Council Votes to Convert Albert Park Street Section Into Permanent Community Park

Port Phillip City Council voted on 7 December 2022 to discontinue the section of Moubray Street between Withers Street and Bridport Street West in Albert Park, clearing the way for a permanent park on the 1,200 square metre site.

The decision follows years of temporary use of the road space as a pop-up park that opened in 2013 to ease pressure on school grounds at Albert Park Primary School. Residents and families have used the area for play and recreation while traffic was restricted, and the move now locks in that arrangement under the Local Government Act 1989.

Why the change matters for Albert Park families

The site sits directly beside Albert Park Primary School, where growing student numbers had left limited outdoor space. By removing the road from the public register and vesting it in council ownership, the area can be upgraded with permanent facilities funded by a $1.3 million commitment from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Local submissions highlighted safer pedestrian conditions around the school and better access for the wider neighbourhood outside school hours.

Seventeen written submissions reached council during the statutory notice period. Most supported the change, citing the park’s role as a community asset and the traffic-calming effect on surrounding streets. Two submissions opposed the proposal but offered no detailed reasons.

Next steps after the 2022 resolution

Council directed officers to publish the required notice in the Victoria Government Gazette and to preserve any necessary easements for public authorities. The chief executive officer or delegate will also write to each submitter explaining the outcome. With the road now formally discontinued, design work for the Moubray Street Community Park can proceed using the transferred state funding.

The 2022 resolution builds on an earlier 2016 decision that closed the road on a permanent basis while flagging the need for further funding to create dedicated open space. Residents can expect updates through council channels as the project moves from temporary installation to a finished park.