Heads up, Maroubra locals! The McKeon Street Plaza will be open beginning the 8th of October 2022.
The temporary public plaza will be open for a six-month trial period, during which the area between Marine Parade and Fenton Avenue will be closed to cars and opened to the community for shopping, dining, and other activities.
“This is an opportunity to prioritise people and our local businesses. Creating a plaza on McKeon Street will provide more opportunity for visitors and locals to stay in the area and enjoy the beautiful beachside suburb of Maroubra, while also spending time at the local businesses and outdoors,” Mayor Dylan Parker, who will officially launch the public plaza, said.
Once opened to the public, the McKeon Street Plaza will feature new landscaping, outdoor furniture and public art. And from launching up to the end of March next year, local entertainment and music will delight visitors every Saturday as well.
The six-month trial is funded through a $500,000 grant from the NSW State Government as part of its Street as Shared Spaces (Round 2) initiative in partnership with Randwick City Council.
“The community and local businesses were consulted on this project and the responses were very supportive,” adds Mayor Parker.
Based on the feedback collected from the community consultation, an overwhelming majority or 87 per cent agree that the area will benefit from the pedestrianized public space. Moreover, 86 per cent said that they agree or strongly agree that people would visit or stay longer in the public space if it was well-designed.
To address concerns about the loss of parking, Council will create an angled parking area on Fenton Avenue, resulting in 29 new parking spaces or a net gain of 15.
“Overall, the objective is to strengthen the vibrancy of the area, enable more day and night activity, and encourage more walking to and from the area while preserving the area’s unique local character and identity.
