Yarra City Council aimed to improve user experience to ensure the reserve accommodates the needs of everyone who uses it, including current and future residents, people who work nearby and visitors.

Yarra's Play Space Strategy 2025 ranks the replacement of the play area as a ‘high priority’. By 2031 it is expected that the residential population of Fitzroy will increase by 55% and the local workforce by 46%.

To ensure this park caters for the needs of our growing community and its different types of current and future users, the existing layout and facilities need to be updated and replaced and the option for additional features needs to be considered.

Before we began drafting a Concept Design, we asked for your help to understand the priorities and needs for this park. You shared your ideas on what you would like to see in the design for this improved space.

Council undertook two stages of community engagement in August and September 2025 (Stage 1) and January to March 2026 (Stage 2).

In February of 2026 we asked you to provide feedback on our draft Concept Design for Garryowen Park in Richmond.

The draft Concept Design aimed to preserve the park's natural feel while introducing more inclusive and accessible features for everyone by:

How you could have your say

This consultation was closed at 9am on 2 March 2026.

We asked you to share your thoughts on the draft Concept Design and tell us:

• if the playground shown in the draft Concept Design is a space you or your family or children would like to visit and play
• if the play features shown in the draft Concept Design, offer a wide variety of play options, providing something for everyone
• which proposed key park features are the most important to include
• any other comments and suggestions you may have about the draft Concept Design.

You could share your feedback by completing the online survey. You also had the opportunity to share feedback in person at a pop-up consultation held on Saturday 14 February at Garry Owen Reserve. A second pop up event, scheduled for 24 February, was cancelled due to bad weather.

In August and September of 2025, we asked you to provide feedback on ways we could improve Garryowen Park.

We heard from 63 people through our online survey and spoke to members of the community in-person at our pop-up event.

Project background

To meet the diverse needs of our growing local population, we are planning on upgrading this space.

We want to improve user experience and ensure it accommodates the needs of everyone who uses it including current and future residents, people who work nearby and visitors.

The draft Yarra Play Space Strategy 2025 ranks the replacement of the play area as a ‘high priority’. By 2031 it is expected that the residential population of Fitzroy will increase by 55% and the local workforce by 46%.

To ensure this park caters for the needs of our growing community and its different types of current and future users, the existing layout and facilities need to be updated and replaced and the option for additional features needs to be considered.