The Junction Urban Master Plan (JUMP) has been prepared by Darebin Council together with the community to improve the attractiveness and liveability of public space in the Junction.
‘The Junction’ refers to the area in Preston which is bordered by Bell Street to the north, Plenty Road to the east, Dundas Street to the south, and Railway Place to the west.
The JUMP seeks to change to look, feel and function of High Street. The changes to High Street will include a new central median strip, kerb outstands, pedestrian thresholds and landscaping, will support slower travelling speed and encourage a safer public space for pedestrians and cyclists.
What's On
New pocket park at the Oakover Road slip lane site
Delivering a safe, accessible public open space on the corner of Oakover Road and High Street is a key project in the Junction Urban Master Plan (JUMP).
The Oakover Pocket Park project will deliver a high quality, permeant green space in one of Darebin’s key renewal areas by repurposing the Oakover slip land to create a new public space.
What has happened so far?
A pop-up park was conducted in 2016, which allowed Council and community to test future options for the space. Council voted to keep the slip lane closed following planned removal of the ‘pop-up park’ until further feedback could be sought from the community regarding the future option of this space.
At its Council meeting on 4 September 2017, Council unanimously resolved to support the permanent closure of the Oakover Road slip lane to create a new public space for the Preston Junction community.
This decision supports the opinions of the local community. Following a recent community consultation, which discussed the future options for this site, a total of 213 submissions were received regarding the project. Over two-thirds of the community who participated in consultation, supported the permanent closure of the slip lane to create a new public space. You can view the consultation outcomes is the document library.
During 2019-2020, we delivered the first stage of the project, which included widening the footpath along High Street near the Oakover Road corner, softening the radius for cars turning left in Oakover Road, planting six new trees and installing a drinking fountain.
What is next?
Construction of Stage 2 is scheduled to commence on Tuesday 6 April 2021 and are expected to take up to 8-12 weeks
Stage 2 will deliver a new public space for the community and include new seating, garden beds, tree planting, bike parking and a bike repair station and two new pedestrian crossings.
The Oakover Pocket Park Project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Local Parks Program.
Disruption due to works
Roads and footpaths surrounding this area may need to be closed due to safety for short periods of time. Pedestrian access to and from businesses and properties will be maintained at all times.
