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Media Releases |
Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 3 May 2009 DARLING HARBOUR 21ST ANNIVERSARY Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, will today join thousands of Sydneysiders and visitors to celebrate the 21st birthday of one of Sydney’s best loved entertainment destinations, Darling Harbour. Ms Keneally said the festivities will include dance, music and cultural performances which will be held in celebration of the precinct’s long-standing connection with Sydney and its multicultural communities. “Darling Harbour is living proof that major infrastructure projects can deliver lasting benefits to communities – creating better lifestyles and creating thousands of jobs,” Ms Keneally said. “Its renewal showed governments around the world how new urban spaces created for business, tourism and recreation could provide a huge stimulus to the economy. “Today more than 180 tourism, retail and leisure businesses operate in Darling Harbour, employing more than 15,000 people who also support many nearby businesses. “Through Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Darling Harbour hosts around 40 free public events and 28 million visitors each year. “Neville Wran’s Government in the 1980s had the vision to deliver this great urban renewal project and was committed to its long term community benefits.” Ms Keneally said the NSW Government is taking the same approach today to the renewal of Barangaroo, another foreshore site of immense importance to people across the State. “Barangaroo requires State-driven renewal that balances the State’s economic priorities with the lasting commercial and community opportunities it will provide,” Ms Keneally said. “Investment in Barangaroo’s construction is expected to top $3 billion, creating more than 4,000 construction jobs and providing a boost to the economy. “When completed, it will deliver 14 kilometres of unbroken foreshore access from Anzac Bridge to Woolloomooloo. Around 20,000 people will live and work in Barangaroo, and a vast headland park will be created for all to enjoy.” Ms Keneally said the NSW Government is currently driving redevelopment of Darling Walk at Darling Harbour’s southern end, ensuring the precinct continues to be a world class waterfront destination. “A $560 million dollar project in partnership with Lend Lease is transforming the 1.5 hectare site into state of the art commercial office and leisure space,” Ms Keneally said. “The project will better connect Darling Harbour to the CBD, bring 4,500 new workers to the area, and provide a Youth and Children’s Theatre, an active water play area and a community green.”
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