“Agenda for Carlton” … alive and kicking!

The “Agenda for Carlton” was developed by the Carlton Residents’ Association (CRA) committee in June 2024 following a survey of members.

The "Agenda" is a platform to promote Carlton residents’ values of contribution, communication, cooperation (and the unwritten, coffee!). The opportunities and initiatives to drive those values are heritage, planning, greening and mobility.

Over the past year the committee overseeing the agenda included president Trish O’Loughlin, myself as vice president, secretary Lyn Cracknell, treasurer Phillip Watts and committee members Peter Sanders, Marisa Doyle, Megan Stevenson and Les Kilmartin. The Annual Report is available on the CRA website: carltonresidents.org.au/cra-2012/meetings.

In her report to the Annual General Meeting last month Trish O’Loughlin emphasised our work to strengthen community connection, to welcome new members and to meet with organisations who have a part to play in helping us achieve our “Agenda for Carlton”.

Some of the highlights and low lights in the report include the planning sub committee’s ongoing work to ensure that the heritage values and our built form characteristics are sustained and work to limit the threat to Carlton of our two neighbouring universities, RMIT and Melbourne. We seek to work in collaboration with their master plans as they build their respective futures but not at our expense.

While the reopening of Queensberry St has not yet resulted in the planned single lane of traffic in each direction and bicycle lanes along with tree plantings, the CRA will continue to lobby the City of Melbourne and the state government to turn their promise into action.

The CRA proposal for the rejuvenation of Lygon St with its aim to reduce through traffic, widen footpaths, and increase planting and street parking, has received Carlton Inc. support and would prioritise pedestrians and add to the viability of the street for local business. Mobility that provides sustainable, integrated and accessible is a high priority of the CRA.

The Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens is a unique World Heritage site for the city, the state and the nation. The significance of the site is however not matched by those who have local, state and commonwealth powers for ensuring its maintenance and protection.

The CRA believes this stewardship requires the current use of the Carlton Gardens by the MARI Group, an international behemoth that runs commercial sporting and cultural events, is not compatible with the heritage status of the Carlton Gardens.

We continue to seek the support of the council for alternative venues in the CBD for a Melbourne International Festival of Flowers.

The greening of Carlton is a priority agenda. We need to ensure that the maintenance of our parks and gardens is enhanced through new greening opportunities and the creation of pocket parks. This will reduce hard surface coverage and allow for an increase in canopy cover to offset the heat island effect.

The CRA has advocated for a pocket park outside the Kathleen Syme Library that will enhance the library and community experience and improve access to Lygon St via Faraday St.

We have continued our relationship with Ellen Sandell the State Member for Melbourne, and we are developing a relationship with Sarah Witty, the Federal Member for Melbourne along with the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor. We have encouraged our councillors with portfolios relevant to the Carlton community to engage with our expectations and their responsibilities.

The CRA continues to advocate for the reform of the council to ensure that its electoral provisions match the current and future needs and interests of residents of Carlton and the municipality. While the suggested move toward an inner urban council comprising Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip is tempting it should be built on democratic principles and not as in the past by a neoliberal ideology of cutting costs and people.

In 2026 the CRA will build on the “Agenda for Carlton”, revisit outstanding matters and seek to continue to reflect the voices of Carlton residents. •