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Bruce is the education hub of Belconnen, with over 20,000 students attending the University of Canberra, UC Senior Secondary College, Radford College, the Australian Institute of Sport, and the Canberra Institute of Technology.

While thousands of these students live on-campus or in nearby suburbs, there is no way for students to easily and safely cycle or walk to the main Belconnen shopping district or Lake Ginninderra.

The Draft Master Plan indicated that strengthening the links between the Town Centre and the University of Canberra was an important issue under consideration. Building a “promenade” exclusively for cyclists and pedestrians which links Emu Bank through to College St would encourage greater movement between these areas, increase commercials opportunities and community vibrancy.

Margaret Timpson Park and the Belconnen Library need to be opened up, better lit, and made into a safe place to congregate day or night. These spaces need to be clean, friendly, modern and welcoming.

Fixing this should be a top priority.

Margaret Timpson should be a mixed use space that would suit outdoor lunch and picnics for nearby workers and families.  The space should be able to facilitate festivals and public performances, and have an all-abilities playground to encourage more families (particularly those living in nearby apartments) to make better use of the space.

Better physical and sound separation, such as a hedge or additional trees, should be planted to increase the separation from Benjamin Way and make it safer for kids to play.  There are 2 grass pyramids which were intended to have flowers planted on it at selected times of the year, but this doesn’t happen.  These pyramids make it difficult for the space to be used for large gatherings, and should be removed.

The Belconnen library exterior is run down, uninviting and unsafe.  It should be either moved to where the remand centre is, or be completely redeveloped and opened up as part of a broader Swanson Plaza revamp.