New park mooted for MacKenzie St

A new small urban park complete with garden beds and trees has been proposed for the northern end of the CBD.

The new park would be created at the corner of MacKenzie and Victoria streets, and feature 21 new trees, more public seating and furniture and shorter and safer pedestrian crossings.

The community has been invited to have their say on the proposal, which would transform a space that was the site of a former petrol station that was removed in 2021.

There are two entry points into MacKenzie St from Victoria St, which are about 20 metres apart, but the City of Melbourne plans to remove one of these points so it can be repurposed into a park without impacting on car or bike access.

Acting Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said the proposed park would be a huge win for the community.

“We’re doing what counts for Melburnians – creating a brand-new park in the heart of our CBD, with new trees and garden beds,” he said.

“This pocket of our city is booming, so it’s vital we’re delivering more lush green space for city residents, workers, students and visitors to enjoy.”

“Growing our urban forest helps us create a more resilient city by supporting biodiversity and boosting our tree canopy cover.”

Under the plans, there would be reduced parking spaces but the proposal would maintain the existing function of a two-way traffic flow and access to all properties.

Works at the intersection last year saw the removal of redundant crossovers, and three extra car spaces created on Victoria St.

The council said the new park would address the “evolving needs of central Melbourne’s changing residential and worker population”.

MacKenzie St has been identified as a “priority planting street” in the central city Urban Forest Precinct Plan 2013-2023, a key implementation tool of the Urban Forest Strategy. •

Caption: Artist impressions of the new park at the corner of MacKenzie and Victoria streets.