The City of Parramatta is upgrading Charles Street Square, Parramatta Quay. The vision for the precinct is to create a welcoming public space that connects people to Parramatta’s unique stories. Charles Street Square will offer a distinctive arrival for ferry passengers, and easy-to-navigate accessible connections from the riverfront to the City.
Following extensive community consultation throughout 2020, construction of a flood-resilient and sustainable public square is well underway.
Earlier consultation
More than 960,000 people were given the opportunity to engage with the Charles Street Square project over two consultation periods held during 2020.
Community feedback was highly supportive of the public art and cultural interpretation components of the project (120 formal submissions - 63% local residents and 4% local businesses) with participants wanting the public art and cultural interpretation at Charles Street Square to represent “the stories of the Dharug people and their connection to the land” (63% of participants); followed by local native plants and animals (58%); key events in Parramatta over time (53%); and the dynamic river environment (52%).
For full details of consultation on the concept design and the Review of Environmental Factors please see the REF tab at the top of the page.
The design focuses on accessibility and encourages visitors to move from the riverbank to the City’s edge and explore four distinct gathering places within the site: the Riverfront Walk, River Amphitheatre, Garden Terrace and Public Square. Visitors will be able to enjoy views over the Quay from under the shade of trees or meet for special events and public celebrations.
Within the new Charles Street Square is a layer of cultural interpretation and a significant public art piece which seeks to provide visitors with insights into Country, the river and landscape, and the people and events that have shaped our City over time.
Description
The Charles Street Square public artwork will explore the themes of the land and river, flora and fauna, and will feature the stories of Parramatta, including the people and events that have shaped our City over time.
To be created by internationally renowned Australian artist Craig Walsh https://www.craigwalsh.net/about/ the artwork, titled Ebb and Flow, is a 30-minute layered video which will be projected directly onto the escarpment opposite the ferry terminal. The artwork is being created for a specific area of the natural shale embankment, a ‘canvas’ approximately 30 meters long x 10 meters high.
Due to the low reflective nature of the escarpment, and the limited brightness of the projection, the artwork will not radiate or spill ambient light outside the mapped ‘canvas’ area.
The artwork will use a collection of bespoke images within a layered video to create multiple experiences for people to explore and will contribute to our understanding of this special place.
The artwork acknowledges the continuing presence of First Nations people in Parramatta and among other stories of the land, flora and fauna, farming and urbanization, features our shared journey towards reconciliation, respect, and reciprocity.
It is intended that the projection will screen nightly at regular intervals between 8pm and 11pm in summer (Daylight Savings Time) and 6pm to 9pm in winter.
Viewing locations
Ideal viewing locations for the projection artwork will be in the terraced seating areas being created within Charles Street Square. This location (confined to a 30-degree viewing angle within a horizontal plane) offers viewers the optimal experience of seeing good content detail. Please see the lime-coloured zone marked in the indicative map below.
The map also indicates broader areas where there will be an acceptable viewing experience with a reduced level of visibility of the detail within the artwork. Please see the orange-coloured viewing zone.
The artwork is unlikely to be visible from areas outside these viewing zones. The increased viewing distance and ambient light sources in these areas will mean that the subtlety of the imagery is lost with very minimal, if any, visibility - even if looking directly at the artwork.
Visibility is also reduced at height. Visibility is also restricted on the vertical plane for viewers located 4m or higher than the source of the projection at Parramatta Quay.
What does the public art look like?
The proposed artwork is being developed. The brief for the work is to convey the unique and complex stories of Parramatta including Dharug tradition and culture, the Parramatta River, native plants and animals, significant events and the people who shaped our City over time.
An embellished video, layered with illustrative animated work and images, will be created to form a subtle narrative. The 30-minute work is expected to be shown at regular intervals from 8pm to 11pm each day in summer (Daylight Savings Time) and between 6pm and 9pm during winter (Eastern Standard Time).
Who will create the public art?
Renowned Australian artist Craig Walsh has been commissioned to create the public artwork. To date, Craig has consulted with key stakeholders including historians, heritage specialists and the Dharug community. For information, please see https://www.craigwalsh.net/about/
When will the public art be visible?
It is expected that the first screening of the public art piece will occur shortly after the new Charles Street Square is opened (details to be confirmed).
The projector will be housed in a kiosk at Parramatta Quay, with the artwork projected across the river onto the escarpment. The projection ‘canvas’ is approximately 30m long and 10m high, there is no light spill outside the ‘canvas’ area.
The artwork has an optimal viewing zone with visibility affected by distance from the projection source. Visibility is also reduced at height (see map for viewing zones).
The 30-minute work is expected to be shown at regular intervals, from 8pm to 11pm each day in summer (Daylight Savings Time) and between 6pm and 9pm during winter (Eastern Standard Time).
Where can the public art be viewed?
The low reflectivity of the natural rock face and the conditions required for optimal viewing of the artwork, including viewing distance and ambient light, will mean that the artwork will be visible from a limited viewing area.
The optimal viewing for the public artwork is within a 30-degree area, located across from the escarpment. The Charles Street Square upgrade will deliver seating terraced seating in this space (refer to the lime-coloured area within the map).
Acceptable viewing locations are also indicated on the map (refer to the orange-coloured viewing zone on the map).
Outside the optimal and acceptable viewing zones, it is unlikely that the artwork will be visible.
The artwork is also rendered less visible at height. The artwork will not be able to be viewed from locations 4m and above the projector at Parramatta Quay.
What about native animals, what environmental studies have been completed?
The limited brightness of the projection and the timing of the projection (between 8pm and 11pm in summer and 6pm and 9pm in winter) will limit the disturbance to foraging habitat for threatened microbats, nocturnal birds and diurnal species (those active during the day).
The Review of Environmental Factors found the work unlikely to have a significant impact on a threatened species or ecological community.
Will light spill affect local residents?
Lighting in the public domain will comply with the Australian Standards for Lights for Roads and Public Spaces and Control of obtrusive effect of lighting. The light projection has limited brightness and will be displayed for a maximum of three hours to no later than 11pm nightly.
Lighting levels within the artwork are comparable to streetlights, with periods of lower levels of brightness within the overall 30-minute story.
Lighting trials held in May 2022 confirmed no light spill beyond the escarpment and limited viewing areas.
The projection ‘canvas’ is located so the projected light is not in the direct line of sight of pedestrian and cyclists using the Escarpment Boardwalk.
What about the ferry?
Stakeholder consultation throughout the Charles Street Square project, including throughout the lighting trial, has involved the ferry operator Transdev and Transport for NSW.
This consultation will continue during the detailed design phase for the artwork projection to ensure ferry operations are not impacted.
What are the benefits of public art for Parramatta?
Public art (sculpture, murals, installations etc.) plays a positive role in improving a community’s experience of our built environment and creates more meaningful public spaces. It can transform a place, create a sense of belonging in a community, generate cultural tourism and contribute to local economies.
Cultural participation, including the opportunity to engage with public art, contributes to a community’s identity and is a proven social and economic driver in making places liveable. The benefits associated with public art include improving health and wellbeing, increasing community cohesion and social inclusion, and stimulating social resilience.
Public art can transform landscapes and create a sense of uniqueness that appeals to residents and attracts visitors. The opportunity to experience another cultural attraction while in Parramatta has the potential to stimulate tourism and provide residents and visitors with an additional reason to stay longer within the Charles Street Square precinct.
A welcoming and attractive riverside destination, with more to see, do, learn, and enjoy, provides greater opportunities for visitors to spend locally.
In late 2022, the City of Parramatta invited local business owners to consider the potential impacts of the proposed artwork, including opportunities for the piece to provide a cultural experience which draws additional visitors to the area.
Submissions closed at 5pm on Thursday 6 October 2022.
What did we hear?
Parramatta Quay is the place where people travelling along the Parramatta River arrive at our city. This site, a gathering place for thousands of years, holds a unique place in the story of Parramatta.
Proposed upgrades to Charles Street Square, adjacent to the Ferry Wharf, are part of significant ongoing investment in the revitalisation of Parramatta Quay and transformation of the Parramatta City River Foreshore.
- يمكن العثور على المزيد من المعلومات في قسم "الموارد" على الجانب الأيمن من هذه الصفحة.
- ज़्यादा जानकारी के लिए इस पृष्ठ की दाईं तरफ 'संसाधन' भाग देखें।
- 자세한 정보는 이 페이지 오른편에 있는 ‘자료(Resources)’ 섹션에서 확인하십시오.
- 更多信息见本页右侧的“资源”部分。
Anticipated for completion in 2022, the new Charles Street Square will offer an attractive and usable public space that celebrates the place where communities connect. Proposed upgrades are part of significant ongoing investment in the transformation of the Parramatta City River Foreshore. Along with the Escarpment Boardwalk, these projects will create an accessible, green, and vibrant foreshore that is connected to our City.
The Charles Street Square concept design responds to the local environmental conditions including the changing river, the need for easy navigation between city and foreshore, and the rich cultural heritage of the place.
The flood-resilient design creates a wide riverfront walk and three attractive terraces connected by stairs and a series of gently graded ramps. People can easily move from the river foreshore to the city’s edge or explore welcoming spaces designed for enjoying river views, or gathering for special events and public celebrations.
The resources section provides more information on the proposed design and includes artist impressions.
At the City of Parramatta Council meeting held on Monday 11 May 2020, a report on the public exhibition of draft plans to transform Charles Street Square at Parramatta Quay was put forward for consideration. Councillors approved the concept design, including minor amendments in response to community feedback and stakeholder submissions. The amended concept plan is available in the resources section.
Public exhibition of the concept design occurred between 25 February to 16 March 2020 and it is estimated that communications regarding the project reached more than 880,000 people during this period. As a result of our engagement program, eight (8) email submissions and, 115 online survey responses were completed. The community also provided responses via social media and shared their views at our dedicated community drop-in sessions.
For further detail on the feedback received, please click on the image below. You may also like to find out more about our engagement activities and what we heard by reading the Charles Street Square Upgrade Draft Concept Design Public Exhibition Consultation Report which is available in the resources section.
Next steps
The project team will now progress the project through detailed design, planning and technical approvals, as well as documentation for the tendering of the construction works. Council will be undertaking an environmental impact assessment on the project to satisfy the requirements of Part 5 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. The Review of Environmental Factors will be placed on public exhibition. We will notify you when there is an opportunity to review and provide feedback on this document.
For more information, contact the Charles Street Square project team by calling the City of Parramatta on 1300 617 058 or email CharlesStSquare@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
