KARRINYUP / GWELUP Local Area Plan - City of Stirling

Overall, 86% of survey respondents felt that the provision of parks
and conservation areas was ‘about right’. The main concern was
less with the range or provision of parks and conservation areas
and more with their maintenance and care.
Community Open Space
Public open space takes the form of formal parks, large reserves,
active (e.g. for sporting uses) and passive (e.g. for relaxation)
areas, and conservation of natural areas. For the Karrinyup-Gwelup
Local Area community, the character of the Local Area is closely
tied with open space; mainly public, but also private.
Over half of the survey respondents indicated that the Local Area
has moderate character and a further 37% of survey respondents
indicated that the character was not easily discernible. 59% of
respondents said they would prefer a stronger, recognisable
character for the area. Additionally, 81% responded that natural and
conservation areas were most important in protecting or developing
Local Area character while 68% selected front gardens and verges
as the most important contributor to character (respondents could
choose more than one option).
Beyond its contribution to the character of the Local Area, open
space is also considered to serve a primary community-building
role. It is evident that community parks are highly valued as places
of leisure and education and have the potential to strengthen the
community by providing a shared place for working together and
socialising. Participants identified parks and natural landscapes as
needing improvement, with a focus on improved activities and
social gathering in a safe environment. A key priority raised through
the community forums was further utilisation of public spaces
through providing community spaces with barbecues, seating and
places to play.
In addition, 72% of survey respondents indicated that the evening
and entertainment activities in general were lacking. Although this
issue partially relates to evening/nightlife activities, the lack of
entertainment activities could be overcome by further developing
open spaces for residents to use for entertainment events. This
may also provide opportunity for the City and also the community to
develop and hold events in open spaces.
Environmental Sustainability
Alongside protection of natural areas, the broader theme of
environmental sustainability has been identified as the key priority
for the Local Area. Sustainability emerged in relation to
environmental management through natural vegetation retention
and the City using more native species in planting. Water quality
and conservation, and energy efficiency in building design were
also raised in relation to increasing the Local Area sustainability.
This issue provides an opportunity for the City and community to
implement different initiatives and create places within the Local
Area that are truly ecologically sustainable.
The City is currently involved in several initiatives to increase the
environmental sustainability of Local Areas. These include the
creation and protection of natural areas in public open space and
improved irrigation techniques (both contributing to water efficiency)
through eco-zoning and hydro-zoning; the ongoing protection and
maintenance of bushland through weed control as part of the
implementation of the City’s Green Plan 2; ongoing wetland
remediation projects; recording and monitoring of flora and fauna
species as part of the City’s Biodiversity Strategy; the progression
of the Million Trees Initiative which commits to the target of a million
trees across the City by 2020; and the planned development of a
Sustainable Building Policy. These are just a few of the numerous
sustainability projects undertaken by the City.
Verges and Front Gardens
Survey respondents were also asked to identify two places in the
Karrinyup-Gwelup Local Area that require improvement. Lake
Gwelup, Karrinyup Shopping Centre and road design and
streetscaping were all equally weighted as the most in need of
CITY OF STIRLING 64
KARRINYUP-GWELUP LOCAL AREA PLAN
February 2010