TAKING SHAPE
NEW PRECINCT IMAGES:
THE Esplanade dining precinct’s ground-level transformation can finally be revealed as Cairns Regional Council prepares to approve a $28m redevelopment.
Wednesday’s council meeting will vote on the bigbudget project, which includes a 20 per cent “cost contingency” in case the end price is higher than anticipated.
Artist impressions and 3D fly-through videos have already given an idea of what the end product will look like – but new images show the vision at an individual restaurant level.
A report before the council says the project’s detailed design is now 60 per cent complete with $2.3m spent to date.
The bulk of costs are being spent on the Esplanade stretch between Shields and Aplin streets, with a $19.1m outlay.
Another $220,000 will go towards upgrades to the footpath outside the new Oaks Cairns Hotel above McDonald’s, with the remaining $8.6m for upgrades to Shields Street.
The entire project is scheduled for completion by April next year.
“While detailed design has been completed to 60 per cent, there is still the potential some design elements may require complex solutions that may,” the report warns.
The project will widen footpaths, extend the outdoor dining area for extra and more spacious seating, and heighten awnings to provide weather protection and a comfortable environment.
Lighting in the area will be overhauled, street furniture will take on a consistent theme and the precinct will undergo a new tropical landscaping process.
The Esplanade road will remain open for one-way vehicular traffic, with the ability for closure during special events.
Traffic lights and the lefthand turn from Shields Street on to the Esplanade will be removed.
Footpaths, lighting, landscaping and the road configuration of Shields Street between Abbott Street and the Esplanade will also be upgraded.