St Albans Park in Pick a Park

ST ALBAN Reserve will be one of the first parks and playgrounds to be improved through the Victorian government’s Pick My Park initiative.

The reserve in Thomson is among 97 across the state sharing in $17 million in the initiative’s first round.

Geelong MP Christine Couzens visited the reserve on Sunday to announce the reserve had been selected for a significant upgrade.

She said the works would come at the perfect time, with the Geelong All-abilities Sports Club – also known as the Geelong Stars – recently establishing their new headquarters there.

“With a focus on community connection and healthy living, it’s vital that families and individuals can access parks to exercise, play and connect with others in an inclusive safe environment fit for all abilities,” she said.

“I am proud to announce that St Albans Recreation Reserve will receive the much-needed upgrades they deserve.”

Opening in September last year, Pick My Park invited the entire state to send in its ideas about improving or revitalising existing parks or transforming underused land into new green spaces.

More than 2,000 people submitted ideas and the government then worked with local councils and land managers to develop the projects.

The parks and playgrounds in the initiative’s first scheme are all located in train and tram activity centres, priority precincts including those near the Suburban Rail Loop, or suburbs seeing housing growth in Geelong, Melbourne, Bendigo and Ballarat.

“These investments across our growing communities are making life easier, more affordable and more enjoyable, by delivering new parks and playgrounds closer to home,” Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts Harriet Shing said.

“We’ve listened to the community and we’re delivering the parks and playgrounds that families want in some of our fastest growing suburbs.”

Round two is open to more areas and now includes all local government areas of metropolitan Melbourne as well as existing eligible areas of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Land managers and landholders, or eligible organisations with the written permission of the landholder or land manager, can use community insights to shape project applications for grants of between $20,000 and $250,000.

Applications close on 2 April.

For more information, head to planning.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resources/strategies-and-initiatives/pick-my-park