Greening Gertrude: enhancing the liveability and vibrancy of our precinct
Imagine a few years from now – people setting foot on Gertrude Street are overwhelmed with delight at the foresight of the community that decided to Green their street.
What is Greening Gertrude?
Stage two of ‘Greening Gertrude’ supports a more vibrant, creative, prosperous and green Gertrude Street. With public and private investment in quality green small-scale infrastructure, we will deliver a reimagined ‘community garden’ consisting of green facades, climbing plants, hanging baskets and window boxes installed on participating business and property facades. The project will also include planter boxes and pot clusters located within public space (pavement) adjacent to businesses and properties along our 800 Gertrude Street precinct.
Some of the benefits we anticipate from the project include
Amplifying the character of our neighbourhood
Create more foot traffic from our local area and tourist markets
Provides shading and local cooling
Improved aesthetics and local amenity
Health and wellbeing flow on effects
Creating opportunities for relaxation and recreation
Creating more community pride and belonging
How are we greening Gertrude Street?
With community-owned Greening infrastructure installed at sites along Gertrude Street. The added greenery and biodiversity will create more foot traffic and visitation to our street supporting the prosperity of our local small businesses, increasing employment opportunities and delivering public benefit by creating a powerful sense of pride and belonging for locals, workers and our community.
With a combination of on-pavement planter pots and boxes, window boxes, hanging baskets, climbers, and green walls. The blend of these will amplify our precinct's character and create more neighbourhood life with increased biodiversity and a precinct look and feel that attracts more people to explore our street and its splendid pedestrian walkways.
Why are we greening Gertrude Street?
When streets go green, it’s the businesses and residents who benefit.
Added greenery makes people feel good and welcomes them into our neighbourhood. People spend more time and money in inviting, green areas where they can keep cool and connect with nature.
People are drawn to nature. Greening Gertrude is a vision for a greener and more sustainable street. An opportunity to explore ways of welcoming more nature into Gertrude's urban landscape. This project serves to merge nature with our street that will positively affect the well-being of our residents, businesses and visitors. Once established the initiative will support bringing more people in from across Melbourne and the World to explore our creative, vibrant and green small business lead community.
Project timeline
June 2023 Secure interest from seven early-stage businesses with varying Greening types
July 2023 Begin collating interest in project participation
August 2023 Work with City of Yarra on site plan and commence service scanning of pavements
September 2023 Commence installation of identified sites with a mix of greening typologies
November 2023 Announce project to the wider community
January 2024 Introduce more on pavement planter boxes after manufacturing has completed
March 2024 Manufacture remaining community Infrastructure and planning for installation
July 2024 Final planting to occur across Gertrude Street Precinct
August 2024 Greening Gertrude Stage Two project completion and evaluation
* intended as a guide only and is subject to change
Project overview and funding
The Greening Gertrude project is being delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government.
People of Gertrude Street are proud to have secured funding for this project. The project is a joint partnership using public funds and investment from our individual businesses and properties in our community.
We will also be seeking additional financial and in kind supporting partners. Greening Gertrude Stage Two will be completed by July 2024. Businesses and property owners invited to participate in the project can login to the participant area (*when launched) to learn more about the funding options available for their site.
People behind the project
Greening Gertrude is led by Peter Kaylor (PK) of People of Gertrude Street and will be assisted by a project team of specialist paid and volunteer advisors and practitioners. Public realm is governed by the City of Yarra Urban Design team supported by the Economic Development team.
To facilitate the delivery of Greening Gertrude, City of Yarra has developed a policy (download PDF) for on footpath planter boxes and a trial designation which supports People of Gertrudes Streets project.
Greening Gertrude is being delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government
FAQ
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We’re building on the success and learnings of Greening Gertrude Stage one (2021) where five businesses participated with the support of The City of Yarra. Stage one included nine planter boxes installed in various sites along Gertrude Street which has proven that added greenery deters graffiti and vandalism and saves our small businesses time and money in rectification, supporting both economic development and community infrastructure.
Stage one has been a successful pilot and the number of properties wishing to participate was restricted only by our stage one budget. Stage two of Greening Gertrude introduces more types of Greening initiatives beyond just on-wall planter boxes (seen in stage one) which includes numerous typologies of greening infrastructure activated green facades, hanging baskets, window baskets, on-pavement planter boxes and pot clusters.
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Greening Gertrude is a flexible and scalable project that responds to its urban environment and the needs and priorities of our business and resident communities. This is an opt-in project where Gertrude Street businesses and properties determine their involvement. Our goal is to have 20 sites within our street participating before stage two of the project concludes in mid-2024.
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Quality green, small-scale community infrastructure and planting, art, activated facades, hanging baskets, window baskets installed on Gertrude Street private property facades and on planter box clusters and pots within public space adjacent to businesses and properties.
In addition there will be Greening Gertrude / People of Gertrude Street signage, promotional materials and merchandise that deliver public benefit by creating a powerful sense of pride and belonging in the Gertrude Street community.
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Gertrude Street is a village community not dominated by major retail chains, our grocery stores are small and independent and our street is filled with mainly small independent businesses. Greening Gertrude will bring more of our neighbours, and businesses together to support growing a connected and resilient community. Our project aims to inspire more localism and empower more members of our community to participate in placemaking within our precinct.
Added green small-scale infrastructure makes the street level more appealing and naturally improves the perception of our community. Amplifying the neighbourhood look and feel attracts new residents, visitors and businesses to occupy vacant premises. Signalling to potential new businesses looking for a retail precinct that the Gertrude community cares for our local environment and its economic prosperity.
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The Project is being delivered by People of Gertrude Street in partnership with the Victorian Government and other financial and in kind partners. This project includes investment from public and private entities. There are three categories of funding within the Greening Gertrude project for different business / organisation types to participate in greening their private property. 1) Self funded : business/property owner pays for 100 % of project costs 2) Co-funded : Costs are shared between Greening Gertrude project fund and and the business / property owner. 3) Fully funded : The costs are fully funded for select Gertrude Street not -for -profit organisations that fit within the criteria.
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Initially, we will start engaging with businesses and property owners via email inviting them to Greening Gertrude online workshops / or in person ‘Walkshops’ where we explore different parts of Melbourne for greening inspiration. If you are a business or property owner or associated party that would like to be part of this project and have not received an invitation please contact us via hello@peopleofgertrudestreet.com.au
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Capital street works, maintenance, tree planting into pavements, road works, footpath reconstruction, community owned assets that are not visible from Gertrude Street.
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Site participation in Greening Gertrude is limited to sites and placement of community infrastructure being located on Gertrude Street in Fitzroy. We hope the Greening Gertrude project will also inspire confidence in other small business owners and residents to undertake their own beautification to their shopfronts in surrounding areas.
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This project was awarded via a competitive grant application process. The application included People of Gertrude Street’s success in delivering multiple on-time and within budget projects that have delivered public value and benefit. PK (Peter Kaylor), as a community advocate behind People of Gertrude Street has built relationships with businesses , community members, Council units, Councillors and State Government MP’s and departments. The City of Yarra fully endorsed the Greening Gertrude project application made by People of Gertrude Street to drive economic recovery, strengthen community and add vibrancy to the precinct.
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Gertrude Street has significance to First Nations people. Aboriginal knowledge holders will be consulted to ensure Country and site sensitivity is considered for culturally sensitive sites. Native planting will be included in this project.
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City of Yarra are supporting this project with knowledge and expertise from Urban Planning and Economic Development.
Approvals for assets placed on public property require approval by the City of Yarra’s Urban Design team. Property Owners / Owners Corporations or Businesses that participate in the project will need to provide written permission before any works are undertaken by contractors for installation on facades.
Council will advise if planning permission is required for the infrastructure to be installed on private property. During stage one of Greening Gertrude - it was determined planning permission was not required as it was a council-supported project.
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As this project does not include major street or capital works we do not anticipate any sizeable disruption to the street and traffic flow. There may be occasions where cherry pickers are used for some installations. Footpath/pedestrian management will ensure safety of pedestrians within the precinct.
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If you possess horticulture skills or are a passionate community member and would like to play a part in this project please contact our team via hello@peopleofgertrudestreet.com.au