While crowds remained strong and skies stayed reasonably sunny for the second weekend of Floriade, talks began over potential challenges and opportunities of its likely shift to Glebe park in coming years.
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Floriade's Naomi Fallon said visitor figures "are quite consistent to last year's," which reached 481,854 by the month's end – a number that appears far too high for Glebe Park's 4.7 hectare capacity.
The ACT government's bid to move it from Commonwealth Park's 34.25 hectares comes as its tenure with the National Capital Authority, which has control of the park, finishes. Although ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr stressed it would not occur before 2017.
Canberra CBD Limited CEO Jane Easthope welcomes a "re-freshing" of the event, and suggests controlling crowds with the main floral display in Glebe Park while stores and food tents thread throughout the city.
"There's this island-like activity that doesn't benefit broad cross-section of traders, certainly hotels, bus companies, petrol stations, so it'd make it a much more integrated event into the community," she said.
However, North Canberra Community Council chair Mike Hettinger emphasised issues of traffic, parking and preparations.
"They'd need to think about surrounding neighbourhoods, how people would get to and from the place... I hope people really think it through," he said.
"I don't know how they'd put a ferris wheel and all those kids into Glebe Park... At Commonwealth Park you spend half the year putting it up and half the year replacing it. I hope there wouldn't be the same disruption at Glebe Park."
In response to Ms Easthope's idea of spreading out tented activities, he said "that's similar to the multicultural festival, which is a bit overcrowded. But that goes for one weekend whereas we're talking about a month."
Braddon forum director Peter Conway expressed disappointment Floriade "was definitely moving" although it could bring economic benefits to other areas.
He doubts the ACT government will change its mind on the relocation, so he's called for an extent of the festival from Glebe Park to Haig Park as part of a heritage tour of Canberra.
"From the Glebe Park to Gorman House, you would be looking at Canberra in the 1920s and as we've just gone past our centenary year it would be a good way to showcase some of early Canberra," he said.
"It would also showcase the old Ainslie Hotel, the original heritage cottages and Haig Park which is about to undergo some major lighting and pathway upgrades."
Mr Conway said the move to Glebe Park could boost the Braddon precinct which was already going through major transformation.
"Let's keep the name Floriade which is well known Australia wide and internationally and add a new adventure with a stroll through Canberra's heritage".
