Westwood Boulevard Reserve, Keysborough

Project Overview

Westwood Boulevard Reserve, on the corner of Stanley Road and Westwood Boulevard, Keysborough South was opened in 2017 as part of the new residential development.  

The reserve is approximately 1.75ha in area and is classified as a neighbourhood level reserve in accordance with the open space hierarchy outlined in Council’s Open Space Strategy 2020-2030.  A neighbourhood level park is typically 0.5-3ha in size and serves a 500m catchment.  

The key features of the park include:  

• a large grassed 'kick-around' 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 
• an exercise station with fitness equipment 

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.

In particular, the NoM No. 78 directed that the online survey should investigate the following questions:

1. why the 'kick-around' area is not being used.
2. what features the residents would like to see provided in that area of the park.
3. whether or not there is a desire to expand the playground into the kick-around area into the future.
4. whether or not there is a desire to keep (entirely or in part) the 'kick-around' area.
5. if the 'kick-around' area is kept (entirely or in part), what improvements are desired to be made to the 'kick-around' area into the future to encourage its use; and
6. other suggestions from residents.

Community Consultation - Summary of Online Survey Outcomes

In response to Council’s Notice of Motion (NoM) No. 78, an online community survey was undertaken for Westwood Boulevard Reserve. The purpose of the online survey was to gain a greater understanding of how the community use the park, their views on the ‘kick-around 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 in total in response to the five key questions relating to the kick around area, the playground expansion and what other future improvements that the community would to be provided at this neighbourhood level reserve. The survey findings clearly indicated that:

• The majority of respondents support the retention of the kick-around grassed area.  
• The kick-around area has a moderate level of usage 
• The most common ideas raised to improve the kick-about area were improving the turf quality and the evenness of the ground surface as well as improving the safety of the kick-about area through fencing around 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 for older children had a higher number of mentions than requests for younger kids play equipment. 
• Amongst the diverse range of play equipment items suggested, the addition of water play and a flying fox were the two specific play types that received the highest number of mentions.
• The provision of a public amenity block was the most popular sought improvement at the park. 
• The other common ideas that emerged from the consultation with a high level of mentions included improving the basketball half-court, additional fitness equipment, improved walking/ jogging track, additional BBQ/ picnic area, general landscape improvements and improved shade around the playground and the broader reserve. 

Following the community consultation, a Consultation Summary Report was prepared.  

A council report was carried at the 27 July 2020 Council Meeting: Response to Notice of Motion No. 78 - Online Community Survey - Reserve at the corner of Westwood Boulevard and Stanley Road, Keysborough. This 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 Council Report and the Consultation Summary Report - Council Meeting - 27 July 2020

Revised Final Concept Plan 2021

In accordance with the recommendations of the 27 July 2020 Council Report a revised concept plan for Westwood Boulevard Reserve was developed.

The revised concept plan has been prepared in accordance with Council’s Open Space Strategy’s park development standards for neighbourhood level parks, the Playground Strategy and Action Plan 2013-23, budget levels for neighbourhood parks, other guiding strategies, plans and policies and an assessment of the facilities that have already been provided in this reserve. 

The revised concept plan recommends ten key park improvements:

1. Undertaking an assessment of the kickabout turf area (completed 2021) and a subsequent turf maintenance programme for the kick-about area to maintain the surface condition of the grass. 
2. Providing a new public amenity block (constructed in 2022).
3. Introducing a new single-line flying fox as part of an expanded playground area.  
4. Introducing a new nature play area into the existing playground.
5. Providing a new shade sail over the existing playground.
6. Improving the existing half-basketball court by re-painting and re-line marking the court surface.
7. Improving the safety of the informal kick-about area by adding perimeter park fencing along the Westwood Boulevard and Stanley Road interfaces.
8. Improving the existing park amenity by adding a shelter, picnic tables and seats.
9. General landscape improvements including planting more canopy trees along the pedestrian path networks, around the perimeter of the kick-about area.
10. Additional park bench seating around the perimeter of the kick-about area. 

Stage 1 - 2021-22 Implementation Works

• A turf and soil/ ground assessment of the kickabout area and maintenance works
• Construction of the new public toilet

View final Concept Plan - 4.8MB 

How will this park be funded?

The concept plan has been guided by the budgetary framework for neighbourhood level parks. The staging of future capital works improvements to this reserve will represent a significant commitment by Council over the long term. The implementation plan outlines indicative costs to guide the capital infrastructure project works. The funding to implement the projects is subject to the support and funding of capital works bids as part of Council’s annual budget process.