MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

Playing in the Plaza/It’s not all fun and games

Old-fashioned fun and games will be the order of the day during a Picnic in the Plaza this Saturday 7 October on the site of the future public plaza and events space on Queens Wharf Road.

The picnic is a kid-friendly event organised by Space4cyclingBNE. Space4cyclingBNE is concerned by a planning decision to down-grade the Bicentennial Bikeway to a shared path for 400 m as part of the Queens Wharf Casino Development.

According to the group’s spokesperson, Belinda Ward, “The Bicentennial Bikeway is a very busy route for bicycle riders, and this decision will put all of those people on bicycles in a shared zone with pedestrians.”

“We are concerned that this will cause conflict between people who are moving through the area on bikes, and tourists and visitors attending events in the plaza”, she said. “Currently, the Bicentennial Bikeway is a way for people commuting by bicycle to avoid the congested promenade at South Bank, but it could soon end up even more crowded.”

“We decided to highlight the issue by occupying the space to have a picnic with some old-fashioned games for entertainment. But unlike the future casino development which will monopolise this public space, we’ll be ensuring the route is left open for people to travel through.”

The picnic will be held on the paved area next to the Bicentennial Bikeway between the North Quay Ferry terminal and Queens Wharf Road from 12:30 until 2:30.

Space4cyclingBNE is a coalition of Brisbane’s grass root cycling advocacy groups with the aim of making cycling an issue for all levels of government. They have a vision for Brisbane where it is easy, convenient, and safe for people of all ages and abilities to walk or ride a bicycle to their destination.

ENDS

For further media information contact: Belinda Ward, 0434 906 364