Ideas competition to transform Canberra’s City Hill

The Australian Capital Territory government will hold a competition to find ideas to transform Canberra's City Hill from a "roundabout rabbit warren" into a city park attractive to people.

A five-hectare landscaped hill surrounded by the Vernon Circle, City Hill was central to Marion Mahony and Walter Burley Griffin's design for Canberra, which marks a key apex of the Parliamentary Triangle.

Despite its prominence, however, the park is little used by the people of Canberra, and overrun with a rabbit infestation. As The Riot ACT reports, chief minister Andrew Barr revealed plans to launch the design competition for the park in budget estimates.

"I've asked [City Renewal Authority CEO Malcolm Snow] and the CRA team to begin work on reimagining the space as a city park rather than the centre of a roundabout rabbit warren and a place where there is a flagpole," he said.

The City Renewal Authority's website notes that the ideas competition will be launched in 2024.

"As our City Centre grows, City Hill must grow into a great place for people," the webpage reads. "We're considering the possibilities to improve its use, amenity, comfort and attractiveness for locals and visitors alike."

The authority says it will be seeking ideas to:

Barr noted that there were a number of significant developments underway near to City Hill, including the Canberra Theatre redevelopment, a planned entertainment pavilion, and a nearby light rail stop, which would make the site even more important to the city, The Riot ACT reports.

"If we do the work now, then we can make some investments over the next four or five years and it forms part of a renewed city centre," he said.