Parklets pop up in city centre

People can meet, sit and relax at three new ‘parklets’ across Horsham’s city centre.

Horsham Rural City Council is installing the parklets – at the bus terminal in Roberts Avenue, in Roberts Avenue near the corner of Darlot Street, and at the top-end of Firebrace Street – as trial locations.

The parklets are available for the public’s use.

It follows installation of a pop-up park in Roberts Place, Horsham, in late-2020. The natural lawn, flower boxes and seating remain in place.

Improved safety and shade are among the reasons behind the location choices.

State Government money will fund the project – which comes in response to COVID-19 restrictions on the hospitality sector. The government encouraged councils to implement outdoor dining spaces, parklets and pop-up parks. Mayor Robyn Gulline said community consultation had found that residents, visitors and workers were ‘overwhelmingly positive’ about the initiative.

“The parklets can temporarily transform urban spaces and extend the amount of time residents and tourists spend in an area, which is great for our businesses,” she said.

“The new parklets are still under construction. When finished they will have shade structures as well plants to provide greenery.

“They will help to activate the streetscape and give people a spot to meet, sit and read a book or eat with friends.

“They can be moved multiple times throughout the year to activate community spaces within the municipality, and we will be engaging with the community to seek feedback on these locations in the coming months.”