Could the end of the Metro Tunnel project finally be in sight? Well folks, it certainly feels like it. Back in February, we brought you the news that Arden Station, the first of the five new underground stations, was finished. And in March we got a sneak peak of the public artworks that will be on display across the network. Now we can reveal that all major construction on Parkville Station is also complete – and it’s on track to be open to passengers by next year. Woo hoo!
Located directly below Grattan Street between Royal Parade and Leicester Street, the new transport hub will provide direct rail access to the University of Melbourne, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. It boasts four entrances and a 44-metre-long pedestrian underpass, allowing for thousands of medical staff, students, teachers, families and tourists to pass through every single day.
The key design elements include a 50-metre-long steel and glass canopy that will transform Grattan Street into a ‘grand promenade’ complete with lush landscaping and trees. There will also be a number of deep light wells, ensuring that natural light reaches all the way down to the station below ground.
Then there’s the station’s landmark custom artwork: ‘Vernal Gland’. Created by acclaimed Australian artist Patricia Piccinini, it comprises a colourful array of handmade ceramic tiles that will (hopefully) evoke a sense of calm, optimism and warmth amidst a sea of busy commuters. Piccinini was inspired by biophilic design principles and the colour selection of the tiles references the Aussie bush landscape.
So that’s two stations down and only three more to go. With testing of the new technologies in the tunnel currently underway (ultra-modern new signalling systems have been installed, and it’s expected trains will be running through the new network as frequently as every two minutes), it appears as though everything’s on track for a 2025 opening. Stay tuned for more Metro Tunnel news as it comes through.
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