Brisbane City Council calls for EOIs to build new river infrastructure
Brisbane City Council has called for Expressions of Interest from the private sector to design, construct and operate a new consolidated public marina and tourist boat terminal in the inner-city, as part of its plan to improve access and activity on and
alongside the Brisbane River.
In a statement yesterday, Acting Lord Mayor and Infrastructure Chairman Adrian Schrinner said the RiverHub proposal was part of the council’s River’s Edge Strategy, which was released in 2013 to guide the enhancement of the Brisbane River’s recreational and economic development opportunities over the next 10 years.
“The River’s Edge Strategy was developed using ideas and feedback from the community, and sets out Council’s plan to improve access and activity on and alongside the inner city reaches of the river,” Cr Schrinner said.
“The River’s Edge Strategy identifies a range of potential projects aimed at encouraging residents, businesses and tourists to make better use of the river and its edges from St Lucia and Yeronga right through to Bulimba and Hamilton.”
According to the strategy, the RiverHub would cater for a range of small and large recreational vessels and tourist/charter boats. Currently there are marinas or berthing facilities located at Teneriffe, Rivergate near the Gateway Bridge, North Quay and Kangaroo Point.
The RiverHub investigation area focuses on the river’s edges along West End to South Bank and the CBD to Fortitude Valley, and possible inner city marina locations include North Quay, Howard Smith Wharves, the CBD bank of the Town Reach, South Bank or South Brisbane.
In addition to the proposed marina, other potential projects outlined in the strategy include a CBD riverside public swimming pool, an urban flying fox, eating and drinking precincts and an expanded and improved RiverWalk pedestrian and cycle network.
Cr Schrinner said the Expression of Interest process would gauge the private sector’s interest in developing inner city marinas or other river based infrastructure and would also help determine whether the facilities required complementary development to maximise their potential.
“Council is focused on activating the river and there are no restrictions on the size, height or functionality of marina proposals as part of the EOI process, we want kick-start ideas for river infrastructure,” he said.
If submissions are considered suitable for further investigation, the council will issue a Request for Proposal to qualified submitters. However, the successful proponent will be responsible for funding the development of any river based infrastructure.
The Expressions of Interest process ends on 25 March 2015.
Source: News Release, Urbanalyst, 14 January, 2014