It is all starting to happen in Artarmon.

AVI were thrilled to attend the community consultation preceding the first draft of the plans for a streetscape upgrade of our shopping village. Residents, businesses, landlords and Artarmon Public School were represented and the urban architects from Scott Carver took away a wealth of ideas.

We see this as a fabulous opportunity to re-establish Artarmon as a go to shopping precinct. Ideally, we will be able to simultaneously address the three projects required to make Artarmon Village hum, being: 1. The streetscape upgrade to make us a destination for shoppers; 2. Full traffic review to maximise parking and safety for residents; and 3. Clean up and painting of Hampden Road façade, and potentially Wilkes Avenue, with a colour theme to modernise and unify the shops.

We have suddenly gained some momentum with these projects and AVI thanks everyone involved for their efforts. There is no better time for local businesses to be members of AVI to harness that momentum and support their local community.

Please make welcome the two new businesses in the village: • HairBestie is a hair salon at 124 Hampden Road. It has a brand new, modern fit out and talented, enthusiastic staff; and • Chooks is a new take away chicken shop at 108 Hampden Road. The food is delicious and super convenient for workers and busy commuters. The owner Simon has lived in Artarmon all his life and was once an excellent delivery boy at the pharmacy.

Please follow Artarmon Village Inc on Facebook for updates, offers and events in our community @ artarmonvillage. We love Artarmon!

Artarmon Village streetscape upgrade by Adrian Alexander

Willoughby City Council (WCC) held a community consultation meeting in early April in the Artarmon Community Hall to seek input into its proposed upgrade of the streetscape in the Artarmon Village on both sides of the railway line. WCC has engaged a firm of landscape architects to prepare a plan for their consideration. The landscape architects gave an overview of their brief and each attendee had an opportunity to make comments or provide suggestions for follow up. Suggestions included a complete renovation of the Village Green along Hampden Road including renewal of all the vegetation and removable of most of the clutter that has appeared overtime, construction of public toilets within the Village Green, cleaning of pavements, upgrading of street furniture, removal of redundant signs on buildings and painting of shop facades in standard heritage colours.

The Council to be requested to introduce a signage policy for the Artarmon Village to ensure that the any sign approved respects the fact that the shops are located in the Artarmon Conservation Area.. For the east side of the railway line, suggestions were for upgrade the Wilkes Avenue Plaza area and for consideration to be given to using part of railway corridor land and the old library site for open space. The suggested new open space to include an area suitable for holding public events such as Night Markets and Street Fairs that can be held free of space and traffic restraints of the Village Green in Hampden Road. The APA and Artarmon Village will hold a Public Meeting once the landscape architects have completed their draft proposal for Council consideration.

“This is the Artarmon Village section of the Artarmon Gazette. To read the full copy of the Gazette please click here“