Council forms 20-year plan to boost public open spaces

  • 2015-12-24
Creating open space now for the benefit of future generations has become a focus for the City of Stonnington.

In an effort to turn around its current status of having the second lowest percentage of public open space per person statewide in areas including Prahran, Victoria Council has drawn up a 20-year plan to address the situation.

According to a council spokesman the issue of public open space has been vehemently considered and researched.

He said council members were looking into a wide range of options, including extending green spaces already in existence, exploring developments of green and new urban spaces and even the potential of placing car parks underground and providing parkland and open space on top.

Marketing services and strategies have been employed to assist in researching the various options open to council. This included flyer printing and a survey of city residents in February 2015, which revealed overwhelming support of 91% from those who took part believing open spaces should be created immediately and time was of the essence.

The spokesman said Council was committed to a long-term strategy that would create open space for future generations.

He added that the initiative had the health and wellbeing of the city’s residents of all ages in mind, and the 20-year plan would not include compulsorily acquiring properties to accommodate future growth of open spaces.