Greater Dandenong City Council has unveiled a new interpretive sign within the flourishing rose garden of Noble Park’s Copas Park to celebrate the park’s history and honour the unique contribution locals have made to its creation over time.
Mayor Cr Jim Memeti said the Copas Park interpretative sign provides opportunities for people to interact within the community and to acknowledge the special cultural diversity of Noble Park.
“The aim of this interpretative sign is to break down barriers and encourage community connectedness.
“We want to improve levels of trust in the community through the sharing of local stories that provide a sense of place and meaning, especially for the 70 per cent of Noble Park residents who are born overseas.
“This new Copas Park interpretative sign highlights the park’s unique creation and the dedicated Noble Park locals who have contributed to its establishment over time,” said the Mayor.
The Copas Park land was donated by the late Mrs Fox in 1947 for the purpose of creating a park and play area for children. Mrs Fox’s donation reflects the generosity of community spirit that defines the Noble Park community.
Tom Copas, whom Copas Park is named after, was a Noble Park local involved in the park’s planning and landscape planting. He was a keen horticulturalist, coming from a long line of pioneering fruit growers and gardeners from South Australia.
Tom was also the head rosarian at Springvale Botanical Cemetery (formerly known as the Necropolis). Tom also actively contributed to the Noble Park Community and was a trustee at the Noble Park Hall for 25 years.
To acknowledge Tom’s contribution to the park and his passion for rose growing, a beautiful new rose garden with heritage pink roses and a cluster of the spirit of enterprise red roses has been planted by Council’s horticultural team.
The Noble Park Revitalisation Board advised the Victorian Government on ways to renew the Noble Park town centre and support the development and delivery of projects that help reactivate local businesses, improve streets and public spaces, encourage participation in community service and cultural activities, as well as opportunities for jobs and skills development.
Copas Park forms part of a network of open spaces in Noble Park that have been dedicated to the memory of significant people that have contributed to the evolution of the area.
The new Copas Park interpretive sign forms part of an ongoing placemaking program across activity centres in Springvale, Noble Park and central Dandenong made possible with funding support from the Noble Park Revitalisation Board and the Victorian Government.
Interpretive signs tell the stories of significant people, buildings and landscapes and engage viewers through text and image; encouraging an emotive connection; creating a point of interest and enhancing the experience of the place.
With a bold design developed by Heine Jones, a leading Melbourne design consultancy, the signs have been steadily rolled out since 2012 forming a trail of significant sites and stories.
Their striking format is easily recognisable. They feature a brief story, an image and hero words that reach from the end of the sign, making them identifiable from a distance.
