New public park at Collins Arch in Collins St
Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp says Melburnians have always valued their parks and now the first new green space has been created in the CBD in four decades — and it’s going to be big.
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The Hoddle Grid’s newest park in 40 years is finally nearing completion.
Located in Market St, the green space is linked to the Collins Arch development in Collins St being built by Cbus Property.
The eastern half of Market St will become a one-way road for southbound traffic, including a new bike lane.
Launching a video of the project, Lord Mayor Sally Capp said Melburnians had always valued their parks.
“It will transform 1900 sqm of road and private land into welcoming public green space with wide bluestone paths to accommodate more people, new seating, and improved pedestrian access to public transport, and space for programmed events when the time is right to host them,” she said.
“The park will be almost the same size as City Square and provide much needed public open space.”
Cr Capp said that more than 100 people were working on the project to finish it as soon as possible.
Former lord mayor Robert Doyle first raised the idea in 2016 when Cbus won approval for its 165-metre-tall twin tower proposal.
Collins Arch was originally meant to be completed last year.
A council report in May said the park works were delayed by “development facade rectification, which in turn delay roadworks component of project”.
The northern end of the park will be finished next month and the whole space is due to open later this year.
It will form part of a green link between Collins St and the Yarra River via the Immigration Museum precinct.
The council proceeded with the project after it found that Market St’s closure during remediation works at the Collins Arch site didn’t affect smooth traffic flow through the CBD.
The general area is the original site of Melbourne’s European settlement after the arrival of John Pascoe Fawkner’s schooner, Enterprize, in August 1835, near present-day William St.