Dedicated pathway links Canberra city to Parliament House - ABC Online

Posted November 21, 2013 13:23:32

The Parliament House Walk linking Canberra's city centre with Capital Hill is officially open.

The 3.4 kilometre pathway runs from the Jolimont Centre in the city, along a footpath adjacent to Commonwealth Avenue, and links up to Federation Mall via a new path between State Circle and Old Parliament House.

The idea for the path was put forward by former Australian Greens leader Bob Brown in 2010.

"I first had it as an idea in 1996 when I tried to walk from the Chinese Embassy up to Parliament House," Dr Brown said.

"I found myself in the rocks and bushes and wondering when the SWAT squad was going to arrive, and that was after getting over the death-defying ring-roads."

He says no consideration was put into pedestrian links when the new Parliament was built in the 1980s.

"It was the height of the motorcars, they amazingly didn't think of putting a footpath so pedestrians and visitors could walk to Parliament House," he said.

Dr Brown says it is a simple walk with 13 interpretive signs along the pathway offering information about cultural institutions and the history of the Parliamentary Triangle area.

"It's a beautiful walk. Lots to see on the way across the lake," he said.

The $200,000 project has been jointly funded by the Australian and ACT governments, with the Commonwealth contribution a gift to Canberra in its centenary year.

Topics: urban-development-and-planning, act, canberra-2600