I have quite a lot of news covering the next 6 months.

Be aware that the dates are my best estimates, no guarantees….and some things may change

Let me start with the high level info

• The new tram stop under the green legs will be operational before Xmas
  • For this stop to be fully operational, they will be laying tram tracks in CYP’s current work areas over the next 10 weeks.
  • From November 27 for about 3 weeks, they will be working 24*7 to connect those new tracks into the current system. This will be VERY noisy. They call this the occupation work.
  • All the various sheds etc that are now in the middle of St Kilda Rd need to be moved. They will be moved into the Albert Rd Reserve before Xmas. The park will become a work site. In the new year they will commence building the station entrance inside the park.
  • From early January until late March (roughly), they will be working right on our doorstep again. This will only be during the day but will involve jackhammers and other very noisy gear (and yes the footpath will be dug up again)

A few details that surround each of these pieces of work

The Occupation prep work – Now until Nov 27

• The end date of the occupation cannot really slip – their entire focus between now and November 23 is getting ready for that work. We may see some work up until 10pm on some nights
• St Kilda Rd heading southwards is currently on our side of the new station, in about a month it will move across to the other side. From this time for about a year, there will be no right turn from Park St into St Kilda Rd.
• We will start seeing rail being delivered and installed in the CYP work areas.
• Installation of bike lanes has already commenced in front of the Shrine area. That will continue southwards.
• It is not part of the occupation prep but of great interest – the concrete precast panels for our vents will occur in late September. The external ‘cladding’ (Beautification??) will occur later.

The Occupation work (Nov27 – Dec 16)

• The first 5 nights will be the noisiest – jackhammers and concrete smashing.
• The tram stop on the city side of Park St will be removed during this time
• Yarra Trams have committed to minimise (not eliminate reversing beepers)
• For these 3 weeks, there will be no general traffic in St Kilda Rd northwards from Toorak Rd. Local traffic (us) will be able to get to our building. Be aware NO traffic will be able to get past Bowen Lane heading towards the city. I know that’s messy but it’s only 3 weeks.

Pre-Xmas work

• As part of moving the sheds across to the park and in preparation for the station entrance, a few trees may need to be removed. These were identified many months ago as likely to go. CYP have to go through a process but they are likely to go. There are also a two trees up near the Park St Tram Stop that will go.
• The parking immediately in front of The Domain will go.
• Once the tram tracks in front of us have moved towards Melbourne Grammar School, the lanes of St Kilda Rd towards the city will also move temporarily towards the school. This frees up an area between those traffic lanes and our building to enable CYP to work in January – March next year. It will look ugly and there will be fences and it will create hassles with drops offs, bins and dumb drivers again.

Another traffic matter to be aware of – from late November for many months, there will be no left turn from St Kilda Rd into Albert Rd, we will have to use Park St.

A few pictures to explain