The Case for Relocating the Glen Eira Depot to
Neerim Lodge Stables as part of the Caulfield Racecourse Land Management Plan.
Introduction
Since its formation, 14 years ago, the community group, Friends of Caulfield Park (FCP) has been greatly interested in ways to improve the quality and usability of all aspects of Caulfield Park.
This has recently become much more pressing because of community lock downs due to the pandemic which has substantially exacerbated the need for, and altered the use of, immediately accessible community free space.
This submission, by The Friends of Caulfield Park, provides an innovative proposal to the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust for the Draft Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Master Plan. It highlights the views of the community on an important issue in relation to both Caulfield Park and the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. We propose the relocation of the Council Depot, currently and intrusively occupying about half a hectare of Caulfield Park, to a small portion of the area currently occupied by the Neerim Lodge Stables. If adopted, it will provide a positive solution to a problem that has vexed the Glen Eira Council for many years.
Open Space in Glen Eira
The City of Glen Eira Open Space Strategy (2014) identifies Caulfield Park as the most popular open space (out of 70 parks) in the city. It notes:” walking is the most popular reason to visit open space”, and “other reasons include dog walking, exercising, playgrounds and play, relax and meeting people and friends.” Key values include “Trees are the most highly valued feature of open space as identified by the community in the open space survey.” Further, “Visiting open space to relax and unwind is highly valued along with its contribution to community health and well-being.” Under Key issues, it lists the lack of open space, the impact of future population growth, and the “the need for balance between sporting and unstructured recreation and informal use and values of open space.” and goes on to identify “the need to care for, protect and carefully manage trees, particularly mature trees in open space.”
The Depot
The Glen Eira Council Depot, which occupies almost half a hectare of Caulfield Park, has now diverged significantly from its original purpose. Prior to the 1994 municipal council reforms, the Depot was focussed on the needs Caulfield Park, and its plants and trees; indeed, the potting sheds are largely still there.
The new approach of outsourcing of services and compulsory tendering procedures meant a change in the Depot function. It roughly coincided with the sale by the GEC of the original Depot site in Neerim Road for housing. The current Depot is now mainly used for the garaging of heavy machinery and, more recently, storage of wicket covers.
The use of valuable park space, for such a function, is extravagant in a municipality which has the least amount of open space of all the cities of Melbourne. Caulfield Park is Crown Land and, except for the presence of the Depot, forms an integrated park with an already approved Master Plan. The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Land Management Plan is still very much in the stage of planning, and although indicative possibilities are shown on plans, nothing has been finally agreed. Even when agreed, the details will remain conceptual until suitable partners can be found to contribute to individual developments, possibly over many years.
An alternative site for the Depot
This is a timely moment to relocate and incorporate the GEC Depot into a much more suitable and traditional location. The argument against Depot relocation has always been the difficulty in finding a suitable, alternative site, although the GEC has always expressed a desire to relocate it. The comparatively recent decision to free up hectares of land in the Caulfield Racecourse provides a one-off opportunity. The relocated Depot, sited within part of the heavily built up Neerim Lodge Stables site, would occupy only a small portion of the released land, it would literally be across the road from a former GEC depot, well accessed by roads and not close to residences as at the Depot in Caulfield Park.
The Racecourse Reserve Trust
FCP is aware that allocating a portion of land from the Racecourse Reserve for a GEC objective involves two instrumentalities each with their own specific areas of authority. However, we argue that a powerful argument exists to optimise the use of scarce free space in Glen Eira for the benefit of the broader community even if this involves crossing boundaries. The location of the Depot is adjacent to arguably the most popular family area of Caulfield Park, namely the Aviary Garden and Playground. Currently, Depot vehicles access the Depot throughout the day, creating a dangerous and inharmonious situation for park users.
Possible suggestions for redevelopment of the area currently occupied by the Depot were developed by FCP some years ago and are outlined below.
At this stage no concrete plans have been developed for the Racecourse Reserve. Consequently, incorporation of a depot area would include no extra budget over and above any necessary relocation expense.
A New Vision for Caulfield Park Depot area
Friends of Caulfield Park have prepared a plan for the Caulfield Park depot land. It provides an appropriate use of the land currently occupied by the Council depot (a usage outside the purpose set out in the recently approved Caulfield Park Master Plan).
The Vision is made up of several distinct precincts and activity areas and includes:
Summary
We strongly urge the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust to incorporate the relocation pf the GEC Depot, currently occupying precious Crown Land space in Caulfield Park, into its plans for the redevelopment of the area that will be freed up by the removal of the Neerim Lodge Stables. The stables occupy 2.6 hectares, the Depot requires less than a fifth of this space.
There would be plenty of room remaining at the Neerim Lodge Stables site for the envisaged Community Hub in the Draft Land Management Plan.
Since its formation, 14 years ago, the community group, Friends of Caulfield Park (FCP) has been greatly interested in ways to improve the quality and usability of all aspects of Caulfield Park.
This has recently become much more pressing because of community lock downs due to the pandemic which has substantially exacerbated the need for, and altered the use of, immediately accessible community free space.
This submission, by The Friends of Caulfield Park, provides an innovative proposal to the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust for the Draft Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Master Plan. It highlights the views of the community on an important issue in relation to both Caulfield Park and the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. We propose the relocation of the Council Depot, currently and intrusively occupying about half a hectare of Caulfield Park, to a small portion of the area currently occupied by the Neerim Lodge Stables. If adopted, it will provide a positive solution to a problem that has vexed the Glen Eira Council for many years.
Open Space in Glen Eira
The City of Glen Eira Open Space Strategy (2014) identifies Caulfield Park as the most popular open space (out of 70 parks) in the city. It notes:” walking is the most popular reason to visit open space”, and “other reasons include dog walking, exercising, playgrounds and play, relax and meeting people and friends.” Key values include “Trees are the most highly valued feature of open space as identified by the community in the open space survey.” Further, “Visiting open space to relax and unwind is highly valued along with its contribution to community health and well-being.” Under Key issues, it lists the lack of open space, the impact of future population growth, and the “the need for balance between sporting and unstructured recreation and informal use and values of open space.” and goes on to identify “the need to care for, protect and carefully manage trees, particularly mature trees in open space.”
The Depot
The Glen Eira Council Depot, which occupies almost half a hectare of Caulfield Park, has now diverged significantly from its original purpose. Prior to the 1994 municipal council reforms, the Depot was focussed on the needs Caulfield Park, and its plants and trees; indeed, the potting sheds are largely still there.
The new approach of outsourcing of services and compulsory tendering procedures meant a change in the Depot function. It roughly coincided with the sale by the GEC of the original Depot site in Neerim Road for housing. The current Depot is now mainly used for the garaging of heavy machinery and, more recently, storage of wicket covers.
The use of valuable park space, for such a function, is extravagant in a municipality which has the least amount of open space of all the cities of Melbourne. Caulfield Park is Crown Land and, except for the presence of the Depot, forms an integrated park with an already approved Master Plan. The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Land Management Plan is still very much in the stage of planning, and although indicative possibilities are shown on plans, nothing has been finally agreed. Even when agreed, the details will remain conceptual until suitable partners can be found to contribute to individual developments, possibly over many years.
An alternative site for the Depot
This is a timely moment to relocate and incorporate the GEC Depot into a much more suitable and traditional location. The argument against Depot relocation has always been the difficulty in finding a suitable, alternative site, although the GEC has always expressed a desire to relocate it. The comparatively recent decision to free up hectares of land in the Caulfield Racecourse provides a one-off opportunity. The relocated Depot, sited within part of the heavily built up Neerim Lodge Stables site, would occupy only a small portion of the released land, it would literally be across the road from a former GEC depot, well accessed by roads and not close to residences as at the Depot in Caulfield Park.
The Racecourse Reserve Trust
FCP is aware that allocating a portion of land from the Racecourse Reserve for a GEC objective involves two instrumentalities each with their own specific areas of authority. However, we argue that a powerful argument exists to optimise the use of scarce free space in Glen Eira for the benefit of the broader community even if this involves crossing boundaries. The location of the Depot is adjacent to arguably the most popular family area of Caulfield Park, namely the Aviary Garden and Playground. Currently, Depot vehicles access the Depot throughout the day, creating a dangerous and inharmonious situation for park users.
Possible suggestions for redevelopment of the area currently occupied by the Depot were developed by FCP some years ago and are outlined below.
At this stage no concrete plans have been developed for the Racecourse Reserve. Consequently, incorporation of a depot area would include no extra budget over and above any necessary relocation expense.
A New Vision for Caulfield Park Depot area
Friends of Caulfield Park have prepared a plan for the Caulfield Park depot land. It provides an appropriate use of the land currently occupied by the Council depot (a usage outside the purpose set out in the recently approved Caulfield Park Master Plan).
The Vision is made up of several distinct precincts and activity areas and includes:
- An Environmental Learning Hub
- A ‘biblical’ garden.
- A dry/succulent garden
- A community meeting space, including a pop–up market.
- A children's adventure space
- An art and sculpture garden
- Expansion of the highly successful and adjacent Aviary Garden
Summary
We strongly urge the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust to incorporate the relocation pf the GEC Depot, currently occupying precious Crown Land space in Caulfield Park, into its plans for the redevelopment of the area that will be freed up by the removal of the Neerim Lodge Stables. The stables occupy 2.6 hectares, the Depot requires less than a fifth of this space.
There would be plenty of room remaining at the Neerim Lodge Stables site for the envisaged Community Hub in the Draft Land Management Plan.