By Kate Breen – Reimagining Old Footscray Hospital Community Group
The inner-west community has an exciting opportunity to lead, partner and deliver a new park on the soon-to-be-former Footscray Hospital site.
Envisaged by Reimagining Old Footscray Hospital Community Group (RoFH) in response to its resident-led community engagement, ‘oFoHo Park’, is proposed as an early, first-stage park on a small portion of the site facing Gordon Street.
RoFH will be seeking funding for the park under the State Government’s innovative ‘Pick My Park’ initiative, which invites communities to propose locations and submit proposals for new parks.
The 5,300 sqm parcel of land we are proposing for oFoHO Park has significant attributes that make it perfect for a park.
Many residents will have noticed the brutalist-style concrete of the psychiatric building that sits on this part of the site. The building, and the grounds facing Gordon Street were heritage listed in 2022, with the fronting carpark comprising some of the best established native trees across the hospital site.
This portion of the hospital site is within walking distance of two childcare centres, schools and local shops, is fenced and is outside the quarry/dump area, reducing delivery risk. It is a highly visible and accessible site, with thousands of people passing it daily, making it an ideal, high-use community destination.
Maribyrnong Council’s strategic open-space strategy and advocacy for the hospital site identify a local park deficit in the area. oFoHo Park will begin to address this gap as a first-stage, small park on the Footscray Hospital site once it is vacated in 2026.
RoFH sees this as a fast, low-cost win with outsized benefits: every dollar spent here translates into immediate amenity, safety, and wellbeing gains. A park here will also reduce the risk and cost of further damage to the old psychiatric building.
Beyond seeking funding for this initial park, RoFH will continue to advocate for a much bigger investment in quality, nature based urban bushland, open space and recreation areas across the site. As this will take considerably longer for government to plan and deliver, oFoHo Park will provide a small-scale high-impact initial park for the community to enjoy.
RoFH is preparing a park concept plan which will be costed and submitted to the State Government in November.
To secure funding we require the State Government, as the landowner, to approve this land use, and to source a modest financial contribution to top-up the grant.
If we make it past this funding criteria then the community will be invited to vote on shortlisted park projects in early 2026.
‘oFoHo Park’ aligns strongly to government priorities and the Pick My Park criteria. It is an innovative, community-driven approach to delivering a new park in Footscray that will realise a significant return for the smallest investment, benefiting current and future generations.
RoFH is seeking engagement with State and Local Government representatives to discuss our proposal and seek their support.
Community members and businesses are invited to input into the park design and planning by joining us on socials (FB: Reimagining Old Footscray Hospital) or email oldfootscrayhospital@gmail.com
