Councillors will this Thursday be asked to finalise plans for Templar Street.
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Councillors have four designs to choose from, having earlier pulled Templar Street from the CBD Masterplan because they weren't satisfied with the options, with debate centering on parking.
The consultants have gone back to the drawing board in an attempt to balance the cry to maintain parking spaces with the desire to create a pleasant place where people can gather.
One-way traffic and nose-in parking are key features of the option presented to councillors as preferred, but councillors do have details for options that maintain two-way traffic.
Since the public exhibition of the CBD Masterplan in March last year, designs for Templar Street have been revised three times.
"The design vision for Templar Sstreet was to make this street the "heart" of Forbes, the report to the council meeting says.
Consultants were asked to create environmental comfort, low-speed environment, gathering spaces for pedestrians and the flexibility to close the street for festivals and markets.
Each of the options is estimated to cost more than $3 million to roll out.
Option 3A, recommended by staff:
- Proposes one way traffic with the direction being from Lachlan Street to Rankin Street;
- Proposes 15 palm trees, 21 shade trees and seven existing trees;
- Maintains three car parking spaces within the south western bank of parking;
- Proposes 18 car parking bays (17 + 1 disabled), this increases the car parking provided in the original option by four car parking bays (Templar Street currently has 23 car parking bays including one disabled space);
- Has plaza space on the north western side instead of the south western side;
- Provides a shade sail from the south western to the north western side;
- Realigns the kerb with Rankin Street to account for the north western break out space;
- Provides opportunity for sculptures/sculpture play under the shade sail to the north western side;
- Provides a water feature on the corner of Rankin Street and Templar Street.
The report says the poles for the shade sails could also provide lighting, smart technology including wi-fi, and three-phase power.
The modified Option 2A:
- Has raised pavement from Rankin Street to Meaghers Lane;
- Proposes the same number of car parking bays (with the spaces removed from the north-west);
- Proposes 28 trees;
- Provides sculpture and outdoor play on the north-west side;
- Provides pergola structures and robust seating on the north-west side.