Mildura Rural City Council is transforming Rio Vista Park into a thriving, active outdoor community space.
Located between the Rio Vista Off Leash Dog Park and the Lock 11 lawns, plans for the park include:
- New public toilets
- CCTV cameras
- New tree plantings
- Linkages to the nearby Off Leash Dog Park
The works, which have been made possible thanks to $268,341 from the Victorian Government's Community Crime Prevention Program, started in 2023, and are expected to be completed early this year.
Lighting throughout the park has already been installed, as has lighting along the pathways to improve safety and security.
The next major stage of the works will see the Rio Vista Park toilet block demolished and then replaced with a new facility.
The toilet block will be closed from 22 January 2024, with demolition set to start on 29 January, and construction of a new, safer and better positioned facility to commence in February.
Councillor for Infrastructure and Assets Glenn Milne said the suite of works would invigorate the area, make it safer and connect it to other features along Mildura's popular riverfront precinct.
"There are several important drivers behind this exciting project, including feedback from our community," Cr Milne said.
"Residents have told us they often feel unsafe when using the park, particularly around the public toilet area.
"To address this, the existing 40-year-old toilet block will be demolished and a new, safer and better-positioned facility established."
As part of this component of the works, Cultural Rangers from the First People of the Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation undertook workshops to complete designs and artwork for the sides of the toilet block.
These will help improve the aesthetics of the structure and provide a chance for community ownership within the precinct.
Aboriginal staff involved in the project, dubbed the 'Cultural Rangers, Custodians of Country', were employed across four different programs – seed, nursery, river rangers and SafeHaven – Ned's Corner.
Another aesthetic feature of the park is a reactive coloured lighting system, which will brighten and dim, and change colours as people move through certain areas of the precinct.
"This is a great feature that will provide a fun experience, particularly for children, as well as adding to the atmosphere and visuals of the park," Cr Milne said.
"Additional lighting along walkways in the park and the installation of CCTV cameras will also ensure people feel safe using the park.
"Once complete, the new-look Rio Vista Park will become another attractive outdoor area for our community to enjoy for a broad range of activities, whether it be fitness, picnics, public events or gatherings of family and friends."
