Westwood Boulevard Reserve, located on the corner of Stanley Road and Westwood Boulevard in Keysborough South, was opened in 2017 as part of the new residential development.
The reserve is approximately 1.75 hectares in area and is classified as a neighbourhood level reserve in accordance with Council's Open Space Strategy 2020-2030. A neighbourhood level park is typically 0.5-3 hectares in size and serves a 500 metre catchment.
The key features of the park include:
- a large grassed kick-about area with a soccer goal for casual play
- an entry arbour
- a neighbourhood-level playground
- a large shelter with a BBQ, picnic tables and seating
- a basketball half-court
- a jogging / walking path
- a single fitness equipment pod.
Notice of Motion (NoM) No. 78 – March 2020
At the Council Meeting on 23 March 2020, Councillors moved the Notice of Motion (NoM) No. 78 to undertake an online community survey to provide Council with a better understanding of what future facilities the community would like to be provided in order to inform the potential future improvements to the reserve.
Community Consultation
An online community survey was undertaken to gain a greater understanding of how the community use the park, their views on the kick-about area and playground, and to seek their ideas on what future facilities they would like to be provided in this neighbourhood park.
The online community consultation was open for public comments from 29 May to 29 June 2020.
The survey received 222 responses. The key feedback was:
- retain the kick-aboout grassed area and improve the turf quality and the evenness of the ground surface
- improve the safety of the kick-about area by fencing the perimeter of the park
- just over half of the respondents (59%) supported the expansion of the existing neighbourhood level playground
- requests for additional play equipment, including a flying fox and water play
- a new public amenity block
- improve the basketball half-court and the walking / jogging track
- include additional fitness equipment and BBQ / picnic area
- improve shade around the playground and the broader reserve
- general landscape improvements.
A report was carried at the Council Meeting of 27 July 2020. The report provided a summary of the outcomes from the online survey, and the proposed key directions for the reserve as an outcome of the survey responses.
Read the Council Report and the Consultation Summary Report - Council Meeting - 27 July 2020
Revised Final Concept Plan 2021
The revised concept plan was prepared in accordance with:
- the Greater Dandenong Open Space Strategy 2020-2030 and neighbourhood level park development standards
- the Greater Dandenong Playground Strategy and Action Plan 2013-2023
- budget levels for neighbourhood parks
- an assessment of the facilities that have already been provided in this reserve.
The revised concept plan recommended ten key park improvements:
- Undertaking an assessment of the kick-about turf area and a subsequent turf maintenance programme for the kick-about area to maintain the surface condition of the grass
- Providing a new public amenity block
- Introducing a new single-line flying fox as part of an expanded playground area
- Introducing a new nature play area into the existing playground
- Providing a new shade sail over the existing playground
- Re-painting and re-line marking the half basketball court surface
- Improving the safety of the informal kick-about area by adding perimeter park fencing along the Westwood Boulevard and Stanley Road interfaces
- Improving the existing park amenity by adding a shelter, picnic tables and seats
- General landscape improvements, including planting more canopy trees along the pedestrian path network and perimeter of the kick-about area
- Additional park bench seating around the perimeter of the kick-about area.
View final Concept Plan - 4.8MB
How will the concept plan be funded?
The funding to progress the projects is subject to the support and funding of capital works bids as part of Council’s annual budget process.
Implementation Works
2021-2022
- A turf and soil / ground assessment of the kick-about area and maintenance works
- Construction of the new public toilet
- Half basketball court repainted and re-lined
2022-2023
- Nature play area added to playground
- 47 trees planted
2023-2024
- Shade sails over the playground
