Community precinct underway

The $63 million Victoria Harbour community precinct is taking shape, with the last piece of timber placed on the library last month, marking its structural completion.

The library project is a collaboration between Lend Lease, Places Victoria and City of Melbourne.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy and Lord Mayor Robert Doyle were in Docklands last month to mark the occasion.

The pair also revealed further details about Dock Square and the Family Services and Boating Hub, with the first artist’s impressions of the planned community facilities unveiled.

According to Cr Doyle, local families will benefit from having the community services located in the same place.

“The Family Services and Boating Hub means families in Docklands will be able to access services like maternal and child health in the same location as playgroups, parent information sessions and a large outdoor playground, all on the doorstep of the library and Dock Square,” Cr Doyle said.

Construction of Dock Square, a civic square located at the intersection of Bourke and Collins Streets is set to finish in March next year, around the same time the library will open to the public.

The square, which is being delivered by Lend Lease, will provide more than 3500 sqm of public space including open lawn and evergreen trees, a café, a playground and a large-scale public artwork by Sally Smart.

Dock Square will also feature a timber decking area created using reclaimed ironbark from Victoria Harbour’s wharf.

Construction of the Family Services and Boating Hub, another collaboration between Lend Lease, Places Victoria and City of Melbourne, is due to start in February next year and is planned to open to the public in September 2014.

The two-storey mixed-use development will become home to the Docklands Yacht Club, the Victorian Dragon Boat Association, Melbourne Outrigger Canoe Club and Docklands family services.

The ground floor will feature storage space for dragon boats, yachts and canoes along with bike storage and an office.

The community services section of the building, on the first floor, will feature an outdoor play area overlooking the harbour, a multi-purpose function space, a kitchen and group meeting rooms.

The new community precinct will be serviced by trams, which will start operating along the $20 million Collins St extension later this year.