By Tate Papworth
Plans are afoot to turn St Albans into a food, art and culture capital.
The final draft of the council’s Go St Albans plan to revitalise the suburb was approved at a council meeting last week.
Upgrades to take place over the next 12 months will include the implementation of the Alfrieda Street Plaza, preparing a carparking management plan and activating key locations such as Princess Street.
Cr Virginia Tachos said changes had already started.
“We want to attract even more people to visit, shop, work and even live in St Albans,” she said.
“We’ve already taken a tired and disjointed precinct around Errington Reserve and are now slowly transforming it to an amazing cultural precinct.
“Once Errington phase two is completed, it will make it a place we’re all proud of and will make it a tourist attraction with arts, food, culture all merging together.”
Cr Tachos said plans for St Albans include improvements to cleaning and maintenance standards at the station, delivering more murals to help activate areas throughout the precinct and investigating the possibility of starting a twilight market.
Another main objective of the plan is to build on proximity to the Sunshine Hospital and Victoria University in a bid to attract a complementary range of health and specialist services to the centre.
Creative arts are also set to be expanded, with the Bowery Theatre to play a key part of the suburb’s identity.
While the suburb is set for an overhaul, the council says it will maintain its “unique St Albans feel” .
The Go St Albans action plan has been developed by key stakeholders including the council, the community, businesses and property owners.
For more information, visit: brimbank.vic.gov.au
