Wurundjeri Heritage and Culture

• Greater recognition and opportunity to learn about Wurundjeri heritage and culture.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you want better acknowledgement of Wurundjeri Traditional Owners and opportunities to learn and connect with their culture and heritage.

We also heard you’d like to see greater use of Woi Wurrung (Wurundjeri) names, signage, language and plantings.

“More connection to the Indigenous heritage. I'm sure the Maribyrnong River was a large part of their lives. I would love to know more about it and for there to be more acknowledgement of it.”

“Indigenous cultural interpretation signage and markings for all CoM public spaces.”

As part of our Reconciliation Action Plan 2021-23 we are identifying and implementing opportunities for the dual naming of spaces to reflect Aboriginal cultural heritage, specifically Woi Wurrung for the Kensington area.

We host the YIRRAMBOI Festival every 2 years providing opportunities for Aboriginal artists to present their continuous and diverse contemporary practices.

We’ll continue to protect, promote and celebrate places and stories of Aboriginal cultural significance across the city, including areas in and around Kensington in consultation with Wurundjeri Traditional Owners. The Macaulay Structure Plan also commits to supporting Aboriginal naming of streets, parks and buildings and supporting projects to connect the creek corridor to its Aboriginal heritage. The Moonee Ponds Creek Strategic Opportunities Plan identifies the need to investigate creative art and naming opportunities along the creek to recognise and celebrate Aboriginal heritage.

We’re developing a digital mapping tool documenting places and events of Aboriginal cultural and societal significance across the city to be launched at Melbourne Knowledge Week.

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Supporting Reconciliation

• Establish a local Reconciliation Action Group.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard some members of the community were interested in forming a local Reconciliation Action Group.

“Better connection to Aboriginal culture, history, heritage and people…. My wish for Kensington is to have a Reconciliation Action Group.”

City of Melbourne is committed to our reconciliation journey, because at its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples, for the benefit of all Victorians.

We can help facilitate community to make connections with Reconciliation Victoria and possibly other Reconciliation Action Groups in Victoria.

We can also support the development and activities of local Reconciliation Action Groups through our community grants programs.

Traffic and parking

• Improving traffic and parking management.
  
• Already doing, Exploring.

We’ve heard that you’d like to see improvements to reduce and slow traffic in Kensington, and reduce heavy vehicles on local roads as well as improve the management of parking spaces.

"Would be great to reduce traffic around the shops"

"Need to encourage more parking turnover along Bellair and Macaulay Roads."

"More parking available for older people as I'm always unable to find a parking space when coming to Kensington."

“Slow down the traffic, particularly rat runners moving between Smithfield Road and Dynon road. Speed humps along The Crescent to slow traffic and protect pedestrians”

Our Transport Strategy 2030 commits to reducing speed limits on all local streets plus key arterial roads to keep people safe in places where significant volumes of people are walking and riding bikes.

We’ve introduced lower 40km/hour speed limits across most local roads in Kensington and will look to identify ways to further reduce speed limits on key roads and introduce other changes to deter heavy vehicles and provide improved safety for all road users.

We’re exploring new technology to help better manage parking spaces and looking to develop a new parking plan for our city.

We’re working to reduce traffic by supporting people to use other forms of transport - see related priorities around active transport and public transport

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Active transport

• Better bike and walking infrastructure.
• Already doing.

We heard you’d like footpaths, bike lanes and street infrastructure to be improved to support accessibility and more people to safely walk and bike around Kensington and beyond.

An accessible pedestrian crossing over the railway line at Arden St, improved bike lanes on Macaulay Road, Kensington Road and Racecourse Rd were some of the key suggestions, as well as further pedestrianisation of Bellair St and improvements to pedestrian crossings on Macaulay Rd. Access through the Flemington Racecourse was also suggested to support safer access to the showground shopping precinct.

“The bridge crossing… is appalling and dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians (especially with young children). Needs urgent work to improve safety”

“Macaulay Rd shops and surrounds must become far more pedestrian friendly”

“My wish for Kensington is to be more bicycle friendly (Racecourse road is terrifying!)”

City of Melbourne is fast-tracking the delivery of 40 kilometres of protected bike lanes and pedestrian improvements across the city, including new bike lanes for Macaulay Rd in Kensington.

Strategic cycling corridors along Kensington Rd, Epsom Rd and Racecourse Rd are also identified in our 2030 Transport Strategy.

A pedestrian study of Kensington will begin this year to identify and build the case for further improvements to footpaths in Kensington.

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Public transport

• Especially improving areas in and around local train stations.
• Already doing.

We’ve heard that you would like to see improvements to South Kensington and Macaulay stations to enhance safety, function and appeal.

Some have also suggested the possibility of level crossing removals near Macaulay Station and Kensington stations. Others suggested more frequent train and bus services.

"South Kensington station is awful! I'd like to see it upgraded. The platform is so narrow, but also there is not enough shelter or seating. The tunnel is leaky, prone to flooding and dirty."

“South Kensington was voted the worst station in Melbourne in 2020 and absolutely deserved first place. Nothing positive to be said about it.”

"Level crossing removal at Kensington station is needed too...Traffic is very congested on Macaulay Rd and Bellair because of this."

The Victorian government through the Department of Transport and its agencies is responsible for the delivery of public transport and improvements to train stations and railway infrastructure.

The City of Melbourne can play a role in highlighting community feedback and further advocating for improvement to these stations, railway infrastructure and public transport services.

The Macaulay Structure Plan outlines a commitment to advocate for grade separation of the Upfield line, for short term and larger upgrades to Macaulay and Flemington Bridge stations, as well as advocacy for increasing the frequency of train, tram and bus services in the area.

We have made and will continue to make advocacy efforts to improve South Kensington station.

Metro Tunnel have worked with the City of Melbourne and local community to design improvements around South Kensington station. This will include additional open space, bike parking, artwork, landscaping and expanded station forecourt.

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Community activation and connection

• Providing opportunities for people to connect through local events and activities.
• Already doing, exploring.

We heard you would like to see more local community events in Kensington, especially activating local parks, open spaces, shopping strips and community venues.

Suggestions included events such as the return of the annual Kensington Festival, street markets, park activities with music or food trucks, or Christmas parades.

"More street festivals, multicultural festivals, billy carts races etc not much happening anymore though."

"Can be lonely in Kensington - I am Italian would be great to have it as a space like a piazza where people know they can go, connect with others and hang out, have it activated."

"Stockyard community garden - would be great to have craft market or other market there. A place on Sunday where people can come, put food and music on."

We support the delivery of a range of community events through our Events Partnership Program and community grant program. Our Business Precincts Program also supports local business associations to run activations, such as the recent Christmas craft market in Bellair St.

If you’re interested in being involved in planning or delivering community activations and events- big or small, please reach out and share your ideas.

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Local amenity and safety

• In parks, open space.
• Already doing.

We heard that you would like to see improvements to local amenity and safety including additional lighting, seating, drinking fountains, bins, undercover outdoor shelters in parks, clean public toilets, graffiti removal, reduction in litter, and more CCTV.

"Some safety measures from Macaulay Train Station, perhaps some better lighting, so it feels safer to walk into Kensington from there at night time."

We’ve established a Rapid Response Clean Team who will be responding in real time to requests for street cleaning and graffiti removal.

The Rapid Response Clean Team is conducting a two week blitz in Kensington from early to mid-May. You can report unwanted graffiti or a street cleaning issue here.

We continue to work with Victoria Police, especially through the local Police Community Consultative Committee and other agencies to deliver a range of initiatives that improve safety.

We continue to monitor and plan for improvements to amenities. We are keen to understand more about where you think there are opportunities and needs for further amenities in Kensington.

Moonee Ponds Creek

• Restoration and revitalisation of the creek and its surrounds.
• Already doing.

We heard strong community interest in improving the creek and its surrounds, including better connectivity to the creek, revegetation to attract birds and local wildlife, trees to make it more attractive for people walking and bike riding and a general ‘clean up’ of the area.

"Restoration and protection of Moonee Ponds Creek - let's make this space liveable, healthy, and usable! Let's have more biodiversity in and around that area, where wildlife thrives, and people can enjoy being in nature."

We have made a strong commitment to improving the Moonee Ponds Creek and its surrounds through development of the Moonee Ponds Creek Strategic Opportunities Plan which was adopted by Council in August 2019. It has been prepared as an advocacy piece:

• to highlight the future potential of the important and neglected urban waterway; and
• to identify a number of opportunities along the southern reaches of the creek to increase its’ ecological, recreational, cultural heritage and economic value

The Plan builds on and complements the Macaulay Structure Plan and the Arden Structure Plan, both of which were finalised in 2021.

These structure planning processes also provided an opportunity to help advocate to realise elements of the Opportunities Plan. This includes progress of initiatives to:

• Explore opportunities to improve access and passive recreation opportunities along the western creek bank, south of Macaulay Road.
• Deliver new public open space adjacent to the Moonee Ponds Creek corridor incorporating integrated water management
• Advocate for new and improved pedestrian and bike crossings of the Moonee Ponds Creek.

As land ownership along the corridor is complex and fragmented, the implementation of other opportunities range in accordance with the level of collaboration required with State Government landowners and Melbourne Water.

Improving Moonee Ponds Creek is part of the City of Melbourne’s advocacy priorities for this year’s Victorian state election.

We are also an active member of the Moonee Ponds Creek Chain of Ponds Collaboration group which provides a valuable platform to build stronger relationships and understanding between agencies, community and Friends’ groups. The Friends of Moonee Ponds Creek provides opportunities for the local community to become involved in helping to care for and look after the creek and organises litter clean up days, community planting activities and more.

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Climate action and neighbourhood resilience

• Sustainability programs and initiatives to support climate action, and increase neighbourhood resilience including disaster preparedness.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard people would like to see more education for and support on climate action, such as workshops, events and programs. We also heard that many people are not prepared for disasters that might affect our neighbourhood and there was interest in further building neighbourhood resilience and preparedness for extreme weather events or disasters.

“My wish for Kensington is to be a leading suburb in mitigating climate change”

We declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019 and are taking bold action on climate change. We’ve committed to zero net emissions by 2040 in addition to a range of other actions and priorities.

Our urban water in the city initiative aims to increase understanding of sustainable water management in our cities and provides resources and ideas to make a difference at home or work.

We also offer a range of environmental education and awareness programs for community including Nature Stewards, our Citizen Forester Program and Gardens for Wildlife.

We’ve also developed a list of ideas on how to act now on climate change and other sustainability actions and resources. We have a new initiative on Community Disaster Resilience and will look to run programs to help our community be more prepared. We’re keen to understand further what types of events, programs and support would be valuable to communities in building neighbourhood resilience for tackling climate change and disasters.

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Reduce waste and develop circular economy

• Support repair hubs and local community waste initiatives.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard some people would like a local repair hub, makerspace or a tool library to be able to fix or upcycle items. We also heard people were interested in further promotion of community composting facilities and more centralised waste options with interest in community activities focused on reducing waste.

"Men’s shed” - somewhere you could go to use tools and equipment that you wouldn’t usually have, especially for people living in apartments."

More centralised recycling... at the moment I take soft plastics to RedCycle…bread tags and elastic bands to Kenso Neighbourhood House, Ewaste to Kenso council building, old light globes to Bunnings West Footscray. It should be central!

Our Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy outlines a vision and range of actions to help become a zero waste city.

We’ve supported the piloting of a pop up repair hub in Kensington and the upcoming trial of a bike repair hub through our grant programs. We’ve also helped establish community compost hubs locally, including at the Kensington Town Hall.

We’re currently focused on rolling out food and garden waste service across the city – including in parts of Kensington to multi unit dwellings and a pilot program for high rise buildings.

We’re establishing a waste champions program to support community to help further increase knowledge and promote positive behaviour change on waste.

Our next steps involve the development of Circular Economy Guidelines that once established and implemented will further support community projects and innovations that design out waste and promote repair, reuse and recycling.

As part of Victorian Government requirements we’re considering glass recycling options including the possibility of communal centralised glass recycling options.

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Increase neighbourhood greening

• Especially native plants.
• Already doing.

We heard you would like to see increased greening across the neighbourhood especially on residential streets, and better use of median strips and other public spaces for greening. A number of people highlighted wanting to see native plants to help with rainwater runoff retention, biodiversity and cooling green canopy effect.

"There are a lot of parks, but no native planted out gardens."

“Community planting and gardening focusing on native aboriginal plants and wildlife and community education.”

“I'd love to see our neighbourhood's medians used for more than grass - growing plants, food, composting.”

We’ve developed an Urban Forest Strategy and delivering on a Kensington Urban Forest Precinct Plan for the neighbourhood. We will be renewing this plan in the coming years with further opportunities for community engagement and input.

Our Nature in the City Strategy also outlines how we will protect and enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity in our city.

Recent projects include adding additional new trees to Scarborough Place in Kensington. We’re also increasing tree species diversity by trialling a food walk project along the Kensington Stock Route.

We also supporting community with further greening and new ideas through our Street Garden program, Gardens for Wildlife and Urban Forest Fund. Our Habitat grants projects have also helped support greening projects across the city including in Mawbey Street and Altona Street in Kensington.

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Invest in and advocate for renewable energy

• Including electric vehicle infrastructure.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you would like to see more investment in and advocacy for green energy, including local e-vehicle infrastructure and other sustainability initiatives.

"More investment in green energy production and use, rebates for solar panels and batteries."

We declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019 and are taking bold action on climate change. We’ve committed to zero net emissions by 2040 in addition to a range of other actions and priorities.

We became the first capital city council in Australia to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy in 2017 through the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project. By continuing our innovation in renewable energy, Power Melbourne will play a lead role in reaching our ambition to become a city powered by 100 per cent renewables by 2030.

We’re also committed to zero emissions transport, including supporting transition to electric vehicles, as outlined in our Transport Strategy 2030 and Climate Change Mitigation Strategy.

We’re pursuing higher environmental standards through our proposed planning scheme amendment C376 Sustainable Building Design. This proposed amendment will ensure new buildings are future proofed and support our vision of a zero emissions city by 2040.

The Macaulay Structure Plan outlines a commitment to preparing planning controls for the Macaulay urban renewal area to ensure development delivers best practice environmental sustainability and design. This includes water and energy efficient buildings, use of renewable energy sources and increasing urban greening as well as facilitating high levels of active, sustainable and low-emissions transport use, including provision for off-street charging of electric vehicles.

We’re looking at ways we can further support our residents across Melbourne to make their homes more comfortable, healthy, affordable and environmentally sustainable to live in. Some resources are available for residents here.

Affordable housing and homelessness

• Affordable housing options that cater to diverse household needs – and homelessness support.
• Already doing.

We heard it’s important to ensure affordable housing options for people with a low income that also cater to diverse households of different sizes - especially larger families needing public housing.

We also heard it was important to continue to support people experiencing homelessness.

"I would like to see more social housing, more affordable housing of lower density - not the high rise towers."

We’re committed to delivering more affordable housing within the municipality and developed an Affordable Housing Strategy 2020-2030 and also established Homes Melbourne to coordinate and facilitate more affordable housing opportunities.

The Macaulay Structure Plan outlines a commitment to deliver affordable and diverse housing in the Macaulay urban renewal area. This would be achieved through amending the planning scheme to require the provision of affordable housing contributions at a rate of 3 per cent - 6 per cent of all floor space, delivering up to 25 per cent affordable housing where land owned by the City of Melbourne is used to develop housing, and supporting partnership between registered community housing organisations, governments, industry, peak bodies and the community to increase the supply of affordable rental housing.

We are actively working through our in-house support team, with other agencies and our recently established Homes Melbourne to support people experiencing homelessness and increase pathways out of homelessness.

We’ve appointed Unison Housing, a registered housing provider, to work with us on the Make Room project to convert a Council property at 602 Little Bourke Street into 50 studio apartments with essential homelessness and health services. Building works are expected commence in October this year and the project is expected to be completed in September 2023.

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Library Access

• Improving access to local library services and programs.
• Already doing , Exploring.

We heard you wanted improved access to library services and programs in Kensington. A number of people highlighted that the North Melbourne Library and Flemington Library (operated by Moonee Valley Council) were not easy to access from parts of Kensington.

"A library - need to address this as not easy to access otherwise."

City of Melbourne has six permanent libraries as well as Pop-up Libraries across the municipality. Many of our library services are available via our online eLibrary including eBooks, audio books, streaming films and music, digital newspaper, magazines and more.

This year we will be piloting a mobile library to help improve local access to library services across the city, especially for vulnerable people. This includes offering a free internet wifi service and support to improve digital literacy and inclusion. We will evaluate this pilot and look at other opportunities to further improve the reach of our services.

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Supporting people in ages and stages

• Especially young people aged 12-25, parents and carers, and older people.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you would like to see more free or low cost activities for young people, especially those aged 12-25 years in Kensington and the possibility of a dedicated place or space for young people in the neighbourhood.

We also heard you’d like to see more programs and initiatives for older people to help foster connections, support and reduce isolation.

We also heard that more counselling and family support services for parents and carers especially after the stress of lockdowns and remote learning was important too.

“I am a ‘younger’ older person and very lonely in Kensington... We need to look after older people better - maybe a volunteer register.”

Melbourne is a city for all people. We offer a range of services for people throughout various life stages and ages including programs for young people, families and older people:

• We provide a mainstream services for young people through our libraries, recreation centres and arts hub, and specialist youth services through our contracted service providers, including Drummond St Youth Services (12-25 years) and Melbourne City Mission (12-25 years).
• Kensington Adventure Playground funded by COM and run by The Venny offers a range of programs for children and young people aged 8-16 years including weekly Girls+ groups and Boys+ groups.
• We also host a range of other services vital for young people, universities, adult learning, sports precincts and health services. We continue to work with our key partners via funding agreements and grants to deliver activities and programs for young people.
• Kensington Neighbourhood Centre at 18 Anthony Street hosts a range of free and low-cost activities for older people and carers including a dementia-inclusive sensory garden program and is home to a number of culturally and linguistically diverse groups and organisations that offer community meals, information sessions and social activities for older people.
• Through our community grants as part of the Community Meals Subsidy Program, we support a range of culturally and linguistically diverse groups and organisations located in Kensington to provide meals and social activities for older people.
• We are continuing to deliver the Melbourne: A Great Place to Age 2020-24 strategic plan to ensure that older people are respected, safe, connected and supported to remain active members of the community. Find out more about our programs and events for older people and subscribe to our health ageing newsletter to keep updated.
• Our Family Services offers Family Support through our integrated services of Family Health, Family Support and Counselling and Parenting Services. Residents can get in touch with our team, we work in partnership with many key services and often receive referrals or can assist with referrals to other service providers. For further information about programs and services visit our children and families page.

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Community venues

• Better utilisation and access by and for local people.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you want increased access to community spaces for a range of activities including the toy library and better use of existing spaces like the Kensington Town Hall. The lack of access to the community hub at Kensington Public Housing estate (unavailable since COVID-19 pandemic) was also highlighted by a number of people.

“Chinese community need a place to play Mahjong regularly - used to be in the community hub at the estate but can't be used since COVID. Rec centre is also being developed. No space is an issue preventing us meeting.”

Kensington Town Hall is a bookable public space for the community to utilise and many activities are run by local groups out of the venue. With the redevelopment of the Kensington Community Recreation Centre a number of health and wellbeing activities have been relocated and are being offered from the Kensington Town Hall.

We are working to try and ensure the provision of flexible multi-use spaces across the city that the community can use for a range of activities.

We’re exploring opportunities for further advocacy to the Victorian government on access to the community hub space at the Kensington Public Housing Estate.

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Recreation spaces and programs

• Ensuring accessible, free and inclusive opportunities.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you’d like to see more informal and free outdoor recreation spaces, including outdoor exercise equipment as well as more half basketball courts or netball courts, and the need to update the skate park at JJ Holland.

We also heard the need to ensure inclusive spaces and programs including dedicated women’s only sessions and initiatives where girls and women were supported to use male dominated recreation spaces.

"More netball courts - an outside court like the basketball one. Nowhere for girls to play like this. It’s highly utilised and hard as girls to ask to use the space too."

With a big focus on Active Melbourne, we support health and wellness through encouraging participation in healthy moderate physical activity. Find out about the many free and low cost sport, hobbies and activities you can access, along with our Active Melbourne directory.

We are continually working to ensure our recreation facilities and services support all residents and visitors:

• The new Kensington Community Recreation Centre has been developed with a focus on ensuring accessibility and inclusion. This will include the ability to screen off courts and the pool area to cater to the needs of culturally diverse female participants, as well as a fully accessible changing places toilet
• The City of Melbourne’s Active Melbourne app is a free platform also supporting health and fitness. It includes on-demand and live virtual gym classes, tracking and personalised training programs. Our website also has other training resources including Workout Wednesday videos.
• The new play space renewal at JJ Holland Park was designed to create a central family social gathering space and cater to diverse play, recreation and social needs. We’ve also recently resurfaced the oval at JJ Holland Park so it can continue to be a highly used and valued recreation space for the local community.
• New netball rings were recently installed at JJ Holland Park and we’re investigating other opportunities for additional basketball and netball rings in the neighbourhood. If you have ideas for good locations please let us know.
• Through our community grants program we’re also supporting Kensington Junior Soccer Club to run a targeted program encouraging young culturally diverse women to participate in sporting activities.
• A recommendation of our Skate Melbourne Plan is the redevelopment of the JJ Holland skate park. We’ve undertaken initial consultation to develop a design brief to redevelop the park and hope further funding can be secured to upgrade the park in coming years.

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Local food security and production

• Growing and producing food locally and having access to fresh and healthy foods.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you were supportive of neighbourhood food production and food security initiatives - including developing community orchards and street gardens to help provide food locally and where people can learn how to grow, harvest and cook different foods including edible native plants. We also heard you were interested in expanding and improving access to many of the existing community gardens in Kensington.

"Plant edible trees so they can be used as a source of food for people experiencing homeless and people in need."

Our Community Food Relief Plan 2021-2025 outlines our commitment to improving access to food and our food relief services. Our Community Food Guide is a resource for community agencies or anyone in the community who needs information about how to access affordable, fresh and healthy food.

We continue to work with food relief providers on initiatives and programs that will improve access to food relief by vulnerable members of our community. This includes improving local food production by supporting communities to grow their own food.

There are a number of programs in Kensington including from the The Venny and Kensington Neighbourhood House food share pantry that provide access to food and community meals.

We’re planning to implement the Kensington Stock Route Food Walk this year. We’ve helped establish the Kensington Stockyard Garden in addition to many other community gardens or street gardens in Kensington through our grants program.

We’re investigating opportunities to expand the Stockyard Garden further and improve access to the Kensington Community Garden on Westbourne St. We’re supporting an Indigenous ‘bush foods’ program delivered at the Stockyard Garden with the involvement of Wurundjeri Traditional Owners.

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New community infrastructure

• Demand for a secondary school, sessional kindergarten and childcare.
• Exploring.

We heard there was support for the delivery of a number of new pieces of community infrastructure including a new secondary school for the area, a sessional kindergarten and more childcare services.

“My wish for Kensington is for it to stay family focused and to have a local high school”

The delivery and operation of primary and secondary schools are the responsibility of the Victorian government. The City of Melbourne can play a role in advocating for new schools and helping to work through considerations for locations and planning. The Macaulay Structure Plan outlines a commitment to work with the Department of Education and Training to identify a site and deliver a secondary school in Macaulay east, possibly at the Public Records Office of Victoria site in nearby North Melbourne.

The Macaulay Structure Plan also recommends the delivery of a new community hub on or near Macaulay Road to the west of Moonee Ponds Creek. This will likely comprise a family hub, including community meeting spaces, maternal and child health services, family services and kindergarten facilities.

We manage a number of child care centres, and also offer community-run spaces including the Kensington Community Children’s Co-Op. More information on these child care options is available here . Further information on other child care options in the local area you can visit mychild.gov.au

We are committed to assisting access for vulnerable children through State Government programs such as Access to Early Learning (AEL), Early Start Kindergarten and ongoing advocacy for integrated hub developments in new infrastructure across Melbourne.

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Celebrating and supporting diversity

• Initiatives to support and encourage inclusion, diversity and accessibility.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard that the diversity of people in Kensington is a cherished part of the neighbourhood and that people wanted to see celebrations and initiatives to support and encourage inclusion and accessibility.

"Encourage a more inclusive rather than dividing the community into groups based on ethnicity or race."

"May it also continue to be a welcoming community for minorities and disadvantaged."

"To continue to grow as a community with acceptance of all backgrounds."

“Mostly feel safe but…because I'm a girl and my cultural background I am concerned I may be discriminated against or targeted because of these things.”

We have recently adopted an Inclusive Melbourne Strategy that will increase access to opportunities for all people and help improve cultural safety, accessibility and reduce discrimination. The strategy details how the City of Melbourne will respond to the diversity of religions, cultures, age groups, gender, sexual orientation and ability among the people across the city.

We have also recently adopted our Creating Communities of Equality and Respect: Women’s Safety and Empowerment Action Plan 2021-2024 which outlines action that can be taken to prevent violence against women.

We provide a broad range of health and support services, programs and resources to assist the community including children and their families, young people, older people, Aboriginal communities, people with a disability, LQBTIQ communities, and culturally diverse communities.

We also support and run many activities to celebrate diversity in our communities including National Reconciliation Week, Cultural Diversity Week activities, Refugee Week and more.

Parks and open space

• Increase and enhance parks and open space especially between Moonee Pond Creek and Craigieburn railway line.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard that you love the parks and open spaces in Kensington and want to see more of them - especially in the Macaulay renewal area between Moonee Ponds Creek and Craigieburn railway line.

"Bigger parks with areas that are free from sports devoted areas. So just nice, landscaped space that people can just be in."

"Green space / Recreational space along Moonee Ponds creek near Macaulay Station and under city link."

"I like it as it is! I'd love to see ongoing investment in green spaces."

Our vision for the Macaulay urban renewal area includes a high-quality open space network, to be realised though expanding existing open spaces, revitalising the Moonee Ponds Creek corridor, providing new open space on larger land holdings and reallocating space within the street network.

The Macaulay Structure Plan outlines the delivery of new public open space adjacent to the Moonee Ponds Creek corridor, the upgrade and expansion of Robertson St Reserve and investigating opportunities for larger open space west of the Upfield rail corridor.

Last year we purchased land at 70-90 Chelmsford St in Kensington to transform it into public open space for local people to enjoy. We will be consulting and working with community to help develop plans for this open space further.

We’ve been working to enhance parks in the neighbourhood through the recent oval surface renewal and redevelopment of the play space at JJ Holland Park, Stock Route Food Walk project and more.

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Arts and Culture

• An increased focus on Arts and Culture – creative spaces, programs and activities for all ages.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard you’d like to see an increased focus on arts and cultural spaces and activities in Kensington for all ages. This included more exhibitions, music events and concerts, more performance venues and community art galleries.

"More public art and more events and activities like musical performances and concerts, cinemas and art exhibitions, and greater support for the arts generally.”

“We also need some creative spaces in Kensington, galleries, music venues and places that might encourage/support local artists.”

City of Melbourne plays an important role in the arts, fostering creative experimentation by encouraging and funding artists, promoting participation, and bringing art and people together.We support arts and cultural activities in Kensington in a number of ways, including:

• Arts Grants are available to artists and small to medium arts organisations from all backgrounds and abilities. Through these grant programs we’re supporting local artists across the city including people living in and presenting their work in and around Kensington.
• Creative Spaces connects artists and creative practitioners with spaces, promotes artists and their work, and provides an index of live and virtual events.
• We’re exploring opportunities to continue to creatively activate different precincts across the municipality - including in Kensington.
• Through our community grants program we supported the delivery of the Kensington Arts Festival and other arts and cultural activities in the neighbourhood.
• The Macaulay Structure Plan also recommends the delivery a new community hub on Arden Street to the west of North Melbourne Recreation Reserve. This will likely comprise of library services and creative and artist maker spaces, multi-purpose bookable rooms.

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Heritage and character

• Protecting local heritage and character and retaining the ‘village feel’.
• Already doing.

We heard it was important to protect local heritage and that some people were concerned about new developments in Kensington impacting local character.

"Essential to preserve its rich heritage buildings and streetscapes, the industrial vibe, while making it a desirable place to live with a great community buzz and local shopping."

The City of Melbourne’s Heritage Strategy 2013 sets out our plan to protect our city’s heritage buildings, places and objects. It has been developed to ensure the city’s rich traditions and memories are celebrated and our places and objects are identified and protected.

Heritage protection has been in place across parts of Kensington for many decades. Heritage protection has been in place across parts of Kensington for many decades. In 2012 and 2013 some of the heritage controls in Kensington were reviewed including in the Arden and Macaulay urban renewal areas.

The recently endorsed Macaulay Structure Plan outlines a commitment to ensuring that development is responsive to local context and character, and identifies character buildings and encourages their retention.

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Dogs off leash

• More dog off leash areas and responsible pet ownership education and enforcement.
• Already doing.

We heard there was support from some for the creation of more dog off leash spaces. We also heard the need for more responsible pet ownership education and enforcement of dog on lead practices and controlling cats.

"There's lots of dogs - would like to see less dogs or more areas for them, and owner education to manage them properly."

"Dog parks! There's only JJ Holland which is mixed use. There are so many dog owners in Kenso we really need a dedicated place, and Riverside Park would be perfect."

We’ve been consulting with the community on the creation of more dog off leash areas and exploring the possibility of a space at Riverside Park in Kensington. This would be in addition to the dog off leash area currently at JJ Holland park.

We’re currently also developing opportunities to offer further education programs given the rise in pet ownership across the city.

Local Shopping

• Diversification of shops and businesses in Kensington, and beautification of shopping strips.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We heard people would like greater variety and diversification of shops in Kensington, and increased offerings along Macaulay Rd and Bellair St. Some also suggested café and coffee cart options for Kensington Banks and Holland Park. Others wanted to see a co-working space opened in Kensington. Additionally we also heard you wanted to see the further beautification of key shopping strips In Kensington.

"A beautification of the Macaulay Rd shopping strip, especially renovating the burnt out shops. More variety of shops. No more hairdressers or real estate agents."

"I would love for it to be more of a precinct, similar to Yarraville, with a shopping square and more restaurants… perhaps have no traffic on Macauley Rd and make it solely pedestrian friendly."

"More live music venues. More cosy wine bars with quality wine."

"News agents, banks, better supermarkets, butchers, health food shops, seafood shops, and sustainable living stores."

Through Business Precinct Program 2021-25 we’re empowering local trader associations like Kensington Business Association to activate local retail precincts in Macaulay Rd and Bellair Sts. Late last year the Association activated Bellair St with a Christmas craft market, and will explore piloting the closure of the road for other events again this year.

From April we’ll be undertaking improvements to some sections on Bellair St including improving the existing mural, footpath improvements and drainage upgrades. New opportunities for improving local shopping strips can be considered further and informed by learnings from these upcoming works on Bellair St.

Via the Kensington Business Association, we can help facilitate conversations with local business and real estate agents to share community feedback on where there may be gaps in business offerings.

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Local business and employment

• Supporting local businesses and employment pathways.
• Already doing, Exploring.

We also heard you wanted to ensure support for small local business including grants, rent and rate relief and other initiatives. Others highlighted employment pathways support was needed especially for young people and people from CALD communities.

"Small businesses, like restaurants and bars being able to survive without overheads (like rent and rates) pushing them out of business. Way too many empty shops on the main street."

We’ve provided and continue to provide a range of support for businesses including: grants, mentoring, workshops, extended outdoor dining initiatives, regular newsletters, sharing data and research and more.

We continue to strengthen Melbourne's economic recovery, including through precinct program support, delivery of an enhanced business concierge service and support for the night-time economy.

We can help facilitate conversations and connections to support community organisations to explore opportunities with local business and precinct association around employment pathways. Find out more about our services and support for business.