Belated happy birthday Canberra, and thanks for the party. Despite all the naysayers and the partial sunburn I woke up with on Tuesday, I think the planners put on a pretty good show to celebrate 100 years of our capital.
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But now that the orchestra has packed up and we've drunk the city dry - or at least gave it a good shot at the few lakeside bars open on Monday - it's time to start thinking about the future.
Fortunately, this doesn't mean paying attention to the depressing life insurance adverts that dominate daytime television or divvying up the capital's assets. For Canberra, it's the more cosmetic matter of how the city should look when its 200th birthday rolls around.
There are a lot of stereotypes thrown around about Canberra - the sprawling suburbs surrounded by sheep paddocks - but, increasingly, the conversation on the city's planning has centred not on the similarities to small-town NSW but instead its potential for higher density living.
Housing groups are becoming increasingly vocal about the need for more mid-density housing in the traditional suburban landscape and developers are more and more daring in pitching towers up to 35 storeys tall.
Of course, not all Canberrans are enthusiastic about moving away from the sprawling cityscape as the capital matures.
Plans for a trio of towers in Woden have been withdrawn following intense public backlash and changes to planning codes have been defended by the ACT Government as a means of protecting the "neighbourhood character" of the city's streets.
Despite this vocal public disapproval, the century-old city is experiencing a cultural shift in terms of how Canberrans expect and want to live, according to Strata Community Australia ACT vice president Erik Adriaanse.
Adriaanse says the resulting demand for townhouses and apartments can have benefits for the wider Canberra community - even the naysayers - as a concentration of housing in one location typically brings with it a boost in services such as restaurants and bars.
"Anyone who has lived in Canberra for very long will have seen the explosion in hospitality offerings and activity that has happened in the city and Kingston," he says.
"High-density living has created new precincts around the city. New Acton and Kingston Foreshore are two examples. These precincts provide new options in terms of places to eat and drink, meet friends or even see a movie."
I can't speak for the entire city, but, personally, I believe the character of the city can only be strengthened and improved by increased opportunities to catch up with mates and share a meal. It could even detract from our widely-held reputation as a city with no nightlife.
I think now is the time to start approaching our planning future with an open mind - starting with the suggestion of keeping the bubbly bar all year round.
■ What should the capital look like in another 100 years? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
■ Send your ACT property stories to stephanie.anderson@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
