The final master plan for a seven-kilometre-long linear park underneath the recently elevated Armadale/Thornlie rail line has been officially unveiled.
Running below Carlisle Station to Beckenham Station, the parkland will be known as “Long Park” and will include 14 new community spaces with a range of amenities.
The six hectares of public open space will feature four new playgrounds, two nature trail/play spaces, two youth plazas with basketball, futsal, and netball courts, three skate parks, two fitness parks with exercise equipment, and two dog parks.
An extensive path network for biking and walking will also be built, with spaces for pop-up cafes and community events, while 4,000 new native trees and thousands of plants and shrubs will be planted throughout Long Park.
With the new land now unlocked by the elevation of the rail line, WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti believes the new parkland will activate the local area and facilitate new urban housing opportunities.
“This significant investment is what will drive new housing options for many Western Australians in existing suburbs, leveraging METRONET and new community facilities, making these locations the ideal place to live,” she said.
“Right across the world, we’ve seen how rail corridors are redeveloped into usable public spaces for the community to enjoy, and the Armadale Line upgrades will be another great example of how we can transform these spaces and unlock new housing opportunities.”
A proposal for an 18-storey, 85-apartment building near Oats Street Station is already under assessment by the State Development Assessment Unit, with a decision expected by year-end.
The seven-kilometre-long parkland will also include Perth’s longest public art trail, with more than 20 different pieces of art to be installed along its length.
As part of the art trail, which is expected to be one of the longest public art installations in Australia, concrete pillars along the park will be decorated with an art installation titled Moving Colour, created by local artists Chris Nixon and Kyle Hughes-Odgers.
Cannington MLA Bill Johnston believes the development and landscaping of Long Park will provide a significant boost to local amenities.
“To see how the Armadale Line rail corridor is transforming is remarkable, and Long Park will be a highly valued public amenity in the community,” he said.
“This project is not only delivering incredible new public transport infrastructure but extensive new parklands and public amenities that will activate this previously unused rail corridor.”
The majority of the work on Long Park is expected to be completed in time for the rail line’s reopening in the middle of next year.
