Nearly two years after it was destroyed by fire, Werribee’s Kelly Park Centre will be converted into a new public open space .
The centre, which was rendered unusable following a fire in June 2022, will be
demolished in the coming months, pending permit approvals and a contractor being appointed for the the demolition.
The land will be turfed following the demolition to allow for community use while a
landscape plan for the formal upgrade is prepared.
Wyndham deputy mayor Josh Gilligan said given the significant out-
of-pocket cost required to rebuild the centre and upgrade it to meet current building
and safety standards, restoring the land to public open space would deliver the
greatest community benefit relative to cost.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the Kelly Park precinct and we are looking forward
to developing a public open space the whole family can enjoy,” Cr Gilligan said.
“Public open spaces are essential for the wellbeing of a community – they provide
opportunity for relaxation, recreation and socialising, and contribute to a
neighbourhood’s local character and sense of place. Kelly Park is a much-loved space for community events, including Park Lounge,
Summer in the Park, markets and festivals. By creating more open space at this site council can expand on these offerings and increase activation in line with the Werribee city centre structure plan.”
The Kelly Park site is heritage listed and Cr Gilligan said heritage values would be
protected and enhanced where possible.
Former users of Kelly Park Centre are being accommodated at alternative
facilities across Wyndham in 2024.
