Council Initiatives

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Council's key projects occurring within the City, includes masterplans and 10 year strategies.

Like the rest of Australia and the world, the Darebin community is facing an unprecedented and potentially devastating challenge in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to respond to this challenge, Darebin City Council has introduced a raft of initiatives to help our community and local businesses cope with the negative impacts the pandemic has caused.

COVID-19 Community and Local Business Resilience and Recovery Package

The Community and Local Business Resilience and Recovery Package prioritises assisting people already experiencing disadvantage or are in a state of vulnerability, while also providing immediate and ongoing support to our local businesses.

The $10 million package is comprehensive and seeks to complement the existing State and Federal Government policies, agencies and economic stimulus packages by addressing gaps.

COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy

The Financial Hardship Policy will provide financial relief to individuals and businesses who need assistance. Impacted residents and businesses will be able to enter into a payment plan tailored to their needs. Council will not charge interest on debt from 29 February 2020 to 30 June 2021.

Please see the dedicated Coronavirus (COVID-19) section on our website for more detailed information. 

The Junction Urban Masterplan has been prepared by Darebin Council together with the community to improve the attractiveness and liveability of public space in the Preston Junction area.

Rejuvenating High Street’s Preston Junction Precinct

The Junction Urban Masterplan has been prepared by Darebin Council together with the community to improve the attractiveness and liveability of public space in the Junction Precinct.

We have recently completed a major streetscape upgrade to High Street to support slower speed travel and create a safer space for pedestrians and cyclists. These traffic calming devices include a central planted median, kerb outstands, additional pedestrian crossing and new landscaping.  These changes provide new opportunities for outdoor dining, creating a more vibrant street for the community.

Creating a new public space at the corner of Oakover Road and High Street, Preston 

Delivering a safe, accessible public open space on the corner of Oakover Road and High Street is a key project in the Junction Urban Masterplan (JUMP). Council recognises that additional public spaces are needed for the growing community. 

Construction works to create the new public space are scheduled to commence on Wednesday 21 August 2019 and are expected to take up to six weeks.

Detailed engineering, drainage and landscape designs have been developed for the area. Development of the new public space is planned to be staged across two years.

Stage one works will include widening the footpath along High Street near the Oakover Road corner, softening the radius for cars turning left in Oakover Road, planting six new trees and installing a drinking fountain. 

Roads and footpaths surrounding this area may need to be closed due to safety for short periods of time. Pedestrian access to and from businesses and properties will be maintained at all times.

Funding for the second stage of works will be considered in future years and are planned to include the installation of new seating and bins, tree planting and creation of additional gardens beds, a bike repair station and bike parking.

Project background

A pop-up park was installed in this area in 2016, which allowed Council and community to test future options for the space. Council voted to keep the slip lane closed following planned removal of the ‘pop-up park’ until further feedback could be sought from the community regarding the future option of this space.

At a Council meeting on 4 September 2017 Council unanimously resolved to support the permanent closure of the Oakover Road slip lane and create a new public space for the Preston Junction community.

This decision supports the opinions of the local community. Following a recent community consultation, which discussed the future options for this site, a total of 213 submissions were received regarding the project. Over two-thirds of the community who participated in consultation, supported the permanent closure of the slip lane to create a new public space. You can view the consultation outcomes in the document library (see web link below).

For further information please visit http://www.yoursaydarebin.com.au/JUMP

Further information email Public.Places@darebin.vic.gov.au

On 21 September 2015, Council endorsed the construction of a regional Multi-Sport Stadium (MSS).

The stadium will provide a much needed facility for a range of court-sports including netball, basketball, volleyball and badminton, and will greatly enhance opportunities for women and girls in Darebin to participate in sport and physical activity.

If you would like to receive future updates about the Darebin multi-sport stadium project please email leisure@darebin.vic.gov.au

November 2018 through to June 2019: Construction of outdoor netball courts at John Cain Memorial Park

Council is completing this project to cater to the high demand for quality netball facilities within Melbourne’s inner-north and to provide the local community with opportunities to live well and engage in low-cost sport and recreation.

Construction for the above project is planned to commence in November 2018 and expected to be completed by mid - June 2019. The indicative site plan located on the back of the resident letter outlines the work site area located at John Cain Memorial Park.

Read the full letter to local residents (October 2018)

For further information and updates regarding these works please refer to this page or contact the Leisure Services Team on 8470 8304 or at leisure@darebin.vic.gov.au

The Traffic and Transport consultation to find out what the community’s priorities are for traffic and transport in Darebin has concluded.

The information gathered from the survey and ideas presented at our community forums will help inform future traffic and transport programs. We are committed to working with the community on these issues and will let you know the next steps through information published in the local press, this website and our social media channels.

In 2013/14 Darebin Council committed to consulting the community on how to utilise the then recently established infrastructure fund, living up to the Council Plan goal of Open and Accountable Democracy.

Accordingly, in 2014 Darebin Council was the first Victorian Council to undertake a dynamic new participatory budgeting process, A Citizen's Jury of 31 randomly selected community members reflecting Darebin's diverse population profile decided: How should we best spend $2 million to improve our community through the use of infrastructure funding?

The wider community was invited to submit their ideas for the Jury to consider. Council unanimously approved the Jury's recommendations in September 2014.

Video: Watch our Citizen's Jury story.

The Reservoir Streetscape Masterplan was identified as a priority project in the adopted Reservoir Structure Plan. In September 2014 the Reservoir Streetscape Masterplan was endorsed by Council. It will guide improvements to the Edwardes Street and Broadway streetscapes over a 10 year period.

Reservoir Streetscape Master Plan
The Reservoir Activity Centre now has an adopted Streetscape Masterplan. This 10 year plan will guide streetscape improvements supporting pedestrian friendly streets, more public spaces, new street trees and garden beds and improved cycling facilities. You can view a summary of the projects here. 
This financial year,  keep an eye out for the High Street shared path upgrade, new infrastructure to slow the flow of traffic, the creation of a ‘Pop up’ park, new public spaces for the community to enjoy, speed limit reduction to 40km in Broadway and more than 1000 new plants and trees in the garden beds.
Reservoir Streetscape Master Plan Implementation 2014/15
A range of projects were identified in the Reservoir Streetscape Master Plan - which Council developed last year in consultation with the community - to make areas in Reservoir more pedestrian-friendly, safe and attractive.

Council is currently implementing plans for streetscape upgrades for Broadway and Edwardes Street and a pop up park on Broadway and Cheddar Road. You can see the documents below for detail and proposed designs, we'd like to know your thoughts on these draft plans.

Reservoir Identity Development Study
The character of Reservoir will be celebrated with a new look brand that will be rolled out by local businesses throughout the Activity Centre.
Council and Hello City consultants, have been speaking to the local businesses and residents about what makes Reservoir special. All these ideas have inspired a new centre logo for Reservoir, along a report full of great ideas to create positive experiences for Reservoir, creating a stronger sense of place.

Broadway Public Spaces Construction

A range of projects were identified in the Reservoir Streetscape Masterplan Implementation 2014-2015 and developed by Council in consultation with the community, to make areas in Reservoir more pedestrian-friendly, safe and attractive. One of the projects is the development of new public spaces (urban nodes) at the corner of Broadway and Marchant Avenue. The new public spaces are one of the ways Council is helping to create lively and prosperous retail centres in Darebin.

The new public spaces will include:

  • Custom designed seats, bike hoops and bollards that are unique to the Reservoir streetscape. The new seating arrangement will encourage communal seating and add points of interest in the street.
  • A combination of concrete and asphalt paving that defines the new public spaces and creates character.
  • New garden bed with ground covers, low shrubs and trees providing shade.

The landscape works to construct the spaces will began in February 2016 and are expected to take about 3 to 4 weeks to complete, with works commencing after 7am. During the works, there may be some slight disruption to the adjacent businesses and all efforts will be taken to keep this to a minimum. Footpaths that are affected by the works may need to be closed for short periods due to safety concerns but pedestrian access to and from the businesses will be maintained at all times.

Further Information
Public Realm
Ph: 8470 8417
Email: public.places@darebin.vic.gov.au

Council partnered with the State Government in 2011 in an integrated public transport and urban renewal project designed to make catching a tram along Route 86 safer, faster, more reliable and easier to access. We also wanted to make High Street Northcote more vibrant, attractive, safer and easier to move around.

The new tram stops have a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists between the passenger waiting area and trams. Cyclists are required to stop behind the tram when it stops to allow passengers to get on and off the tram safely.

Background
The project covered a 6.8 kilometre corridor reaching from Westgarth Street (Northcote) up to Albert Street (Reservoir). It involved upgrading tram stops and making major changes to the road environment to make tram travel along this route quicker and easier.

The project aimed to give pedestrians more priority in key strip shopping and activity centres, improving pedestrian safety and mobility, and visual amenity to make the area more vibrant and attractive.

Next Stages
Implementation of Stage 2 of the project is subject to funding received by State Government.

Further Information
Tram Route 86 Corridor Project Project Summary
Northcote on Track Video