A Temporary Park Is Popping Up in Melbourne's CBD for Summer

Melburnians, dig out your picnic baskets out and dream up some event plans — you're about to get a new pop-up park for summer. And it's right in the CBD.

You'll find the 375-square-metre pedestrian-free space on Elizabeth Street's eastern side, where it runs into Flinders Street. Look out for fake turf, portable street furniture, lots of trees and oversized planters.

"[It] will be a great location for small scale events, as well as everyday enjoyment," said Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. "We expect the park to be well used by pedestrians who access the corner of Elizabeth Street and Flinders Street during peak periods."

Even though the park has been labelled a pop-up, it's actually a rehearsal for real-life. The City of Melbourne intends to close this section of Elizabeth Street for good and, by the end of year, build a permanent public space to the tune of $2.2 million. There'll be bluestone paving, drainage improvements, better lighting, more trees and new street furniture.

Between 2004 and 2015, the number of vehicles using Elizabeth Street dropped by 65 percent. These days, the average morning rush hour sees about 9300 pedestrians pass by, in comparison with 73 vehicles.

If you've been following development news, you might know that construction of the permanent public space was supposed to start in 2018, but got delayed due to a $40 million development at 276 Flinders Street. The park will pop up sometime in December and remain in-place until February 2018.