Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Is fantasy a better reality?

The current reality - Port Phillip Council's concept plan for Albert Park on Fitzroy Street "Bowling Club Gardens" - for consultation
From St Kilda Today

.... and my fantasy for "Bowling Club Gardens" - a park with well maintained trees, grass and seats
rather than the proposed "active park & multi purpose space"

From St Kilda Today

Download the Plan here - consultations open until11 September
And here's the Council's summary of its Plan
"Summary Plan
1. Albert Park Gardens: New decorative landscape & passive
recreation space
Refurbished traditional park landscape with specific features related
to Junction Oval, passive recreation and aboriginal cultural heritage
commemoration.
2. Bowling Club Gardens: Active park & multi purpose space
New activity based park, incorporating the Bowling Club facilities,
with playground features, seating, market spaces, food & toilets. This
location will be a centre for daytime activity and community uses.
3. Redefined commercial & residential use
More intensive park & street development are a catalyst for change in
this area. Extended footpaths.
4. Existing car parking structure & commercial uses
Improved footpath environment with additional pedestrian links
between the Bowling Club Park and commercial areas to the west.
Review opportunity to improve the St Kilda Primary school drop off
and pick up facilities.
5. St Kilda Station: Investigate possible council services & tourism
centre
Existing rail station used for a range of Council & community services
including Council services, library, cultural history centre, meeting
rooms public toilets and central tourist office. This facility identifies
this as the ‘centre’ of the Fitzroy Street precinct.
6. Fitzroy Street South West: Existing retail uses with an improved
footpath environment
Existing retail uses with potential footpath based commercial uses
with new public seating and landscape features. These areas provide
for traditional Fitzroy Street uses, but in a street setting with higher
pedestrian amenity and additional commercial opportunities. Kerb
extensions building on opportunities presented by decreased thru
traffic. Review in future, the opportunity to reinstate avenue planting
on the south side of the street.
7. Jackson Street pedestrian precinct
Existing carpark access street developed as a Shared Use Space with
the potential for new retail / Cafe uses and landscape features. Car
parking is retained and integrated with the new street environment.
This setting addresses existing pedestrian safety concerns, creates a
richer commercial environment and provides improved access for
residents. Investigate the siting of a public toilet to address need in
this location.
9. Fitzroy Street (North West):
Renewal of the pedestrian environment to compliment the foreshore
connections project. New inground planting, seating and lighting to
the pedestrian pavement and trees.
10. Cleve Plaza (Under Construction 2009)
Shared Use Zone including park features, shaded seating areas, tram
stop and retail activities. This location will be a centre for daytime
activity and community uses.
11. Catani Gardens Refurbishment
Catani Gardens and Pier Gardens are refurbished, with reinstated
path systems and new planting to integrate this area with the
Jacka Boulevard and Cleve Plaza landscapes. This location will be
a destination for visitors and a centre for community activities and
special events.
12. New Fitzroy Street profile & landscape treatment
New street cross section that allows for extended footpath spaces,
repositioned tram stops, off road bike movement, new water sensitive
urban design treatments and new landscape features including
reinstating avenue planting on the southern side of Fitzroy Street.
Reduced traffic lanes from 2 to 1 in line with existing traffic works. This
change will redefine the image of the precinct and create a more
pedestrian focussed and flexible commercial environment.
13. St Kilda Pier & Pier Road Renewal
14. St Kilda Junction & St Kilda Road / Brighton Road landscape
This landscape setting potentially creates a visual break in the St
Kilda Road ‘highway’ style landscape and introduces the Fitzroy Street
precinct and the link to the Bay. Subject to further strategic review,
his landscape setting has the potential to visually define St Kilda as a
suburb and as a community."

Saturday, August 01, 2009