Our previous Open Space Strategy 2012-2022 has now expired, so we are due to prepare a new strategy.

The strategy informs how we manage our current outdoor spaces and how we plan for new spaces as our community grows and changes.

There have been many changes in open space since the last strategy was created, like the COVID-19 pandemic, more people living in and visiting Merri-bek and more homes being built.

The strategy will give us direction for

• Creating new open space
• Understanding the types of open space the community needs like new playgrounds, new informal sports areas and new BMX/skate parks/pump tracks.
• The what, when and how of new open space projects
• Decision making
• Updating the Merri-bek Planning Scheme through a review of the Public Open Space contribution rate.

We would like to acknowledge and thank the community for feedback about open space that we have already received in recent years. This has included feedback received during consultation for our Nature Plan in 2020; during the creation of our 2021-2031 Community Vision; when we have designed specific parks and open spaces with our local community, such as the recent upgrades to Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve in Glenroy; and during recent and current engagement for projects in open space, such as the Brunswick Velodrome pump track.

We have also heard from the community through emails, phone calls and enquiries about open space. This feedback has helped us improve the maintenance and condition of our open spaces as well as help us confirm some of the things that a new Open Space Strategy should address.

We also thank the community for many difficult conversations we have had, including when discussing safety and the continuation of devastating events, including events along our Creek corridors. We will continue to explore these with the community and build upon the Merri Merri Wayi work and ways that we can help make our open space safer.

We have written a discussion paper that outlines key themes, issues and opportunities we have identified through other engagements, comments and questions from our community, research, and information form within Council.

This discussion paper intends to help with the discussion we want to have with our community about our open space, and how we can better provide open space for our diverse and growing Merri-bek community. We have summarised the paper on the Conversations Merri-bek web pages and the paper is available for you to download and read in full.

This paper not an exhaustive list, and we know there will be many other relevant discussion items that are important to the community. We encourage you to raise them through this process.