The majority of community feedback was supportive of the Draft
Mercer, Gheringhap and Bayley Streetscape Masterplan during 55 days of
engagement between 29
November 2023 to 23 January 2024.
The plan to progressively make the entire length of Mercer,
Gheringhap and Bayley streets in central Geelong more inviting, accessible and
green proposes a significant increase in community areas, gardens, parks, tree
planting and safety measures.
Feedback
was received from residents, city workers, business owners, visitors, students
and interest groups, with nearly 110 completed online
surveys and 1,323 people visitors to our Have Your Say page. Several
people attended the City’s two pop up sessions in central Geelong.
The
majority of respondents supported measures to alter the streetscape by
incorporating additional greenery, widening footpaths, and strengthening
opportunities for active transport, such as walking, cycling and public
transport.
Three
overarching themes emerged from the consultation:
- Greening
An increase in
vegetation across the masterplan areas attracted majority support, with
suggestions for native species, vegetation with attractive colours, and species
that support local wildlife.
- People-friendly uses
Most community members
supported actions that would make Mercer, Gheringhap
and Bayley streets more people-friendly through outdoor dining, wider
footpaths, and the potential for temporary road closures to support special
events. Some respondents were concerned about what some of these proposed
changes would mean for traffic flow and parking.
- Access and movement
Wider footpaths, better
cycle infrastructure, and efforts to improve the pedestrian experience were
supported by most respondents. A considerable number of responses mainly
objected to the removal of driving lanes and a reduction of car parks. These
community members were concerned that the changes would create traffic
congestion and make parking difficult.
Mayor Trent Sullivan
I thank the community for making the effort to share its thoughts.
We can’t reinvigorate Mercer, Gheringhap and Bayley streets without the valuable
insights and ideas from the community.
While it’s great to
see a lot of support for the masterplan, the City has heard the concerns raised
and will work with transport engineers, residents, and businesses to make
improvements to the draft masterplan.
Councillor
Peter Murrihy
It is helpful to see what the community’s priorities are
during the engagement.
It’s
fantastic that the community is keen to increase central Geelong’s tree canopy,
walkability and accessibility.
This
feedback will shape the final masterplan before it comes to Council for
adoption.
Read the full engagement report on our Have Your Say platform.