Parramatta’s Civic Link is one step closer to reality, with Council breaking ground on Block 3 of the grand boulevard, marking the start of works at Phillip Street and Horwood Place today.
Designed to be the new green space in the heart of the CBD, when completed Civic Link will connect Parramatta Square to the Powerhouse and the river providing a direct pedestrian and cyclist route between key public transport links, including future Metro West services.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said the beginning of these works is a big milestone in the major project set to future-proof the CBD.
“Civic Link will be the green spine of our global City and open new possibilities for people to explore Parramatta,” Cr Zaiter said.
“We want our grand boulevard to be a place for our community to meet, connect and relax amongst the native gardens and trees, while supporting future local businesses along the route.”
Following community consultation in 2024 and 2025, the design was refined to include the community’s wishes for diverse seating options, better lighting, device recharging and signage to support safe shared use by pedestrians and cyclists.
“Creating an inviting route from Parramatta Square to the Parramatta River will make it more attractive for people to visit, creating a vibrant experience that our City has to offer,” Cr Zaiter said.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the NSW and Australian Governments have invested a total of $21.2 million towards this city shaping project through the Accelerated Infrastructure Fund and the Commonwealth’s Housing Support Program.
“The Civic Link Block 3 project will provide a vital public pedestrian corridor for the local community to improve connectivity in the city centre and support new housing opportunities,” Mr Scully said.
“The NSW Accelerated Infrastructure Fund is supporting over $1.5 billion of infrastructure across NSW as we support local councils to deliver infrastructure across the state to provide opportunities for more diverse and well-located housing options.”
Attending the event, Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said that once finished, the Civic Link will form a lively green corridor between Parramatta Square and the Parramatta River, boosting foot traffic, energising local businesses, and adding to the city’s growing vibrancy.
Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities, Clare O’Neil said Civic Link is key infrastructure to help make Parramatta more liveable.
“Housing is the defining challenge facing Australians right now – and we’re taking it on from every angle,” Ms O’Neil said.
“Real progress is being made on housing supply – cutting red tape, speeding up approvals, and making it easier to build – that’s how we get more homes, faster.
“There’s more work to do, but this shows that when governments at all levels and industry work together, we can get homes built faster and at scale.”
Key features of Civic Link (Block 3) include:
- A green spine that mitigates urban heat with a cooling green canopy in Horwood Place
- The Grand Boulevard – a wide pedestrian boulevard to improve accessibility
- New pavement and signage for the shared walking and cycling path
- Modern and varied seating options
- Smart lighting and CCTV
- The Water Story – swale and rain gardens to support plant growth and stormwater management
- Expressing Country – native tree planting, design elements for gathering spaces, an artwork by Dharug Artist Aunty Leanne Tobin will be a feature of Civic Link Block 3
The $21.2M Civic Link Block 3 project is proudly funded by the Australian Government and the NSW Government in association with the City of Parramatta.
For more information on the project visit Participate Parramatta.