“Please ensure this entire park remains dog-off leash. The vast majority of regular park users are dog owners who spend time exercising their dog's off-leash here. It is an integral part of the local community.”

Members of our community have expressed how much they value St James Park as a place to bring their dogs.

That's why St James Park will remain as an area where you can exercise your dog off-lead. This commitment is included in the master plan.

“I would like to see a half-netball court as well; many girls play netball rather than basketball and they should be catered for equally.”

The southern green will be opened up for everyone to use. There is enough space here for several activities.

Thanks to your suggestions, the final design features:

1. A half basketball court and netball court (hybrid)

• Participants told us that their top preference is to build a half basketball court in this space.
• We’ve also updated the design to feature a hybrid netball hoop based on your feedback.

2. A barbeque and seating area with views of the city

• 72% of participants wanted to see these elements in the new space.

3. Sensory gardens opposite the playground

• 63% of participants were in support of this feature.

4. Fencing between the Hawthorn Bowls Club and the new park

• This update incorporates feedback received from the bowls club.

As these works are not currently funded by Council, we will present the design to Councillors for consideration as part of a future Council budget.

“I appreciate the Council’s approach to retaining the heritage as much as possible.”

The heritage report for the master plan by GML Heritage Consultants has been updated to include new details from the Hawthorn Bowling Club.

If you’d like to read the heritage report, see our Document Library on the right side of this page.

1. Naming of the area formerly used by the bowls club:

Participants in the consultation highlighted the history of the bowls club area and its importance to the community.

We learned this area had been mislabelled as a "former disused pétanque area”, which did not capture the history of the space being used as a bowling green. We've corrected this and now refer the area as the southern green (also known as Charles Peters Green) in the master plan.

2. Celebrating the history:

The revised heritage report recommends considering the interpretation of the Hawthorn Bowling Club's history and the name, Charles Peters Green, in the new open space.

Historical interpretation is the process through which we describe, analyse, evaluate, and create an explanation for past events. For example, the master plan suggests collaborating with the Hawthorn Bowls Club to reinstate the former Charles Peters Green sign.

“A drinking fountain down near the sports ground, seems like an obvious one to me. Perhaps at the corner of Barton and Denham St.”

We plan to install new, accessible drinking fountains in the following locations (or as near as possible):

• the corner of Barton Street and Denham Street
• the end of Wood Street (near the playground).

Also, we have upgraded the drinking fountain in the middle of the park.

In the first stage of consultation, 48% of people supported a children's nook with log and boulder seating. However, 23% said "I'm not sure".

Due to mixed levels of support, the proposed children's nook in the southern green space has been removed from the master plan, alongside a redesign of the new open space.

The new design includes:

• rectangular layouts, similar to the original bowling green
• oval and paved areas, reflecting the spaces where bowlers would once play
• elements that honour the site's history while creating a fun, versatile space for the community.

Accessible wayfinding signs will be installed to help visitors find their way around the park.

For example, we plan to install directions towards the public toilets which are located behind the pavilion.

Drop-in sessions

• We hosted 2 information sessions at St James Park, where community members:

  • met with our landscapers, designers and tree experts to talk about the project
  • took part in an on-site tour of the trees with our arborists
  • shared their feedback in person.

Meetings

• We met with different groups in the community, including Hawthorn RSL and local businesses, to better understand their thoughts and needs for the future of the park.
  

Survey

• We heard from 101 community members through our online and printed survey.

Online pinned map

• 67 community members shared their views on specific areas of the park, including the facilities, activities, trees and signs.

On-site tours

• We hosted a walking tour with groups of children from Hawthorn West Primary School to learn the different ways they play and use the park.

• You enjoy using the park for activities such as exercising, sports, relaxation, picnics and walking your dog.
• You acknowledge and appreciate the park’s history and age.
• You agree it’s important that we take care of trees for future generations
• Most community members support the removal of deteriorating trees and renewal of trees.
• Local residents, nearby workers and families in the Richmond area value the park as a place to relax, retreat from urban life and observe wildlife.

Trees & environment

You'd like to see:

• climate-resilient planting and native vegetation for wildlife habitats
• trees to give natural shade at the playground
• natural vegetation for wildlife specimen trees.

A specimen tree has an unusual shape, texture, colour or other feature that makes it different from the other trees and shrubs in the area.

Facilities & park furniture

You'd like to see:

• accessible bench seating and picnic settings, especially at the eastern end of the park, near the oval and playground
• better drink fountains.

Safety

• better lighting along the southern path for safer exercise
• seating near the play area to make it easier to supervise children.

Recreation

• more facilities for active, informal sport, such as playing on a basketball court
• the southern green turned into an area that combines recreation and green space.
  
  

Drop-in sessions

We hosted 2 information and listening sessions at St James Park, where people shared their feedback in person.

Conversations

We met with different groups in the community to better understand their thoughts for the future of the park. This included:

• parents of children who attend Hawthorn West Primary school
• children who attend Hawthorn West Primary School
• Hawthorn RSL
• Hawthorn Bowling Club
• local businesses

We also welcomed letters from key stakeholders who provided input on the draft master plan.

Survey

We heard from 92 community members through our online and printed survey.

“Overall looks great. As an adult I also look for shady nooks in quiet places within the park.”

“The creation of more engagement spaces is very positive.”

“Love the idea of the half-court basketball!”

“We love St James Park - please don’t change it from what it is. It’s a local community hub - very important.”

“I appreciate the Council’s approach to retaining the heritage as much as possible.”

Recreation activities

Opinions on adding new recreational facilities were mixed. Some people supported the idea, while others expressed concerns about potential disturbances.

The area we’re now calling the southern green is close to the playground and school. This means that children can play together and go to school in a safe, central and interconnected location.

This space is not bordering people’s homes.

More seating and picnic areas

“I think increased seating of suggested varieties is great but if you're encouraging more picnic activity, please consider providing toilets.”

We plan to install several new, accessible seating and picnic areas around the park.

We will change the existing furniture in line with Council’s Public Realm Asset Manual (PRAM), which provides direction for the replacement and installation of public furniture across Boroondara.

Suggestions for public toilets

“Public toilets would be ideal near the playground area or the new proposed green space near the Wood St side of St James Park.”

Many people have expressed their preference for public toilets at St James Park. This suggests they may not be aware that there are public toilets at the sports pavilion for our community to use.

As part of the master plan, we will be installing wayfinding signs to help visitors navigate around the park. These signs will include directions to the public toilets.

Additionally, any updates to the public toilets will be part of a pavilion upgrade, in accordance with our Development and Funding of Community Pavilions Sport and Recreation policy.

Accessibility

“Accessibility - the park is widely used by people in wheelchairs … older people, young children, students from nearby Rossbourne school. However, the hills are steep and there is little to facilitate access in the lower/eastern end.”

Many people told us how important it is for the park to be accessible to people with disabilities.

We remain committed to ensuring that St. James Park continues to be a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone who visits.

We will replace the furniture and upgrade assets to make the space accessible for our community.

Importance of shade

“I would love to see sunshades installed above the playground.”

Many people shared that they would like to see more shade in the area, especially near the playground.

As part of the master plan, we have planted more trees to provide more natural shade and create habitats for wildlife. You can read more about the works on our ‘Tree works in St James Park’ page.

Under our Shade Policy 2017-2027, outdoor shade sails are out of scope for smaller, local playgrounds like the one at St James Park. Read more about this on our Upgrading Boroondara's playgrounds page.

Flagpoles at the war memorial

The Hawthorn RSL requested the inclusion of three flagpoles at the war memorial for use during commemorative ceremonies.

The request is being further investigated as part of a recommendation in the master plan.

Lighting

You asked us to avoid adding extra lighting around the park to reduce light pollution.

The southern green was originally a croquet lawn before it was converted into a bowling green. It has not been used since the Camberwell Pétanque Club relocated in 2011.

With more people living in Boroondara, there’s a greater need for open spaces in our community. This gives us an opportunity to open up the area for everyone’s use, with enough space for several recreational activities.

In April 2022, we shared 3 options to understand how you would like to use this area in the future.

Of the 100 people who responded:

• 46% prefer a space that is open to the public and can be used for active recreation, such as a half basketball court and grassy area
• 38% prefer a ‘green’ space that is open to the public and features lawns, trees and seating
• 21% prefer to lease the space to Hawthorn Bowling Club. This means the space would no longer be freely accessible to the public. Instead, club members and those who rent the space for events will have exclusive access to the area.

This total adds to 105% as a small number of people suggested their own ideas for a mix of recreation and passive recreation uses, including:

• a garden setting
• biodiversity planting
• indigenous plants
• a retreat space.

The preferred option, which we have included in the draft master plan, was to build a half basketball court in this space.

In the second stage of consultation, we asked which activities you'd like to see in the area.

We heard:

• 72% who responded preferred a barbeque and seating area with views of the city
• 63% liked the idea of a sensory walk through native garden beds
• 59% supported more seating and picnic settings near the Barton and Denham Street intersection
• many were divided on tree planting along the new open space, with 21% selecting “I’m not sure”

We’ve updated the design to align with your preferences. We also received input from heritage consultants and the Hawthorn Bowls Club.

The master plan proposes the southern green will provide:

• a basketball half- court and netball court (hybrid)
• a children's seating area and a leaf litter path for children to explore
• a barbeque and seating area with views of the city
• sensory planting opposite the playground
• new furniture and signs to help people find nearby places, such as public toilets.

As these works are not currently funded by Council, we will present the concept to councillors for consideration as part of a future Council budget.