THE late, great Jim Stynes has been honoured in Melbourne on Wednesday, with the Jim Stynes Bridge officially opened at Docklands.
The Jim Stynes Bridge is part of a $25 million Northbank redevelopment, with the innovative ‘hovering’ steel arc bridge is the first of its kind in Australia.
Planning minister Matthew Guy officially opened Melbourne’s newest iconic bridge named after the city’s adopted son, footballer and philanthropist.
Minister Guy, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle joined the Stynes family, plus players Nathan Jones, Lynden Dunn, James Frawley, and Jeremy Howe and members from the Reach Foundation to unveil the 120-metre bridge in the Docklands.
“I am delighted to open the new Jim Stynes Bridge, a fitting tribute to the memory of this outstanding man, footballer and philanthropist. This bridge ensures that Jim’s work is alive in the hearts and minds of all Melbournians,” Minister Guy said.
Lord mayor Doyle said the Jim Stynes Bridge would be a reminder of the contributions that the 2010 Melburnian of the Year made to our city.
“Jim Stynes represented the quintessential Melbourne story: a migrant made good. His story of settlement in Melbourne, an outstanding AFL career, his philanthropy, charity work and fight against cancer touched us all and I am proud to join the minister and Jim’s family in opening the bridge in his honour today,” he said.
The bridge has an innovative design that creates the illusion the span is hovering, unsupported above the Yarra River. It was designed by a consortium, led by the Aurecon Group in partnership with Cox Architecture and Oculus Landscape Architects.
A bronze plaque at each end features the story of Stynes’ football career and work with the Reach Foundation.
“I’m sure the bridge will become a much visited iconic part of Melbourne’s riverfront as well as providing a vital connection from the city at Spencer Street to Docklands along the Yarra River. This is the centrepiece of the $25 million redevelopment of the Yarra’s north bank and creates a connection for Melbourne’s cycling network and pedestrians from the city, the Northbank waterfront, Docklands and Southbank,” Minister Guy said.
Stynes was an exemplary footballer who became president of Melbourne. He was a co-founder of the Reach Foundation and given the Medal of the Order of Australia for his work with Victorian youth.
He sadly passed away in 2012 due to cancer.
TheReach Tax Appeal is an end of financial year campaign, focusing on the story ofJordan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAUxvtI6RU0 We’re looking to raise to profile of Reach and bring to light the work wedo with young people.
Ourdonation platform is accessible via http://www.reach.org.au/or directly http://www.beaheroforreach.org.au/event/Reachtaxappeal2014.
