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“What is best for the city?” is the question those on the city council should be asking themselves when they discuss the St John Street redevelopment on Monday says Alderman Ted Sands.
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At next week’s meeting Ald Sands will call on the council to change the design St John Street and investigate the possibility of moving the bus stops to Civic Square.
His notice of motion asks aldermen to rescind part of the endorsement of the streetscape changes approved in April.
The portion of the CBD between York and Brisbane Streets is set to be upgraded in 2018 with paved and widened footpaths, new trees and street furniture, upgraded lighting, new road surfacing and new bus shelters moved 10 metres closer to York Street.
“I think we always reserve the right to go back and look at things … there has always been that angst at St John Street,” Ald Sands said.
“When we have an idea of changing something we need to make it for the betterment of the city.”
He said the council needed to consider the findings of the Pitt and Sherry report into bus stop locations.
Civic Square would have a calming effect and was close to key areas like the library and places for children to play, Ald sands said.
“With the revamp of Civic Square some of that agitation can be removed,” he said.
“We are going to spend the best part of $10 million in the city, I don’t want us to have to fix the problem again.”
Ald Sands said he was aware of the concerns raised by St Andrews Church, on the corner of St John and Patterson streets, but believed the bus stops could be designed in a way which would suit most parties.
He would also like to see the council specifically endorse the location of public art installations on the design of the St John Street redevelopment to assist in guiding future process on the project.
If his fellow alderman agree to change the design, Ald Sands will then ask the general manager to “provide a report to the council which considers the relocation of the contentious St John Street Bus Stop in the vicinity of Civic Square”.
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