The Canal District required definition both as a development Precinct and Gateway to the V&AW.
At precinct scale the Canal District was a vitally important precinct being at the intersection of the city grid, the N1 motorway and the canal linkage to the Foreshore and Convention Centre.
The site had been the subject of numerous development proposals, but as incremental consolidation of the V&AW holdings occurred the pressure had developed to consolidate the sub-division of land parcels and development rights.
Of major concern was the structuring of the movement systems within the precinct so as to allow for major traffic movement at peak time, including both vehicular and pedestrian.
Through a project entitled the ‘Pedestrian Links’ OvP developed a system of at grade pedestrian routes including roadway sidewalks, canal edge walkways, pedestrian bridges and a carefully considered alternative pedestrian underpass.
This planning coincided with the design and construction of the first major office building flanking the incoming boulevard, the planning around what later became Battery Park and the conversion of the original Queens Hotel at the gateway threshold to the Waterfront.
The OvP commission of the pedestrian linkages was carried through from design concept to implementation, including the design of the foot bridges and pedestrian landscape infrastructure (hard and soft landscaping i.e. pavings, stone walling, edges and retaining structures, furniture and soft landscaping etc.) relating to the gateway projects.
Approvals were forthcoming and the professional team were appointed for the later design development and implementation of the design concept and in accordance with the adjusted Heritage indicators as a parking garage with ground floor retail to activate the frontage at canal level and an urban park at roof level.
The project is now complete and operational – the park, including basketball court and skate boarding track, are very popular and the heritage aspects are interpreted through discreetly positioned interpretation information located at the upper level.