COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – $5 MILLION & UNDER

GLEN EIRA CITY COUNCIL Aileen Avenue, Caulfield South

Glen Eira is faced with having the least amount of open space in metropolitan Melbourne. Their Council’s Open Space Strategy is creating accessible, green spaces for the community in this context, and its latest project has delivered 1,500 square metres of parkland from a mix of former residential property and road discontinuance.

Shifting their focus towards green spaces and walk-friendly neighbourhoods is set to positively contribute towards improved mental and physical health outcomes in the community and the ecological health of the area’s urban environments. As a green, permeable space, the park ameliorates the urban heat island effect and assists urban cooling in higher-density suburbs, for example.

Accommodating population growth, climate change, and pandemicinduced lifestyle changes requires a reimagining of established suburbs. New, sustainable, engaging open spaces need to challenge the existing status quo. The collaborative effort from across departments as diverse as engineering, open space, planning, buildings and properties, finance, and transport delivered a deftly planned project to meet these needs. The resulting park features extensive plantings, pathways, a small playground, seating, shelter, and water-sensitive urban design features.

MANNINGHAM CITY COUNCIL WONGUIM WILAM UPGRADE PROJECT TEAM wonguim wilam Upgrade

The wonguim wilam park revitalisation was the culmination of five years of dedication and an incredibly collaborative effort drawing on the diverse expertise of the wider Warrandyte community. The result is a sympathetic riverside regional open space, highly valued by the community.

The new park, complete with grassed spaces, playgrounds, fitness stations, and picnicking and barbecue areas among other features, has improved the overall accessibility, amenity, and public use of a key section of Yarra River frontage. The more accessible design now provides opportunities for connection with nature and the local community.

Critical to the project’s success was the need to consider different (and often competing) priorities within the community. Creating a space that would meet the expectations of a diverse, engaged community required strong leadership to facilitate delicate conversations and to ensure that the decision-making process was both sound and transparent. The establishment of a project reference group provided an important conduit between the project team and the community and helped inform key aspects of the design. The redeveloped park was dubbed ‘wonguim wilam,’ meaning Boomerang Place, in recognition of its historical significance and ongoing connection to First Nations people.