4 August 2008

Immigration Bridge

| iCanberran
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The website is up, the TV ads are running and they’re waiting to take your calls.

The Immigration Bridge is full steam ahead.

Is it just me though or is this much to do about nothing. The bridge would seem to be a bit of an imposing structure which doesn’t fit in with any other architecture in Canberra. It just seems to be a project run by politicians and rich business men who want a warm fuzzy feeling inside knowing that they’re part of a “national community project”. One look at the website shows just how shallow this project is.

At www.immigrationbridge.com.au, you can ready the official poem for the bridge, look at the list of Honorary Ambassadors and even buy a place on the handrail.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for recognising the valuable contribution immigration has made to building the country we have today and the continued benefit immigration has. However, the bridge itself looks terrible and the website spends more time hyping the bridge and the sponsors than actually talking about immigrants.

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The “immigration bridge” is one of the stupidest ideas invented. By all means build a footbridge if you (?) wish but why make it a vehicle for some peoples delusions of grandeur? Who qualifies as an immigrant anyhow? I am a post WW2 immigrant but I would not scratch my name on it even if I was paid to do it let alone pay for it myself.

Loose Brown said :

Angry Henry – it’s six metres wide. That’s more than double the existing pedestrian width of the Commonwealth Ave Bridge.

And what do you mean ‘not all about you guys?’ Who are you referring to? Yes I ride my bike around for transport – so yes, I would like the option of riding over this bridge. No I am not part of some cyclist conspiracy. I am a member of the community and this bridge is meant to be a ‘community project’.

Besides – it appears as though it has no wheelchair access and this will be required, full stop. This means bikes will be able to ride on it – so suck the fat one.

Loose Brown,

Is that really necessary? By ‘it’s not all about you guys’ I do mean the cyclists who feel the need to lobby amost every initiative put forward and use it as a platform to voice whatever greivance/opinion they may be on about this month.

I ride my bike too buddy, but I couldn’t give a stuff if I get to ride across this bridge or not.

And what do you mean ‘suck the fat one’? Which ‘fat one’ are you referring to? Yes I have a fat one – and yes on occaison I would like the option to have it sucked? No I am not a member of some ‘fat one’ sucking conspiracy group. I am also a member of the community – one who tries to employ some kind of originality and wit if he’s going to have the balls to insult someone, but in this case I’ll make an exception – grow up d*ckhead!

I almost took your point as valid but you lost me at the end.

Regardless of who builds it, the anti-discrimination legislation should apply … surely. It is also just plain ‘the right thing to do’, and would certainly be convenient for parents with prams.

Pandy said :

If cyclist want to build a bridge then they can raise their own subscriptions for a bridge or tunnel.

And the cycle paths on Commonwealth Ave Bridge and Kings Ave can be closed to pedestrians.

Angry Henry – it’s six metres wide. That’s more than double the existing pedestrian width of the Commonwealth Ave Bridge.

And what do you mean ‘not all about you guys?’ Who are you referring to? Yes I ride my bike around for transport – so yes, I would like the option of riding over this bridge. No I am not part of some cyclist conspiracy. I am a member of the community and this bridge is meant to be a ‘community project’.

Besides – it appears as though it has no wheelchair access and this will be required, full stop. This means bikes will be able to ride on it – so suck the fat one.

Pandy said :

Its not a publically funded bridge.

Oh…. *very small wide-mouthed frog vowel sound*

Proud Local said :

AngryHenry, given that more cyclists will use this bridge on a daily basis then pedestrians will I think they should be taken into consideration. Traveling from Belco to Woden via the new bridge as oppposed to Cmwth avenue will save a good 5 minutes. Car drivers get excited over two minute time savings and all they need to do is sit on their butts and lightly push pedals in their air conditioned comfort.

Given that the bridge is to celebrate immigration and has things on it that people will stop and look at it, probably not the best idea to run bikes on there because of the potential of wiping pedestrians out.

Like I said, it’s not all about you guys.

I’d even go so far as to suggest that given you are cycling from Belco to Woden another five minutes is the least of your concerns.

Its not a publically funded bridge.

Of course it should have wheelchair access. They will realise that after a person with a disability complains to HREOC and they will have to do a GDE on the thing and waste more public money doing what they should have done in the first place.

If it has accessible ramps then someone is sure to try and drive over it!

But I don’t like her music.

Correct me if I am wrong but there was once a bridge at the same location that stood for over 50 years. The name of the bridge was Lennox Crossing. Why make a new name up for the bridge when we already have a perfectly good one.

If cyclist want to build a bridge then they can raise their own subscriptions for a bridge or tunnel.

AngryHenry, given that more cyclists will use this bridge on a daily basis then pedestrians will I think they should be taken into consideration. Traveling from Belco to Woden via the new bridge as oppposed to Cmwth avenue will save a good 5 minutes. Car drivers get excited over two minute time savings and all they need to do is sit on their butts and lightly push pedals in their air conditioned comfort.

It will create a place where people can gather to experience and reflect upon the makings of our diverse nation

Oh, you have to be kidding…

Yes it does smack of ‘Futsalesque’ wishful thinking.

It will create a place where people can gather to experience and reflect upon the makings of our diverse nation

I thought that’s what the SIEV-X poles were for? 😉

Loose Brown said :

Where is the access for bicycles? There are more bicycles that use that location than pedestrians. Where is the wheelchair access? I can only see stairs at either end.

Okay I’ll bite for this one.

Wheelchair access fair enough but bicycles??? C’mon guys, you can go around to Commonwealth Avenue bridge and ride across from there it’s not that far. How’s it gonna be if people are walking across trying to read the plaques on there if bicycles are zipping past, only a metter of time before someone gets hurt then.

Cyclists have got to lose this ‘what about us’ attitutde. You’ve certainly got enough paths around the lake and your own lanes on the arterial roads. Enough already, it’s not all about you guys!!!

Deano said :

A quote from the web site:

It will create a place where people can gather to experience and reflect upon the makings of our diverse nation.

Have any of these people ever been out on Lake Burly Griffin? For six months of the year its frequently shrouded in fog and freezing cold. For much of the other time it is blowing a gale or stinking hot (emphasis on the stinking).

Immigration Bridge Australia will be one of the most spectacular and beautiful bridges ever conceived in Australia, deserving of world recognition. The Bridge will be imaginative and inspiring, a national monument in conception, design, construction and function.

Compared to say the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Story Bridge in Brisbane? Hell, even the Tharwa Bridge has more claim to fame than this one. And it is being designed by a committee of people from outside Canberra – hence the idea of having solar cells on the roof! Do bridges even have roofs?

…elegant and unobtrusive design sympathetically frames the lakeside environment and its surrounds, in particular Canberra’s Brindabella Mountain Ranges.

So its going to be unobtrusive but also frame the Brindabellas?

The sheer size of the roof will be a spectacular architectural showcase

Doesn’t sound that unobtrusive.

And if this is the a national monument honouring the contributions that migrants have made to Australia, what the hell is the Welcome Wall ( http://www.anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=404 ) for then?

just waiting for the ferry to cut it in two, or the sailing club to hit it en masse.

I’m not a NIMBY. I want the bridge, I reckon it looks great.

But form should follow function – whack a ramp at either end and a dividing line down the middle.

A quote from the web site:

It will create a place where people can gather to experience and reflect upon the makings of our diverse nation.

Have any of these people ever been out on Lake Burly Griffin? For six months of the year its frequently shrouded in fog and freezing cold. For much of the other time it is blowing a gale or stinking hot (emphasis on the stinking).

Immigration Bridge Australia will be one of the most spectacular and beautiful bridges ever conceived in Australia, deserving of world recognition. The Bridge will be imaginative and inspiring, a national monument in conception, design, construction and function.

Compared to say the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Story Bridge in Brisbane? Hell, even the Tharwa Bridge has more claim to fame than this one. And it is being designed by a committee of people from outside Canberra – hence the idea of having solar cells on the roof! Do bridges even have roofs?

…elegant and unobtrusive design sympathetically frames the lakeside environment and its surrounds, in particular Canberra’s Brindabella Mountain Ranges.

So its going to be unobtrusive but also frame the Brindabellas?

The sheer size of the roof will be a spectacular architectural showcase

Doesn’t sound that unobtrusive.

And if this is the a national monument honouring the contributions that migrants have made to Australia, what the hell is the Welcome Wall ( http://www.anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=404 ) for then?

It looks good to me – but I want to ride my bike over it or use it for a short cuts.

Solar panels but no bicycle ramp?!?

This is just a “me too” effort by Canberra.

There is already a “Welcome Wall” at Darling Harbour in Sydney, which ‘honors the achievement of migrants’. You can pay to have names included on the wall and a database is being created to ensure the stories of the people are captured. The website is here http://www.anmm.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=404

Looks pretty good to me.

Where is the access for bicycles? There are more bicycles that use that location than pedestrians. Where is the wheelchair access? I can only see stairs at either end.

I am sure the payments for being on the handrail are partly funding it, which is fair enough..

My family bought a place on the handrail for my grandmother and late grandfather as a birthday present.

I think it’s kinda nice.

Is this bridge fully funded by voluntary private enterprise/estimated revenue from the name plaques?

If so, that gives me a very warm fuzzy feeling.

AngryHenry said :

johnboy said :

Growling Ferret said :

How many people actually walk from the Hyatt to the Museum anyway?

Well very few right now… the path’s a bit damp.

Hahahah!!! Nice one Johnboy!

How many people swim in the lake? Maybe we should fill that in while we’re at it.

I know a few immigrants in the concreteing business…

just drain the lake. then we can see who has tried….

johnboy said :

Growling Ferret said :

How many people actually walk from the Hyatt to the Museum anyway?

Well very few right now… the path’s a bit damp.

Hahahah!!! Nice one Johnboy!

How many people swim in the lake? Maybe we should fill that in while we’re at it.

I know a few immigrants in the concreteing business…

Growling Ferret said :

How many people actually walk from the Hyatt to the Museum anyway?

Well very few right now… the path’s a bit damp.

Growling Ferret12:02 pm 04 Aug 08

Its as pointless as the Springfield Monorail.

How many people actually walk from the Hyatt to the Museum anyway?

That’s because the sponsors are paying for it. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

It may be much ado about nothing for you but to some it means a helluva lot.

For example I have a friend who’s grandparents immigrated here and they want to be a part of it, and that is something that is going to be there after they are long gone.

I think that’s kinda nice. Certainly better than a pointless hunk of steel on the GDE.

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