Mini Maddern is a Footscray playground is popping up in Maddern Square, in the heart of Footscray CBD!
a Footscray pop up playground
Hidden away between Leeds Street and Nicholson Street, Mini Maddern aims to encourage year-round use of Maddern Square as a community space, especially by children, families and their friends. It’s a unique space in Melbourne’s West that presents an opportunity for safe play and community gathering.
For twelve weeks, from Saturday 27 March to Wednesday 23 June 2021, families will be able to drop into the space to play, build and learn on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Mini Maddern‘s facilitated sessions will be run by Victoria University’s Early Childhood students and staff, and will encourage children and families to engage with the space and craft, build and experiment with loose parts.
There’s also paint play, water play, crate play and sand play.
Many of the resources have been donated by Bunnings, Dulux, Ecodynamics and me, as the creative producer of Wheelie Good Fun.
If you need a bit of time out from the bustle of Footscray then you can chill out with a range of children’s books from my Book Swap Bike activation!
Coming soon is a sensory garden and there’s a plan for further pop-up activities and stalls, run by local businesses. These are expected to include, craft, exercise sessions and more.
Finally, on Friday 25 June and Saturday 26 June, you can bid farewell to the pop up park with a Demo Party.
It’s free to attend play sessions, there’s no need to book.
There is a water tap on site, two portable toilets and a locked space on Chambers Street with kitchen facilities, disabled toilet and change table (just find a staff member to open it for you). It’s very close to Footscray train station and the #58 tram stop on Leeds Street.
Mini Maddern was conceived by Public Realm Lab, Footscray based Architects and Urban Designers. It’s part of the Footscray University Town initiative, a partnership between Maribyrnong City Council and Victoria University.
