Gold Coast: "Gray" Space - and an ambitious Vision for Urban planning

Gold Coast: Shut-up about “Green” space – just for a moment.

- by Ken Sekiya

With the rising awareness to Environmental issues, the awareness of benefits to allocating “Green” spaces is rising. This has led to much urban development to allocate “Green” spaces for leisure and recreation use.
Besides the Local-use, “Green” spaces also serve to be Tourist attractions – becoming a potential space to showcase local flora and fauna; space for cultural installations; and space for cultural activities.
“Green” spaces may also serve to be a “beacon” for attracting people, providing opportunities for Food & Beverage businesses, surrounding the area.
However, with this “Green” mentality has led compromise in Urban planning – The use and allocation of other forms of space, such as “Gray” spaces.

“Gray” spaces – or better defined as constructed pathways and concrete parks – is often compromised to allow for larger shop spaces. However, the benefits of “Gray” spaces are very much understated in planning: which may contribute to sense of Safety, Business exposure and expansion, Leisure space, and space for Cultural activities. 

“Gray” space is often viewed in the same manner as road traffic: space for movement from A to B. This view, however, ignores the need for traffic to stop and Window-shop – providing opportunities for purchases to be considered – instead obliging potential customers to move-on. This view also ignores the need for “Personal space”, where wider “Gray” spaces provide individuals more freedom of movement, and sense of safety. 

Furthermore, to limit the use of “Gray” space, for the purpose of Pedestrian traffic limits the use of space by businesses to provide an Outdoor experience – such as outdoor seating for Restaurants and Cafes; and for use of space for Street markets; small individual activities; and large-scale cultural activities, such as Parades. Wider “Gray” spaces may also encourage use of non-motorized vehicles, such as Bicycles.  

However, despite Gold Coast’s advantage of being a “low-density” city, urban planning have been compressed and limited. Potentially – strategic allocation of “Gray” spare can be viewed as strategic tourism and business investment: rather than a narrow-minded view as “wasted” space. 

A Gold Coast-specific example of relatively good "Gray" space planning, is the development of Surfers Paradise's new Esplanade, which has received good feedback by locals and tourists alike.
Such, “spoilt” use of space – for “Green” and “Gray” usage, should also be seriously considered to develop a unique image, unlike that existing in Cities across the rest of the Asia-Pacific regions.
Especially when considering that our major Tourist markets, in Asia, are tourists from high-density cities. Hence, there being an opportunity for the contrasted use of space from other major Australian and Asian cities that will give an element of attraction that will be both a key factor for establishing a unique image for the Gold Coast.
This can also be further enhanced, if Gold Coast plans to develop as a “Cultural” and/or “Academic” capital of Queensland (if not Australia). In essence, such ambitious urban planning can be envisioned, as planning to make the Gold Coast the “Paris” of the Asia-Pacific region.

Other benefits will also include, lowering of travel distance to local businesses, closing the gap between Gold Coast’s diverse cultural centres, and diversifying the Gold Coast – making the city more attractive to justify multiple visits by domestic and international tourists.

It will be “costly” indeed, and take time, but Napoleon’s Paris wasn’t cheap or completed over-night either. But with a strong leader – or group of leaders – and Local support, the Gold Coast can develop easier than the manner that Paris was planned and developed, where Napoleon didn’t have popular support for his ambitions.

Gold Coast :– development here needs to be more widespread - capitalising the wide-open sky and space that we appreciate - contrasted to the manner that urban development is occurring at the moment: concentrated in Tweeds/Burleigh, Broadbeach, Surfers, Southport, and Runaway Bay.
Gold Coast needs to show that it is a “City” worth being based in, and visiting – not a big patch of sub-urban housing for Brisbanites. 

More about the Author: 

Guest writer for "Community Urban Planning" - may not necessarily reflect the view of other Authors.

Proud Gold Coast born and bred - over 20 years - and several years elsewhere - currently based in Surfers Paradise. 

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