A LITTLE park in South Fremantle has won big—scooping up a national landscaping award this week.

The Gold Street community park was recognised by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects because of the trust Freo council put in residents, who helped design and build it. “The participatory style was strongly supported by the City of Fremantle, who saw this as an opportunity to trial a new approach to parks; one in which the long-term outcomes could potentially result in greater community satisfaction, ongoing community involvement, and also realise cost savings in relation to construction and maintenance,” read the institute’s citation.

• Mayor Brad Pettitt gave youngsters some planting tips as Gold Street parkies celebrated their national win. Photo by Kali Balint

Bibra Lake company Earthcare, who’s owner Francis Burke is a Freo resident, oversaw the park’s construction. Mr Burke says he hopes the award helps promote the participatory style so it becomes the norm in the future.

Local resident Kali Balint was involved in the project from the start.

“We have ended up with a park that fits us so incredibly well, and all it took was for Freo council to think a bit differently and take a risk to let the community not only be involved, but to take ownership of the process,” Mr Balint said.