All great cities have water as their focal point
Images from a number of cities in Australia and overseas
Preliminary (1913) design of Canberra ACT, by Walter Burley Griffin, showing concept plan for Lake Burley Griffin with original path of the Molonglo River just visible
Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, ACT, Australia
Scrivener Dam which holds back the waters of Lake Burley Griffin fed by water from the Molonglo River. Note the fish belly flaps that automatically roll open when the water level rises. This dam wall has not been breached since the Lake was filled in 1964.
Fountain in Roma St precinct of Brisbane
Torrens River with bike/footpath in Adelaide, SA, Australia
Messing about in boats in Central Park, New York, NY, USA (September 2017)
"... enjoy a lovely stroll by the river past Venice inspired bridges or see some wonderful public art, all at this well-designed four-acre park and scenic riverwalk ..." (from Trip Advisor).
Waterplace bridge over the Woonasquatucket River in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, USA (September 2017) (the braziers seen in the stream are lit for the WaterFire Providence Arts Festival).
Parks, bicycle paths and locks to manage water in Ottawa, Canada
San Antonio, Texas, USA - river walk along 4 km. River through city was modified to prevent flooding after a devastating flood in 1921. Read more about it on Wikipedia here.
An inspiring bridge? Across Boulder Creek, Boulder, Colorado, USA. Source: Wikimedia Commons
One of our members just told us about this beautiful 'creek' - and walk - and a top-rated USA bike path - that is at the heart of Boulder, Colorado, USA. You can read more about it here where, among other things, someone said: “An oasis running through an attractive city”.
Punting in Cambridge, UK
Armidale is fortunate to have been chosen as the site of the first Australian university in a regional city - established in 1954.
Can we in Armidale re-imagine our creeklands to allow a little ‘punting’?
It might not be as grand as Cambridge in the UK with its high rainfall environment but we could have a lot of fun trying!
How to repair and revitalise urban drains into functional rivers ...
The issue of how to repair and revitalise urban drains into functional rivers is an issue common across the world. A tale of two rivers in Kuala Lumpur and in Los Angeles is described in a podcast from the BBC world service available here. We learn from this broadcast that in the case of Los Angeles, the renowned architect Frank Gehry has been brought in to help come up with a Master Plan. They aim to transform a largely polluted channel into a living river, complemented by bicycle paths and suited to kayakers.
In Armidale, our challenge is that we will need to be just as creative in coming up with solutions - but without the budget of a large city and without Frank Gehry's help (unless he sees this and volunteers his services!).