A new pocket park is set to pop up in Sunshine West.
In May, the Brimbank council’s application for state funding for a pocket park titled ‘Reclaim the Traffic Island – Glengala Pocket Park’ at the corner of Glengala Road and Gum Street was successful.
The council will receive $400,000 to implement the project, which will enable the conversion of an existing traffic island, and a small portion of Gum Street road reserve into a pocket park.
A council officer report stated the aim of the project was to create a greener place that provides a cooler park for local community enjoyment, relaxation and social connection.
The preliminary concept plan includes a playful seating/pathway, shelter and seating, drinking fountain, lawn, garden beds and trees, multi-functional space with a giant chess board and bike racks.
However in order to deliver the park, a section of Gum Street will have to be discontinued.
A traffic study conducted to assess any impacts created by discontinuing a section of Gum Street found the section of roadway between Glengala Road and Gum Street, is “poorly utilised” and has been assessed as “not reasonably required for general public use as a roadway”.
The study considered that a redesign of the intersection of Marcia Street and Gum Street with Glengala Road would cater for all required traffic movements and create a safer traffic environment by removing the crossroad with Day Street.
An existing overhead electricity supply on the eastern side of the land would also need to be relocated as part of the project, but there are no other utilities/services within the existing road reserve.
Councillors voted to approve the plans at their July meeting.
