Dedicated entertainment and arts precincts could be used to reboot large-scale events in the ACT under a proposal put forward by the ACT Greens.
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The party said areas such as Garema Place, East Row and Civic would be ideal to stage concerts and large gatherings in order to revitalise Canberra's arts sector that had been hit hard by coronavirus.
The election proposal came after ACT Health released new coronavirus protocols for large-scale events to go ahead in a COVID-safe way. Gatherings of more than 100 people would require exemptions from coronavirus restrictions from the chief health officer.
The Greens' arts spokeswoman, Jo Clay, said while the battle over whether to establish entertainment precincts had been going for several years, now was the time to implement them in the wake of the pandemic.
"Lots of spaces have been underutilised," Ms Clay said.
"COVID has shone a light [on] how important artists are, and most of us have turned to the arts to escape from what has been happening."
Areas such as EPIC have previously been held up as potential spaces for dedicated entertainment precincts.
Ms Clay said the creation of such precincts would rely on changes being made to development and noise regulations.
"We're not trying to reinvent the plan but we are trying to implement it," she said.
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
