Hospital park link yet to get builder
A multimillion-dollar pedestrian bridge to link Perth's new children's hospital and Kings Park may not be ready in time for the hospital's planned completion.
Despite the steel walk-over originally being planned to be operational by December, its construction contract still has not been let, with tenders closing only a fortnight ago.
Known as the Kings Park Link project, it is expected to cost about $5 million and will link the $1.2 billion Perth Children's Hospital to the city's biggest park and its popular Synergy playground.
The winning design by architects Fratelle Group features a rainbow-coloured bridge, understood to be more than 300m long, 3m wide and about 6m in height above Winthrop Avenue. It includes a special viewing platform with views across Kings Park.
According to Fratelle, the design of the technicolour bridge is based on the theme of a giant rainbow serpent twisting in and out of the tree canopy of Kings Park, to provide a tree-top walk that will extend across the road to the hospital's northern green space.
It is designed to be a recreational area for hospital staff, patients and visitors.
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation is funding the project, which includes upgrading the path to the playground in Kings Park so sick children in wheelchairs can have a reprieve from hospital.
The foundation and hospital project officials would not confirm this week the likely completion of the bridge project or when the 298-bed hospital, which has been under construction since January 2012, will be open.
There has been wide speculation in the past few months that the hospital will not be ready to take patients by the end of the year but Health Minister Kim Hames has insisted it is on track and on budget.
Under its contract with the State Government, the hospital's builder John Holland was offered first option to design and build the bridge but declined.
"Tenders for the Kings Park Link bridge closed on February 21 and until the tender evaluation has been completed we are unable to comment further," a hospital project spokeswoman said.
"There is no more precise date for the opening date for PCH at this time. It is still intended that the majority of services will move in one day."
