Meet the Main Street Australia Hero: Kirsten Coster – Experienced People Leader, Town Planner, Major Projects & Economic Development Professional
I’m retired now, but I was fortunate enough to be part of this movement in one way or another from 1994 to 2022 – largely as part of local government, as economic development became a service through amalgamation.
When I think about the Mainstreet movement, it conjures up thoughts of the art – the art of creating and sustaining a sense of place that provides connection and vibrancy; somewhere where everyone, of every age and every corner of the place itself, is safe and valued. Its whole is the sum of its parts – social, economic and environmental components, that require creativity and flexibility for it to be the very best place it can be – there is nothing finer than a ‘pilot’ to achieve this.
A successful centre is a truly diverse place, and housing is a key deliverable, not just in a housing crisis. Back in 2009, a key moment for me was seeing increasing growth in apartment activity in our centres, and the gaping hole there was in any guidance for how this then relatively ‘new’ form of housing in Melbourne was being delivered. Some truly devastatingly ugly developments were being thrust onto our centres at this time. In designing a tool to achieve more sustainable and sympathetic outcomes, I was privileged to be part of the team that created an award-winning approach. A few years later, albeit with some watering down, the State Government finally took on the tool, and where there had been nothing, finally there were guidelines for apartments in Melbourne.
What has mattered most over the past 30 years: persistence and stewardship, partnerships, unlocking financial capability, and building community connectedness and capacity. As Jane Jacobs famously said: “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” Perhaps it’s the town planner in me, but I’ve always said too that there is nothing more ‘practical’ than a good ‘strategy’, and I still believe this is necessary to achieve the outcomes we all seek for our main streets.
