Case Studies
Esplanade Youth Plaza

Design Feature

Type of project
Infrastructure, Placemaking
State
Western Australia
Location
Urban
The Esplanade Youth Plaza (EYP) is a world class, award winning project that contributes to the vibrancy of a prominent public open space in Fremantle, the Esplanade Reserve. Completed in 2014, the EYP was developed to offer a safe and youth friendly inner-city space, encouraging young people to interact and be physically active.
Youth focus in the heart of a city
City of Fremantle was guided by the Youth Plan to develop and maintain existing youth friendly spaces and explore opportunities to improve the Esplanade as a youth friendly space. The EYP has been central in the beautification of the Reserve, offering comfortable resting areas for all visitors, encouraging pedestrian traffic, and therefore, optimising the safety and utility of the park. The EYP is actively participating in making Fremantle a destination place.
The location was an essential consideration for Council; the land is owned by the Department of Regional Development and Lands and is vested to the City for management. Interest was expressed in 2009 to consider the Esplanade Reserve as a site for a youth area. Around 40 submissions were received at the time, asking for a skate park to be developed at the Woolstores site which was set to be demolished. No budget was available, and several concerns from some residents meant that the project never took shape.

The central location of the site, the proximity to existing amenities, public transport, as well as the City’s infrastructure supporting alternative modes of transport have helped to maintain a constant and high level of activation and sense of place in the area. The EYP contributes to the vibrancy associated with Fremantle as a destination.
Consultation with key stakeholders was central to the design of the EYP to ensure maximum ownership by the community. The EYP has been able to cater for a large cohort of young people and the broader community while integrating with the flow of existing foot-traffic on the Esplanade Reserve. Diversity and inclusion were driving factors in determining the type of outdoor play spaces offered at EYP.
A strong community of local parkour users helped to create Australia’s first purpose build outdoor parkour park not in a playground. The design of this section also drew strongly on the historical marine and industrial working heritage through the material selection of features. Custom designed ping-pong tables, slacklining and rock-climbing facilities further extend inclusiveness of the facility.

The park additionally features a summer stage area for events and youth music concerts, as well as adequate green spaces and seating. A sense of place has been reinforced through the inclusion of a marine buoy, which has been incorporated into the bowl design of the park to acknowledge Fremantle’s Maritime history.
Project team
  • City of Fremantle Project Team
  • Skateboarding WA
  • Perth Parkour
  • Freestyle Now – scooter & BMX organisation
  • Dismantle – bicycle workshop social enterprise (youth engagement project)
  • Slackline Australia
  • Lotterywest
  • Convic Skateparks (main contractor)

Project cost
Total development and construction cost - $1.6 Million ($600,000 received from grant funding).
Health value
  • The EYP provides free access to a physical recreation facility, and mobilises youth of all skill levels through popular activities.
  • The EYP caters for passive participants such as parents and carers.
  • The EYP encourages social interaction, supporting families to spend more time together.

Economic value
  • The EYP offers an integrated design which takes into consideration natural assets of the Esplanade Reserve (E.g. shade incorporation through central tree line, and choice of native plants which can withstand high pedestrian traffic).
  • Materials used were sustainable through recycled local timbers, concrete culverts, sea containers, and a repurposed marine buoy (incorporated as a skateable feature).

Environmental value
  • The EYP offers an integrated design which takes into consideration natural assets of the Esplanade Reserve (E.g. shade incorporation through central tree line, and choice of native plants which can withstand high pedestrian traffic).
  • Materials used were sustainable through recycled local timbers, concrete culverts, sea containers, and a repurposed marine buoy (incorporated as a skateable feature).

Social value
  • As a nationally awarded facility, the EYP is contributing to the development of a sense of place and pride in the community.
  • The level of consultation with young people has leveraged ownership, encouraging high levels of passive participation (chat in small groups throughout the facility).
  • The EYP’s layout and features (such as lighting) facilitate social activity and exchange, in a safe environment.
  • The EYP has been critical in demonstrating that a public open space designed for young people can encourage community connection, and importantly prevent, rather than generate anti-social behaviours.

Use value
  • The EYP has constant and high level of active and passive participants, using the facility on their own, walking through the Reserve or engaging in the program of workshops developed by the city.
  • The EYP program includes facilitators who were involved in the development of the project.
  • The EYP program covers physical activities such as skateboarding and parkour expected in such facility and it is the primary youth space for larger youth events within the City of Fremantle.

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