A streetscape upgrade to Labuan Square in Norlane is now complete, making it a great place for friends, family, and children to come together.
To commemorate this significant outcome, Mayor Trent Sullivan, Deputy Mayor Anthony Aitken, Member for Lara Ella George MP and Norlane Community Initiatives Co-Director Simon Reeves, officially opened the revitalised square yesterday.
Key highlights of the Labuan Square upgrade include:
- Safety and comfort: The streetscape upgrade prioritised the safety and comfort of community members with improved lighting, better surfaces, new furniture, seating, spaces for alfresco dining, smart nodes, CCTV and free public Wi-Fi
- Landscaping and Green Spaces: The landscape design reflects the nearby Cowies Creek watercourse, flowing North to South. Landscaped gardens and planter boxes provide a serene backdrop for community activities and events
- Artistic Installations: As a celebration of First Nations creativity and culture, a public mural Don't Forget About Me: Cowies Creek, 2023, by Nikki McKenzie, Jurrawaa and Tarryn Love, Outdoor Collection, tells the story of the flora and fauna of nearby Cowies Creek
- Functional Amenities: The streetscape upgrade has also brought about the installation of additional amenities, including a toilet, shelter, and a children’s waterplay fountain.
Council contributed $405,000 to the project along with $326,000 contributed by the Victorian Government through the Department of Jobs Skills Industry and Regions (DJSIR) COVID Safe Outdoor Place Activation Fund ($100,000) and the Department of Justice and Community Safety, Creating Safer Places grant ($226,000).
Funding towards the digital infrastructure also came from a wider grant through the DJSIRs Connecting Regional and Communities Program.
Shoppers, traders and children are already enjoying the newly reinvigorated square, together with visitors from the new ferry terminal.
In 2021, the City heard from over 178 community members about what they valued most about Labuan Square and what they wanted improved.
Through the funding partnership, the City and the Victorian Government were able to deliver a much larger renewal project than originally planned.
To further support the precinct, Norlane Community Initiatives is running a café at Labuan Square. The café is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Ella George MP - Member for Lara
Every community needs a positive, inclusive space to come together and that’s exactly what this project has provided Norlane residents, thanks to this investment.
This project has been warmly welcomed by the City of Greater Geelong and is a huge win for community safety and pride.
Council worked with the community to redevelop this valued public space. I look forward to watching the revamped Labuan Square be cherished by residents for years to come.
Mayor Trent Sullivan
The upgrade to Labuan Square was made possible through a collaborative effort between Council, the Victorian Government, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Norlane Community Initiatives and dedicated individuals who share a vision for a more vibrant and inclusive public space.
It’s tremendous to see how such a positive impact can be achieved when the community comes together to shape their environment.
Norlane deserves high-quality streetscapes that are appealing and comfortable. This in turn attracts more people to the area.
We’ve got a great opportunity with the Spirit of Tasmania terminal so close to attract more people to the area as they arrive in Geelong or set off for Tasmania.
Deputy Mayor Anthony Aitken
This project started in 2018 when the City’s former CEO and I visited Labuan Square, and I proposed that Council had to do something. That something grew into a collaboration of Local Government, State Government and the Norlane community, and has turned Labuan Square into a space much more welcoming and vibrant now.
It’s a place where community can gather to chat, play, work, shop, have a coffee and eat.
It is the start of the reactivation that this part of Geelong deserves, we now need other creative businesses and social enterprises to make Labuan Square their future home.