Whilst we have also heard from our community that we need more open space overall, we have also heard about the need for specific types of open space and a need to improve the quality and maintenance of our existing open space. This includes specific requests for:

• Dog parks and dog park facilities (i.e. dog agility equipment, separate fenced areas, ‘small dog’ areas and ‘large dog’ areas)
• Creation or improvement of specific sport facilities (such as a hockey ground, more soccer pitches, and more football fields)
• Upgraded and additional playgrounds and playgrounds with a different focus
• BMX / mountain bike / cyclocross facilities
• Greater informal recreation spaces (such as running routes and linear corridors)
• Improved safety in our open spaces, including lighting, seating, improved view lines, etc
• Greater shade, drinking fountains, bins, seating, and BBQ facilities

Our open space areas often serve many functions and support a diversity of uses and users concurrently. Such an example is an open space sports field which has a formal allocation for use of a sports grounds in evenings and on the weekend for a formal sports group. This open space can also be an important open space for dog walkers, being a designated off-leash dog area, as well as providing space for informal recreation and informal sport.

Council officers, community members and sports groups have reported that at times, our open space has not been appropriately shared between users. Council will explore how we can enhance the sharing of our open space for diverse uses and users and how these spaces can co-exist harmoniously.

Council will also explore commercial leases in open space and opportunities to promote use of open space (such as cafes, yoga, personal training, etc).

BMX and mountain biking, cyclocross, skateboarding and scooters are increasingly popular activities in Merri-bek and surrounding Councils. Residents have contacted Council seeking the establishment of higher quality outdoor recreational facilities that include a BMX track / pump tracks/mountain bike paths/cyclocross/skateboarding/scooter facilities.

Council has heard this feedback from our community and is already building two facilities: one at the Brunswick Velodrome (in design phase for a pump track) and a second pump track at Richards Reserve next to the Coburg Velodrome (under construction).

The new Open Space Strategy will further explore the need for additional BMX / mountain bike / cyclocross/ skate/scooter facilities, including collaborating with adjoining Councils to create shared facilities.

Councils wants to increase open space usage and access to all persons within Merri-bek. We acknowledge however access to our open space, including specific facilities and locations, needs to be further explored and invested within. We have opportunity to ensure open space is more accessible for all when we create the new open space strategy, such as:

• Reviewing the condition of sports ground needed for formal sports, and other uses which may reduce the condition of these grounds.
• Exploring how we can increase access to our sports grounds, such as in the evening when a sports club has an allocation at a sports ground.
• Exploring how our playgrounds can cater to persons (children, parents, carers) who experience disability. This includes physical barriers that make open space difficult to access for persons with disabilities / mobility impairments including prams, such as: uneven terrain, stairs, lack of accessible parking, paths, and toilets.
• Explore how facilities in our open spaces can better cater for persons experiencing homelessness.
• Exploring how our open spaces can better include sensory considerations and provide for persons with sensory disabilities.

Our open space includes areas for formal and informal sports. This includes our sports ovals and facilities for both community sport and for informal uses. Sports clubs can have a formal allocation for use of a sports grounds.

Our ovals are also important spaces for dog walkers and other informal recreation activities such as running, kicking a football, and throwing a Frisbee.