the right place
‘Everything that has come with this community was a happy surprise. It was not something we were looking for but it is definitely important.'
JORDAN KLITZING
The Fabric Cook’s Patch gardening club
As they walk their golden retriever Kevin around the streets near their home at The Fabric, Jordan Klitzing and Ellie will often stroll through neighbouring developments where they seldom encounter people out and about, unlike their own.
The resident amenity at The Fabric draws people out of their homes, eager to find the joy that comes with being amongst friends and neighbours. One of The Fabric originals, who moved in when the first stage of townhomes was completed, Jordan has observed at close hand the evolution of that elusive thing called community.
“The community has its own momentum and that happened immediately,” he says. “It was there even with the first group and it has extended to every new wave of people moving in.”
When he and Ellie bought their townhome off the plan, community was not top of mind; proximity to the city was their primary concern. Living in a high rise apartment on Bourke Street with jobs on Collins Street, they were deeply wedded to city life. Until lockdowns broke the spell and their apartment with its small balcony became more cell block than sanctuary.
“Community was not something that was top of our list,” says Jordan. “We wanted a nice house but we didn’t want to lose two hours a day travelling to and from work.
“Everything that has come with this community was a happy surprise. It was not something we were looking for but it is definitely important.”
Jordan welcomes the fact that sharing resident amenity as they do at The Fabric brings a different experience to life in the suburbs where you might only know the neighbour along your fence line.
It’s a more European model of urban living, and that was always the intent at The Fabric, where community spaces have been meaningfully designed to bring people of all ages and life stages together.
Jordan and Ellie became founding members of the Cook’s Patch gardening group, finding an outlet for the longing to get their hands dirty and grow their own fresh produce that had taken hold during the long lockdowns. They have harvested a bigger bounty than they ever anticipated, the garden proving fertile ground for building friendships as much as herbs and tomatoes.
There have been trials along the way, and the initial structure of the garden group has flexed in response to varying levels of interest and commitment.
“When it started, everyone had their own patch where they did their own thing and we’d end up with the same crops,” says Jordan. “We’re trying a more collectivist approach now which suits the different levels of interest, from those who just want to pick a few herbs instead of buying them at the supermarket, to those who want to get in and engage in high frequency activity.
“People can come in at a softer level and it becomes a gateway for those who had lost interest to find their way back in. And it’s a way to get to know people.”
The strength of community bonds at The Fabric validates the care Mirvac has taken to build inviting shared spaces and provide support through a Community Development program, says Elysa Anderson, Mirvac’s General Manager Residential – VIC and WA.
“In the initial stages residents were drawn to the masterplan and design but increasingly as people have moved in and the shared spaces have come to life, it’s the sense of community that resonates,” says Ms Anderson.
“With each new stage we’ve added to the resident amenity with playgrounds, parks and green space which has broadened its appeal to families, working couples of all ages and downsizers.
“The Cook’s Patch with its vegetable plots and kitchen inside the community space has been hugely successful for holding birthday parties and special celebration events.
“We continually work with residents to find new ways to activate the space, lending support when it’s needed.”
‘With each new stage we’ve added to the resident amenity with playgrounds, parks and green space which has broadened its appeal to families, working couples of all ages and downsizers.’
ELYSA ANDERSON
Mirvac General Manager
Residential VIC and WA
It was during a Cook’s Patch working bee, alongside Assistant Community Development Manager Leanne O’Loughlin, that Melissa Healey found herself volunteering to start a book club.
Melissa and her husband Art had found their way back to Altona North after seven years living in Hobart and Launceston. Leanne was looking for new activities in the Cook’s Patch community kitchen when Melissa saw the chance to find others who shared her love of books.
“It was just a spur of the moment thing,” says Melissa. “I’d belonged to a book club in Launceston and Hobart, and was getting frustrated trying to find one in Melbourne that I liked and that didn’t involve traipsing across the city at night in the cold. I thought this is all too hard; I want it to be easy.”
As a long-serving executive assistant with the ABC, Melissa’s job is organising people, and making the book club happen was not so very different. Using The Fabric Community WhatsApp she sought interest from residents, and following an encouraging show of support gave them a list of 170 book titles that the local library provides in packs of 10 at no cost.
The group had their first get together in May and while still early days, it has the hallmarks of being another successful community venture at The Fabric.
“I only knew one of them which is hilarious because they all live really close by,” says Melissa. “The nice thing was the age group. We are all relatively similar, some a little older, some younger.
“It’s a nice demographic of people and I think it’s going to be a really good book club. We’re all professional people, we work, some are mums, and we can all walk to get here.”
Melissa’s great passion is books. Reading them, attending writers’ festivals and having a chance to talk about them amongst like-minded friends.
“Books are what I love; it’s my passion,” says Melissa. “Being able to chat over books with people who have similar likes, it becomes a bit of a girls’ club because it is generally women. But it’s more than books, it’s about friendship and developing connections within our own community.” ,/p>
*The article is intended as a guide only to provide general information. Mirvac is not a provider of financial or investment advice and this information should not be relied on as such. Before acting on any information in this publication, purchasers should fully consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to their objectives, and financial and tax situation and needs, and seek their own advice from appropriately qualified advisers. Mirvac has made all reasonable efforts and inquiries it believes necessary in preparing the publication but is not responsible for confirming the completeness or accuracy of such data and information. Purchasers must rely on their own continuing enquiries about purchasing decisions. Mirvac expressly excludes any and all liability relating to, or resulting from, the use of or reliance on, any information contained in this brochure by any person.
You might also be interested in
