A vision is needed for Pall Mall | Editorial, Saturday, March 20

But there is also great excitement about the potential to reimagine Pall Mall, adding depth to its use and value to the city.

There are a handful of projects driving discussion about the precinct's future, but the key issue is the future of the courthouse.

The building is expected to be vacated in the next couple of years when a $152 million justice centre opens nearby at the corner of Hargreaves and Mundy streets.

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It is undoubtedly one of Bendigo's most beautiful facades, but its internal layout makes finding a new use potentially tricky.

It would be hugely disappointing to see it sit vacant for an extended period of time. It is truly one of the city's jewels, but it also needs a substantial cut and polish.

Significant investment from the state and federal governments will be required, along with a plan to make it accessible to the broader public.

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A visit to the court building on Pall Mall need no longer be an ordeal.

The broader discussion that is beginning about how Pall Mall and Charing Cross, along with High and McCrae streets at either end, look and function is a massive positive for Bendigo.

Using historic buildings along the arterial roadway to showcase the city's history and house its creative industries seems like the best option.

There is also a need to make it an easier space for people to move about.

Crossing the roadway can be fraught, and the suggestion of "priority" areas for pedestrians - as reported in our story with the mayor Jennifer Alden today - must be followed through.

Getting the balance right between ease of access for people and the road's function as a primary link between the city's north and south will be tricky for the stakeholders involved.

But it is possible already to sketch out a vision of Pall Mall as a place of history and learning that is easy to navigate and even more attractive to visitors.

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