Footscray Park Western Lawn upgrade
Published on 07 October 2022
A multi-million dollar upgrade to the Western Lawn at Footscray Park will begin in December 2022 to improve the condition of the much-loved open space for community use now, and into the future.
Over time, the turf has become increasingly degraded due to the saline soils, poor drainage, and high levels of use, which has been compounded by the current slow recovering winter grass.
Council is investing funding to reconstruct and reinstate the Western Lawn in line with the Footscray Park Masterplan, which supports an increase in a range of cultural, recreational and sporting opportunities, to attract a wider audience to value and appreciate the Park.
The upgrade will involve removing the existing top soil and installing a drainage layer, followed by irrigation and clean fill. A fast recovering summer grass will be laid to support rapid establishment and return to the community for their use. Power upgrades for the irrigation and use of smart city technology will also enable the open space to be managed better and used over longer time periods.
The project has been brought forward from the 2023/24 capital works program with works now scheduled to begin in December 2022, and will likely be complete in April 2023.
During these works, the Western Lawn will be closed and all users will be directed to other areas of the Park. The New Year’s Eve fireworks event will be hosted on the Eastern Lawn for 2022.
The Western Lawn is a major asset in Council’s open space network, and in combination with the adjacent Eastern Lawn, Quarry Park, heritage gardens, Henry Turner South reserve and the Maribyrnong River Trail, the precinct provides for passive use, festival and event use, dog walking, a wide range of sports, physical recreation, active transport and cultural appreciation.
The vision for the Western Lawn outlined in the Footscray Park Masterplan, is for a space that supports both passive and active recreation opportunities to service our entire community, including providing overflow for formal and casual sporting uses of the traditional playing fields at Henry Turner South, and maintaining the area as a dog off lead space for our furry friends. Fundamental to this vision is that the area will function as a village green and remain free from any fencing that prohibits community access.
Message from the Mayor, Cr Anthony Tran
Footscray Park is a much-loved and utilised open space in our municipality. It is a favoured destination for recreation and enjoyment for both residents and visitors. The upcoming reconstruction and reinstatement of the Western Lawn will ensure it continues to support a range of community activities, including casual use, dog walking, festivals and events, and formal and informal community sport for many more years to come. We are pleased to be able to accelerate the program to deliver the upgrade a year ahead of the original program.