An artist’s impression of the new Gungahlin Marketplace level shows the Aldi supermarket and playground. Photos: Gungahlin Marketplace.
An Aldi Supermarket, a 1000 square metre Asian supermarket and the largest Chemist Warehouse in Canberra are set to join Gungahlin Marketplace as part of a $60 million expansion of the Town Centre shopping centre.
The centre’s Stage Four development will include an overhead bridge and new level built above Kmart and Woolworths.
It will bring 19 new retailers to the Marketplace, including 16 speciality traders, as well as an indoor children’s playground.
The pedestrian Skywalk Bridge over Hibberson Street will connect the new level with the South Mall, where Big W currently stands.
It will be delivered on Monday 10 October and Hibberson Street will be closed for its installation.
Marketplace’s Development Manager Phillip Knackstedt said the skybridge would be a gamechanger for the Town Centre.
An escalator view of the new level.
“Construction of the bridge is monumental – it’s enormous with a floor area of approximately 130 square metres and a height of approximately 4.5 metres, and requires a police escort to get to its location,” he said.
“The bridge link will provide undercover and air-conditioned access across Hibberson Street which the community has been requesting for some time.
“In 2017 we tackled the underground connection of the two malls when we opened the underground carpark. Now, as we level up, we’re offering even more connectivity and convenience via an overhead bridge.”
While Hibberson Street remains closed to vehicles during the bridge’s construction, the street will remain open and accessible to pedestrians as normal.
The expansion will meet increasing demand in Canberra’s northern suburbs, particularly as the 2021 census showed Gungahlin to be the fastest growing region in the ACT.
“We’re so thrilled to be enriching Marketplace’s offering with a new retail mix that responds to the significant growth in the region and brings more convenience and an elevated shopping experience to Gungahlin,” Mr Knackstedt said.
What the Skywalk Bridge over Hibberson Street will look like.
Mr Knackstedt said the new indoor children’s playground would cement the Marketplace as a destination for the community.
“This play space will be a fantastic meeting point for family and friends where they can enjoy some time together or simply have some respite after a busy day of shopping,” he said.
Once complete, Marketplace will offer two supermarkets (Woolworths and Aldi), two discount department stores (Kmart and Big W), two “Mini Majors” (Chemist Warehouse and daily Asian Supermarket), more than 120 stores including retail and services, two children’s indoor playgrounds, and more than 1300 car park spaces.
The project was to cost nearly $17 million when the development application was lodged in August 2019 but that would be higher now given the state of the construction sector. The expansion is set to be completed in July 2023.
Original Article published by Ian Bushnell on Riotact.
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