Upgrade to revitalise Lalor’s Rochdale Square

Lalor residents will soon enjoy a new look Rochdale Square with an $800,000 upgrade to the shopping precinct and park underway.

With almost 4000 households with children in the area, the project is set to transform and revitalise the hidden gem into a lively and inviting community hub by updating the streetscape and creating more spaces for residents to connect.

The upgrade includes repaving and widening the footpaths, installing outdoor seating, planting lush new greenery, open grass areas and a new playground with barbecue facilities in the park. The play area will include a slide and a triple swing set, and there will be three picnic settings with two shelters.

Bianca Frost, owner of hair salon Frosted & Co at Rochdale Square said the redevelopment will be a boost for local businesses as it will attract more customers and families to the area.

“We are hoping it will shift the energy in the area to be more inviting to families with more food shops and traders open, and create more jobs,” Ms Frost said.

City of Whittlesea Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson welcomed the upgrade at Rochdale Square as an opportunity to breathe new life into the much-loved town centre.

“The improvements at Rochdale Square will support local businesses by making the shops easier to access and provide opportunities for residents to spend more time in the precinct and enjoy all that it has to offer,” Ms Wilson said.

“The past year has been extremely challenging for our business community, so I’m pleased that Council is able to revitalise the town centre and bring new customers into the area.”

The project is jointly funded by the City of Whittlesea and the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund.

Construction is expected to be completed by the end of August.

For more information about this project visit whittlesea.vic.gov.au/rochdalesquare