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What would it take to make Melbourne a more liveable city?
on: What would it take to make Melbourne a more liveable city? ( the Age, August 25, 2005 )
What does the fact that we are the main producers of greeenhouse gases per capital says about our liveability? This important aspect is not a concern for this business magazine, not is the fact that we walk less and less and are becoming more obese in the process.
How liveable is Melbourne if you live in Epping North, Caroline Springs, to mention a few - where if you don't have a car, or you are too young or too old to drive you can't even access the supermarket - no milk bars in view either.
What would it take to make Melbourne a more liveable city?
Martin Boulton goes in search of answers.
The Age, August 25, 2005
What does the fact that we are the main producers of greeenhouse gases per capital says about our liveability? This important aspect is not a concern for this business magazine, not is the fact that we walk less and less and are becoming more obese in the process.
How liveable is Melbourne if you live in Epping North, Caroline Springs, to mention a few - where if you don't have a car, or you are too young or too old to drive you can't even access the supermarket - no milk bars in view either.
What would it take to make Melbourne a more liveable city?
Martin Boulton goes in search of answers.
The Age, August 25, 2005
continue reading: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/whats-the-bid-idea/2005/08/25/1124562976884.html#ASK Melburnians for an opinion about Melbourne and youll get one. Whether the city lives up to the hype of being the worlds most liveable city a status not taken entirely seriously by all the locals it is true that nearly everyone has a view of what could be done to enhance life for the inhabitants. After our series on Liveable Melbourne, based on a study by Tract Consultants and ACIL Tasman, The Age sought the views of a cross-section of Melburnians on what they would change. We also invited readers to give us their views on what makes the city liveable and why they live where they live.
Professor Miles Lewis, of Melbourne Universitys architecture, building and planning faculty, says the idea of living in high-rise apartments is alien to many Melburnians, but it will happen. We will change, people will live in highly concentrated areas, just as they do in Europe, (....)
Architect and professor of urban design at RMIT Dimity Reed believes the liveability survey has shone a light on Melbourne and shown up glaring problems in the public transport system. There are gaps, particularly with transport in the outer suburbs gaps that clearly need more attention.
Reliable public transport is crucial, she says.
We need a more inter-connected transport system thats more responsive and flexible, so people in the outer and fringe suburbs wont have to drive such long distances.
Radio broadcaster Neil Mitchell worries that the heart of the city is dying but agrees transport is a priority. (....)
Crime writer Peter Temple believes a stronger police presence on the streets would improve peoples sense of safety, (....)
Chairman of public transport at Monash University Graham Currie says traffic congestion will only get worse across Melbourne and tough political decisions have to be made.(....)
Senior lecturer in transport planning at Melbourne University Paul Mees believes it is a fantasy to think Melbourne can continue building freeways and expect public transport to be improved.
Vancouver another holder of the worlds most liveable city title made a decision 35 years ago to stop building any more freeways, he says.
That freed up additional money to improve their public transport and put them in a position where they couldnt weasel out of fixing public transport there was no fall-back option.
Nobody, no government will improve public transport until they stop building freeways.
(....)
Youth worker Les Twentyman wants to see an end to what he calls postcode discrimination the stigmatisation of where people go to school and where they live.
We should realise were all Victorians and were all Melburnians, it doesnt matter where you went to school or how rich your dad is, he says.
Thats just a recipe for the problems Ive seen in places like Los Angeles, where theres gated communities and people feel shut out, thats what really concerns me.
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