Support for greener, more accessible streetscape

THE City of Greater Geelong’s proposed draft Mercer, Gheringhap, and Bayley Streetscape masterplan has received strong backing from the community, according to feedback collected over 55 days of public engagement.

Mayor Trent Sullivan expressed appreciation for the community’s participation between November 29, 2023 and January 23 this year.

“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,” he said.

The plan, aimed at making the central Geelong streets more inviting and accessible, includes increasing green spaces, parks, and safety measures.

Feedback was gathered from residents, city workers, business owners, visitors, and students through nearly 110 completed online surveys and 1,323 visits to the council’s webpage.

Additional input was collected during two pop-up sessions held in central Geelong.

The majority of respondents endorsed the addition of more greenery, widening of footpaths, and enhancing active transport options such as walking, cycling, and public transport.

A strong preference was expressed for greening the area with native, wildlife-supportive, and visually appealing vegetation.

There was significant support for creating more people-friendly spaces through outdoor dining and potential temporary road closures for special events, alongside improving access and movement with better cycle infrastructure and pedestrian experiences.

Some community members expressed concerns about potential traffic congestion and parking difficulties due to proposed changes, such as the removal of driving lanes and reduction of car parks.

Cr Peter Murrihy highlighted the engagement’s impact on future planning.

“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,” he said.

Acknowledging the concerns, Cr Sullivan said the city would consider all feedback in the finalisation of the masterplan.

“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.”