Kingston's beautiful Chain of Parks has significantly expanded with the opening of a huge new park in Clarinda last week.
Victory Road Reserve is a former 30-hectare landfill site that has been rehabilitated into parkland through a partnership between council and Cleanaway.
The area has been restored and transformed through the planting of hundreds of trees and thousands of shrubs and grasses and it also features a fenced off-leash dog park for furry friends, fitness stations, and an amazing lookout from which you can see the city and the bay.
New paths and trails link Victory Road Reserve to the nearby Elder Street South Reserve, contributing to a series of linked parks that offer a wide range of recreational facilities and open space within our green wedge - creating a network or 'chain' of parks.
Mayor Jenna Davey-Burns said this new green oasis represents another major step towards the completion of the chain.
"It has been great to work alongside Cleanaway at Victory Road Reserve – what has been created is just so exciting," Cr Davey-Burns said.
"We're so pleased to be able to provide long term benefits from closed and rehabilitated landfill sites - providing positive outcomes for the community and the environment. Vibrant new spaces like this really enhance our recreational facilities and open space in our green wedge and we can't wait to see everyone coming together to enjoy it.
"We have invested heavily in transforming former tips on council land, with Elder Street South (2022) and Spring Road Reserve in Dingley Village (2016) previously completed and having an incredibly positive impact on our community.
"The Victorian Government's purchase of a further 83 hectares in Heatherton and Clayton South was also very exciting and we are getting closer everyday to seeing the generational Chain of Parks – Sandbelt Open Space Project being completed."
Cleanaway's Head of Engineering - Landfill and Remediation, Barry Griffin, said Cleanaway is proud to hand over this magnificent, biodiverse open space to the City of Kingston community, making a sustainable future possible for everyone.
"Our team worked closely with key stakeholders during the five-year project to transform this landfill site, planting 230,000 shrubs and trees, laying 300,000 square metres of grass cover, and constructing three kilometres of access paths, a gym circuit, dog park and viewing platform," Mr Griffin said.
Once complete, the Chain of Parks will stretch for over 300 hectares from Karkarook Park in Heatherton - right through Victory Road Reserve - all the way to Braeside Park.
You can find out more about Kingston's Chain of Parks at kingston.vic.gov.au/environment/our-green-wedge.
