Back on the 7th of December another interesting and informative public discussion forum was held at Digital Harbour.

The outcomes from this workshop will assist VicUrban and the City of Melbourne to plan over the next 12 –18 months their approach and the priorities for the next decade of Docklands Development. Together with the feedback generated at the economic development forum that was held last September, this information will be used to define and test potential options to ascertain the best way forward into precinct-wide planning for the second decade of Docklands.

This is in short what you had to say, unedited and courtesy of the City of Melbourne:

North-West Docklands in 2050 is amazing – describe how it feels.
• There’s a buzz, it’s energetic, busy, funky and exciting. It’s playful, vibrant, entertaining and there’s a rhythm and energy that permeates everything.
• This area has a soul, a holiday-feel to it, that’s open, peaceful, warm and safe.
• There’s a feeling of community, playgrounds for children and adults alike. It’s a friendly place to be for work, rest and play.
• It’s easy to get around, has water-based links, a gateway to the city and a city within a city. It’s like Melbourne; it’s multicultural with permanent residents and a transient population.
• There’s a feeling of creativity, of greenness, it’s environmentally sustainable. It’s happy, high quality and luxurious. North-West Docklands in 2050 is amazing – describe how it sounds.
• There’s a low hum, 24-hour ‘noise’, laughter, music and voices. Sounds of children, families and enjoyment
• It’s bustling during the day; it’s quiet after 10pm.
• There are creative sounds – theatre, poetry, music, live plays. It sounds
like a symphony orchestra.
• There are fairground sounds, sounds of birds and of water.
North-West Docklands in 2050 is amazing – describe how it looks.
• There is a boardwalk full length of Docklands Drive, a community park, community facilities not owned by private interests, sport and recreation and childcare.
• It looks like Canary Wharf and has good architecture, art exhibitions, murals, street artwork, poet’s corner and live music venues.
• There are buskers and people. It will stand out. It’s unique, vibrant and urban.
• With alleyways, it’s clean and dirty with rooftop gardens, trees and parks.
• It’s colourful, light, sunny and fast moving. There are kids, schools and a train connection.

NEIGHBOURHOOD CREATION
After an inspiring presentation on the possibilities for North-West Docklands and how Melbourne’s central area may shift towards Docklands in the future, we talked about North-West Docklands today

- the positive,
- the negative
- the things that need re-thinking; and
- the new things we’d like to add.

The ideas generated here appeared to fall into a few key themes: community, environment, creative spaces, recreation, the water, transport and amenities, business and buildings.

What would you like to keep?
• The friendly people and the sense of community, the promenade, the marinas, boats, waterfront access and activity by the water.
• The trees, the public art, the affordable space for creative activities and the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
• ‘The Wheel’ and the bike tracks need to stay, as well as the City Circle Tram, water taxis, restaurants and mixed use business.
• Keep the historical stuff!, the wooden boat sheds, individuality of the precincts, diversity in architecture and the views along Docklands Drive.

What would you like to take out?
• The pubs and nightclubs in residential zones, the hens and bucks parties, cars, trucks and motorbikes.
• The signs that say “no ball sports”, the palm trees, the bad smells from buildings, the dirty water and the wind.
• Take out the noise and view of the Bolte Bridge, ‘The Wheel’, Film Studios, Costco and Harbour Town. Take away the video screen, the tent, the west side of the stadium, and the port.
• Also take out the cobblestones, the boardwalks that need continual fixing, the developer control and the boxy buildings.
What would you like to change?
• Simplify the naming of the roads, change Dudley Street to Docklands Drive and Footscray Road to Harbour Esplanade. Improve traffic management, extend public transport, enhance connections with the city, bring in more ferries and increase the speed on the water.
• Redesign the promenade to be more interesting with more surprises, reduce the size of the piazza, re-landscape Moonee Ponds Creek and deepen it. Relaunch ‘The Wheel’ and make use of the film studios land.
• Create more gardens, use less gravel, reduce concrete and change the signage. Use wind to generate power and use water harvesting.
• Need more toilets/amenities, more seasonal decorations, a mix of art, mix of product, more upmarket restaurants and more dining on the water.
• Use the top of buildings to include open public space, have some restaurants or food courts high up in buildings and change the colours of the buildings.
What would you like to add?
• More green spaces, more gardens, palm trees, more fruit trees and vertical/ rooftop gardens, as well as water storage and wind turbines. Create a linear park along Moonee Ponds Creek, create canals, add a civic beach, a pool, access to the water and water features. Add a ferry and a link to and from the creek.
• Laneways, more routes through building blocks, open air vending, informal cafes, small retail/ kiosks and small business start-ups. Add a market, interim uses for vacant spaces, interactive art, and glass at the TV studio.
• Links to North West Melbourne, a link from NewQuay to Southern Cross Station, a tramline to Queen Victoria Market and an underground train. Add golf carts to get around, shuttles to and from parking, short term parking and scooter lanes.
• Dedicated bicycle paths, more space for sport and recreation, temporary and permanent playgrounds, public seating and viewing points.
• A community garden, meeting point and hub facilities, a library, childcare, schools and universities. Add low income housing and people of all income ranges.
• Offices along Docklands Drive, pilot programmes to encourage new business, a diversity of products being offered for sale and a better pub.
• Consideration for wind in planning decisions, no planning permits granted for non-green buildings, more colour to the ground and open spaces, a cinema, a post office and on-street dining.

These workshops provide a great opportunity to have your say in an informal and actually quite fun environment; while being proactive in the future of Docklands.