Docklands Summit locked in for September 2

The long-awaited summit of ideas for shaping Docklands' post-COVID recovery and the future vision for the precinct has been confirmed by the City of Melbourne for Friday, September 2.

With attendance to the event itself limited to invite-only, the council sought expressions during July from local residents and small businesses interested in taking part in focus group sessions, which will help inform the summit’s design and direction.

With EOIs closed on July 31, the small focus group sessions will be hosted over a two-week period from August 8 to 21 and those selected to take part will also be invited to attend the summit, along with many more from the community via specific invitation.

The council told Docklands News that multiple sessions would take place, with each session including 10 to 15 people of similar stakeholder interests (i.e., residents, small businesses and representative groups).

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she was pleased to announce that a date for the summit had been finalised, and that the council had received a “huge” response from residents and businesses interested in being part of the discussions.

“We have had a huge response from residents and small businesses to our [call for] expressions of interest for the small focus group sessions, which will be held before the main event. Dates and times for the sessions will be locked in shortly,” Cr Capp said.

“The Docklands Summit is an historic opportunity to create collective momentum for the revitalisation of Docklands, and I cannot wait to see the community out in force to have their voices heard this September.”

The council said the series of small focus group discussions in Docklands aimed to “provide a platform for people to speak freely in a comfortable and safe environment”, help design workshops and give insights on potential short-, medium- and longer-term solutions to be presented at the summit.

While a location for the high-level talks has yet to be announced, Docklands News understands they will likely take place at Marvel Stadium.

What will be discussed at the summit?

• An introduction, including a brief history of engagement with the Docklands community;
• A summary of what was heard in the small focus group discussions held at Docklands prior to the summit;
• A presentation on potential ideas and possibilities from key stakeholders in Docklands;
• A workshop where potential solutions are explored and prioritised; and
• Agreement on delivery outcomes from the summit.

The Lord Mayor said the summit was “a vital opportunity to bring together residents, businesses, developers and government to discuss how we can best regenerate the Docklands precinct.”

“We know Docklands has been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pain has been compounded by other ongoing issues,” Cr Capp said.

“We need to tackle the key challenges which face Docklands collectively, while also exposing the best shovel-ready projects and fast-moving initiatives which will have an immediate impact.”

“The summit will identify locations for potential future public realm improvements, ideas for events and activations, and help us prioritise what is most important to be delivered.”

While it’s still unclear as to whether key Victorian Government Ministers will be in attendance so close to the election, the precinct’s other major custodian Development Victoria (DV) will play a key role in the summit.

“We’re looking forward to attending the Docklands Summit and hearing from local residents and businesses on how we can continue to work in partnership to entice people to the precinct,” DV’s group head, precincts Geoff Ward said.

“We continue to collaborate with the City of Melbourne to create one of Australia’s premier waterfront destinations – and ensure Docklands is rejuvenated in a manner that reflects its heritage well into the future.”

For more updates on the summit, follow the news online at docklandsnews.com.au