for community purpose and that buildings won’t be allowed. That’s an issue for Development Consent Authority, I believe with regards to zoning.”
Ms Glover also said that her proposal will include maintaining access for military services for events at the Cenotaph.
RSL president: ‘It’s just on the back burners at the moment’
Meanwhile, RSL club president Steven Gloster said that the RSL’s proposal to house the controversial Darwin RSL at the Esplanade site is not yet dead yet, just “on the back burners”.
Mr Gloster remained positive plans for the development of a prime piece of real estate on the Esplanade will go through, despite a dramatic delay of the Darwin Council’s highly anticipated vote on whether to support the building.
“It’s just on the back burners at the moment, so we have a few more discussions with people around town and see how the feeling is…And we’ll do a little bit more investigation into it,” he said.
So the DCC are getting rid of a carpark! Stupid thing is The DCC masterplan show a new Ferry terminal near the old Lameroo baths. With plans for a new subdivision on Cox Peninsula they will need to build a ‘king huge carpark to service that terminal.