Victoria Park Public Open Space Strategy
Well-designed Public Open Space (POS) can support community health outcomes including increased physical activity, mental wellbeing and social cohesion. This Open Space Strategy was developed to guide the equitable provision of high-quality POS in the Town of Victoria Park –a local government area on the southern side of the Swan River, at the eastern end of the Perth CBD.
POS is defined in the strategy as land set aside for the purpose of public enjoyment and protection of unique, environmental, social and cultural values for existing and future generations. Adopted in December 2019, the Town of Victoria Park POS Strategy has helped the town’s team of Landscape Architects, Urban Designers and Place Planners shape how they develop and manage POS in the short and longer term.
Lathlain Ward Implementation Actions (pictured left) and East Victoria Park Implementation Actions (pictured right)
The strategy was developed utilising qualitative and quantitative data gathered through an extensive review of the Town’s existing Public Open Spaces. This data brought to light that there are areas within the Town that are under-supplied with POS, especially when considered with expected population increases.
To address the undersupply in certain pockets of the Town of Victoria Park, the strategy includes a series of recommendations related to POS supply, access and quality, backed by an implementation plan to guide the ongoing acquisition, planning, improvement and management of POS for the community in future.
Since the strategy’s adoption, numerous actions have been implemented by the Town of Victoria Park, including the creation of Koolbardi Park within the Lathlain Ward, the return of Lathlain Oval to public use, staged upgrades to G.O. Edwards Park, upgrades to John Macmillan Park and the concept design of the Kent Street Sand Pit.
At its core, the strategy focuses on the provision of open space amenity to support active sporting pursuits, recreational pastimes and places for community interaction with their environment and each other for multi-layered community and environmental health outcomes.
Details:
Client: Town of Victoria Park
Aboriginal Country: Whadjuk Country
Location: Victoria Park, WA
Dates: 2018 - 2019
