Initial works on Ascot’s new park development are now underway as part of the Council’s commitment to keeping Brisbane clean and green. The new district park is located between Lancaster Road, Kitchener Road, and McGill Avenue.
The park is part of the Racecourse Precinct Neighbourhood Plan, developed between 2009 to 2011. Under the plan, the former Brisbane Racing Club (BRC) members’ car park at the corner of Lancaster and Kitchener Roads will be converted back to public parkland.
Draft of the new park’s concept plan. Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
The historic suburb of Ascot has been home to a diverse community that is constantly growing. This project aims to create an attractive park that can be enjoyed by the community and celebrate the history of the suburb.
Draft of the new park’s playground concept plan. Photo credit: Brisbane City Council
The park will increase accessible green space in the area and will also have a new fenced playground for children to enjoy.
The Council is now finalising the plans after a productive community consultation held in May 2018. The final design for the park will be available in late 2018 and all the feedback from the community will be included.
Construction of the park will take place in 2019, including the decompaction and regeneration of the soil, followed by park embellishment works.
According to an executive of a leading sustainable real estate company, Brisbane is currently on the right track to becoming a well-planned and sustainable city.
Stuart Penklis, Mirvac‘s Head of Residential said that smart development is the key to a sustainable enhancement of Queensland’s way of life as Brisbane’s population is expected to grow to 4.2 million by 2050.
As part of Brisbane’s Sustainable City Framework, the Council plans to have a Compact Urban Form to achieve a more compact development within and around regional activity centres and public transport nodes and corridors.
Photo credit: CC-BY/Brisbane City Council/Flickr
Having a more compact development means having higher density accommodations around the inner ring of Brisbane. As more people live in areas close to transport and activity centres, the need for car travel will be reduced, encouraging locals to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.
In Rosemary Kennedy and Laurie Buys’ study called the Dimensions of Liveability: A Tool for Sustainable Cities, they have found that people prefer to live in high-density areas due to the walkable access to services, recreation, and work. Such liveability aspects are important for environmental, social, and economic reasons.
Since the Council considers increasing the density within the city limits, the Mirvac head also cited that providing energy and having cost-efficient homes should also be prioritised by the Council.
Photo credit: ascotgreen.mirvac.com
An example of a pioneer green energy development in the area is Mirvac’s Ascot Green development at the Eagle Farm Racecourse.
With their solar initiative, the nine-storey building will have solar panels and batteries installed on the rooftop recreation deck that will take advantage of the sunny subtropical environment in the area. Individual apartments will be connected to the renewable power source to help residents reduce electricity costs by as much as 70 percent.
Such initiative not only addresses the community’s concern on the rising energy prices. It also helps the government achieve its target of having zero net emissions by 2050.
Lendlease is set to build a retirement and aged care precinct in Ascot as part of its collaboration with the Brisbane Racing Club. The facility will overlook the Doomben racecourse.
The racing club is currently developing a $1.5 billion masterplan, which will include its 89-hectare site in Ascot. The club is currently transforming their Eagle Farm precinct whilst this recent announced development with the property giant will be the first project on their Doomben part.
The aged care project also marks Lendlease’s return to the aged-care business after departing it in 2013. They re-entered the industry last year.
The development will undergo five stages and will be set on a two-hectare site. It will consist of 300 independent living units and 108 full service high-care aged beds. To ensure that the older folks enjoy the space, they will equip it with resort-style facilities such as a restaurant, a cafe, and a new bowls club.
The BRC’s Eagle Farm upgrades will also see the Racecourse Village Shopping Centre, which is set to open mid-2018. It will feature a Woolworth’s Supermarket and ten specialty stores.
With exciting BRC developments, the new aged care facility will be on the right spot. The site is also in close proximity to the CBD, the Royal Queensland Golf Course, Hamilton Wharf, Racecourse Road, and the Brisbane International Airport.
A class of Year 9 students in St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot designed, built, and programmed a 3D printed prosthetic hand. The said project is conducted as part of the school’s commitment to hands-on approach towards STEM learning for students.
The students involved in the project have performed biological dissection of the anatomy of the arm and hand, designed it using 3D software, and learnt about circuit design and computer coding. By the end of the year, they look forward to have the hand programmed to grasp and pick up an object.
Meanwhile, year 11 boarder Rhiannon Revell-Blair has been named City North New’s Junior Individual Sports Start at the recent Quest Local Sports Stars awards night held in Queensland Cricketer’s Club, The Gabba. She is currently awaiting the official decision on whether she will be included in the Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens squad that will be undergoing training in New Zealand. She will be the co-captain of the St Margaret’s touch football team in 2018.
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot is an independent boarding school. It welcomes students from pre-preparatory level to Year 12. The school only accepts boys in pre-prep and prep.
Students listening to a lecture Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School Facebook
Early this month, the school has introduced the basic of computer coding for its prep students as part of its focus on STEM education. Prep students use basic animation software in computer activities which are included in a weekly in-class programme on coding.
The school currently has 879 students of which 260 are primary students and 610 are girls in the secondary school. The boarding house has 170 boarders from Years 5 to 12.
Aside from its pastoral environment, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School has always been known for its focus on academic excellence, quality learning, and teaching. The school also takes pride in providing their students with a well-rounded exposure to experiences in and out of school that will help them gain a broad perspective of the world outside the school walls.
Don’t miss the final Pink’d Up BBQ for this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month on October 27!
Everyone is invited to attend the event happening in 111 Racecourse Rd, Ascot. The Bank of Queensland will be selling cupcakes and proceeds will go to Chicks in Pink, a foundation that supports women living with breast cancer.
Pink’d Up 2017 is extra special for the community as they aim to raise $100,000, which could be their highest donation to date. They have always been proud to support women with breast cancer. This year’s efforts promises to contribute more for the women’s needs.
Pink’d Up BBQ Event in Ascot Credit: Racecourse RD Facebook
As always, the 72 olden Poinciana trees from the River to the Racetrack on Racecourse Road are decorated with pink ornaments. The community works together to adorn the trees with ribbons and artworks as they participate as one in the annual Pink’d Up Racecourse Rd event.
Credit: Racecourse Rd Facebook
Elsewhere in the state and across Australia, a massive concerted effort is in place to raise awareness about the disease. Concerned groups gather all means of support for affected women, including survivors of breast cancer. In Queensland for example, researchers are now utilizing 3D printers to develop biodegradable implants for breast cancer survivors who have undergone mastectomy.
According to the University of Queensland, there are one in eight Queensland women that will be diagnosed with breast cancer prior the age of 85. Younger women afflicted with the disease have less chance of surviving than their older counterparts. The university highlights that more funding is required for more relevant research and clinical trials to take place.
Credit: ARC ITTC in Additive Biomanufacturing YouTube
In Brisbane, breast cancer survivors find support with Dragons Abreast. These are women who fought the disease and maintain active lifestyle by engaging in Dragon Boat Racing. The group continues to promote breast cancer awareness as they pursue a fun and healthy lifestyle. They train every Saturday morning and meet up at the BRD container, behind the State Hockey Centre, 400 Lytton Road at Colmslie.
Meanwhile, the Brisbane Racing Club is behind the 2017 Spring Racing Carnival, Australia’s most prestigious 2400 metre handicap race and the second biggest Cup race of the spring behind the Melbourne Cup. The activities are done for a good cause as $5 from every General Admission ticket sold is to be given to Breast Cancer Network Australia.
2017 Spring Racing Carnival Credit: Brisbane Racing Club Facebook
These and other similar activities, usually happening to celebrate October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month, are held yearly. If you couldn’t come to Ascot Pink’d Up barbeque this year, you still have your chance next year.
Click here to be updated about the scheduled events in Ascot.
Taro’s Ramen, with a shop at 145 Racecourse Rd Ascot, is set to open another restaurant in South Brisbane in mid-November.
Restaurant owner, Taro Akimoto, said that the new restaurant will be located on the ground floor of 154 Melbourne in South Brisbane. It will seat 80 people and will retain the fitments of the building owned by the Centurion Property Group. Akimoto shared that the South Brisbane shop will be somewhat similar to Wagaya in Fortitude Valley, where partitions go all the way up to above eye height. Elsewhere, the new Taro’s Ramen will be akin to how the Ascot restaurant is being operated.
Taro’s Ramen is popular for its menu that features a delectable combination of authentic Japanese shochu, sake, and side dishes which complement their ramen. Ascot and Hamilton reviewers have given the restaurant a 5-star rating on Eat Now, and a 4.5-star rating on Yelp.
Ramen Credit: Taro’s Ramen Facebook
“Given that I eat Japanese food on a weekly basis, It’s a tragedy that I haven’t eaten at Taro’s Ramen until today! Fast forward: there’s an empty bowl and a happy, full tummy, it was as if I had been transported back to Japan for an hour or so… I can’t wait to get back to Taro’s and work my way through the menu.” – Elizabeth, Yelp
“Love Taro’s. Their food is so good! Always delicious.” – Maree, Eat Now
“Great as always, attention to detail, amazing customer service, quality ingredients, nice variety, great flavours. A must in Brisbane.” – David, Eat Now
“Awesome meal. We didn’t have to wait long to pick up our order. The staff are always so friendly and helpful. Best ramen in Brisbane.” – Jessica, Eat Now
Akimoto, a former resource industry investment analyst, was born and raised in Japan. His mother was from Saga, Kyushu where he also spent much of his childhood and adolescence. The place greatly influenced his passion for ramen. He subsequently brought the different ramen flavours of his childhood into his own cooking.
Taro Akimoto Credit: Taro’s Ramen Facebook
While travelling around Japan during his university years, Akimoto saw to it that he experienced all kinds of ramen there is. It was in Tenkaippin where he learnt that oily and thick soup adds up to the flavour of ramen. It was in Kitakata where he learnt that ramen is best when served with handmade noodles. By the new millennium, he already knew about fusion ramen and that it can be as good without MSG. A few years after, he was in Australia, bringing along his exquisite knowledge about the cuisine.
Ramen Credit: Taro’s Ramen Facebook
Because of this rich background of Japanese culture, Taro’s Ramen has consistently served patrons with the most authentic ramen in Australia. Their natural ingredients were shipped directly from selected suppliers in Japan. All restaurants promised that they do not serve dishes with MSG or other preservatives. For more information about Taro’s Ramen or for placing order, click here.
