Yarra City Council is taking an innovative new approach to addressing amenity, urban activation and perceptions of safety in North Richmond.
Council has recently completed the installation of a photoluminescent community mural on the corner of Victoria and Park Streets. The mural is the first of several smart technology solutions to be delivered as part of the Safe and Liveable Victoria Street project.
The mural titled LUMI was designed and painted by painted by our Graffiti Diversion Program facilitators alongside six of their young participants.
It features the use of a photoluminescent paint which allows people to interact on the mural with a phone or other light source.
Yarra City Council Mayor Cr. Sophie Wade said Council will use new technologies and innovation to activate areas along Victoria Street and North Richmond to help make them feel safer and more open to community.
“There are really interesting ways in which we can now activate our streets and food and dining precincts, and make them engaging for residents and visitors alike,” Cr Wade said.
“We know that activating spaces and creating more open, accessible and well-lit environments are crucial to people’s perception of place, movement and community safety.”
“Initiatives like the Safe and Liveable Victoria Street project allow us to do this in a creative manner which better aligns with the character and feel of our iconic shopping strips and dining precincts.”
“Gone are the days when Council’s only option to improving amenity was to deploy more lighting. We can now use a range of innovative solutions including smart lighting and surfaces, interactive murals and better wayfinding to make our streets more attractive, safe and engaging.”
Yarra City Council is committed to supporting local business by enhancing people’s experience when visiting Yarra and working with other levels of government to support local activation of Yarra’s neighbourhoods and precincts.
The project will apply innovative community safety solutions to:
• Improve safety infrastructure and community confidence in public places
• Engage in space activation to reengage public places and improve positive activities in the area
• Promote the development of integrated crime prevention initiatives
• Promote widespread engagement in community crime prevention initiatives
The LUMI mural is the result of a productive partnership with Yarra Council and the state government. Council invested over $48,000 towards The Safe and Liveable Victoria Street project, with an additional $240,000 provided by the Victorian Government through its Community Crime Prevention Program.
Other initiatives delivered under the Safe and Liveable Victoria Street project so far include the installation of:
• Smart Wayfinding with LED Safety tactiles for pedestrian
• Smart Surfaces with engaging and vibrant ground cover and stud lights using specialist resin and recycled glass surfacing materials
