Check This Out, CBD Metro

[shaowen]

Metro project puts town square on the fast track
Alexandra Smith
June 23, 2009

THE Rees Government, pushing ahead with its controversial CBD Metro,
will purchase buildings opposite Town Hall sooner to create the City
of Sydney's long-awaited town square.

The town square, outlined in the City of Sydney's ambitious 2030
strategic plan, will be on the site of the Woolworths building and,
under the Government's plans, will include an underground metro
station.

The Premier, Nathan Rees, will reveal today that the Government will
negotiate with property owners to acquire buildings, bounded by Pitt,
Park and George streets, that will be demolished for the square.

The Government has not revealed the cost of acquiring the buildings.
It comes after it was revealed last week that the Government was
negotiating with businesses in Pyrmont to demolish buildings in the
historic Union Square to make way for another metro station.

The CBD Metro has been criticised for its high cost - between $4.8
billion and $5.3 billion - and forecasts that patronage on the line
between Central and Rozelle could initially be as low as 13 per cent
of capacity.

Mr Rees said the new town square would create a historical precinct
facing the Town Hall and the Queen Victoria Building.

"As commuters and tourists exit from the underground metro they will
emerge into a green open space with some of our most iconic buildings
front and centre," Mr Rees said.

The partnership with the City of Sydney comes after years of
opposition by the council to many Government transport plans, but will
help the town square to be delivered years earlier than planned. Under
the deal the City of Sydney will build and manage the park when the
site becomes available after the new metro station is built.

The Transport Minister, David Campbell, said construction of the
station would start next year.

"Geotechnical surveys resulted in the alignment of the Town Hall
square metro station needing to be shifted slightly south," Mr
Campbell said.

"Moving the station in this way means that the corner of Park and
George Streets has become the perfect site for station construction.
As a result of the changes, the heritage buildings in Pitt Street
including the former meeting place of the Australasian Federation
League are no longer required."

Last week's budget allocated $581 million for the project, with the
money to be spent on the "finalisation of the detailed environmental
assessment and the design of civil, architectural and engineering
works".

From Sydney Morning Herald, 22/06/09
http://www.smh.com.au/national/metro-project-puts-town-square-on-the-fast-track-20090622-cu0a.html