Community leaders who are fighting to keep the Point Cook Pop Up Park permanently open are calling on locals to show their support for the space.
Situated in a closed section of Murnong Street at the Point Cook Town Centre, the park was opened by not-for-profit group CoLocal in 2018 as a project to boost community connection.
CoLocal founder and co-project designer Sara Mitchell said the space “connects the very heart of the community.”
“It’s about people getting to know their neighbours and it is incredibly important that we are actually out there having fun with one another,” Ms Mitchell said.
“It was never a Stockland or council initiative, it was a community-led movement that has been successful for local businesses and our local community.
“It’s got the blood sweat and tears of the community in it, and that’s what makes it special.”
Star Weekly understands CoLocal has temporarily decided to cease involvement with the space due to Stockland, the owners of the shopping centre, wanting to reopen the road.
Ms Mitchell said reopening the road would make the experience of outdoor dining at restaurants that back on to Murnong Street worse.
“There are lots of kids in the area and as a grandmother, I am not going to sit in an alfresco area with cars whizzing past– that’s not the deal,” she said.
“We certainly know what this was like when it was a road – it wasn’t very exciting.”
Poly Kiyaga runs the African Festival as part of the yearly Kaleidoscope Festival at the park and said it has become an important space to showcase African culture.
“When we have the African Festival we bring people from different countries on the continent who have different traditions, different foods, and different dances for people to see,” Mr Kiyaga said.
According to Mr Kiyaga, the space has been instrumental in educating people about Africa.
“I think when people were walking around [at the festival] they just said “wow, look at how many different nationalities from Africa are here in Wyndham.
“It’s not only about showing the food or showing the culture, it is educational and it informs people.
“We need to show the community who we are and we can do it here in this space.”
Argentinian-born Luciana Manrique, who hosted the Latino Festival at the park in 2023, said using the space has given her the opportunity to make friends.
“From the event I got to connect with more people from my own community because in the beginning I didn’t really meet or connect with anybody,” she said.
Ms Manrique said she believes the open space is a great way of combating social isolation, especially for members of cultural groups who may be new to Australia.
“For me it’s the idea of connecting with neighbours and getting to know who is living beside me.
“Back in Argentina, you are always sitting on the doorstep and everybody knows each other.
“Here it is something we need to create because it doesn’t flow as naturally– we all have different cultures and a different approach to connecting with others.”
A Stockland spokesperson said the company’s preference is to reopen the council-managed road.
“As is the nature of temporary activations, after eight years, the community and customers are no longer engaging with the space with minimal everyday use and participation in special events declining,” the spokesperson said.
This masthead understands Stockland will work with council to host this year’s SpringFest and the Kaleidoscope Festival next year and consider temporarily closing the space for events.
Council is accepting community feedback until September 15 and will host engagement sessions about the future of the space on September 7 and 11.
To provide feedback: https://theloop.wyndham.vic.gov.au/point-cook-popup-park
