GH Mott Reserve

Map of Preston boundaries, showing GH Mott Reserve in red



 GH Mott Kids Playground 

Preston's GH Mott Reserve has been seriously underwhelming as an open public since I can remember. It’s just generally depressing. Essentially it’s a cricket/soccer field on the northern end, and the remainder is flat open turf. A small space is dedicated to a kids’ playground which was built in 2010 after the locals had lobbied the council for four long years.

There are rooms for players to dress and shower in, and cricket nets to practise in: all cool and necessary, but games are usually played just one day a week, and Preston already has far more sporting reserves than parkland anyway (Darebin Open Space Strategy, 2010).

Locals would likely be using the reserve daily if it was better equipped and vaguely more interesting than a flat patch of grass with trees around the perimeter. The entire space is an “off lead” dog park area, which I think is great, but the doggy deposit bag dispenser is usually empty! There is a bin there, but without the bags there are usually lots of “dog apples” lying around.

                           Looking north

GH Mott Reserve covers a wide area, and so could be transformed into a multi-use space.

Some suggested improvements would include the installation of a BBQ & Picnic Area with a shelter and picnic tables. There are no public BBQ facilities nearby, and they’d encourage social gatherings with locals and other people who visit GH Mott to play sport. Parks Victoria did a study "Linking People and Spaces - 2002" and said these features could enhance community cohesiveness. The shelter would also provide protection for walkers caught off guard by rain or storms...this is Melbourne, after all.

                                                              Looking south

The old P.A.N.C.H. (Preston and Northern Community Hospital) is now the uglier Bell City Hotel, at the southern end of the park ... quite an eyesore itself. GH Mott Reserve could be landscaped at this end - next to Bell Street - without affecting the playing field. Bell Street is not only unattractive but noisy, so planting a green barrier here would be a nice visual buffer to it, as well as a sound buffer from street traffic noise coming back across the park. I'm sure the hotel guests would also welcome a more pleasant view from their windows, and the opportunity to wander through an inviting green space.

I think that creating some small mounded areas would break up the monotony of the flat expanse. This could be covered with native grasses and shrubs with some gravel pathways for jogging/walking meandering throughout, a few drought resistant trees (good for the environment and proving shade). Some additional seating would allow relaxed enjoyment of the landscaped area, and a central feature could be some kind of sculpture or artwork. Part of this area might also include a small concreted area with a basketball ring for teenagers.

With more and more high rise buildings going up nearby, we need to make the best use of what open space we have!!!