Developers may have their eyes on the site of a former public hospital in Melbourne’s inner west, but some locals have their own plan – and it involves a swimmable lake.
With the completion of the new Footscray Hospital on the horizon, they want the council to back their vision for a green, mixed-use precinct at the old Gordon Street site, fearing the state government may be tempted to sell the 8.5-hectare plot to property developers.Justin McManus
A key feature in the design is the swimmable, man-made lake to be built on the site of the hospital’s car park, which was once a quarry and later filled in as a tip. The land is estimated to be worth up to $85 million. No plans have been made about what will happen to the site. The hospital was originally purchased in 1920 with collected community funds from Footscray residents.that the Footscray Progress Association had to borrow £50 to secure the 5½ acres and almost three years later bought the land for £2500.