A new open space the size of Brisbane’s Post Office Square has opened in West End with new park The Common and two new laneways opening to the public Saturday 20 October at the West Village development.
At 3300 square metres, The Common, Wilson Lane and Factory Lane match the size and scale of Post Office Square and are the first significant inner-urban open space in Brisbane since Frew Park at Milton in 2014. West Village Project Director Andrew Thompson said The Common and projects like it reflect a trend that shows neighbourhood amenity becoming more important. “Parkland is not just a ‘nice to have’ – it is a core Sekisui House value that open space is integral to our developments for the comfort, health and well being of the community,” he said.
Brisbane’s newest parkland is described by its designers as an “urban forest” with mature trees and grassed areas. Together with its two leafy laneways, the open space sets a benchmark of new lifestyle experiences being delivered to the city through ambitious residential and commercial precincts. Over the next few years, more than 13 hectares (130,000 square metres) of green space, laneways and publicly-accessible spaces will be created in Brisbane – together, almost the size of the Roma Street Parklands. The projects include West Village (7800 square metres of open space when completed), Queens Wharf (75,000 square metres), Howard Smith Wharves (27,000 square metres), Waterfront Precinct (15,000 square metres) and Herston Quarter (10,000 square metres).
Andrew said The Common was the first of two parks and four laneways – all open to the public – that would continue the transformation of the former West End industrial site into a new village community. “The Common has a kids play area, including water pop jets, a grassed area for relaxing, mature trees to provide shade and cooling, and a Light Garden featuring 2500 light reeds scattered around plants and trees,” he said. “It will host fitness classes, outdoor movies, events such as our annual Ice Cream Festival, and lots of activities for the kids – including a chicken coop and sensory garden. All of that will sit next to The Garden Pantry, our new park-side dining precinct which hosts three great eateries offering indoor and alfresco dining. When our second park and two other laneways open in 2020, more than 30% of the 2.6 hectare site will be accessible open space.”
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