NSW Government appoints first Open Space and Parks Design Coordinator to oversee green projects

The NSW Government has announced that landscape expert Fiona Morrison will be its first Open Space and Parks Design Coordinator, a newly created role to oversee a package of green projects.

Revealing the appointment, NSW Minister for Planning and Housing Anthony Roberts stated “Ms Morrison’s appointment to this important role demonstrates the status this Government places on the greening of Sydney and the rest of NSW by providing communities with open spaces and recreational facilities such as parks and playgrounds.

“This new role is dedicated to greening Sydney and the state, providing communities with parks and recreational open space.

“I want to make sure that trees and canopy are a vital part of the city’s growth areas and major projects. Green open space is a fundamental element of planning for future communities.

“A planned network of parks, rivers, bushland and street trees supports a good quality of life in an urban environment and is as crucial to cities as transport, road upgrades, schools and health facilities.

“Sydney’s population is booming and our communities need to have dynamic, healthy and vibrant places to live, work and play.”

Morrison brings many years of experience and award-winning expertise in landscape and open space including roles with the development industry, University of Western Sydney and numerous local councils including Campbelltown, Ryde, Botany Bay, Woollahra and Newcastle.

Welcoming her new role Morrison stated “as Sydney and all our centres grow, we strive to ensure our roads and transport meet our growing community needs and we must also focus in making sure our suburbs and towns are places that we want to live in and are proud of.

“We can do this by creating parks and open spaces that offer a range of recreation opportunities to enjoy and streets that encourage the community to step out of their homes to go for a walk or a bike ride.

“Sydney is a spectacular city with an abundance of open space, parks and natural beauty and we must ensure that this remains accessible to all in the future, especially as our suburbs change.

“We need to provide parks for people who want to play sport, playgrounds that teach and challenge our children and open spaces that are designed for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.”

Minister Roberts said the new role would complement a free tree giveaway he announced earlier this year for people building complying development homes in greenfield, or new development, areas and oversee a planned tree canopy policy.

He added “the free tree initiative will improve the appearance of local neighbourhoods, lower energy bills by providing shade and reduced heat load, and provide habitat for native birds.

Morrison concluded “great cities around the world have teams that work to create amazing parks and open spaces and we should commend Minister Roberts for making sure Sydney continues to live up to its standing as a world leading livable city.” 

Image: Trees in Sydney's Centennial Park.

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