A new community garden in St Kilda is deterring graffiti vandals and bringing together local green thumbs, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
The garden at Dalgety Reserve was officially opened today by Member for Southern Metropolitan Nina Taylor, who was representing the Minister for Crime Prevention Ben Carroll.
Funded as part of a $30,000 Graffiti Prevention Grant to Port Phillip Council, the community-led project has seen irrigation and planter boxes installed as part of efforts to beautify the space and discourage anti-social behaviour such as illegal graffiti.
The project has also involved removing graffiti from Dalgety Street and Little Grey Street, supported by council funding.
A community planting day took place before today’s official opening and was attended by Port Phillip Mayor Dick Gross and representatives from Victoria Police, the Port Phillip Ecocentre and local community members.
The $30,000 grant is also funding a second community garden outside the Acland Grange Care Home, which is due to be completed in the next few weeks.
The Labor Government has provided nearly $2.2 million to support 111 graffiti prevention grant projects since 2015, including four projects worth more than $100,000 in the Port Phillip local government area.
More than $455,000 in grants will be allocated to local councils for graffiti prevention in 2019–20 alone.
The grants are part of the Labor Government’s Community Crime Prevention Program, which supports local communities to prevent crime and improve community safety.
“The new community garden at Dalgety Reserve is a terrific example of how the government is working with local councils to improve the safety and amenity of public spaces.”
—Member for Southern Metropolitan Nina Taylor
“I congratulate everyone who has contributed to this important project.”