A public open space in the street reserve providing space for people and green and blue infrastructure.
A section of Stuart Street Newport has been closed to vehicles but remains open for staying, walking, and cycling. It features play equipment, seating, and tree plantins, creating an inviting space to stay and to play.
A street park is defined as public open space within the street reserve, typically covering the full width of the reserve.
A street park is an example of filtered permeability but is a distinct street type since it has a large enough space that is separated from motor vehicles to enable people to stay for active or passive recreation. These spaces often also feature significant planting including trees.
Street parks are characterised by low movement function and local place intensity and are therefore appropriate to be positioned in local streets. Street spaces that are more vibrant are more likely to be civic spaces.
Typical street reserve often 20m, or can be any width appropriate for a local street.
Property access: street edges can be either active, such as housing fronting onto the street, or passive, such as at the side wall of a terrace house. Vehicle access to properties is usually via a side or rear frontage, or possibly via a shared driveway traversing through the space.
Car parking may be provided along parts of the street that have a conventional layout or on adjacent streets.
Use: small-scale recreation, social gatherings, gardening and play
Design elements: often features a landscape design tailored to the street. Typically includes one or two footpaths, paved or grassed spaces with benches, and lighting. There are often significant tree plantings, and drainage features such as landscaped swales may be included. Kerb ramps or flush access is essential for universal accessibility as well as in locations where people are invited to cycle through the street park.
Design elements: most features of street reserves in suburban contexts are similar to urban contexts. Landscape designs can be modest while still enabling people to stay, walk, and cycle and supporting significant trees.
Drawings
There are no drawings provided for this street type at this stage, owing the wide variance in functions and layouts that are possible for this type.
Issues and opportunities
This street type is less common. This is potentially due to prevailing assumptions that local street designs should feature conventional layouts. However, street parks have significant merit as places that encourage sustainable mobility, recreation, and can green and cool the local environment. These ‘pocket parks’ support the strategies for providing open space for recreation in the GANSW Greener Places Design Guide. If there is a community aspiration of these features, then the technical design of a street park can be relatively straightforward.
Street network operations are likely to be a valid concern when a new street park is being investigated. See the Network Planning in Precincts Guide for further information for how to best position street parks in the street network, including Principle 4, “use filtered permeability to make walking cycling and public transport the most convenient options”. Street parks can also be considered for trial interventions with installations so that people can immediately begin to use the street in different ways.
Integration of the street park into the urban realm is an important consideration. This street type is ideally located close to neighbourhood destinations or in areas that lack equitable access to public open spaces. Land uses that or elements are highly compatible with street types include:
Schools
childcare centres
aged care facilities
community facilities, such as libraries, community halls and swimming pools
residential dwellings, especially vehicle access to properties can be provided using shared zones for driveways
public open spaces, especially where the street park can extend or complement the open space
local bus stops.
Activities that are provided for in a street park can be diverse, including:
benches and grassed space for passive recreation
outdoor dining
play elements or playgrounds
fitness equipment.
Construction and maintenance may be a concern in some instances. However, the option to create street parks that are modest in scale and detailing can enable lower cost approaches.
Utilities and drainage should be considered, and existing infrastructure may potentially be kept in situ. There is also potential for street parks to contribute to the urban water cycle by significantly increasing deep soil area.
Safety and security may be an issue in some instances, especially where passive surveillance from neighbouring properties is limited. Clear sight lines through the street park to conventional parts of the street or adjacent streets will provide people with greater comfort. Lighting may also be considered.
Design solutions
Low complexity
Trial design interventions such as temporary bollards, benches, and planter boxes