The conversation
Overview
Over four weeks in April and May 2024, Council asked for feedback from the community on how to grow and improve Chapman Street Reserve in North Melbourne.
A high-level concept plan was shared to show an outline of the expansion of the park. We propose consolidating roads to provide more open green space for the community to enjoy, while maintaining traffic, bike and pedestrian movements.
Based on what we heard, we can confirm;
- The park will not be turned into an off-leash dog park. It will remain an on-leash area.
- The proposed relocation and upgrade of the existing school crossing will be included as part of the project
- Carparking numbers will be retained where possible
- Spots to sit in the shade and sun will be prioritised
- Bike routes will be included
- Opportunities to expand the park footprint further will be explored.
The proposal
We asked the community for feedback on the proposed changes below:
Swipe to see the proposed changes
Slide the arrow across to see the existing reserve and proposed changes.
Download the proposed park footprint
FAQ
Gathering insights
This first phase of engagement ran between 15 April and 13 May 2024.
Postcards with project information were delivered to all properties within 300m of the park.
Two pop-up sessions were hosted in the park where conversations were captured
There was an online survey on Participate Melbourne which asked the community what they would like to see in the park.
Who we reached
260 online surveys completed
40 people attended pop-ups
1704 visitors to Participate Melbourne
Pictures from our pop-up engagement sessions
What we heard
We heard from 260 participants who completed the online survey. We also heard from people who attended the site pop ups to share their thoughts and hear about the project.
Feedback from the community is overwhelmingly supportive of the project.
When asked if they support the proposal to expand the green space at Chapman Street;
- 87% of participants answered yes
- 4% do not support the proposal
- 9% were undecided.
Most people are very supportive of expanding the green space to allow for additional open space the community can enjoy.
Some people shared valid concerns with car parking availability for residents, along with the speed of some cars looking to cut through to Harker Street.
People shared that they do not want to see an off-leash dog park included. Other people highlighted the need for more dog parks in the area generally.
We heard that people would like to see informal play space like logs and rocks for children to play with. As well as trees or hedges to screen the area from the busy Harker Street traffic.
93% of survey participants live, work or frequent the streets around Chapman Street Reserve.
When asked to pick from a list of what they would like to see in the park, additional trees, shade and informal seating rated the highest.
When asked if people feel safe in Chapman Street Reserve, 78% of participants answered yes, 4% answered no, and 18% of participants are not sure.
For further information, see the full consultation summary report.
Impact
This information will be used to help develop a draft concept design for the park expansion with consideration to the community's feedback provided.
Next steps
The draft concept plan will be shared with the community for further consultation and feedback later this year.
