Parks which provide for a diverse range of recreational opportunities in an attractive, highly maintained landscape setting. These places are key destinations for families, events and key meeting places for the community.

The parks will be visited by residents from a wide area, most of who will drive or cycle to it. Visitors will stay for several hours at the park and will use it predominantly on weekends. These parks will build upon Brimbank’s natural or landscape features, and most will be located on walking and bicycle trails along Brimbank’s waterways.

Flagship Parks have been selected on the basis of having an existing high quality landscape amenity, or potential to develop a high quality amenity because of its location near a landscape feature, having sufficient size to accommodate a diverse range of facilities and being located on a principal trail network or main road. Facilities will include:

• a large highly developed playground catering for a wide range of ages and abilities
• a range of facilities including car parking and public toilets
• picnic shelters and barbeques
• an attractive parkland setting
• irrigated garden beds, lawn areas and extensive tree planting
• pathway networks
• potential to provide café opportunities.

Approximate service radius: 3 kilometres

Approximate size: Varies

The HV McKay Memorial Gardens are listed with Heritage Victoria and are historically significant.

The landscape of the HV McKay Memorial Gardens are to be kept to reflect their historical significance and will be maintained according to the adopted management plan.

Facilities will include:

• well maintained and manicure garden and lawn areas
• path network
• irrigation
• seating
• interpretive signage
• drinking fountain

Approximate service radius: Municipal wide
Approximate size: 0.57h

A well developed park within walking distance from every household with one generally within every suburb.

The parks will be predominantly used by residents who live within a 20 minute walk from it. Most visitors will spend up to an hour in the park, although occasionally some may stay several hours using picnic facilities.

Suburban Park locations were selected to ensure a generally even distribution across the Municipality so that most residents would be within approximately one kilometre of these parks. At least one Suburban Park is located in most Brimbank suburbs. Parks were selected that could accommodate the proposed infrastructure such as playgrounds and picnic area.

Facilities will include:

• a good quality playground
• facilities for teenage play
• picnic facilities, shelters and barbeques in most
• substantial tree plantings, irrigated garden beds and a high quality grass area

Approximate service radius: 1 kilometre
Approximate size: 0.6 – 1.0 hectares

Parks which provide a basic local playground and areas for relaxation and play. The parks are used by residents who live within a 5-10 minute walking distance, who spend less than one hour at the park, but may use it on a daily basis.

Neighbourhood Park locations were selected to ensure a generally even distribution across the Municipality so that residents will be within 500 metres of any one of these parks.

Facilities will include:

• a basic playground shaded by large canopy trees
• pathways
• kick about spaces
• tree plantings.

Approximate service radius: 500 metres
Approximate size: 0.6 – 1.0 hectares

Any remaining reserve areas. Mainly linkages, easements and parks which provide areas for relaxation and “kick about” as well as contributing to the visual amenity of surrounding residential areas. These parks would comprise only grass, with some pathways, seating and significant tree planting associated with the implementation of Council’s Urban Forest Strategy.

The City’s waterway corridors of the Maribyrnong River, Taylors Creek and Kororoit Creek are key environments where the community can experience natural landscape qualities and habitats. Residents throughout Brimbank will use parks along creeks and waterways for relaxation, walking and cycling. Council’s Biodiversity Strategy sets a framework for landscape management and improvements along waterways, including protected grasslands.

Pathways that are easily accessible from the surrounding streets will connect communities and provide links between most FP as well as to features in surrounding Municipalities.

Interpretative signage will be located along the waterways to celebrate Indigenous and Post Colonial histories and the natural features of the waterways. Wayfinding signage will provide distances to key destinations connected to the path network.

Well developed parks are important to the physical and mental health of residents and provide opportunities for social interaction and the creation of a strong sense of community.

A balanced range of parks, playgrounds and trails is required to meet the diversity of community needs.

Safe, easily accessible and convenient cycling and walking connections between parks, activity centres, neighbourhoods and regional destinations is central to creating an integrated and accessible open space network, well connected communities and opportunities for sustainable and healthy living.

Open space plays an important role in the protection and enhancement of environmental, cultural and heritage values.

arks, playgrounds and trails will create a distinctive sense of place and contribute to more liveable neighbourhoods. Cultural stories need to form part of the place making outcomes.

Open space will be connected as part of a municipal network and will also link into the regional system.

Values of parks, playgrounds and trails, appropriate activities and key information will be promoted in a number of ways.

Public safety is an important consideration in the development, management and maintenance of parks, playgrounds and trails.

Partnerships will be sought for the development, management and maintenance of parks, playgrounds and trails to avoid duplication and make best use of resources.

Open space will be developed and managed in response to contemporary environmental values and conditions, community aspirations and economic considerations and must remain viable in the long term.

There will be an equitable provision of park and playground access and quality across the municipality.

A diverse range of park setting types and playgrounds will create an interesting and locally relevant park network.

Changes to local open space networks and improvements to individual parks will be guided by local communities.

Good community access to quality parks, which can be managed in a sustainable manner, provides the basis for an effective park network.