The creation of “an iconic heart” is central to the final urban design plans for the reconstruction of Marysville that have just gone on display.
The residents of the town of Marysville, which was ravaged by the February bushfires, will see what their reconstructed town will look like before the final designs are adopted next month.
Two plans illustrate the urban design framework (UDF) of Marysville. One provides for the town and surrounds as a whole, while the second details potential changes to the key public spaces and commercial areas.
Environmental sustainability, better-connected streets and paths, and the retention of Oak Tree streetscapes are key to the plan.
The UDF also proposes creating a new town square that frames views to the Steavenson River and the mountains from the Murchison Street approach. This place is envisaged as a gathering point and the focus of visits to Marysville. This new public space should “open up” to the east and encourage movement into Gallipoli Park, which will contain the Memorial Garden and amphitheatre venue.
“A whole range of ways that will just make it more open but still maintain a feel of a lovely rural community,” head of the Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, Christine Nixon, said of the plans.
The UDF went on display in Marysville yesterday and will remain in community consultation until 10 October. The plans can also be viewed online.
