I’m dismayed to report that despite demonstrated community support for the Charlotte Street Pocket Park, the project is set to be cancelled at the next council meeting on Tuesday 26th November, in an omnibus motion to be moved by the newly elected mayor.

Item 8.1 on the agenda includes the following:

“Charlotte Street Park

15. That Council:

(a) Determines not to proceed with the delivery of a park at Charlotte Street, ceases the current tender to construct the park and ceases any work to pursue or gazette the discontinuance of the road;

(b) Advises the community/submitters of Council’s decision;

(c)  Note that the allocated funds will remain in the Public Open Space Reserve;

(d) Seeks a report to be presented to the February 2025 Council meeting cycle to:

  (i) Provide options and costs in relation to an alternative site for this park in     Cremorne including off-lease dog exercise areas; and

  (I) Detail the amount currently in the Open Space Reserve and a projection for funds expected in 2025/26. This data should be broken down into zones.”

Councillors Jolly, Harrison and Davies have publicly stated they oppose the park. We assume Councillors Gomez and Aston will also support the motion to cancel the park, due to their Yarra 4 All association. So the most likely outcome (with at least these 5 councillors’ votes) is that the park project will be permanently cancelled.

We don’t know whether Councillors Ho and McKenzie support the park or not. Based on their previous voting record, Councillors Wade and Crossland strongly support the park.

(Part (d) describing the ‘alternative site for this park in Cremorne’ is a red herring, because the Open Space Strategy has already identified Cremorne as a high priority area for new open space. The upgrade to Charles Evans Reserve in Cremorne has already been designed, consulted on, and is fully funded to be constructed in 2024/25. Additional open space is much needed in Cremorne, but this process (site selection, site purchase, preliminary design, community consultation, final design, funding and construction) can occur in parallel to construction of the Charlotte Street Park.)

But we are not giving up on increasing Yarra’s green open space yet!

What you can do about it:
1. Email all your councillors here: crs@yarracity.vic.gov.au

2. Register to speak to Item 8.1 here: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90708063/26-November-2024 If you let us know you will be attending, we can put you in touch with others as support (it may be a hostile environment).

3. Ring your councillors here (Andrew Davies is our new Councillor for Lennox Ward, where Charlotte Street is located): https://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/about-us/council-people/councillors

4. Contact us to stay informed of future actions, at info@streets-alive-yarra.org (Change.org does not disclose email addresses to petition organisers, so you need to email us directly).

We really appreciate any effort you can contribute.

With hope, Alyson

More information on the council meeting here: https://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/events/2024/11/26/council-meeting