CYP Update

Good afternoon everyone,

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week.
Below is an update on the works for next week – as well as a quick update on some of our rectification and handover processes.

A reminder that next week is a short working week, we’ll be on site Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. While Thursday is ANZAC Day and there are no works on Friday or Saturday.

Overnight Works:

Tram Adjacent Works

Next week we’ve got works scheduled for Monday and Tuesday night adjacent to the southern ventilation shafts and chiller plant. These are works that are right next to the tram tracks, and as such we’ll need to complete them after the last tram goes through. We’ll also install the final sections of the pedestrian tactiles adjacent to the tram stop on the south eastern side.  The tactile work will require the use of a saw to cut out the sections where the tactiles are installed – We’ll try to do this as early as possible in the sections where we aren’t adjacent to the tram tracks.

Works next week

Albert Road Reserve forecourt and Station Entrance  (Works until 1am)

It’s more of the same at the station entrance next week, as the ground preparation continues and the bluestone pavers are installed adjacent to the entrance. There are some final underground services being installed, while the last of the waterproofing around the lift shafts is underway. As mentioned last week, we’ll have some formwork underway adjacent to the lift shaft as well.

South African Soldiers’ Memorial construction is now making some great progress. As we move up the structure we’ll erect scaffolding to allow us to continue reconstructing the memorial stone by stone.

Shrine Entrance and Domain Road (Works until 1am)

As promised last week, the retaining wall around the Shrine forecourt has made better progress, it will be much of the same next week with drainage installation.
We’ve continued to lay tracks up Domain Road this week, with concrete poured into place as the team head eastward up Domain Road. All going well, track installation will be finished tomorrow. Tram poles will be installed next week.

The footpath adjacent to Melbourne Grammar is open at the Wadhurst entrance end, but the progress is slower at the western end near St Kilda Road.
Still working our way through a few issues, and unfortunately I don’t have a forecast opening date just yet. We’re pushing to get it reopened as soon as we can.

Station Box

It’s been a while since I’ve given an update from the crew below ground. The team are busy installing signage, paving finishing off steps, and generally making the area look like a shiny new station.

I think it’s better served as a photo than an update – so attached below is a photo of the new entrance gates to the station – inside those wooden boxes are the new myki gates, getting ready for commuters to tap on and head down to the new station platform.  Rest assured the final gate placing will have a bit more room between them – that configuration would be a bit of  tight squeeze!

Centre Island – St Kilda Road

Southern Area:

As mentioned above, the end of the Chiller Plant works means that the team can get in next week and finish off the drainage adjacent to the tram stop, as well as the tree plots adjacent to the ventilation shafts and chiller plant.

Tree Planting

St Kilda Road Median

Once the tree pits are available adjacent to the southern ventilation and chiller plant – City of Melbourne will come through and plant trees through this area.  There are currently discussions happening later this afternoon about access and timing for the planting in the median. I’ll have the outcome and plan in next weeks update, but we expect to see trees through the area in early May.

Albert Road

Similarly, there are some new trees earmarked for the Albert Road area, City of Port Phillip have advised that they are planning on plating within the next couple of weeks – I’ll provide some more detail once i’ve heard more, but you can expect to see new trees popping up around the precinct soon, in what will be a very welcome addition.

Rectification Works – Planting

As I mentioned last week, as we finish areas of the job, we conduct a walk-through the site to identify any areas that need rectification prior to us completing the job. One critical part of this is the planting. As many local residents would have noticed, a number of our areas of planting have not taken as well as we’d like. Rest assured we’re very much aware of the plants that haven’t taken to their new homes and we are absolutely going to replace them.

The vast majority of planting on the project will become the responsibility of the local council once we’re finished (City of Melbourne and City of Port Phillip) We’re currently in discussions with both councils about handing over areas of the project where we’ve largely finished our work. We’ve got a list of things that we’re fixing prior to handing these areas over – and once we’ve struck an agreement on this handover – we’ll replace any dead plants and hand it over the respective parks team for each council, who will no doubt have greener thumbs than ours!

Have a wonderful weekend

Thanks, Rob

Friday Flashback

A quick flashback to where we were 12 months ago – with the excavation of the Albert Road entrance well and truly underway – ready to connect into the concourse.