Our Streets are not Garages is a submission to the City of Yarra Open Space Strategy Review, published by Message Consultants.

Source: Message Consultants

The submission proposes that Yarra adopt the following objectives:

  • Change perceptions of the street. ‘Our streets are not garages’ to become Yarra’s motto for managing car parking and open space.
  • Recalibrate the function of Council’s traffic and car parking department and link it to the open space department. Give this new agency a new remit and call it the Public Realm Office.
  • Engage with the state and form a political and financial partnership with it.
  • Identify a street where the idea would be developed as the ‘first model’.
  • Introduce broader ‘development contribution provisions’ over key densifying areas to raise higher levels of capital.
  • Change the way permit applications are negotiated with the private sector around public sector realm uses.

The submission proposes following the Barcelona model of putting parking underground and then creating public open space at street level:

Source: Message Consultants

For more information download the full submission (PDF).

How you can help

You can help by appearing on the Streets Alive Yarra website as a champion for your local street, neighbourhood, or school.

Let’s build a beautiful, liveable and accessible city