Riche recently spent time in Brazil and was very impressed by the artistic, user-friendly urban designs created by Burle Marx, a landscape architect. These designs can be seen on the pavements and in public places in both Rio and at Manaus and involve decorative, artistic, mosaic-like paving symbolising the beach and forest atmosphere of the two cities.

(we believe that his work was recently shown on Australian television)

 This concept, if used in Nowra, could :

(i) beautify the CBD by creating a unique, mosaic paved landscape on the the major traffic arteries of the town,

(ii) create a CBD unique in all Australia, a tourist attraction,

(iii) by asking the local Aboriginal community to participate, include large designs inspired by the rich heritage of the traditional owners, interspersed by a basic connecting pattern

 This suggestion could be extended by providing a space, perhaps on the southern wall of the Arts Centre in Berry Street, where creative, supervised graffiti is permitted and replaced at intervals.
 
These suggestions would, I believe, go a long way in providing 'pride of place', the one important ingredient which, in my view, is missing in the CBD.    
 

 
[ Richelieu du Plessis, Nowra ]

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