Original post 22 November 2022:
I was wondering what the new City Square was going to look like and realised the plans I have from 2017 are probably it – much the same as before, but about 1/3 taken up by the escalators and lifts and a flat area to get to them, all covered by a big glass roof (final design uncertain). There’s a bit more grass, a nice spouty water feature in the middle, while the lifts and vents are just flat clad in bluestone- it’s all very uninspired, especially compared to the stylish and impressive station hall below. And they’ve got Burke & Wills behind the tree line instead of on the corner (but perhaps that’s ok if you think they’re just a couple of old white male idiot explorers). But surely the design could have some spark ? And at least we should should know what the design is !
But personally I’d rather see the site as cafes and lanes and buildings with interesting functions upstairs such as the city library – we don’t need the city square at all, we’ve got fed square, and we’ve lived without it for 6 years! But the City of Melbourne expects/wants the city square back, they did a brochure outlining what and why in 2017, wonder if they still think so ? The open space is for the 36 events /year they had then, mainly things to do with festivals, though they only specify the fashion festival, and the Christmas tree/market (now at fed sq).
Storey of Melbourne 
It – the ‘Square’ will never be a comfortable place to walk through, sit or linger in because of that awful, oversized, mediocre Marriner Hotel overshadowing it. The most prominent site in the city and ‘it’s’ there. And it’s not a ‘square’ anyway. I agree with Rohan, who needs another ‘square’ now anyhow. And the mere mention of ‘ a nice spouty water feature’ is a heart stopper. I don’t agree however regarding Rohan’s comments regarding the Burke and Wills statue as I think, in spite of Rohan’s virtue signalling, racist, ageist (read:silly) summation of them as ‘herocised old white men idiot explorers’ -that statue has historical merit and decorative worth.
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Yes the hotel is way too dominating, we don’t need another square, and the statue is very important, but I know that some people will think them not worth the memorial. Hmm then there’s the statue of General Gordon up the street – he was definitely an old school imperialist, but it’s another great statue, and equally good pedestal.
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….good response Rohan. Now, re: the statues…Melbourne is full of them (Queen Victoria etc etc, old time politicians….some well known politician crooks like Tommy Bent on The Nepean Hwy) and personally I couldn’t care less if they’re old school imperialist or not. I think they add interest and charm and good or bad they’re part of Melbourne’s C19th history…..and fabric.
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Agreed !
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