A vital new connection on Moonee Ponds Creek Trail linking Essendon to Brunswick West has reached the delivery phase with work on a new bridge and path starting early next year.
The new bridge will span the creek from Donald Avenue in Essendon to Hopetoun Avenue, in Brunswick West.
The link will open up the trail to a new group of riders that live east of the creek and the Tullamarine Freeway.
Funding has been made available from the bordering municipalities, Moonee Valley, and Moreland, and the Victorian Government (through the Boosting Recreational Use of Waterways Initiative).
The project has been in gestation for more than a year and has been through the public consultation phase.
It is part of a larger initiative to transform the creek known as the Chain of Ponds Collaboration, aimed at creating an iconic waterway for Melbourne that provides high social and environmental benefits.
The schedule has the bridge being constructed between February and June next year.
On the Moonee Valley side of the creek a new 3m wide shared path will be installed in mid-2021 to link the bridge from Vanberg Road.
That will be followed by future revegetation works including weed control, mulching and new planting to existing garden beds in the reserve between Vanberg Road and Donald Avenue.
On the Moreland side there will be works continuing to the middle of the year to deliver a new shared path along Hopetoun Avenue, upgrade a section of retaining wall, fencing and revegetation.
A benefit of the new connection is that it will create a walking circuit for locals along the creek environs.
