Say goodbye to the Birdcage and the Keira St bus interchange.
And get set for major surgery on the heart of the city's CBD - Crown St Mall.
Last night Wollongong's three administrators wiped the slate clean on years of indecision and released a discussion paper aimed at deciding the fate - once and for all - of the central thoroughfare.
Three options are on the table - two are variations on old concepts, and one is totally new.
Whatever the outcome, the Birdcage will be replaced and the bus interchange relocated to MacCabe Park.
Also expect to see new paving, street furniture, landscaping and lighting along with new outdoor dining areas, performance spaces and public art features.
Wollongong City Council says it has decided not to table any concept which would open the entire mall.
Under the most conservative option the configuration of the mall would remain exactly as it is, but be updated and "modernised".
Apart from the re-opening of the Keira St bus interchange, existing traffic restrictions and access would not change under this proposal.
The second option retains the mall as a pedestrian zone, but includes the re-opening of Church St to allow for slow moving through traffic between Market and Burelli streets.
The most radical option will keep the first half of Crown St closed to traffic between Keira and Church streets, but open the remaining section of the mall to slow moving two-way traffic.
The two-lane road, which would connect with Church St, would also be opened, and would include some parallel parking bays for drop-off and disabled parking alongside wide pedestrian boulevards.
Wollongong's state-appointed administrators hope to make a decision where consecutive councils have failed.
"Something needs to be done, the question is how far we go," said administrator Robert McGregor. "We need to have a direction."
Since it was opened in 1986 the 400m pedestrian strip, once described as symbolising the "fighting spirit" of the region, has fallen victim to neglect.
Consecutive studies have suggested public opposition to opening the mall to traffic.
A 2007 study found 60 per cent of shoppers felt the mall should either remain unchanged or be refurbished, while 40 per cent said they were in favour of opening it up to traffic at night.
The result should have come as little surprise to the council. In 2006, 81 per cent of respondents to a council traffic and shopping report said they believed Crown St should remain closed.
A year earlier, a council-sponsored study found more than 90 per cent of mall users also believed the mall should remain closed to traffic.
The options, however, have not been costed, but a rough figure of $18 million was bandied about at last night's meeting.
Staging and funding will be finalised after an option is arrived at, but any concrete completion date for the project is still a long way off.
A final decision will be made early next year.
A community forum will be held on Monday, November 10. For information call 4227 7096.
THE OPTIONS
All options include new paving, street furniture, landscaping and provision for outdoor dining and improved lighting.
Option A: No change other than the opening of the Keira St transit mall.
Option B: Retains the mall as a pedestrian only zone, however reopens Church St to allow for slow moving traffic between Market and Burelli streets.
Option C: Mall remains pedestrian-only zone between Keira and Church streets, but lower mall opened to traffic between Church and Keira St.
For further information on Crown St Mall see Wollongong City Council's website.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff
Twitter