City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Bob Dwyer has reaffirmed his support for Council’s vision to create a new geographic and community heart in Granville.
“The Granville Town Square Masterplan is our long-term vision to transform the heart of Granville into a space that’s greener, safer and more vibrant for the rapidly growing community. It’s disappointing that this is being used for political grandstanding,” City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Bob Dwyer said.
“Granville’s population is forecast to more than double in the next 10 years, so we have developed a bold plan to make sure important community infrastructure keeps up with this growth.”
The Masterplan, which was recently on public exhibition, proposes a large town square with trees and public seating in the area bounded by the train line, Parramatta Road, Bold Street and Duck Creek.
“Council has developed this masterplan in consultation with the local community and more than 90 per cent of respondents told us they want more green, multipurpose open spaces,” Cr Dwyer said.
“As Granville grows, this urban plaza will become a shared backyard for everyone, where people can meet and where markets, music, and outdoor dining can flourish – benefiting the community and local businesses.
“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that green open spaces in our neighbourhoods are vital for our health and wellbeing. We need more of them, not less.”
Cr Dwyer understands the community is concerned about a potential loss of parking, however, he said the approximately 70 car spaces in the current commuter carpark on Rowell Street will not be removed in the immediate future.
“The draft Granville Town Square Masterplan has always acknowledged that parking is important, and I would like to reassure everyone that not one car parking space will be lost from this car park in the short term. This is a long-term plan and Council is investigating alternative parking options as part of the Masterplan process.”
Public consultation on the Draft Granville Town Square Masterplan ended on Monday 28 June. Council will consider the feedback before finalising the Masterplan and taking it to Councillors for endorsement.
Council is also currently progressing an $8.6 million upgrade of nearby Good and Station Streets, which will include Smart City components to increase convenience, connectivity and safety. The look and feel of the streetscape will also be updated. Subject to Councillor endorsement, this upgrade will commence later this year.
