St David’s Park could become Hobart’s next great outdoor gathering space writes Edwin Johnstone.
St David’s Park is one of Hobart’s most beautiful and historic public spaces.
Sitting between the CBD, Salamanca and the waterfront, it is a park many people walk past, walk through or admire from a distance. But for much of the year, it is not used as much as it could be as a place for people to gather, connect and enjoy city life.
I believe there is now an opportunity to look at how one corner of St David’s Park could be better used while still protecting the park’s heritage, trees and green character.
The recent removal of two giant sequoia trees has opened up part of the park and created a chance to think carefully about how that space could work in the future. The existing rotunda already gives this corner of St David’s Park a natural focus, and the opened-up area around it could be enhanced with modest, landscaped amphitheatre-style seating and a flexible central space.
This is not about turning St David’s Park into a major entertainment venue or covering it in concrete.
It is about exploring whether a small, well-designed public space could support community events, school performances, Christmas carols, local music, cultural activities and public screenings.
One example is the FIFA World Cup.
Imagine families and football fans gathering in St David’s Park to watch the Socceroos on a big screen in the heart of Hobart. People could sit on the grass or on landscaped seating, enjoy the atmosphere and share a community experience in one of the city’s most attractive public spaces.
These are the sorts of moments that bring a city to life.
The best cities create places where people naturally gather, celebrate and connect. Hobart already has many beautiful parks and public spaces, but we should always be asking whether they are being used to their full potential.
St David’s Park should remain a beautiful historic park. Its heritage, trees and character must be protected. But that does not mean it cannot also play a greater role in city life.
A modest amphitheatre-style space could give Hobart another flexible outdoor venue that works across the year, not just for major sporting events, but for small community gatherings, performances and cultural activities.
The World Cup is just one example of what could be possible.
The bigger opportunity is to create a public space that Hobart can use, enjoy and be proud of all year round.
Edwin Johnstone
Chair, Business Greater Hobart
