7 February 2009

Arboretum fills up

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times has the happy news that the Jon Stanhope Memorial Tree Farm (aka Canberra International Arboretum and Gardens) is being inundated with embassies wanting to put down a grove.

Also 80% of you are reportedly now in favour of the project. We’d love to see how that question was phrased.

There are other big plans for the tree farm too:

    The arboretum board hopes the project will eventually include an Australian National University research centre, a permanent display of a national bonsai collection, a chapel, 100 gardens, picnic areas, a visitor centre, cafes and meeting rooms, a world-class amphitheatre, a sustainable potable water supply, public art and topiary and possibly a five-star hotel.

The only thing holding up these grand designs is a strange reluctance by the Federales and the corporate sector to devote their own money.

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someoneincanb7:54 pm 07 Feb 09

Maybe the chapel is to cater for weddings? With 100 gardens, I’m sure it will be popular with the brides.

When does Stanhope Foreest actually open for business?

Can’t they multi-task and build a crematorium power station?

Looks like a perfect spot for a power station and data centre, or a crematorium . . .

Mr Evil said :

for some reason no one could find Hargreaves anywhere

Did they check the Tuggeranong Parkway?

bd84 said :

80% of who?

80% of ACT Labor MLA’s.

(The only reason the result wasn’t 100% was because the MLAs were surveyed after lunch, and for some reason no one could find Hargreaves anywhere……….)

80% of who?

The one opposite the G-G’s is on NCA land I believe.

There is the cork forest as well. That place is awesome to walk in.

canberra already a few arboreta – one in weston (nearly demolished) and one across from the GG’s place. These ones are forgotten and neglected. I don’t see why this next one will last 100 years.

i’m glad someone wants it tho – you are the first fan i’ve heard of.

Pommy bastard3:20 pm 07 Feb 09

What a apin, it used to be a great place to walk the dogs, with wonderful views from the lookout. Now John’s gone and spoiled it…

A chapel? Surely a Druidic sacred grove would be more in keeping with the tree farm. Why on earth build a chapel there?

Not to mention the hotel, sounds like eventually it’ll be another residential development.

And not one mention of a 100ft high Jim Morrison statue – we all know what a huge fan of green stuff Jim was – at least early on until he discovered other stuff, like alcohol.

This territory Govt is so bloody narrow minded!

I am looking forward to wandering around the arboretum in decades to come.

Once established it will be a fantastic asset.

*I love trees me.*

why do you suspect a majority of people would be against an arboretum, johnboy? i think it is a fantastic idea and hope the instantiation of it lives up to the expectations – that said, one must expect that trees can take a century to really kick in, so don’t expect sherwood forest to pop up overnight… this is a long term investment for canberra and be as sought after a tourist attraction, by and by, as the war memorial – if done right.

a world class amphitheatre – imagine, ‘hot feburary night’, the next great neil diamond-alike album for the next century, recorded in canberra’s arboretum..! s’nice.

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