Revitalising central Geelong has been a key focus of my term as mayor, and we are working hard to activate and renew areas within the city that require some extra TLC.
There are so many aspects of our central business district that attract residents from near and far. We cherish our picturesque waterfront and our thriving hospitality strip in Little Malop Street west.
However, some parts of our city undoubtedly require work, and we have identified opportunities to ensure our entire CBD is a destination worth exploring.
I have heard community concerns regarding Moorabool Street and we are addressing these with lighting upgrades between Ryrie and Malop streets. We know there is room for improvement here – the streetscape is 20 years old and needs a facelift.
Work has already begun on touching up this part of the city, with a range of lighting upgrades on track to be completed by June this year. Safety is paramount to these upgrades. A lit city is a safer city.
As the heart of our commercial district and a thoroughfare for our city’s nightlife, we know that improved visibility along Moorabool Street is essential for the confidence and security of people visiting our CBD.
Quality lighting acts as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and provides peace of mind for workers and shoppers returning home after dark.
Ryrie Street hasn’t been forgotten either, with additional lighting upgrades to take place between Gheringhap and Yarra streets. We’re currently exploring tree lighting options for this busy thoroughfare, and I expect to have more to share in the near future on this.
The community can expect more illumination in trees and of iconic spots in central Geelong, and we are embracing new and emerging technology to achieve this.
This includes LED lighting, which we have invested heavily in for its environmental benefits and financial efficiencies, with these savings enabling further investment.
The streetscape improvements are designed to maintain and enhance the existing infrastructure while work is done in response to the Victorian Government’s Central Geelong Framework Plan.
This plan includes actions for Moorabool Street that will require long term financial and strategic investment from both state and local government.
These actions address larger infrastructure challenges like the Moorabool Street bus interchange and other streetscape opportunities.
So, while we aren’t going to completely overhaul Moorabool Street overnight, we are going to make do with what we have through a range of practical and sustainable actions.
I see this part of our city as such a big opportunity for success. This boulevard should be epicentre for high end shopping and a vibrant social hub, while serving as a stunning vista overlooking our waterfront.
We have already seen recent improvements with the new laneway breakthrough connecting Market and Ryrie Street, as well as the introduction of the Geelong City Market late last year, which has transformed a once empty space into a thriving and colourful hive of activity.
I’m confident that these additional works will move the dial in the right direction for shoppers, commuters and business owners and I look forward to seeing this project complete later this year.
