Preserving Nature – Spry Street Reserve

LOCATION: Coburg North, Victoria

CLIENT: Merri-bek City Council

INDUSTRY: Local Government

PRODUCTS USED

Assistrail® - Disability Handrails

AR30

Bikesafe® - Bikeway Barriers

BS35, BS45

Conectabal® - Commercial Balustrades

CB10

Project Overview

The Spry Street Reserve is a Natural Resource Management (NRM) program project spearheaded by the Merri-bek City Council (formerly Moreland City Council) as a part of the local government’s Moreland Nature Plan – the first dedicated plan of its kind for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in Moreland.

Spry Street Reserve is a progressive project which aims to combat the impending challenges of climate change, habitat fragmentation, water degradation, loss of diversity and impacts of urban development on nature in the LGA. 

In an effort to retain public open space, and conserve nature and waterway corridor function, the Merri-bek City Council purchased private property in Spry Street, neighbouring Merri Creek in Coburg North, with the plan to upgrade the existing nature reserve.

As a central part of conserving the natural environment, a new DDA-compliant shared pathway ramp was constructed descending from the upper part of Spry St to the lower Merri Creek Trail, along with amenity improvements such as new nature paths, fencing and seating along creek corridors.

Moddex was engaged by GR Design & Construction for the supply 250 meters of Bikesafe® Bikeway Barriers for safety and compliance along the elevated non-slip graded ramp. Bikesafe® BS45 was selected specifically for its balustrade infill design, for the purpose of providing a full barrier with a smooth deflection rail for cyclists and a top handrail for pedestrians. A custom balustrade mounting was designed by Moddex to fit the existing structure of the ramp.

Were there any project challenges?

Being a long-term NRM project, the Spry St Reserve required careful planning to ensure the upgrade was DDA compliant and conducive to the Council’s Nature Plan for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in Moreland. 

Along the way, the project was delayed multiple times due to design changes made to the ramp. Moddex adapted with punctuality and flexibility to the design changes along the way, the modularity of Bikesafe® Bikeway Barriers meant that the changes were easily made at every stage of the redesign. 

The modular nature of Moddex’s balustrade system meant that design changes made by the Council did not impact the project’s budget, timeframe, environmental and OH&S requirements.

Why was Moddex chosen?

Moddex was selected as a partner not only for our modular flexibility but also for our expertise when it comes to adapting to project complexities and securing certainty every step of the way. Pre-engineered and designed to meet the safety and functional needs of pedestrians, and cyclists traveling at speed, mitigating injury from falls, Bikesafe® Bikeway Barriers were selected as the turnkey solution for compliance.

Moddex played a critical and collaborative role to all parties of the project by ensuring the project was completed safely and under budget, fully complying with Australian Standards – adapting with speed and ease to the design changes and demands of the project. 

Fast and easy to install, the Bikesafe® Bikeway Barriers were installed within the desired timeframe.

Requiring no maintenance and reducing opportunities for more corrosion, our no-weld modular design meant that the construction of the bridge was void of hot works and no toxic fumes. Another advantage of choosing our modular systems for this project is that all components are easily replaceable if damaged throughout the lifetime of the bridge.

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Products Used