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Update - June 2025

Council has resolved to close part of Market Street in West Footscray, which will enable the implementation of the endorsed Shorten and Barrett Reserves Master Plan. This will include a new RecWest Leisure Centre, a new and expanded Shorten Reserve Oval, improved sporting and community facilities, and increased open space.

The partial closure will create a new public space that allows for active transport, events and markets, helping contribute to Council’s commitment to delivering liveable neighbourhoods.

The State Government has committed up to $10 million to the redevelopment project in addition to Council’s contribution.

Demolition of the RecWest Leisure Centre and reconstruction of the sports field is expected to commence later this year.

For further updates please visit: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/Building-and-Planning/Works-and-Projects/RecWest-and-Shorten-Reserve

Master Plan Endorsement Brings Upgrades a Step Closer

Long-awaiting upgrade works at Shorten and Barrett reserves in West Footscray to address subsidence issues are a step closer.

Shorten Reserve was built on an old quarry and RecWest on a former landfill, and over time both sites have suffered subsidence issues which have impacted the buildings and surrounds and hindered the ability of the community to fully utilise the spaces.

In 2020 Council endorsed the West Footscray Community Facilities Plan proposing significant upgrades to address the ageing assets and problematic ground conditions. With the residential population increasing, improvements to the reserves to cater for the existing and forecast growth were recommended in the Maribyrnong Open Space Strategy.

Following further engagement with the community in 2023 that reached 2,300 members of the community, the Shorten and Barrett Reserves Master Plan was endorsed at the August 2024 meeting.

This will see Market Street realigned to create a cycleable plaza, accommodate a senior cricket compliant sized oval, new cricket nets, and improved playground; and a second indoor court in a new RecWest Centre. The pavilion at Shorten Reserve will remain at its current location.

Changes influenced by community feedback include:

  • Identifying the publicly accessible toilets on the Master Plan.
  • Removal of references to parking along Essex Street, recognising no changes to parking conditions are proposed.
  • Considering additional natural and built shade opportunities during detailed design.
  • Deferring consideration of altering Graham Street.

You can learn more via the Engagement Summary Report

Government has committed $10 million to the project and money has also been allocated in Council’s Budget for 2024/25 to progress detailed design with a view to starting works in the next financial year.

You can also read the report to Council or view a livestream of the August Council meeting on our website.

The Endorsed Master Plan

Aerial map of Shorten Reserve overlaid with the final Master Plan

Background

In 2018, Council undertook a feasibilty study that identified the need for a long-term vision and plan for RecWest Footscray, Johnson, Shorten, and Barrett reserves. This led to the development and adoption in 2020 of the West Footscray Community Facilities Plan which aims to:

  • ensure we have enough sports facilities and open space to meet the current and future needs of the community
  • determine the feasibility of redeveloping the space to cater to a variety of sports and meet the community's demands now and in the future
  • guide the development of Johnson, Shorten and Barrett Reserves and the integration with RecWest Footscray

The Community Facilities Plan is based on project objectives drawn from existing policies and the 2018 feasibility study which includes:

  • being responsive to changing participation trends, community needs, and demands
  • consolidating assets for more efficient and cost-effective asset management
  • ensuring facilities that are fit for purpose and meet contemporary compliance guidelines
  • provision of safe and accessible public spaces for all ages
  • maximising net open space
  • improving facilities while maintaining local amenity
  • providing for a variety of open space uses
  • improved community wellbeing and encouraging healthy active lifestyles
  • encouraging active/sustainable transport modes

In 2023, the State Government committed $10 million to support the $36 million dollar redevelopment of Shorten and Barrett reserves. This includes the new RecWest building, a new multi-use court for basketball and netball with seating and lighting, along with oval and pavilion upgrades, a new bocce court, scouts outdoor activity area, and new multi-use cricket nets.

Following further engagement with our community during 2023, the Shorten-Barrett Reserve Master Plan was endorsed at the August 2024 Council meeting paving the way for detailed design to begin, with works anticipated to start in the 2025 financial year.

During 2019, Council engaged with over 20 sports clubs, user groups, and community groups, and spoke with local schools. We also conducted two online community surveys, which received over 500 responses, and hosted four community drop-in sessions.

A stakeholder reference group was also formed with community members and representatives from various user groups who met to provide feedback on current facilities and draft plans. We also undertook a feasibility study and projected the future demand for our facilities.

The information that we gained helped us to refine the concept plans to facilitate further discussion which was undertaken in early 2020. This informed the final Plan which was adopted in September 2020, where Council authorised due diligence and geotechnical investigations which resulted in proposed changes which the community was invited to provide additional feedback on during 2023.

RecWest Footscray is located on the corner of Market and Essex streets and includes an indoor stadium/hall with a stage, small gymnasium, meeting/activity rooms, kitchens, an administration area, change rooms and amenities, an unused outdoor court, bocce rink, and small car park.

It once housed the largest basketball club in Victoria, all from a one-court stadium, and was previously an aquatic facility complete with a pool and sauna.

Established in 1961 and managed under contract by the YMCA, today this community-based recreation facility offers Sports Development programs for juniors, sporting competitions, a community health club, group fitness classes, outside school hours care, school holiday programs, and facility hire.

Key user groups include:

  • Senior Citizens
  • Health and Fitness
  • Disability Support Services
  • Basketball
  • Indoor soccer
  • Roller Derby

The Laneway Church also runs services at RecWest each Sunday.

Built in 1953 on top of a contaminated former landfill, the facility buildings and surrounds are failing due to aging infrastructure and subsidence from poor soil conditions. As well as creating voids under the building slab, which are particularly visible on the north side of the building, the uneven settlement of the ground and topsoil has also damaged landscaping and paving.

Extensive geotechnical investigations have been undertaken to identify site issues and constraints to guide potential redevelopment. This work has identified the need for soil remediation before any redevelopment.

Bounded by Blandford, Essex, Graham and Market streets, Shorten Reserve runs adjacent to RecWest and is separated only by Market Street.

It was established on a former quarry site which has been poorly filled, contaminated, and poorly compacted, resulting in an undulating oval surface.

It has an open car park, playground, undersized football oval, sports pavilion, turf wicket, external cricket nets, and a pavilion that no longer meets the needs of tenant clubs including the West Footscray Football Club and Druids Cricket Club.

The Reserve is named for Kevin Shorten, the first civil defence controller of the Footscray Civil Defence Organisation (the forerunner to the State Emergency Service, SES) formed on 8 February 1962. The only unit in Victoria at the time, it was called on to assist at the crash of the Southern Aurora at Violet Town in 1969 and at the collapse of the West Gate Bridge during its construction on 15 October 1970.

Johnson Reserve

Located on 160 Essex Street, Johnson Reserve has one soccer ground with irrigation and a pavilion that has reached the end of its useful life. It also houses one multi-purpose court and one tennis court, both of which have significantly deteriorated over time and are no longer fit for purpose. There is a skate park, and climbing wall, and at the southern end there is a new playground.

It is home to the Maribyrnong Swifts Football Club, an all-female soccer club who have outgrown the existing facility. The Druids Cricket Club also uses rollout synthetic wickets at Johnson Reserve for sub-junior matches and their Milo in2CRICKET program in summer which caters to juniors.

The playing field was temporarily closed in mid-February 2023 for sand/silt drainage works to help the playing field cope over the winter and support improved management and maintenance.

No updates are proposed for the endorsed Master Plan.

Funding for detailed design of a new pavilion was allocated in the 2022/23 Budget – which will include accessible female friendly change facilities and amenities and a public toilet.

You can view a copy of the 2020 Master Plan in the document library.

Please note: an older version of the Master Plan was inadvertently loaded into the document library and has now been replaced with the current endorsed Master Plan.