The new park will be at 568 Sydney Road, Brunswick, using the Council-owned property and part of the adjacent Staley Street car park. The site will be around 1,000–2,000 square metres, depending on the preferred concept design.

The park is intended for informal, passive recreation — a place to sit, rest, socialise, and enjoy green space. Given the small size of the park and its location on Sydney Road in the commercial activity centre, it will not be used for organised sport or as an off-leash dog park.

The will be small and narrow, and very close to Sydney Road. This will make it unsuitable for off-leash use. Allowing dogs on lead ensures the park can be safely enjoyed by everyone.

We are asking the community for their thoughts on how much parking is kept and whether Staley Street is partially or fully closed. We’ll aim to balance new open space with necessary vehicle access.

Yes. The park will create a safe east–west link between Sydney Road and Stewart Street, improving local walking and cycling connections and linking to the broader Creek to Creek network.

The park project focuses on developing the open space. However, the need for a safe crossing is being addressed by the related Hope Street streetscape improvements project.

Council will be advocating to the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) for new signals (pedestrian/bike rider operated and vehicle turn signals) to connect Hope Street safely to the new park across Sydney Road.

Signal changes to this intersection could likely be delivered in the long term (2+ years).

You can find full details on the plan to improve the crossing environment on the Hope Street streetscape improvements project page.

Community feedback will directly influence how the park’s design, layout, and facilities. We will report back on how engagement has shaped the design, and seek further feedback on a Draft Concept Design in early 2026.

The design will be simple, contemporary, and suited to central Brunswick, with:

• Retained mature trees and new tree canopy
• Planted areas and a multi-functional lawn
• Water-sensitive urban design for stormwater treatment
• Accessible, DDA-compliant paths and lighting
• Potential for playful or artistic elements (no formal playground)

Construction is planned to begin in 2027, following community engagement and detailed design.

The Park Close to Home initiative aims to improve access to public open space across Merri-bek. The goal is for all residents to live within 500 metres of a park. In busy areas like here, in Brunswick Activity Centre, the goal is for residents to have a park within 300 metres of their home.

The site at 568 Sydney Road was specifically purchased for use as a public park under the Park Close to Home program.

The funding for this has come from contributions made by developers, not from Council rates. When new apartment buildings are constructed, the developers contribute to an open space fund to help Council create more green space to serve the growing residential population.

Council is legally required to use these funds only to develop open space and parks. Therefore, we cannot use this money to construct car parking spaces or any other type of infrastructure on this specific site.

The project budget is dedicated to providing much-needed open space for residents of Brunswick, especially those in apartments and units who lack private outdoor areas.