Project Update - May 2021

Funding Announced for Stage One

In December last year, the Council endorsed the Midtown concept as a framework for future street development. We are so happy to announce that funding has now been secured to provide streetscape improvements in Elizabeth Street between Melville and Brisbane Streets.

The funding announcement follows the University of Tasmania and City of Hobart signing a 10-year agreement through which the University will pay the equivalent of rates on its CBD properties and additional infrastructure contributions. The funding for the Elizabeth Street projects is one of the first actions under the agreement.

Detailed design will be developed this year. The current trial of expanded footpaths and uphill bike lane will provide useful input to the design process, and construction is planned to commence in 2022.

Patrick Street Intersection Safety Improvements

Design is underway for safety improvements to the intersection of Elizabeth and Patrick Streets. This project recently received funding from the Australian Government for road safety initiatives.

The upgrade will make it safer for pedestrians to cross Patrick Street. The preliminary design includes a raised and level pedestrian crossing, a wider median island, kerb extensions and plantings.

Information including the proposed design and construction methodology will soon be sent out to businesses and residents in the immediate area and other key stakeholders. Construction is expected to commence in the coming months.

Expanded Outdoor Dining Trial

If you've been in Midtown recently you may have noticed the expanded al fresco areas providing space for people to sit, gather, chat, enjoy a drink, lunch or coffee and spend time in Midtown.

These al fresco areas provide an additional 80m2 of expanded footpath available for outdoor dining, 39 planter boxes, 24 timber bench seats and four new bike racks.

We'll be monitoring the facilities over the year and learnings will help guide the final streetscape design. In the meantime we'd love to know what you think.

Are the new spaces contributing to a more welcoming street that encourages people to visit and spend time? Creating fun and unique identity for the street? Making the street more pedestrian friendly? These were all desired outcomes for Midtown identified during community engagement in 2019.

Please share your thoughts via email or look out for a survey coming soon.

Vibrance Festival achieves public art outcomes for the precinct

The City of Hobart has commissioned four new Urban Art Walls in the Midtown precinct as part of Vibrance Festival in February this year. The festival saw 11 murals created by 17 artists and brought a full program of activities and activations to the Midtown and North Hobart precincts.

The Midtown murals are located at The Stagg (Alice Cooley), Mother India (Paul Eggins), Shambles (Jasper Kelly) and The Tasmanian Health Service (Takira Simon-Brown), with an additional mural painted by Sarah Wells at 108 Bathurst St in celebration of International Womens Day. One of these murals was supported by a mentorship program that paired up Tasmanian Aboriginal artist, Takira Simon-Brown, with experienced street artist, TOPSK.

The murals, which now form part of a collection dotted through the streetscape of Midtown up to North Hobart, encourage walking and bring vibrancy, colour and a sense of place.

This public art project responds to recommendations developed by the Project Action Team which spoke of a desire for local artists to use existing underutilised spaces to enliven the public realm.

Image: KreamArt painting a mural for Vibrance Festival 2021