Enmore Park Plan of Management - Land

Conservation Management StrategyEnmore Park4.2 The Items and Fabric to be conservedFrom a heritage conservation perspective, it is the pathway layout, the central rondel, the earlytree plantings and entry gateways along Enmore Road which have the highest level ofsignificance within Enmore Park, and which warrant conservation. Most of these pathways haveexisted virtually since the Park was established, principally because they reflect pedestriandesire-lines across it from the several streets that surround or abut the Park at right-angles. Whilethe alignment and paving of some of these pathways has changed a little over the years, mosthave remained constant, the typical character being a bitumen surface with concrete kerbing.The central rondel has also existed virtually since the Park’s establishment, and although little isleft of its early fabric apart from the edging rock (subsequently surrounded by a solid concretekerb), it should be retained as a central, organizing feature of the pathway system. Its internalcontents have changed over the years, and the present ones have no significance. Unfortunately,no photographs have yet been located of either the fountain or subsequent band rotunda said tohave been sited there early in the 20 th century. The only element of some long-standing was aHowea palm planted off centre. (It is worth considering introducing a cluster of these within therondel as an arresting vertical focal point at the centre of the Park).The tree plantings clustered at the main entrances at the four corners of the Park are also of longstanding (c. 70 years or more), and should be conserved and – where appropriate – reinforced.Plantings along the length of the actual park boundaries is more haphazard and has relatively lowsignificance. It could be standardized into row plantings of appropriate species without much lossof significance.Other elements of some significance are the two sandstone entrance portals (at each end, offEnmore Road), the small fountain and the bus shelter along Enmore Road, and the circularformation of arc-shaped planter beds in the south-west sector, just north of the Children’sResource Centre.4.3 Items and Fabric that can be alteredOf the paths, those leading from Black St. to the rondel, and that leading from the corner ofBlack and Llewellyn Streets to the rondel are more recent in terms of their present alignment, andoffer more flexibility for adjustment. The actual paving of the paths (mostly asphalt) is not initself significant, since it has been periodically renewed, but it is authentic to the type and periodof the Park, whereas brick paving is not. Similarly, the concrete kerbing along the edges of thepaths is equally authentic, as are the concrete pads for bench seats along them. Assuming it is theintention to retain the essentially late 19 th century character of the Park, then these materialsshould be retained or be used in any additional or enhancing landscape treatments of the Park.Of the trees, those planted after 1940 generally have less heritage value than those planted priorto that date, while those planted after 1970 have little if any heritage value. The latter can bealtered or replaced, although consideration should be given to their present amenity value.Apart from the rondel, and the circle of curved flower beds just north of the child minding centre,the other flower beds are relatively recent creations and can be altered or removed.The equipment in the children’s play area can also be altered or relocated; however, the rocketshould be retained, although it could be relocated – or be surrounded by supplementary playequipment to reinforce that theme.The swimming pool complex is the subject of a separate study, but there is no present fabricwhich cannot be altered or removed.Mayne-Wilson & Associates33Conservation Landscape Architects