The Federal Government’s “Stronger Communities Programme provides each of the 151 federal electorates with $150,000 to fund small capital projects. These projects aim to improve local community participation and contribute to vibrant viable communities. Federal MPs (in our case it’s Terri Butler) identify potential projects and invite applications from their electorate”
Two grant applications were successfully submitted in 2020 from local community groups:
- WECA for the “Breaking the Boundary” mural in People’s Park. This is jointly funding with a BCC grant.
- Kurilpa Futures together with Community Plus/West End Community House for the “Greening Boundary Street Precinct” project.
Kurilpa Futures Grant Application
Through two of its community groups (Kurilpa Futures and WECA), Kurilpa residents have endorsed and acted on the neighbourhood greenspace improvements outlined in The Greenspace Strategy. Community Plus have collaborated with both community groups to clean up and improve People’s Park and, with kiosk led events, to improve community links and wellbeing, and events such as the Kurilpa Derby.
The grant that has been received will support ongoing community-led greenspace improvements in the Boundary Street Precinct which has been one of Kurilpa Future’s key project focus from 2019. Following on from recent projects, such as the Sussex Street verge greening and the Boundary Street planter boxes greening, Kurilpa Futures, in conjunction with Community Plus, aims to improve vacant garden beds in existing gardens within the retail precinct. Small ground covers and shrubs, consistent with BCC’s verge guidelines and their recent neighbourhood plantings, will be installed in various pockets and locations on Boundary, Russell and Vulture Streets.
Key outcomes:
- Community groups continue to collaborate on helping maintain Boundary Street as an attractive and green destination.
- Community groups assist traders and Council to ensure small plants endure and thrive in existing gardens.
- Native plants of the Kurilpa Precinct reinforce the cultural story of the local ecology and indigenous history.
- Community helps care for the Boundary Street Precinct, creating stronger community bonds.
- Community helps the local shops on the main street to thrive by improving the environment.
- Engage the community with marginalised people and help them collaborate on wellbeing projects to break down the boundaries.
Budget:
- Grant request: $13,800 ($10,000 ws actually funded)
- Co-funding:
- John Mongard Landscape Architects
- Planting design and project management, $6000 in kind (60 hours)
- Kurilpa Futures
- Supply plants, $1600 in kind (succulent plants in 140 & 200mm pots)
- Undertake garden and planting works, $900 in kind (15 people for 2 sessions of 2 hours – 30hrs)
- Community Plus
- Community and trader engagement, $1500 in kind (20hrs)
- John Mongard Landscape Architects
- Total project cost: $20,000 ($10,000 plus $10,000 in kind)
There are three separate locations for infill planting scattered around the Boundary Street Precinct.
STAGE 1: Russell Street garden beds, (18th October, 2020) – IMAGES
STAGE 2: Vulture Street garden beds (1st November, 2020) and
STAGE 3: Boundary Street garden beds and hanging baskets. (TBC)
Plants will supplement existing gardens by being installed in vacant and unused garden areas, and hanging along the main street awnings. Kurilpa Futures and Community Plus hope that this greening project will be a positive community building outcome for the Boundary Street Precinct.
Outputs include:
- Cultivate / fertilize / mulch gardens
- Plant shrubs and ground covers
- Undertake two community planting bees and create festive ‘greening’ days with the help of the Community Plus band – The Whoopee-Do Crew.
KURILPA FUTURES 