Posts filed under ‘Merri-bek Council’
Vote for our Drinking water Fountains in Shopping Strips Community Submission to Merri-bek Council capital works 2023/24
We have made a submission for Merri-bek Council Community Budget engagement focussed on provision of public drinking water fountains in Merri-bek’s shopping centres. It is one of 26 projects that is being put to the community to vote up. People have 3 votes to allocate among the projects. Voting closes 12 March 2023 at 11.59pm. Merri-bek Community Budget submission projects
Last year Merribek Council opened up for community submission projects for the 2022/23 Capital Works program, setting aside a limited portion of funds for the projects voted up by the community.
We have provided some essential background reading in this blog on our interactions with Council on campaigning for more public water fountains, since a Council Resolution initially raised the issue in 2014. This is a small but important piece of climate adaptation to public infrastructure to meet the challenge of staying healthy and hydrated as temperatures warm due to climate change and we experience more extreme heat days and heatwaves in our urban environment.
(more…)Tackling Urban heat at CB Smith Reserve with more trees
Merri-bek Council have started work in tackling the urban heat of the CB Smith Reserve car park in Fawkner by providing more spaces for canopy trees to be planted.
Asphalt surfaces commonly heat up to 60 degrees Celsius during warm summer days. That acts as a heat bank which then radiates during the night keeping the local area at elevated temperatures during the night. This can affect nearby residences. A spot temperature reading was taken on 17 February of the asphalt road in front of the community hall with a spot temperature reading of 58.2C A concrete section of the road at the same location was 51.2C Ambient air temperature in the shade was 38C.
(more…)Growling Grass Frog wetlands habitat at Moomba Park under construction by Merri-bek Council
The excavators have been busy during January and February 2023 at Moomba Park in Fawkner. They are creating a series of six connected ponds. Street stormwater will be piped by gravity from Somerlyton Cresent to feed water into the ponds, which will flow through the system before going under the Merri Creek Trail to enter Merri Creek.
The 6 ponds will provide breeding habitat for the endangered Growling Grass Frog. It will also naturally filter the stormwater before it enters Merri Creek. Construction of the wetlands is due for completion in May 2023.
The Merri Creek (and other creek systems) are an important hotspot for biodiversity, and they also contribute through the running water and vegetation in moderating urban heat in the municipality.
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Climate Action Merribek: people in Brunswick, Coburg, Fawkner and Glenroy wanting action on climate change 