2010 City of Melbourne Growth FrameworkOur President Jill Fenwick reports on recent correspondence and discussions with the State Government and with the City of Melbourne concerning Yarra Park and developments in the sporting precincts and along the railway lines.

The news is not good. (Was there ever a "Good News Week"?) The council denies responsibilty for Yarra Park and the State Government acts as though it is being managed despite the depressing evidence to the contrary. The sporting precinct has become a breeding ground for white elephants. The new City of Melbourne Municipal Strategic Statement is a multiple pregnancy - species unknown.

On 22 July, the Melbourne City Council invited community representatives to the Town Hall to view development plans for the city area, namely the new Municipal Strategic Statement (Amendment C162).

While most attention was focused on solving traffic problems related to the northern and western areas of the city and to urban development along Moonee Ponds Creek. Neither issue impacted on East Melbourne. However, projection maps showed areas for redevelopment along the track of the Jolimont rail line, extending towards Richmond. When questioned, the spokesman said that no development was as yet planned, but the possibility existed in the future for covering the track south to the MCG right towards Punt Rd. As for Yarra Park and the massive degradation taking place there, the Melbourne City Council Council has a member on the advisory panel for Yarra Park, but had no control over the decision making.

Major Projects, Victoria, advises that the extensions to the Tennis Centre, which involved moving the bus station to the south of the MCG, will provide no public parking. Yarra Park will continue to be used. No information was forthcoming about whether there would be a new bus station or where it might be situated in Yarra Park.

Finally, a letter to Bronwyn Pike gave this reply:
Yarra Park 2nd August 2010With regard to parking in Yarra Park, a number of parameters for car parking in the area have been established. These parameters ensure attention is given to the health of the park when allowing car parking. They include:

• Rotating car parking areas for event days
• Increased the number of car park attendants to minimise cars parking in inappropriate areas
• Ensure cars park away from tree root zones
• Shutting down areas where degraded

Her concern does not seem to extend to actually visiting the park or she would see just how degraded it has become, that cars constantly park on tree roots or use the space between trees as a track to park or vacate parking and that the so-called rotation only has the effect of degrading the three areas the Melbourne City Council had set aside as non-parking zones.

The City of Melbourne Municiple Strategic Statement 2010 may be seen on line at the City of Melbourne web site (for a limited time) or see the EMHS Catalogue Item DF0009.