City of Melbourne set to approve new park and community garden at Southbank’s Boyd Hub

THOUSANDS of Southbank’s high-rise residents have been promised a new green “backyard”, complete with village green and community garden. Check out the park plan for City Rd here.

A NEW park for inner-city ­residents will finally be ­approved.

Boyd Park in Southbank will have a playground, village green and a community garden.

The $3.5 million park will be part of the Boyd Hub site on the corner of City Rd and Kings Way.

Next Tuesday, City of Melbourne councillors will consider the proposal “to create a backyard for the thousands of residents living in Southbank and provide flexible and playful spaces that support a range of activities”.

APARTMENT PLAN FOR BOYD HUB SITE

How the Boyd Hub site looks now.

A basketball court was originally planned for the site, but after community consultation, it was decided the court would be located in the Kings Way undercroft as part of the separate City Rd master plan.

The creation of a dog off-lead area will be considered for the nearby Moray St park.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the park will be a terrific addition to Southbank which has the least amount of public open space per person in the City of Melbourne.

“As the city grows rapidly, we know that more than 80 per cent of residents live in apartments so open space will continue to be absolutely critical to maintain liveability,” he said.

“This plan is a clear case of Southbank residents and businesses asking for community facilities and the City of Melbourne getting on to deliver it. The new park will include an interactive, age-appropriate playground with facilities for young families, a communal garden and leafy grassed places for people to relax alongside improved pedestrian and cycle connections.”

The council will sell off part of the Boyd site for development, but the footprint has been reduced to improve park access.

An artist’s impression of the proposed park at Boyd Hub.

MORE TREES AND BIKE LANES FLAGGED FOR CITY RD

Boyd Hub was originally a high school, but now houses community facilities.

An old classroom building at the rear will be demolished from May and construction on the park is due to start in July

The communal garden at the City Rd forecourt will be based on similar concepts at Docklands and Kensington.

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@JMasanauskas