Breathable Density

Sydney should build on the phenomenal popularity of the Bay Run, the GreenWay and the Spit to Manly walk with major new active recreation superhighways across Western Sydney.   

Breathable Density, a new report from independent think tank Committee for Sydney, makes the case for stitching together a network of interconnected parks, waterways, streets and active recreation spaces so Sydneysiders can get active and connect with their communities.  

One of the key recommendations in the report is for the creation of the Prospect to Port and Georges to Parramatta River recreation superhighways which will benefit over 400,000 Sydneysiders: 

• 92,000 people live within a 5-minute walk of the Prospect to Port superhighway, 240,000 within a 15-minute walk or 5-minute bike ride
• Almost 96,000 people live within a 5-minute walk of the Dragons to Eels Riverway, over 160,000 live within a 15-minute walk or 5-minute bike ride. 

Broader recommendations in the report, which makes the case for bringing breathable density to life, include: 

• More places to swim and play in our big parks, bringing cooling and recreation closer to home
• Closing Sydney’s green gap and heat gap together, directing new canopy to the hottest, lowest-canopy suburbs
• Safe and shaded school streets so more kids can walk or bike, cutting traffic and lifting air quality around our schools
• Greening benchmarks for new buildings, delivering fresh air, light and more canopy in new apartment buildings.