Community members, visitors and trail riders will have improved bike facilities around Lilydale, thanks to a partnership between Council, community and the State Government.
Council will be improving Beresford Road Park and creating cycle nodes around town in the coming year, as part of the Lilydale Revitalisation Project.
Yarra Ranges Mayor, Jim Child, said the projects would complement works done in the 2021-22 financial year, including an upgraded boat shed at Lillydale Lake, a new community garden near Bunnings and a mural overlooking Lions Park.
"Over the last year, we've been working with the State Government and the Lilydale Revitalisation Board to improve spaces around town," Cr Child said.
"We've had fantastic feedback about the new community garden and the mural in Lions Park, and we'll have many more projects rolling out in Lilydale over coming years.
"For example, new cycle nodes will provide bike repair and maintenance stations – places where you can pump tyres up, fill up a water bottle, park your bike or charge your electric bike or phone.
Lions Park in Lilydale, when the mural was being painted.
"Many people travel through Lilydale on their way to the Yarra Valley Trail and the Warby Trail, and this will prompt them to stop, visit local businesses and take in everything Lilydale has to offer.
"These revitalisation projects have all been the result of community feedback, and I'm excited to see these works get underway."
The three cycle nodes proposed include near the former Lilydale Station, where the Lilydale-to-Warburton Rail Trail and Yarra Valley Trail begin, at the Beresford Road trail crossing and at the public toilets on Maroondah Highway next to Olinda Creek.
Other projects include working with the State Government to upgrade the old Lilydale Heritage Station to make it available for community use, following the Level Crossing Removals project in town.
Earlier this year, Council commissioned Blender Studios to complete an artwork on a public-facing wall at Lions Park in Lilydale.
The piece, The Beautiful Suburban Bubble, was the result of an online community workshop, with Council's Youth Advisory Group helping to compile the artist brief.
The mural depicts a young girl blowing bubbles across the suburb of Lilydale. Small features in the mural show connections to the urban environment of Lilydale, the nearby Dandenong Ranges and Lillydale Lake, with native flora and fauna featured.
"Our community members told us they wanted the image to be vibrant, colourful and modern, and I think the final mural shows positivity about our area and the future ahead of us," Cr Child said.
"I look forward to seeing these next revitalisation projects get underway, and to see the results for our community members and visitors."
We'd love to hear your thoughts about the finished mural and Lions Park. Visit shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/lilydale-street-art-project to find out more.
