I hope to be back

The Docklands is not merely an address. The Docklands is a way of life.

I have recently spent two most memorable months with my family living in Docklands, since the beginning of April, in one of the five high-rise buildings, at Lorimer St.  

The exact address may help postmen to deliver mail and packages, but to live in Docklands is much more than that. It is a lifestyle that is rather different from other parts of Melbourne.

I came to this conclusion by simply observing day-to-day behaviour and activities of my family.

As soon as they stepped into their new home, all of them quickly accepted the fact that their everyday lives won’t be within the walls of their new apartment or on the balcony, but within the entire neighborhood where they can fulfill their different needs and interests.

Two adults with tight working schedules, a teenage girl and a first grade school kid, every day (on their own or together) they are exploring and discovering new pleasures – from delicious cuisines in the nearby restaurants, cafes and shops to beautiful walkways, recreational facilities and entertainment.

I am now enjoying my retirement days but I have worked as a journalist and been editor-in-chief of several newspapers in Serbia.

I have certain regrets that my home city Belgrade abandoned the great idea, it presented few years ago at a well-known investment fair in Cannes, France.

The city’s vision was to turn over the current Port of Belgrade, on the Danube River, to a contemporary residential, commercial, cultural, entertainment settlement, while preserving the docks and hangars – just as it has happened here in Docklands.

Well-known and eminent architect, Mr Daniel Libeskind, put this vision into drawings and a project waited to be carried out.

However, with new elections and appointment of new government officials in the Serbian Parliament and in the City of Belgrade Assembly, this project has been replaced with another one – “The Belgrade Waterfront”, a vast development planned to be on the Sava River instead.

Just to clarify, Belgrade lies on the two big rivers, but barely uses 10 per cent of its potential and what those beautiful rivers can actually provide.

That is one of the main reasons why I am so impressed by Docklands and the story behind it – A successfully accomplished vision of connecting and uniting a city’s facilities with its natural resources.

I hope to be back soon, as there is a lot more to be seen in the Docklands.

Ivan Mrdjen