I'd really love the council to consider off-leash dog areas in Elwood. There currently are very limited areas within Elwood that residents are able to exercise their dogs off leash, and there are none that are enclosed and therefore safe from traffic. Currently, dogs can be off leash at Clark Street reserve, but this is a small area, with lots of garden beds and a children's playground. It is also adjacent to 2 roads, one of which has a reasonable flow of traffic. I have seen several dogs run onto the road from the park. Elsternwick park is used by many dog owners, but this is not within easy walking distance for many Elwood residents, especially in the north-west of Elwood, and therefore requires owners to get in their car.

Elwood primary school is currently an on-leash dog park. I would love the council to consider allowing this to become an off-leash area. It is a good size, the children's playground is quite far removed from the main grass area and the whole area is already enclosed with fences and gates. The only cost to the council would be the change in signage. There are so many dog owners within the Elwood community and it plays a huge role in the community spirit. It would be fantastic if the council could think about catering to this group and ensuring a safe and sociable area for Elwood residents to exercise their dogs.

For me, public space should be public GREEN space - with trees providing a canopy and habitat for birds, reptiles, mammals and insects. It is a chance to bring nature back into our urban spaces and contribute to the lungs and air conditioner of nature. Clean, green space can be used to relax, immerse in nature and enjoy the surroundings. Facilities can be minimal as long as there is easy access, safe space and clean space. A water feature always helps too. Once you create such an inviting green space you can expect an ecosystem to develop - plants and animals, and people - coming to the area to share its resources. Bringing nature into the suburbs allows people to participate in such activities as Forest Therapy, where they can disconnect from technology, relax, tune into their senses and reconnect with the natural world around them. This is a public health practice that brings lasting, cost effective benefits to those who participate. Health and well-being should be the cornerstone of any public space initiatives. Economic and social benefits will follow. Melbourne needs more green space, not less.

I would love to see some more community gardens. Edible gardens. Community days for volunteers to maintain the garden.

Social awareness for the environment. Education opportunity for people to get involved and contribute to environmental awareness and sustainability.

Add barriers to stop cars rat-running through residential streets but allow pedestrians and cyclists free access. Cars can only access the
residential streets from designated main roads. This does not prevent access for cars but ensures that the only cars on these streets
are there to access the local area.

One example is Houten in the Netherlands, see the following articles https://www.citylab.com/solutions/2015/06/a-case-s... and
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/may/16/wel... .

I strongly agree with Sandra and Rob Youl. Indeed, the entire linear park which follows the tram line should be developed to encourage bird habitat, to develop cooler urban areas and to connect with the Danks Street wildlife corridor (though Pickles Street poses a major barrier).

I would also like to see the space between Labor Street and Bay Street, along Liardet Street made into a public park, where people could go to eat their lunch, meet with others, and enjoy some open space. There just isn't any public open space close to Bay Street and all the people who use/work in Bay Street.

Port Phillip has some great outdoor spaces, but it must take care to preserve them. Catani gardens is overused in Spring and summer for private commercial and fund raising events and this has a negative effect on the state of the park, park use and the life of the residents who live near by. Port Phillip should spread the events across multiple parks ( eg Elwood foreshore) to preserve the quality of parks and limit the adverse impact on residents.

The new tram stop in Acland St has killed that end of the precinct. It has a dead feel, is empty (even on Sunday). Ideally, traffic should flow through again but this is now impossible. So at least make it people friendly with lots of greenery (grassy area, big trees) and nice picnic tables and seats too much concrete.

The shared space at the Peanut reserve needs to be better managed as tensions between sport clubs and dog walkers have escalated into unacceptable confrontation (separate issue). It seems that this is due to 2 key areas of contention:

Sharing the Space: Firstly, being the only football/cricket field and fenced off/off leash area for a large dog owner community in St Kilda, the Peanut reserve is widely and thoroughly used. However, claims that sports clubs have sole use of the ground 6 times a week from 4-8PM and all day Sat and Sun is unreasonable. I completely agree that sole use should be granted on weekend game day but when there are 14 people training on a full sized oval I don’t see why 1/3 cant be allocated for other uses and inclusive of all. Yes the club pays rates to use the oval but we as dog owners pay a significant registration fee to use public spaces. Another point is that there is no lighting provided once training has finished I along with other dog walkers feel unsafe being in an unlit space.

Dog Poo: Not picking up after dogs is completely unacceptable and I, along with other dog walkers will call out where we see it occurring. From my experience I spend on average 2.5 hours a day at the Peanut reserve and this is a rare occurrence. There seems to a small percentage of irresponsible owners who are not there at peaks times that is causing the problem. Whilst it does not justify the behaviour I believe we need to look at some of the root causes. 1. The council does not provide poo bags, unlike other councils for those times where people run out (weekly I am being asked for an emergency bag from other owners). 2. No lighting on the oval can lead to it being missed.

Other suggestions for improvement: The intersection between Chaucer Street and Blessington street has become increasingly dangerous with speeding traffic. Given that it is heavily used by pedestrians to connect the area to the park, playground, the oval and the beach a pedestrian crossing would be a huge improvement on safety.

Support pedestrian crossing. The closure of Acland Street has forced more cars onto this tight and dangerous intersection. I am sure Council or Public Transport Authorities would be looking at the effects of the Acland Street closure? No?

As gardens around homes diminish, the importance of vegetation on public land increases. We are losing species in our neighbourhood. Habitat restoration is vital and it must be in connected spaces to create wildlife corridors. We need indigenous plantings.

Whilst plane trees may provide big shade canopies, reduction of urban heat is only one goal of planting. Plane trees create huge problems for urban infrastructure and damage our homes. They suck up huge volumes of water, stressing home gardens and shifting foundations; their leaf drop is hard and costly to manage and creates safety risks for people who have trouble walking; their pollen is so aggressive it creates serious allergic reactions.

Beyond planting, our public open spaces need to have much more surface area that is permeable. Trees need ground water that is replenished locally; flood mitigation is vital in our coastal zones, not only in CoPP, but upstream in other municipalities. Co-operation with neighbouring councils is vital.

City of Port Phillip has grasped a fine opportunity to increase wildlife habitat connectivity across the city. An informal community group has complied an outline plan of the potential connections (wide streets, light rail lines, foreshores, waterways) between CoPP's major reserves - such as Albert Park, Elster Creek, St Vincents and St Kilda Gardens. Arborist Jonathan Fisher, working with that group, has created the Danks Street corridor from Mills Street to Pickles Street. He has overseen understorey plantings and nestbox installation, along with interpretive signage - and residents like the idea and the works, and Albert Park College students do surveys to monitor changes.

Ultimately the CoPP corridors will link with similar corridors in neighbouring cities.

In the process new and interesting shadier landscapes are created, residents are involved and biodiversity is enhanced.

This is amazing. I am so glad to hear that it is happening. Thank you for sharing.

I wonder if there is any plans to increase native wildflowers etc for native bees?

A discreet well designed public toilet should be situated on or near the Ormond Road shopping centre. Perhaps like the one situated in the Belford Street West car park?

All off-lead dog parks in this municipality are invariably near or bounded by busy or very busy roads. A lot also have children's play equipment in them as well. At the moment there is only one dog park which is fenced.

All off-lead dog parks should be fenced as no matter how well trained a dog is, excitement or even fear can make him/her run onto roads or jump on children.

Around Elwood Canal -

More rubbish bins, at the moment only where major streets meet the Canal but would be better if more were situated where all streets meet the Canal.

Lighting along both sides of the Canal.

Restrict cyclists where possible to one side of the canal. More signage for cyclists to encourage use of warning bells and also to moderate speed if shred pathway.

To improve amenity of Smith Reserve Port Melbourne I would like a drinking fountain for people, dogs and wildlife, near North Port Tram Stop as the closest one is over Bridge Street, over 1km away.

I would also a like a community garden somewhere in Smith Reverse this space, because our gardens are small, in shade and it is hard to grow vegetables in them. This includes compost heap too. This would mean we could have some fresh vegetables.

I have started a petition for both issues and will forward them to council.

Also would like the open spaces better maintained - ie weeds removed even by hand if need be. Citywide is doing a poor job. Who is going maintain the WW1 memorial garden in Smith Reserve after it is opened? Need to spend more money on maintenance, otherwise just wasting rate payers money.

- I strongly support all comments about natural habitat/environmental regeneration and bringing the community together.

- Indigenous rangers to support natural habitat regeneration on an ongoing basis. - Plant indigenous food plants in community spaces

- Replace allergy inducing non native trees (flame tree) with native trees. The community is experiencing increasing seasonal allergies occurrence.

- Designated spaces for native wildflowers - in Europe this has been installed on top of bus shelters - along main road medium strips i.e. this could be along Brighton Rd Nepean Highway

- Plan for a larger space for an urban farm as a community center in which the community can volunteer to tend the gardens, the produce is sold in a market by the farm. residents can bring food waste to be composted and used in the garden. The vision I have is something a community run http://www.pocketcityfarms.com.au/

- Design community spaces with connection and conversation spaces, incidental exercise and increased exposure to nature in mind for health and well being.

- When planning planting trees for extra shade please also plan for spaces that provide winter sun spots using shrubs to protect the area from the winds. So that the community may utilise these spaces in winter as well as summer. Increasing exposure to nature and the sun (in healthy doses) to increase vitamin D production and increase immune health.

Sandra, I agree that not only Smith Reserve, but the entire linear park which runs along the tramlines, deserves a lot more care. And I'd love to see a community garden; the present community gardens are quite a long way away when one is walking.