Community consultation occurred between Monday 3 October and Saturday 10 December 2022 to inform the development of the Mary Street Reserve Master Plan

The community engagement process

Below is a snapshot of the community engagement activities and promotions

Questions asked during the consultation covered a range of topics including:

Look and Feel

Key topics with ideas/concerns:

  • Concerns

    • Not welcoming
    • Regular maintenance
    • Space is not friendly
    • Traffic

  • Feel

    • Inviting
    • Accessible
    • Calming
    • Community friendly
    • Community space for all ages
    • Contemplative
    • Contemporary
    • Dogs
    • Environmental
    • Exploration
    • Family friendly
    • Flow
    • Green
    • Natural
    • Nature
    • Quiet
    • Recreation
    • Remembrance
    • Safe
    • Shaded
    • Simple
    • Stimulating
    • Sustainable
    • Durable

  • Ideas

    • Bushier foliage/garden beds/flowering plants
    • Sound dampening
    • BBQ area
    • Add bins
    • Add street art
    • Canopy trees
    • Community garden
    • Dog fencing
    • Dog obstacle course
    • Frontage upgrade
    • Lighting
    • Market
    • Native vegetation
    • No off-lead areas
    • Open park/garden
    • Remove fencing
    • Retain mature trees
    • Safety fencing
    • Sensory plants
    • Sustainable planting
    • Add tables and seating
    • Update fencing
    • Update playground
    • Update sports court

Access and carparking

Key topics with ideas/concerns:

  • Access

    • Multiple pedestrian access/exit points
    • Better access for the elderly and mobility impaired
    • Removal of fencing
    • Retention of fencing

  • Active transport

    • Bike facilities
    • Encourage active transport

  • Car park

    • Add street parking
    • Access is difficult
    • Currently suitable
    • Not suitable for purpose
    • Not enough car parking
    • Need off street accessible car parking
    • Reduce car park size
    • Remove car park
    • Retain car park

  • Layout and improvements

    • Improve the car park
    • More functional layout
    • More open green spaces
    • No improvements that disrupt current community facilities
    • Add a pedestrian zebra crossing
    • Remove driveway
    • Repair driveway

  • Traffic concerns

    • Slow down traffic
    • Rat running

Recreation and spaces to relax

Key topics with ideas/concerns:

  • Concerns

    • Traffic concerns
    • Not enough space to relax
    • Currently barren and boring
    • Waste management

  • Ideas/updates

    • Add bins
    • BBQ area
    • Community garden
    • Dog friendly
    • Dog off lead area
    • Safety fencing
    • Green space
    • Add Lighting
    • Market
    • Modernise/update playground
    • Multi-age play equipment
    • Open space
    • Opportunity for events/other community groups
    • Add outdoor gym
    • Onsite power
    • Remove fencing
    • Retain/update sports court
    • Add tables and seating
    • Add toilets
    • Onsite water
    • Add water fountains
    • Shade needed/add shelters

Landscaping and canopy

Key topics with ideas/concerns:

  • Concerns

    • Maintenance needed
    • Area needs attention

  • Spaces

    • Accessible space
    • Revitalise the space
    • Enhance/preserve/improve green space
    • Event spaces
    • Sporting spaces
    • Contemplation spaces
    • Family friendly spaces
    • Maximise lawn spaces

  • Ideas and additions

    • Add street parking
    • Access is difficult
    • Currently suitable
    • Not suitable for purpose
    • Not enough car parking
    • Need off street accessible car parking
    • Reduce car park size
    • Remove car park
    • Retain car park

  • Trees and planting

    • Shade needed
    • Flowering plants/bright foliage
    • Increase canopy
    • Child friendly/safe
    • Dog friendly/safe
    • Keep mature trees
    • Fruit trees
    • Native vegetation/trees
    • Sustainable planting
    • Increase planting

Other issues and concerns

Key topics with ideas/concerns:

  • Ideas and additions

    • Open green space
    • Add bins
    • Future considerations
    • Reduce sports court
    • Event space
    • Onsite power
    • Toilets
    • Good canopy cover
    • Add amenities - tables and seating
    • Market space
    • Accessible space
    • Community garden
    • Good lighting
    • Increase shade
    • Remove asbestos
    • Open bowling green to public
    • Improve car park
    • Improve the space
    • Upgrade playground

  • Other concerns

    • Various concerns from current users of the space and how upgrades may affect future usage

Workshops

Community Workshop - Theme mapping

  • Like

    • Mature trees
    • Sports court
    • ANZAC pine/heath in memorial garden
    • Playground
    • Green space
    • Trees/Natural play elements
    • Bowling green space

  • Dislike

    • Events - permit needs/not affordable
    • No lighting/lack of lighting
    • Asbestos
    • Fences unsafe/outdated
    • Playground outdated
    • Different levels on site
    • Gun in veterans reserve
    • Sports court outdated
    • Segmented space
    • Too many hard surfaces
    • Lack of toilets
    • Lack of bins
    • Lack of RSL access from Mary Street
    • Criminal activity
    • Potholes on site
    • Lack of seating
    • Driveway safety concerns
    • Two separate car parks
    • Motorcycle club is closed off
    • Traffic concerns

  • Remove

    • Remove internal carparks/assess amount needed
    • Remove motorcycle club
    • Remove disconnecting fences
    • Remove Asbestos

  • Add

    • Storm water harvesting
    • Outdoor kitchen
    • Tree grove - fruit trees
    • Small community building
    • Garden beds
    • Community garden
    • Green visual buffer
    • Space for sports
    • Improved playground
    • Better landscaping
    • Sheltered area and BBQ
    • Additional seating and bins

Community Workshop - Look and feel

Participants were asked to place coloured dots on items to indicate whether they liked or disliked the images for ideas at Mary Street Reserve.

Stakeholder Workshop - Keep, Chuck Change

Using an aerial of the entire site, participants were asked to work in groups and identify aspects of the park they would like to see retained, removed, or changed:

  • Keep

  • Chuck

  • Change

Stakeholder Workshop - Theme board questions

Using a series of Theme boards on nature, relaxing and activities, play, outdoor spaces, and park character - participants were asked to comment on the following questions: