Project Status: In progress

Thank you to those who provided feedback on proposed improvements during the consultation period from 26 November 2024 - February 26 2025. Consultation for Better City Streets has now closed.

The City Renewal Authority will consider submissions received during the consultation period and make any revisions to the draft designs that are considered appropriate. A listening report will be prepared and published to share the feedback received during the consultation period.

The ACT Government's City Renewal Authority sought your ideas and input on the next stage of public realm upgrades along City Walk from Ainslie Place through to Allara Street to create better city streets.

The upgrades will transform more of Canberra’s main pedestrian-only shopping precinct into a more beautiful, accessible and functional outdoor living room.

These public realm upgrades are a crucial part of our ongoing urban renewal initiative, driven by the central location and the historical importance of this space as a meeting and gathering points for the people of Canberra.

The project – which builds on recent City Walk upgrades – is about creating a thriving central public space that drives economic activity in the City Centre.

We sought your insights on the potential impacts, opportunities, and challenges associated with this next stage of public realm upgrades.

Your feedback will help us understand what is important to all community members, including residents, workers, businesses and other visitors.

We were particularly interested in learning about:

• how you currently navigate City Walk
• the features that bring you to the area
• your priorities for the public realm upgrades.

Your responses will inform preliminary sketch plans and future designs.

Your feedback is crucial to the success of the next stage of the City Walk upgrades and will inform the final plans. By sharing your thoughts, you're helping us:

• identify key priorities
• improve the quality of our streetscapes
• create greener and more pedestrian-friendly public spaces.

Your input will influence the design decisions that shape the future of City Walk.

Garema Place and City Walk are not only primary pedestrian areas of the city, but they are also a central part of Canberra’s central business district dominated by retail and commercial uses.

The upcoming design for a public realm upgrade for City Walk aims to extend and complement the successful 2020 upgrades to City Walk and align with the Garema Place upgrade (under construction).

The 2020 City Walk improvement project introduced landscaping, street furniture, and public art from Garema Place to Ainslie Place, creating a vibrant high street experience that has been warmly embraced by the community. As a result, there has been a remarkable 340 per cent increase in evening visitation to the area, leading to positive social and economic outcomes.

Building upon this success, the City Renewal Authority is now directing its efforts towards revitalising the City Walk area from Ainslie Place to Allara Street.