Jennifer Pittorino
Maribyrnong council adopted the final Maribyrnong Walking Strategy to include recent community consultation of more than 800 postcards and 90 people attending drop-in sessions.
In its meeting on Tuesday, August 22, council received and adopted an update on recent consultation regarding the draft Walking Strategy.
The feedback conducted across two rounds of engagement showed walking is a crucial part of public transport use and is an essential aspect of the lives of many residents in Maribyrnong.
Council said a new walking strategy will set the direction and vision for a more walkable, sustainable and healthier Maribyrnong as the city grows, and will set the strategic vision for future capital works investment.
Councillor Simon Crawford said there is still work to be done to make the city more walkable.
“This is a really good start to set that solid foundation for how we move forward with improving walkability across the city,” he said.
“It’s an exciting document and I’m looking forward to taking the next steps in implementing it.”
Councillor Bernadette Thomas said Maribyrnong is geographically suited for people walking.
“It’s great to see that we’ve scored so highly on walkability, but of course there’s always room for improvement,” she said.
“I think the strategy highlights the areas where we do need to improve but it’s also a document of opportunity and encouragement.”
Councillor Jorge Jorquera said he wanted to focus on the challenges emerging from the strategy.
“Maybe we don’t talk enough about what could potentially be one of the biggest types of walking, which is shopping trips,” he said.
“The biggest challenge for us is we have the second biggest shopping centre in Melbourne, where we have people who live in our LGA, in addition to others visiting the shopping centre.
“Everyone needs to drive there , no one can walk there, but if we had more amenities and more facilities for shopping that are walkable we could encourage that.”
