Yarra Park Association
Return the Park to the People!
Our objective is to remove car parking from the grass surfaces of Yarra Park
To do this we need your help! Please take a moment to join the campaign on the
Contact us form so you can be informed when action is needed.
Sign the online petition:
http://www.gopetition.com.au/petitions/yarra-park-for-people-not-cars.html
See our other website
Next Meeting Monday 22/6/2009. 6pm
Venue: 14 The Crofts, Richmond
Comment left on our website from an MCG football patron: "Couldn't agree more with this campaign, something I've wondered about for a long time. Such a shame to see this historic area being ruined. Also it's dangerous. 84,000+ leaving the G today. It's dark and raining and there are idiots trying to drive through the departing people. Shouldn't have to worry about getting run over until you leave the MCG area."
- Melbourne City Council policy is to remove parking from Yarra Park. See Council business item relating to current agreement.
- The current parking agreement expires 30 September 2010, shortly before the next State Election (November). See Current lease agreement.
- The Commonwealth Games used no parking on Yarra Park, proving that it is feasible.
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Trees are dying in Yarra Park because of the drought, cars are making it worse by compacting the soil. Read the Friends of the Elms President's Annual Report and see the photos of cars parking on the tree roots.
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Cars are parked all over the dogs off-leash area. This puts the Council in the position of encouraging dog owners to expose their dogs to danger. At the very least the signs need to be removed when parking is permitted. See Dogs off leash page.
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There is no enforcement of the 10km/h speed limit. Cars are frequently driven well over this speed. This puts pedestrians and cyclists at risk.
News Archive
It's on in Central Park, NY also:
http://www.transalt.org/campaigns/cpark
Government offers to give away Yarra Park
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,,25217976-2862,00.html
“the Government offered the AFL a package that would: … see the Government take control of Yarra Park (used for parking on match days) and in turn transfer management of it to the MCG Trust.&rdquo
Melbourne City Council Elections 2008
The Yarra Park Association recommended a vote for any of these three teams:
- Morgan-Clarke
- The Greens
- C Melbourne Grow
These candidates have committed to ending car parking at Yarra Park, and all of them have a track record on and off Council opposing parking.
Other candidacies, including McMullin, Fowles and Doyle will allow parking to continue. See the
correspondence page.
Article:
Car is doomed, energy experts warn.
01Aug07 Melbourne Leader reports Melbourne City Council wants to remove parking,
see
article.
Cr Catherine Ng said the park was being destroyed. “The park is not a car park so we need to return it to a normal park,” she said. “It's not about the parking money, that's just … for administration,” she said.
“People are using Yarra Park as a convenience and we've extended (the parking contract) because there are no other options.”
The State Government should build a car park big enough for all Olympic Park events when it builds its soccer stadium in 2009, Cr Ng said.
Cr Ng is congratulated on her strong stand in defence of the park.
Age article on economic benefit of the Grand Final
Age article discusses economic benefit and whether it is better to have interstate teams in the finals. While they mention that most economic benefit would accrue from interstate visitors, we can conclude that those visitors don't need to park on the park! Actually they would be far more attracted to beautiful parkland where they could have a picnic before the game.
AFL grab for more of our Park defeated!
Thanks to all those who wrote to Council opposing the AFL land grab, described below. The Council's environment committee rejected the proposal on Tuesday 5th June. From the minutes: ‘The Chair Cr Brindley, […] acknowledged receipt of numerous items of written correspondence in relation to
Agenda Item 5.6, “AFL Grand Final Centre Square Club”.&rsquo The Committee passed the following motion:
That the Environment Committee:
1.1. not issue a permit for the Centre Square Club in Yarra Park;
1.2. explore options with the AFL for alternative sites for the event;
1.3. resolve that all applications for major events in parkland be brought to Committee before any ‘in
principle’ approval status is granted; and
1.4. request a further report to the Marketing and Events Committee detailing a revised procedure for
event applications.
We can now demand that the land in question cease to be used for car parking at all times. The AFL has admitted it is not needed for parking by proposing to use it for their eateries.
Details of the AFL land grab
Paddock 8 was to be fenced off from September 3 until October 4 (35 days) to allow construction and demolition of marquees and landscaping and catering infrastructure to entertain corporate guests.
Read the East Melbourne Group's Notice.
We can now see what was finally agreed to: most of Birrarung Marr is alienated for the AFL's use along with a strip of Yarra Park alongside Brunton Avenue. How ironic (and stupid) to block off the Will. Barrak bridge, constructed at huge cost to facilitiate pedestrian movement from the City to the 'G, at exactly the time it is most needed. What else can the City do to make public transport less attractive?
Rectangular Stadium
Melbourne Victory doesn't want to be part of the new rectangular stadium - prefers Telstra Dome. This is good news for Yarra Park. The new rectangular stadium is therefore unnecessary and would add more cars to Yarra Park on more days. See
Heraldsun story and
The Age: Second A league Club May Damage Sport.