The fun police are out in force and they’re coming for Carlton’s median strips.
asserted
they → come → strips
On warm evenings, the wide grassy areas in the middle of the road on tree-lined Canning, Rathdowne and Drummond streets are filled with clusters of friends and neighbours sprawling around picnic blankets and couples lying on the grass with their arms around each other.
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areas → line → other
Cyclists whir past along bike paths as the sun’s last rays bathe the grassy expanse in a golden glow.
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rays → whir → glow
These wholesome scenes have been a feature of life in Carlton since the days when I was at uni student there, but a couple of whingeing neighbours seem to have put an end to it.
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couple → whingee → it
Drinking is no longer allowed along the wide green median strips along these Carlton streets after the local council received complaints about noise, rubbish and unsafe behaviour.
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council → allow → noise
The City of Yarra has capitulated to the interests of a few inner-city residents over the rights and enjoyment of the broader community.
asserted
City → capitulate → community
It’s a ban that can only be described as very Sydney.
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that → ’ → Sydney
Our northern neighbours have a history of wowserism, littered with lockout laws and drinking restrictions.
asserted
neighbours → have → laws
The source of most of the hand wringing appears to be the area outside the Wine Corner Store on the corner of Canning Street and Alexandra Parade where patrons from the bar and bottle shop frequently grab a glass of wine and head over to the grass to enjoy it.
asserted
patrons → wring → it
Following a petition with a paltry 29 signatures on it, the City of Yarra has classified all three median strips in Carlton as “part of the road” rather than a municipal reserve and so has prohibited drinking there.
But the wide expanses of grass in the middle of these roads are not your typical slim median strips.
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expanses → follow → roads
They’re more like public parkland that can easily accommodate groups of happy picnickers and wine drinkers.
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that → ’re → picnickers
The roads are quiet with a speed limit of 40 and they carry almost as many bikes as cars on a typical day.
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they → carry → day
Safety does not seem to be the issue, as the owner of the Wine Corner Store points out “children kicking a footy or people lying in the sun” are still allowed.
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children → seem → sun
The problem is people enjoying a glass of wine.
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problem → enjoy → wine
Spend a few days in London or any other European city and marvel at how adults are trusted to take their beer or glass of wine and stand anywhere they like on the street near the pub rather than in a fenced off designated area.
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they → spend → area
The petition against the use of the Canning street median strip complains of litter, broken glass, noise late into the night and public urination.
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petition → complain → night
Of course residents shouldn’t be subject to bad behaviour but providing bins and toilet facilities along with some friendly guidelines on being respectful of neighbours could be a good first step rather than an outright ban.
uncertain
providing → provide → neighbours
As the population of Melbourne continues to grow “third spaces” like Carlton’s median strips are becoming increasingly important.
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spaces → continue → strips
It appears that a small number of nearby residents don’t like the revelry but
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number → appear → revelry
for many who live in small houses or apartments without any outdoor area these third spaces where you can meet up with friends and family without spending money are essential.
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you → live → money
Pick the right summer evening, and you might see an entire dinner party complete with chairs, tables and linen transplanted to an al fresco setting.
uncertain
you → pick → setting
It’s magical, heartwarming and uniquely Carlton.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The backlash from the council’s ban has been immediate with many residents who support socialising on the median strips complaining that they were not consulted.
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they → support → strips
A rival petition has been created calling on the council to “Free the Strip: Protect Carlton North’s Community Green Spaces”.
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petition → create → Spaces
City of Yarra mayor Stephen Jolly has sprung into action and says the council is looking at reclassifying the median strip as a park or getting the bar to apply for a parklet or outdoor trading permit.
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bar → spring → parklet
What’s clear is that we need more opportunities for connection and community, not people sitting alone and isolated in their own homes complaining about others having fun.
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others → ’ → fun
There is a long history of advocacy in Melbourne’s inner north and if there’s one protest we can get behind it’s to protect our right to drink a chilled glass of rosé outdoors.
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it → be → rosé
Movements are already under way for a mass picnic in protest or to occupy the space for a drink/sit in “like when they saved the pool, but drunk”.
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they → occupy → pool
The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own.
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that → challenge → own
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