Judges cast votes for Downtown Queanbeyan 2025 winners

By Kim Pham
November 20 2014 - 5:30pm

JUDGING has begun to determine the winner of the Queanbeyan Business Chamber's town planning competition, Downtown Q 2025.

With 30 entries from places as far-flung as Egypt and Japan, the panel of six judges - chaired by Melbourne-based architect, John Wardle - have had their work cut out for them this week.

"The first thing I did as chair was to sit down and work out a series of filters that we would use to judge these plans," Mr Wardle said.

"[We're looking at] how [the designer] appreciated the culture and traditions of Queanbeyan and appreciated its history but then had strong ideas for its contemporary status and the future.

"We are looking at a plan that] appreciates the specific qualities of Queanbeyan and wishes to enhance and extend them into the future."

Mr Wardle said the panel of judges brought different things to the table but believes the winner will be unanimously decided.

He is joined by landscape architect Sue Barnsley, professor Mads Gaardboe, Todd Rohal of Logan City Council, ABC journalist Alex Sloan and Queanbeyan Business Chamber vice president Steve Bartlett.

The winners will be announced on Monday, November 24 with a total competition prize pool of $62,000 and additional $2000 for the community choice categories.

Launched in March, the Downtown Q 2025 competition invited skilled planners, architects, landscape architects, designers and design students to compete for significant prize money in an attempt to re-invent the town's main street and surrounding city blocks.

More than 100 sketches were submitted from around Australia and the world. All sketches submitted will be exhibited on the Downtown Q 2025 website to determine a community choice winner.

Organisers of the competition hoped the Downtown Q 2025 would generate fresh ideas for the space and get residents excited about some of the future possibilities for the town's CBD.

Queanbeyan City Council is also currently in the midst of putting into action their ideas for the revitalisation of the riverfront.

Mr Wardle said he hoped the competition would garner support within the community

"It should be considered a bit of a gift to Queanbeyan, it's now very important that the council and council staff…appreciate the significance of this competition and look at ways that these ideas can now be harnessed to take these forward into the future," Mr Wardle said.

"It's very important that status of this competition is appreciated locally and given broad support."

The Downtown Q 2025 People's Choice competition will run for a month. To vote, visit http://www.downtowncompetition.com.au

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