Stories from the River City
After me banging on a bit about a single topic lately, here are a few positive things about Brisbane we may have all missed.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner is talking rubbish. In a good way, that is.
He declares on Facebook: “Out with the old, in with the new! As part of a State Government program, we’ll be replacing old green and grey bin lids with the new red ones.
“New national standards require all general waste bins to have red lids.
“What does this mean for you?
“We’ll be progressively working our way through Brisbane suburbs to identify old bin lids presented for collection and replacing them while they’re out on the kerb.
“We’ll only replace your lid, not your entire bin.
“If your bin is damaged and needs replacing, please get in touch with our contact centre.” (The phone number for that is 3403 8888.)
Mister Brisbane remains free to read, but if you appreciate what I’m doing here, and/or
at The Wrinkle, you can buy me a coffee. But only if you want to.
A bridge not too far
Meanwhile, also on Facebook, Premier David Crisafulli says: “It’s a world first that’s accessible to everyone. Queensland is now home to the only accessible bridge climb in the world.
“Wheelchair users can now scale the Story Bridge, giving everyone access to iconic views of our State’s capital.
“We’re proud to fund this initiative as we deliver more inclusive experiences and facilities for Queenslanders across the State.”
This really is good news for people who like a little adventure. As for me… well, my fear of heights will leave me a little more grounded.
Name that venue
Amid all the chatter about what new venues we will and won’t be getting for the upcoming Olympics and Paralympics, you may have forgotten that a new theatre will open at QPAC sometime next year.
In a joint media statement, Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek and Minister for Housing and Public Works Sam O’Connor have put out a call for suggested names for that theatre.
“QPAC’s fifth theatre with 1,500 seats, creates capacity for an additional 300,000 visitors each year, making it the largest performing arts venue in Australia under one roof,” the release says.
“The bespoke theatre features a world-class auditorium with a 15x15-metre stage, balcony seating, two modern foyers, and a stunning 217-panel curved glass façade.”
After a jab at the previous state government — I know the other side does this sort of thing, too, but can’t we just move on, already? — they announce that Queenslanders “can now vote on their favourite name for the new theatre or suggest an alternative on Arts Queensland’s website”.
Langbroek says: “The pre-selected names of Glasshouse and Lantern are inspired by the theatre’s shimmering façade, while Watershed and Russell reference the theatre’s location and proximity to the river.”
I’ve opted to suggest my own alternative and I encourage others to perhaps think of people who’ve made a big contribution to the arts in Queensland but have yet to be acknowledged in a meaningful way.
I don’t think the government is obliged to go with the most popular name, but you can vote here until May 10.
Postscript
Nothing to do with Brisbane, but there’s new Doctor Who out now, and I’m encouraging you to watch it (on Disney+) so they keep making it for me to enjoy well into the future.
Re the name of the new QPAC theatre, I'd like to see the decision makers honour the local indigenous community and ask them what they think it should be called. Or name it after Li Cunxin. He has done so much for the arts, especially ballet and all in our fair city.