Gordon Falls Reserve Upgrade

March 2024

Work to improve the accessibility of Gordon Falls Reserve, Leura, is underway with the first stage of the upgrade in construction - the new amenities building.

Replacing the current amenities at the reserve, the new building will include two accessible cubicles (one with a baby change table), two ambulant cubicles and two standard cubicles.

The building features a well-ventilated design with views through to the bush beyond and is anticipated to be completed in the second quarter of 2024.

Once the amenities building is completed, the next stage of the upgrade will take place providing improvements to the carpark, footpaths and landscaping, including the planting of local native trees, shrubs and groundcovers grown from locally sourced seed.

During construction, access to walking tracks from Gordon Falls and the reserve itself will remain open whenever possible. Temporary toilets are provided in the reserve for the duration of the period that the permanent toilets are not in use.

When the amenities building is first constructed, it may appear to be raised above the current level of the northern part of the carpark. This is because the next part of the upgrade work will involve adjustments to the northern carpark area, to provide a flatter, more accessible grade.

When all the upgrade work is completed, the levels will match and provide more accessible access to the reserve.

Before work commences on the second stage of the upgrades, updated plans showing what will occur will be provided to the community.

The works at Gordon Falls Reserve are the result of a Precinct Planning process with the community that commenced in August 2022. The Precinct Plan for Gordon Falls Reserve (and Prince Henry Cliff Walk – east) was adopted by Council at the meeting on 28 February 2023.

View the Precinct Plan on Council’s website - Item 6 within the Council Business Paper (28 February 2023).

Further details about the work can be found in the News Feed below and in the FAQs to the right of the page.

View the artist's impression of the new amenities building.

Gordon Falls Reserve is being upgraded as part of the overall development of the Grand Cliff Top Walk, funded by the Australian and NSW Governments Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. The $2.4 million upgrade to Gordon Falls Reserve is funded by the NSW Government's Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program, in association with Blue Mountains City Council.

The works in the reserve will be undertaken in two main stages with some preliminary works undertaken to prepare for the more significant contract works. These works are funded under the NSW Government’s WestInvest Grant program. The following stages of works will become evident in Gordon Falls Reserve :

• Preliminary Tree Removal: This will involve removal of a number of trees in the vicinity of the current Amenities building to prepare for the demolition of that building and construction of a new amenities building. A number of Pittosporum undulatum (Sweet Pittosporum) will be removed as they are weedy species in this area. There will also be a few trees removed that are dead and two larger Eucalypts that have significant structural deficiencies. In addition, a Saw Tooth Banksia and a couple of Tea Trees will be removed to make way for the new building. This work is anticipated to take place in September 2023.
  
  
• New Amenities building: A construction fence will be erected around the existing Amenities the site of the new building and part of the northern car park. The fence will define the area that will be closed for construction purposes.

Temporary Toilets will be located for public use for the duration of the works at Gordon Falls Reserve until the new facilities can be safely accessed. These temporary toilets will be maintained for the duration.

The former toilet block will be demolished a new retaining wall will be constructed and the new Amenities building constructed.

These works will commence in early October 2023 and are expected to be complete by the end of March 2024.

• Civil and landscape works: Once the Amenities building is complete a Civil Contractor will commence work with some demolition of some superseded assets, construction of new footpaths, construction of new car parking, stormwater drainage works and services installation. New signage and furniture will then be installed. Some planting and landscape restoration works will complete the package of works.

This package of works will commence from the completion of the Amenities building and likely be complete by September 2024.

At all stages Council will maintain access to walking tracks from Gordon Falls that are open. The Reserve itself will be open as far as practical within construction constraints.

The Precinct Plan for Gordon Falls Reserve (and Prince Henry Cliff Walk – east) was adopted by Council at the meeting on 28 February 2023.

To view the Precinct Plan on Council’s website CLICK HERE.

Thank you to all who contributed to the precinct planning for Gordon Falls Reserve. Your time and effort are appreciated. The Precinct Plan is better for the insight, experience and ideas provided by the community and stakeholders.

What happens next? The next step is to implement the Precinct Plan, which will happen in stages. Council has funding for some of the elements of the Plan and is yet to secure funding for other elements.

We are working on preparing detailed designs and documentation for the tender and construction of the following elements of the Precinct Plan and the Prince Henry Cilff Walk (east).

Gordon Falls Reserve

• New amenities building
• New northern car park and water sensitive drainage features
• New southern car park and water sensitive drainage features
• Upgrade of reserve including restoration of some existing furniture, installation of new furniture and signage
• Construction of new accessible path network

Prince Henry Cliff Walk

• Section of boardwalk across the landslip (around 60m)
• Upgrading of the track replacing timber steps and drains with sandstone
• Upgrading of some of the lookouts
• Construction of the 1^st section of the accessible track from Gordon Falls Reserve

We will progress this work as far as the budget will allow. As the program of works becomes clearer we will provide further updates.

Residents will be informed of proposed works well before construction commences. The works will be staged to maintain public access as far as possible. All efforts will be made to close only the parts of the Reserve and track that are under construction.

The draft Precinct Plan for Gordon Falls Reserve (and Prince Henry Cliff Walk - east) is now complete, following consideration of submissions on the Concept Designs, and will be put to the elected Council for adoption at its next meeting this Tuesday 28 February 2023.

The Council report, accompanying the draft Precinct Plan, provides a summary and analysis of submissions made during public consultation and explains our response to the key matters raised. The report also notes that budget is available to progress a portion of the Precinct Plan to construction.

To view the report and the draft Precinct Plan on Council’s website CLICK HERE (the report is Item 6 of the Meeting Agenda. To view the draft Precinct Plan on Council’s website CLICK HERE.

THANK YOU for your contribution to the precinct planning for Gordon Falls Reserve. The outcome of the Council decision will be published on this webpage on Wednesday 1 March 2023.

* COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ON THE CONCEPT DESIGNS FOR THE PRECINCT HAS NOW CLOSED *

THANK YOU for taking the time and effort to make a submission and share your thoughts. The project team will consider all community and stakeholder feedback to inform the development of the Precinct Plan. The draft Precinct Plan will be put to the elected Council for endorsement, most likely in late February 2023. Keep an eye on this page for updates.

We invite you to help shape the future of this precinct.

You are encouraged to review the material available on this web page and then complete the survey here.

Your feedback is welcome until Sunday 15 January 2023 (extended from Sunday 18 December 2022).

It is important to note that Council is not looking to change the role of the Gordon Falls Reserve as a public space and an access point to walking tracks. The purpose of the proposed upgrade is outlined above.

The Project Team has carefully considered the feedback from community and stakeholders provided at the pre-design stage of the project - see news item below. The Concept Designs reflect community comments, concerns, and ideas, where possible and practical. Our response to community feedback is summarised below:

Gordon Falls Precinct Plan

1. Southern Car Park or Car Park 2 – a medium strip has been provided to separate reversing cars from the intersection of Olympian Parade and Lone Pine Ave.

2. Siting of toilet facilities – The existing amenities do not meet current accessibility or Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) standards. Two potential locations have been shown, in both cases the amenities allow good lines of site from the park, both for wayfinding and passive surveillance purposes, an aspect which is current best practice. In both locations there will be filtered views towards the building from most vantage points in the street. The amenities will be accessible in whichever location.

Option 1 located near the northern car park has the advantage of being closer to the existing sewer, it presents a narrow elevation to Lone Pine Avenue.

Option 2 is located far enough from the car park for parents to allow young children to go to the toilet without a hand being held. This option is more centrally located within the park.

The design of proposed amenities will be sympathetic to the built character of the surrounding neighbourhood in roof form, materials and colours.

3. Location of the existing play area and retention of existing play equipment is retained and enhanced with nature play opportunities.

4. The existing mock rock structures are retained but would be modified to allow passive surveillance from the surrounding areas. At present these shelters present spaces where antisocial behavior may occur with those in proximity unaware.

5. The bus stop has been located so that buses coming from a northerly direction will round the corner and be able to stop at the correct place. A new bus shelter provides protection from wind and rain for those waiting for buses and other pickups.

6. Stormwater will be addressed in three separate locations so that velocity and nutrient loads are reduced and there is some measure of contaminant reduction prior to discharge into the natural systems.

7. Have kept the northern area substantially the same as it is currently except for revegetation of an eroded section of the park and two paths, one which enables access to the Prince Henry Cliff Walk and one which caters for greater numbers of walkers arriving on the Grand Cliff Top Walk from Wentworth Falls.

8. A path and revegetation of the eastern portion of the existing asphalt car park not only reduces hardstand but allows the southern and northern sections of the reserve to have a pedestrian link.

9. There was strong feedback that the southern section of the reserve with its open space should largely remain grassed open space for Tai Chi or informal games.

10. Clear signage will provide wayfinding near track entrances directing to walks and Gordon Falls Lookout. Shelter signs will provide maps at both car parks

11. Coach parking would be provided on Olympian Parade to the west of the relocated bus stop.

12. Overflow parking will be provided at Lone Pine Reserve with walking links back to Gordon Falls Reserve clearly signposted.

13. Have generally tried to ensure that only essential features are added to these areas as sensitively as possible retaining furniture and infrastructure that is still in good condition.

14. The current orientation of the food van has been switched around so that the van opening faces a pedestrian area.

15. The existing footpath network runs along the northern side of Olympian Parade. A new ramp allows for a crossing point to the other side of the road to enter Gordon Falls Reserve.

16. The initial concept showing stone arches as markers for the end of day one and beginning of day two of the Grand Cliff Top Walk have been replaced by a single piece of high-quality interpretive sculpture that will perform the same function in a more sympathetic way

17. The track to the war memorial plantings is beyond the scope of this Precinct Plan

Prince Henry Cliff Walk

1. The proposed future boardwalk will be linked with sections of concrete path. It was noted that concrete used in construction alkalises stormwater which may have the effect on plant ecosystems downslope. Care will be taken to specify the most suitable type of concrete.

2. The access tracks to Olympian & Elysian Rock lookouts will be upgraded.

3. Track work between Olympian & Tarpian Rock is not part of the scope of this Precinct Plan however tracks are to be upgraded in 2023 including a new bridge traversing the landslide on the track that has caused the closure in that direction.

Gordon Falls Reserve

• Leave the southern part of the park relatively un-developed. Retain the WSUD elements, replace bridge with stepping stones
• Three options for the location of the amenities block have been provided by Council consideration
• Update amenities block as per attached PDF supplied by BMCC, ensure adequate screening of toilets from residents
• Provide details of Grand Clifftop Walk entry and exit structures
• Retain location of existing BBQ and consider options to include a hot coal bin near the northern car park area
• Identify Lone Pine Reserve as overflow parking and include wayfinding signage locations (by others)
• Ensure accessible pathway connects the northern and southern car parks with the accessible walking track, picnic tables and future boardwalk
• Include locations for information shelters at both northern and southern car park
• Steps to be included near the entry/exit to the Grand Clifftop Walk to be alleviate erosion Car Parks

Southern Car Park

• Push car park into the reserve and have angled parking with one way traffic from north to south
• Allow for a longer car space suitable for the coffee cart to park

Northern Car Park

• Allow for batter or retaining wall on the northern end of the car park
• Keep proposed car park footprint within Council land
• Reduce length by two spaces from the north and increase the southern eastern row by one or additional spaces
• Investigate opportunities to push the car park further away (to the east) from existing trees to retain the trees
• WSUD treatment to run into bushland area on Council land (not in grassed area)
• Car space provided for BMCC cleaning/opening/closing vehicle near the proposed location of the toilets

The consultation on the Preliminary Designs has concluded. See above for updates on the progress of this project and opportunities for community comment.

Our first thoughts on the proposed upgrade of Gordon Falls Reserve precinct are provided in the four Information Panels in the Document Library:

• Information Panel 1
• Information Panel 2
• Information Panel 3
• Information Panel 4

The designs reflect the key issues, insights and opportunities relating to the site, previous community feedback, and recommendations from other Council studies and plans e.g., Destination Management Plan and Nature-based Recreation Strategy. They provide a starting point for conversation with the community.

It is important to note that Council is not looking to change the role of the Reserve as a public park and access point to walking tracks. The purpose of the proposed upgrade is outlined above.

Invitation to Comment

We welcome your thoughts / ideas / concerns / preferences about the Gordon Falls Reserve precinct in its EXISTING state and on the PROPOSED CHANGES, as shown in Information Panel 2.

Complete the survey here.

Your feedback is welcome until 9:00am Monday 29 August 2022

Community Information Session on the Gordon Falls Reserve Precinct Masterplan

Update: Thank you to everyone that attended the Community Information Session on Saturday 13 August. We appreciate you spending your time to learn about the project and sharing your ideas to inform the design of the masterplan.

Council is holding an Information Session on the Gordon Falls Reserve Precinct Masterplan. You are invited and encouraged to attend. This is an opportunity to learn about the project and share your ideas to inform the design of the masterplan.

Date: Saturday, 13 August 2022
Venue: Gordon Falls Reserve (playground)
Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm

• 10:30am: A one-hour meeting-style session with a presentation by Council staff and consultants.
• 11:30am: A drop-in style session with one-on-one conversations with Council staff and consultants.

Both sessions offer the same information and the opportunity to ask questions, engage in discussion and provide your feedback.