Lyons’ waterfront ice castle spectacular …

by NOEL MURPHY

A massive iceberg-style, Superman’s-polar-retreat convention centre on Corio Bay has formed the basis of a special Geelong pitch to Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Mayor Darryn Lyons and ARM Architecture drafted the stunning image of a Frank Gehry-like architectural icon to suggest what could be possible on Geelong’s waterfront.

The design presents an alternative vision for a proposed Geelong convention centre, previously earmarked for a site near Limeburner’s Point.

The mayor’s concept would sit at the end of a rebuilt Yarra Street Pier to berth cruise ships and includes a new hotel on the adjacent foreshore.

“It’s an unbelievable image,” Cr Lyons said.

“I’ve been sitting with architects ARM and came up with a massive iceberg-style Superman design with them and they’ve been tremendous.”

Cr Lyons met Mr Abbott and Industry Minister Senator Ian  Macfarlane this week to discuss the city’s future in the wake of savage manufacturing cuts at Ford and Alcoa and uncertainty about Shell following its reported sale.

“There was real energy in the room and both Prime Minister Abbott and Mr Macfarlane were clearly enthused about the projects we discussed, including the Yarra Street Pier and Geelong’s bid to win the contract to build the Land 400 military vehicle,” Cr Lyons said.

“Time will tell whether we’ll achieve our aims from today but I’m absolutely confident we made a very compelling case and the Prime Minister and the Minister for Industry were both fully engaged and understanding of the businesses cases we presented today.

“Today’s meeting was evidence that the work we have done in the last few months to build a case for Geelong has put us in a strong position. We made a very persuasive case for Geelong backed up with solid research on jobs growth and economic benefit.”

Cr Lyons told the Independent the convention centre could generate up to 600 jobs, it’s a grand plan but stressed it had to be a staged project, “one where you can kill three or four birds with one stone”.

“I believe we will get quick traction but you can’t expect a new government that inherited a $700 billion debt to just throw money at them,” he said.

The design presents an alternative vision for a proposed Geelong convention centre, previously earmarked for a site near Limeburner’s Point.

The mayor’s concept would sit at the end of a rebuilt Yarra Street Pier to berth cruise ships and includes a new hotel on the adjacent foreshore.

It’s been greeted with mass support on line, backers lauding as “a project that unlocks untold opportunities and hopes, limited only by our lack of imagination” and  “this project will create lots of jobs, it will bring in tourist dollars and bring life into the city, who knows what other things it will open up as a result”.